Axe restoration thread

[svk]

I'd drill the wedge out, knock the haft out, clean the head up, dry the haft as you are but watch for warping or excessive cracking, refit the head properly, sand and blo the haft, sharpen the head.


Well actually I'd do none of that as I'd not find the time, but I'd like to do that.

To do it right, that’s the way.

I’d like to just get the head set right, de-rust, and hit with BLO.

 

[lead farmer]

Took a look at the scrounged DBA. The head has creeped up on the last owner and since it got rained on, was all swelled.

Tried to tap it on to no avail. Put it in my furnace room on top of the water heater so it can dry out a bit.

Anyone recognize that decal?

View attachment 860399View attachment 860400View attachment 860401

Collins homestead series

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[svk]

Collins homestead series

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Awesome, thanks!

 

[Hinerman]

Took a look at the scrounged DBA. The head has creeped up on the last owner and since it got rained on, was all swelled.

Tried to tap it on to no avail. Put it in my furnace room on top of the water heater so it can dry out a bit.

Anyone recognize that decal?

View attachment 860399View attachment 860400View attachment 860401

How do you clean the rust off that head?

 

[cat10ken]

I use a wire wheel/brush on my bench grinder to remove the rust.

 

[svk]

How do you clean the rust off that head?

I was just going to do a vinegar soak then sharpen with a stone.

Once I get the head on all of they way I’ll dry out the handle and give it the BLO treatment.

 

[LondonNeil]

To do it right, that’s the way.

I’d like to just get the head set right, de-rust, and hit with BLO.

Fair call, I'd reckon dry it out for a couple of weeks, if the handle is still straight and not insanely cracked then file the bit of curl off, then smack the handle end hard. If it goes on again then drive a couple or 3 metal wedges in and leave in a bath of blo.

 

[Lowhog]

After years of searching locally I found one priced reasonably at a flea market.

 

[svk]

After years of searching locally I found one priced reasonably at a flea market.View attachment 860674View attachment 860674View attachment 860676

Awesome

 

[svk]

Funny story, on my Facebook marketplace I get a suggested ad for a “vintage axe” for about $75. The axe head has “wear safety glasses” stamped into the head. Wondering exactly how vintage it is... LOL

 

[vtfireman85]

This one has been kicking around for years, I’ve no idea if it was a tag sale purchase or a family heirloom, I grabbed it to put a new handle on ad it was broken, when I start to clean it up I discovered it was stamped Sager Chemical Axe 1936. If I had had any idea it was old I would have been careful of the thing and cleaned it more gently. I plan to paint it, finish sharpening it and put a new oiled handle on it. I talked o a friend today, she does custom leather work and she is go to make me a sheath.
if anyone has any information about these I would be grateful for anything more.

 

[svk]

Maul head I got from the dump, sharpened and hung on 32” hickory. I’ll probably gift it to my new neighbor.

 

[rarefish383]

Just curious if any of you guys know what this is named/ when it was made? I am sure it’s a brush cutter, just never seen one like it. I found it out in the Dome Rock mountain range north of the Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona a couple weeks ago. We were searching for section corners on the BLM land near the old Colorado River Indian Reservation. It isn’t really that old but I was a bit surprised to find any kind of cutting tool where we were. Not much to cut out there. Second photo was the actual corner of the reservation and a couple miles from where I found the strange brush cutter tool. Any info would be helpful, I’m going to hang it in my wood shed as is. The handle is really cool the way it’s desert weathered.

I picked up a little brush ax like that for a buck last year at a farm auction. It's in pretty good shape with most of the paint and finish on it. I think I found that mine is a Sandvick.

 

[rarefish383]

After years of searching locally I found one priced reasonably at a flea market.View attachment 860674View attachment 860674View attachment 860676

My local Tuesday evening auction sells lots of old axes. Most in the $5 range. But, there is one other collector there that takes every ax I want. He out bid me 5-6 straight times. This little Norlund came up and I told my cousin I was going to go $15 on it. It was in a lot with several other axes. The other guy showed up and asked to separate the Norlund. As soon as I saw him I knew I had to take that one, or he would know I'd always back down. Went to $35 and he hesitated, and the auctuioneer said sold. So I got it for $35.

 

[vtfireman85]

My local Tuesday evening auction sells lots of old axes. Most in the $5 range. But, there is one other collector there that takes every ax I want. He out bid me 5-6 straight times. This little Norlund came up and I told my cousin I was going to go $15 on it. It was in a lot with several other axes. The other guy showed up and asked to separate the Norlund. As soon as I saw him I knew I had to take that one, or he would know I'd always back down. Went to $35 and he hesitated, and the auctuioneer said sold. So I got it for $35.

Im mo expert but i think its dangerous to use that barefoot

 

[LondonNeil]

Whoop whoop! Whoop whoop! Whoop whoop! I just won a Gransfors head, 3.5lber in what seems to be great condition! paid less than a lot of the much more common 4.5lb HB heads in worse condition go for! Good jobI stocked up on smedy's!

Oh and @rarefish383 I split some of the fresh green English oak with the True temper Jersey, that oak splits really nicely. I used the x27 just to halve or quarter the round then picked up teh Jersey on its 28" haft and it rattled through really nicely. I'm going to enjoy using that a lot i can tell!

 

[svk]

Maul head I got from the dump, sharpened and hung on 32” hickory. I’ll probably gift it to my new neighbor.
View attachment 862028

Gave this to my neighbor. Told him to use it and if it breaks I’ll put a new handle on it!

 

[rarefish383]

Im mo expert but i think its dangerous to use that barefoot

That's OK, I cut fire wood with my 660 in crocks with no socks and short pants. Some day I may wake up. I gave a friend a Homelite C51 to mill with, he gave me a pair of chaps. The last time I went to a rendezvous, I wrapped 2 rifles in them, worked pretty good. SVK gave me a pair of Kevlar gloves. I use those rascals when ever sharpening axes and saws. They are nice, I used to nick my knuckles on saw chain all the time.

 

[rarefish383]

Gave this to my neighbor. Told him to use it and if it breaks I’ll put a new handle on it!

I called Multifaceted a month or two back and showed him a pile of maul heads I was going to throw in the scrap bucket, and one nice ax head. I forget if it was a Jersey or not. He said he would pay for the ax. I said, "You don't get it, I told my wife I would get rid of three things a month that I don't use. The 6 mauls and one ax are seven things, that's 2 months plus, it's all or nothing". He took them all.

 

[svk]

That's OK, I cut fire wood with my 660 in crocks with no socks and short pants. Some day I may wake up. I gave a friend a Homelite C51 to mill with, he gave me a pair of chaps. The last time I went to a rendezvous, I wrapped 2 rifles in them, worked pretty good. SVK gave me a pair of Kevlar gloves. I use those rascals when ever sharpening axes and saws. They are nice, I used to nick my knuckles on saw chain all the time.

Oh good! I forgot about those.