Multifaceted
Firewood Hoarder, Axe Enthusiast
Seems perfect for the job. Is that Beretta 92 hanging on that shotgun sling functional?
Axe restoration thread
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Seems perfect for the job. Is that Beretta 92 hanging on that shotgun sling functional?
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I was a little disappointed in the WEB. I've found quite a bit if info on most of my old axes. I tried to find a time line on the different Craftsman Logo's and came up with little. Most sites that had similar questions going had all lost pics due to Photobucket. Oh well, Joe.
Here's the two after their bath in "Evapo-Rust". On my postal scale the Craftsman ax weighed 2 pounds 5 ounces and the Plumb hatchet was 1 pound 6 ounces I think the Craftsman is going to be the test dummy on the browning solution, Joe.
Multifaceted
Firewood Hoarder, Axe Enthusiast
Joe, one of the things Evaporust does is change some of the oxidation into an inert black-gray layer, which feels gritty to the touch. It is easily removed by a light pass with a wire cup brush on your corded drill, otherwise some fine steel wool and minimal elbow grease. When it's removed, the steel is nice and bright.
I hit the two projects with a brass wheel on the Dremel, they came out quite shiny. I'm going to check with a friend that's done some engraving to see what I should use to chase the oval lines and script on the Craftsman and the Plumb script. Clarence, we broke the seal on the little brown jug. Man, I gotta get me one of them brewin kits! That was some gooood Beer! As good as any Micro-Brewery I've frequented. Thanks, Joe.
Awesome that we are already up to 23 pages on here!
Finally had weather warm enough to sit outside after dark and make some dust.
Started off with these two house axes that have been in the family for years. The white/red handled one has some damage to the butt of the handle and the head had some rust as it used to ride around in my dad's Argo up to the point he passed. I didn't get every last spec of rust out of the pits but after a bath of BLO the rust will more or less be neutralized anyhow.
The only marking on the plain handled axe
Plain handled axe ready for BLO
White handled axe ready for BLO
First coat soaking. Some white paint is still sucked into the grain on the left handle but these are working tools so I'm not too concerned.
I'll put the heads in a plastic bin with BLO after I get the next two axes done so they can pull oil up into the heads.
Started off with these two house axes that have been in the family for years. The white/red handled one has some damage to the butt of the handle and the head had some rust as it used to ride around in my dad's Argo up to the point he passed. I didn't get every last spec of rust out of the pits but after a bath of BLO the rust will more or less be neutralized anyhow.
The only marking on the plain handled axe
Plain handled axe ready for BLO
White handled axe ready for BLO
First coat soaking. Some white paint is still sucked into the grain on the left handle but these are working tools so I'm not too concerned.
I'll put the heads in a plastic bin with BLO after I get the next two axes done so they can pull oil up into the heads.
Up next. My youngest son says he wants to help strip these.
My 10 YO started on the Hudson Bay and I took the Husky. He got about half of the HB stripped before his hands got tired. I asked if he wanted me to finish it and he said no, he'd do it tomorrow.
I used my pocketknife (a gift from Zogger) as a spokeshave to strip the thick varnish from the Husky. Gave it a good sanding with 60 grit then 100 grit and a bath of BLO. No torch here otherwise I'd have considered giving the handle the "Buckin Billy Ray" treatment. Really need to get some "Wadca" (Watco) like he uses.
I used my pocketknife (a gift from Zogger) as a spokeshave to strip the thick varnish from the Husky. Gave it a good sanding with 60 grit then 100 grit and a bath of BLO. No torch here otherwise I'd have considered giving the handle the "Buckin Billy Ray" treatment. Really need to get some "Wadca" (Watco) like he uses.
Multifaceted
Firewood Hoarder, Axe Enthusiast
Glad you enjoyed the beer! It's a fun hobby that I enjoy. It can be as easy or complicated as you like it, my equipment is fairly extensive, but my brewing rig is rather simple and manual. Homewbrewing is about 15% brewing, 15% fermentation, and 70% washing gear, cleaning and sanitizing. For me, less parts to clean is best, hence why I have a simple gravity fed system. If you hate doing dishes, then you're not going to like homebrewing.
Multifaceted
Firewood Hoarder, Axe Enthusiast
Here's the progress after one dried coat of BLO on the Husky and two on the house axes.
Next coat applied on all three
This is the formerly white handle axe. Pretty ugly but not like a house axe needs an exceptionally strong handle.
The Trojan is near perfect
Next coat applied on all three
This is the formerly white handle axe. Pretty ugly but not like a house axe needs an exceptionally strong handle.
The Trojan is near perfect
An hour later they were completely dry to the touch so I gave them another coat and put them in the sun.
The dollar store has rectangular sharpening stones so I'm going to pick one up the next time I'm on that side of town.
Had to go to Ace to get 4 new 10 year smoke/co detectors. As of 2018, in MD, if you have a wood stove and don't have the new 10 year detectors your insurance won't cover a fire, or at least ours won't. While I was there I picked up a hickory handle for the Craftsman Boys ax. Grains not that hot, but I was impatient, and it was straight. They had several Collins Boys Axes in the rack and they all had nice looking handles. I'm still trying to figure out how I can chase the logo on the Craftsman. I'm sure it's just roll engraved, and it's definitely deeper at the top than the bottom. It looked like the lines in the logo were painted white. After I brown it I'd like to fill those lines with white again. I might start prepping the head for the browning solution after the football games. I'll get a pic of the shiny steel after the Evapo-Rust bath before I start the browning, Joe.
Crimey, I can't go 5 feet without an old ax falling on me. A friend came over to look at a Black Walnut slab for a possible gun stock. On top of the slab was this little Plumb. It's 2 pounds 1.4 ounces on the postal scale. I don't know if it's salvageable. I might put it in the derusting stuff just to see what happens.
Here's the Craftsman after the bath and a quick brushing, Joe.
Here's the Craftsman after the bath and a quick brushing, Joe.
It will have some pitting but of course it's salvageable!!!
How many coats of BLO do you guys normally use? The last axe I did was happy with 3 and these are drying almost instantly with 5 coats so far.
The sun has almost completely dried the oil on the heads. They feel like a well seasoned cast iron pan.
The sun has almost completely dried the oil on the heads. They feel like a well seasoned cast iron pan.
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