Axe restoration thread

[rarefish383]

Here's a pic of my throwing ax. I made an extended, or long wedge, for it. It's wider in front where the handle didn't fill in. After I got it fit, I could see a little light coming past the wood. So, I poured epoxy on top and let it seep into any voids. This ax takes quite a beating. It's hit hard on the top of the head, and square on the end of the handle. Has not budged yet.

 

[rwoods]

Ron, I wish I had taken a picture. What I did was make an "extended" wedge out of Walnut. Looking down on it, like your picture, it was kind of arrow head shaped. it filled the gap in the front, then was a normal wedge in the kerf. It worked well and never came out, I may have put a little epoxy on it too, can't remember.

Looking at your picture, where the handle starts to taper into a point, and is not touching the steel, I filed that flat to give the "Arrow Head" part of my wedge something to hold onto, if that makes sense.

If I am understanding correctly, you made a wedge shaped like the up arrow symbol on a key board and inserted it upside down so it had full wood to wood contact and full wood to metal contact.

I will see what I can do. The factory wedge looks like poplar to me.

Ron

 

[Gypo Logger]

Post up in the "Splitting Tool Review Thread". I believe most of the people who own that style like them.

Will do. Thx.
Don’t you just hate it when some wood tick comes in and details a perfectly good thread?

 

[rarefish383]

If I am understanding correctly, you made a wedge shaped like the up arrow symbol on a key board and inserted it upside down so it had full wood to wood contact and full wood to metal contact.

I will see what I can do. The factory wedge looks like poplar to me.

Ron

Most of the factory wedges I've seen are Poplar.

I don"t mean I drive the point of the arrow in the groove. The wedge has a big head to fill the void where the ax handle does not fill the ax up. If you look at it from the side it looks like a regular wedge. If you look straight down on it, it looks like a yield sign, with the point up.

 

[rarefish383]

I wish I knew how to do graphics on the computer. If the ax head is the big piece, and the handle is the dotted line, the shaft doesn't fill the ax. So, I make the wedge to fill the empty space. I make the filler part of the wedge deep enough that it's even with the bottom of the ax head. Increasing use Walnut is it's soft enough to shape with a rasp or file.

 

[rarefish383]

I hate spell check. That was supposed to be,"the reason I use Walnut"

 

[DSW]

Just remember a typical wedge doesn't go the full length of the eye. It would have to be stepped for that to work.

 

[rarefish383]

Just remember a typical wedge doesn't go the full length of the eye. It would have to be stepped for that to work.

Yep, it is.

 

[LondonNeil]

I believe hultafors (or hults bruk) make the husky axes. it may not have the quality of fit and finish of something like a granfors, but it should be a quality axe.

 

[rwoods]

I wish I knew how to do graphics on the computer. If the ax head is the big piece, and the handle is the dotted line, the shaft doesn't fill the ax. So, I make the wedge to fill the empty space. I make the filler part of the wedge deep enough that it's even with the bottom of the ax head. Increasing use Walnut is it's soft enough to shape with a rasp or file.

That is what I had envisioned except I thought you squared off the bottom of the handle and squared the wings to fit the handle.



Ron

 

[MechanicMatt]

Dang, you guys are good. I’m embarrassed to show the “handle” my daughter and I made a few years back for her hammer. She found the head in my gramps old shop and wanted to use it again.

we made it out of a piece of kindling (red oak) and then she wanted to stain it to match her other handle.

Works for whatever my 10yo daughter uses for. I really wonder sometimes what she hammers, but honestly to afraid to ask.

 

[dancan]

View attachment 797205 Great thread here with a lot of history!
Anyway I saw this maul yesterday and couldn’t resist buying it.
It has that Viking berserker look to it.
Made in Sweden by Hultafors.
Does anyone own one and what do you think of it?

I have one , buyers remorse on it .

 

[dancan]

This one out preforms it in a heartbeat .
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...g-tools/axes/20124-iltis-oxhead-splitting-axe
The Fiscars are better than it but they have no soul lol

 

[Gypo Logger]

I have one , buyers remorse on it .

I like the look of it except for the short handle. 36” would be much more effective, so I wood have to carve my own handle. I don’t understand why handle manufacturers have to saw a split in the head of the handle. I think it just weakens it.
I checked out your link but I’d have to hold it in my hands to decide if it was yet just another club.

 

[dancan]

It's not the holding in the hand , it's what the business end of the club does it meets what you want to split .
I found that even the X25 was a better club .
I wanted it to work , I like the look and I got it wholesale but found it not as efficient as my other clubs in the spruce, birch, fir, pine, maple and oak that I've been busting up .

 

[DSW]

She's back.




Went from a 25 incher on a 4 lb head to a 20 incher on a 2.5 lb head.



I was running out of shoulder. Good enough for me.




I had a curved ash blank to put on the 4 pounder. Sawed as lumber years ago not splits that I knew had the borer. Started shaping the head and found a lot of tunnels. So much for that.

 

[U&A]

Well its not a “restoration” by any means but I’m modifying this cheap axe to be my wedge pounder. Its a cheap “Do It Best” from my favorite old time hardwear store.


https://www.doitbest.com/shop/hand-...tern-axe-with-29-in-hickory-handle?SKU=348190

I originally had the weight estimation wrong. This is a 2.5lbs bit on a hickory handle. Handle looks good actually. Steel im not sure about yet. But for hitting wedges and the rare occasion of a pinched bar retrieval it’s perfectly fine.

Cut it down to 24” for now. May cut it a bit shorter to 21” but ill use it first for a while.

Sanded it down real nice and she is getting treated with boiled linseed oil right now.

Will see how it holds up.

FYI: i have the bug[emoji1787]... have 4 bids on axe bits on ebay right now[emoji2957]

Before oil

After 3 coats

Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[U&A]

Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[rarefish383]

That is what I had envisioned except I thought you squared off the bottom of the handle and squared the wings to fit the handle.

View attachment 797339

Ron

You got it. Some times I square it off. If I have a lot of time I'll fit it to wrap around the taper. Looks cool with the dark Walnut against a white Hickory handle. White as in color, not species

 

[U&A]

My first restoration project is on the way[emoji847]. Unmarked but for my first one....no big deal.

What ya think?

Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]