Great Grandparents Axe Refurb

[DFK]

SVK:
You going to Make a handle or Buy a handle??

David

 

[svk]

SVK:
You going to Make a handle or Buy a handle??

David

Buy. I've had great luck buying handles from my local Menards that both have good grain alignment and color. One of them on another head I did looks like a laminated gun stock.

 

[svk]

I see an overwhelming consensus of keeping the head natural. Have to think hard on that one.

I'll be home this afternoon and can get progress pics of the Coke bath.

 

[svk]

Update:

The coke bath has more or less neutralized the rust and lifted some of it.

Not sure if I should put it in a fresh bath and repeat it just run the sanding block over it and proceed to step 2.

The current bath is very murky and has a metallic sheen.

 

[Philbert]

Coke (Coca-Cola) only works due to the phosphoric acid. Lots of better rust treatments listed in my 'chain salvage' thread:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/philberts-chain-salvage-challenge.245369/

Philbert

 

[svk]

Soaking in vinegar now.

 

[svk]

After 3 hours there is not much change in the metal but lots more loose crud in the bowl.

 

[rarefish383]

Glad I checked on your progress early. I'm going to get all of my axes together for a photo session, Joe.

 

[rarefish383]

I just went down stairs and got one of my favorites off the wall. I'ts an old Collins, the head is black and on the handle in white it says "Genuine Collins Hickory". It's never had a file to the edge and the white paint on the handle is almost perfect. Unfortunately, I don't remember where this one came from. I have another old double that has a leather scabbard, that was my wife's grand fathers. I think I'll start a Double Ax thread so I don't hijack Steve's thread, Joe.

 

[svk]

Cool. Be sure to link it up to here.

I have a few more axes that are already hung that I will be de-rusting.

Will post pics of the vinegar bath shortly.

 

[svk]

Major rust removal over night. Some had fallen right off and most of the rest was on the head as a slime but would wipe off. I put it back in and will clean it up later and drill out the handle. The black part was where the rust had fallen off already.

 

[svk]

Next thought. I need to sharpen the edge and reshape the poll a bit. I guess I'll throw it back into the vinegar then to color that metal as well?

 

[Philbert]

You got to decide if this is a working axe, or a showpiece axe .

Philbert

 

[svk]

Here's with the crud washed off. Interesting that there's black residue on part of it. Soaking again now to get the rest off.

 

[dancan]

If you're talking about the black on the bit that should be the temper/hardened section of the ax so it's normal .

 

[rarefish383]

^^^YEP^^^

 

[svk]

After several more hours nothing had happened so I assumed the vinegar had run its course so I replaced it with a fresh batch. Will update in the morning.

 

[Philbert]

If SVK picked a peck of pickled axe heads, how many pickled axe heads would SVK pick?

Philbert

 

[Ronaldo]

If SVK picked a peck of pickled axe heads, how many pickled axe heads would SVK pick?

Philbert

A whole passel of pickled axe heads he would certainly pick.

Sent from my Z832 using Tapatalk

 

[DFK]

I have a peck of axe heads that need to be pickled, cleaned up and hefted.
Maybe that is a project that should be started.

David