Dutch - Oregon Trail

Garry3,i'm sorry,i'll have to take back everything i said above.

This axe is most interesting,and a Very uncommon shape.In Russia,virtually unknown.

The only thing that would qualify it as Russian is the eye,and that peculiar spur-appendage.However,those quite possibly came from Scandinavia(arguably(and MOST objectionable to the Russian nationalists),along with all the tool-making,and woodworking technologies....).

Alas,i cannot make out the letters at all...Not even wether they're Cyrillic or Latin script...Would it be possible perhaps to copy them on paper,even most approximately?

Meanwhile,the general shape of the axe puts me in mind of the Norwegian Laftebile,or similar:A very fine-bladed,wide axe with a straight-ish edge,for working on those wide flats on the inside of the notch in the Norwegian-scribe type log construction...A specialised tool originally,but was later employed wider and wider,spreading through Scandinavian countries....

(REALLY sorry,Agent_H!:)
This is getting interesting.
The first three letters are "LEA" and it possibly reads LEATIA .
 
Well,Sir,the Latin script speaks almost definitely of non-Russian origin...

The russian-like voluminous eye probably points Northward,to places where birch is the best a guy has for hafting an axe.

And that large-area,thin,but symmetrical blade toward the Lafte(sided beam) work(vs hewing)...

As usual,i may be as full of it as a Christmas goose,but something about it says Norsk...

I kinda class this type of tool as a sort of a chisel almost,a hefty one,like a large slick,it's haft used for added momentum,but the tool is a razor-sharp precision instrument vs a chopping axe.
As such,it's poll never did need to be overly beefy(the tool is frequently pushed by grasping with your palm).
And so,when someone carelessly pounded on that poll,it distorted,delaminating the probably rough,unrefined,locally-obtained bloomery iron tat it was forged from.
 
G garry3 , I'm glad you got those pictures up of your axe! I know I was harassing you on your profile page about it lol. My intention was to send them to Jake Pogg anyway to take a look at it.

I've been wrapped up doing non-axe stuff but have been following the conversation. Also, Kevin started the thread but I personally think any input from guys with experience/first-hand knowledge is really the most valuable thing we could have go on here. I just want more pictures of Garry's axe now!

That goosewing axe I am working on is pretty well flattened out as much as I think it should be without making it any thinner overall. Some finer sanding before working on the edge would make me happy. I'll try to snap some pictures this afternoon and you guys can give me some feedback.

But really, the history, metal composition and what that means, related blade styles/evolution, and good anecdotes are all great and give a larger perspective. Personally, I wouldn't want it any other way. That is how conversations start and go in person :)
 
Garry3,my internet connection is having a REALLY bad day...But i did manage to simply punch in "norskeryarbiler"....

And this is what came up in Google images...https://www.google.com/search?q=nor...L4uLzVAhVE1GMKHezjD50QsAQIKg&biw=1366&bih=610
At least you guys can see why i thought along these lines....

It's a puzzlement for me why the axe in question would be hybridised with that russian style eye+"appendage",we may never again see it's analog,the original having come out of some very remote farmstead,forged by a homesteader...

But then again,one may stumble across more of similar ones,or see a product of a manufactury that possibly was copied in this instance...
 
Garry3,my internet connection is having a REALLY bad day...But i did manage to simply punch in "norskeryarbiler"....

And this is what came up in Google images...https://www.google.com/search?q=nor...L4uLzVAhVE1GMKHezjD50QsAQIKg&biw=1366&bih=610
At least you guys can see why i thought along these lines....

It's a puzzlement for me why the axe in question would be hybridised with that russian style eye+"appendage",we may never again see it's analog,the original having come out of some very remote farmstead,forged by a homesteader...

But then again,one may stumble across more of similar ones,or see a product of a manufactury that possibly was copied in this instance...
Thanks for your help Jake. I didn't realize it was anything out of the ordinary.
I need to broaden my interests some and learn about more than just North America.
 
I can speak and read some latin but could it be that it reads "leatitia"? In that case it means "joy". Latin could come from allmost everywhere though, as it was used in all of Europe.

And since I cant see ignored content anymore thats the last I'm gonna say about it....
It might, the stamp is not that good and the first three letters are the only thing I am sure about.
 
Just to clarify, you're noting that the script is Latin not Cyrillic. The language itself might be something other than Latin. Is that right?

Yes,correct.
I had such difficulty seeing what's on the photo,that couldn't tell which....But if it's in Latin(as in script,not language),it's unlikely to be of Russian origin...
So far,i found at least one Swedish pattern where that appendage is used,the Berslags pattern....
 
Agent_H,you're doing a heroic job...(to attack a goosewing with hand tools is nothing short of...).

The highs and lows of the landscape will,of course,affect the action of a sharpened tool(by changing the angle of cutting edge differentially).However,that is something that you could work with;i'd guess that it will be barely perceptible.

What would be a bigger problem is if you were to "roll over" that edge,as you file.As in (without meaning to) create a double-bevel on this strictly single-bevel device.

That would indeed be felt,as it'll translate into you having to change the angle of attack,thus loosing the support of that entire plane area,that chisel-like guides the path of hewing...

It Is difficult to tell from photos,but flat-filing is like that,there's so much less material right at the very edge,that the sheer weight of a file may cause you to dive it off....It is to be prevented at all costs.

I'm sorry if i'm misreading the details on these photos.

VERY best of luck on this in any case-you're doing great.
 
I can't tell exactly where the edge is but I agree with Jake that you want the back flat with no roll on the edge. You could get away with a very slight back bevel by changing the angle of attack but it's not really the same tool this way.

If you need to correct the back try using a long file like 14" or at least 12". Lay the file firmly on the back before begining your stroke. By bearing down heavy on the tang of the file and light on the tip you can quickly remove a small roll at the edge if one exists and you cared to remove it.
 
First of all, I appreciate all the help with the recondition of this thing because I do want to it to be in as good a state as possible. I'm a quick study.

Best way to judge that is getting a ruler or other flat object out and see where the highs and lows are. Pic 1 looks good, but it looks like pic 2 still has some waves in it? Ideally my ideal underside is like a spoon: Centre is highest, the side a little bit les. About 2mm so, or a little more then 1/16 of an inch? But it does look nice. I wouldn't worry about the pitting, as it should be fine. But I would worry about the waves, although that could be the photo or my imagination?

I reprofiled it flat at the edge to create the arc like the silhouette photos earlier. That I tried to keep my work perpendicular to the bit – like any axe before starting to set any angle – I think like what you guys are recommending?

Doing that left it flat and dull as a soup spoon but thinner in the center and actually as thick as a soup spoon at the heel and the toe.

Maybe a look at the overall shape would help:
*You have to mentally reduce the thickness of the bit on the right side there from the toe and heel to account for a future edge.

Wing Talk by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr

Here is the plane of the rear with a level creeping towards you:

Wing Talk by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr

Wing Talk by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr

Wing Talk by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr

That last photo I think my level was accidentally touching the table slightly after I tapped it for light in the photo but right there it lies pretty much flat across with the space almost gone - like two sheets of paper thick. The space disappears completely forward of that.

So, with flat being great, a slight spoon/scoop shaped being ok, what I have here doesn’t necessarily do either lol. It "concaves" a bit behind the the current edge but is in plane with the flat going into the portion at and along the connection part of the eye.

To make a level lay flat without any space I would have to make it plane to the lowest part of that concave – right? Won’t that make that blade thinner than a guy would want? Head on, that center looks thin already but part of that is the visual effect of how thick the edge of the heel and toe are. The amount of metal is uniformly thick but since the center has some of the original edge left (as it came to me – not the factory edge) it throws my eye off. Also, I am finding this thing hard to take closer pictures of for some reason lol.

Kevin, if ideal would be perfectly flat or spoon shaped with the convex side of the “spoon” being found on the back of the blade then I am not sure how I would make that happen with this one. It is either intentionally built a little different or it is warped from use. Given its wear and age I am thinking it is from use but that everything around the "hollow" seems to meet up somewhat. The edge, even after taking the whole thing down to reshape it, is not completely flat or close. Seems some agreement that this picture shows an “acceptable” amount of scoop on it:

Goosewing flat side by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr

Looks good but that is just on that one plane.

I do have pictures of the edge but I am hoping to get some input from you guys who know metal, hewing blade shapes, and/or specifically this style of axe before that - so I can get a better grasp of what I have going on here and what would be appropriate to do about the back at this point.

It's not a new axe and I don't expect it to turn into one but it would be nice to get it as close as possible.
 
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Here is a picture from a current listing by the same maker. The eye construction on this one is different but the back of the blade at the center looks to be close for example:

s-l1600.jpg


I'm not sure but I see some similarities. Is that from normal/solid use or is there something else going on with how these are built?
 
In More than total agreement:That concavity is the Guarantee of flatness,serving like the hollow-grind on chisels et c.,it is there to make sure that all's flat,to help you avoid the rocking motion with your filing stroke.

Like on any single-bevel tool,most of material is removed from the bevel side.The "back" is only filed minimally,to assure that it'll meet the bevel to intersect it at the Edge...
 
I think the back of your axe is fine like that. No need to file out a concavity.

As I keep saying - I appreciate the feedback. I’ve seen what you did to a hewing axe and your advice matches your work Square_peg.

In More than total agreement:That concavity is the Guarantee of flatness,serving like the hollow-grind on chisels et c.,it is there to make sure that all's flat,to help you avoid the rocking motion with your filing stroke.

Like on any single-bevel tool,most of material is removed from the bevel side.The "back" is only filed minimally,to assure that it'll meet the bevel to intersect it at the Edge...


I appreciate your explanation of this Jake. This, the reminder of the bevel intersect, and the importance of not having any bevel to the back. That is what I was shooting for. It person, it doesn’t look like there is a bevel – I mentioned I am having trouble taking a photo very close.

The edge is shiny and for some reason I can’t get the light off of all of it enough but zoomed up it shows a bit better. I think still having so much more material at the heel and toe compared to the center is adding to the optics. Maybe a touch from sanding?




Wing Talk by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr




Wing Talk
by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr




Wing Talk
by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr


Wing Talk by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr


Your guys’ honest input is valuable as I don’t have experience with these – asking questions does shorten my learning curve. It’s a lot of blade compared to my other projects and the “rules” are a little different.

There aren't a lot of old-school German/Austrian/Dutch hewers around here to ask lol.
 
Yes,, as Jake said the concavity is to make sure you have no bevel on the back. Seeing that detail and the gentle roll heel to toe tells me that some smith really knew his stuff. I bet that thing will cut like a dream.
 
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