Coating/protecting axe head?

D

devon8822

Joined
Dec 26, 2013
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How do you guys protect your axe heads from corrosion, other than rubbing gun oil on it is there a more permanent way? I know many axes come from the forge with what i believe is the oil that they are quenched in giving a nice black coating, is that effect and able to be done by someone who isnt a blacksmith?
 
Birchwood Casey cold super blue -- then wax or oil. The bluing patina helps prevent rust. You can even sharpen your axe and then blue-wax/oil the honed edge if its going to be stored for a while. If you use the axe for wood any oil is fine. If you use it occasionally for hunting/food processing you want to use beeswax or a natural animal/plant oil.
 
If you coat it in silver, it would then be good for use on vampires.
Seriously, I think the use the axe will be put to will make a difference. if it is not going to be used, then the oil would last for quite a while, I think. my axe gets used for splitting firewood exclusively, and I do nothing to protect it from corosion. Use keeps the rust to a minimum.
 
Some of my axes are in unheated buildings subject to humidity and temperature swings. I keep 0000 steel wool nearby to remove any rust that appears. Then WD40.
 
If and when I think of it the metal implements I store in an unheated garage and back shed are lightly zapped with a spray bomb of WD-40. Been good for me over the past 3 decades and similarly useful for car parts/fishing reels/lawn and snowblowers/guns/shovels/rakes and what-have-you. WD is made of some kind of vegetable oil, creeps and displaces water and is light and fine enough not to overly stain. Dissipates over time though but that's OK by me.
 
Just thinking about back when they were used regularly for logging.

Didn't they use oil based paint? Seems like a good choice to me. Maybe strip it down like you are bluing it, then some type of heavy duty spray paint in a Red or Blue...or Orange, depending on your taste.
 
I think a good patina or blued finish with some ezoox and oil will be your best bet. That or you can dura coat it. Basically a fancy epoxy paint that will protect it. Will make splitting a little tougher though!
 
Unless its a display piece, clean it up real good and put some coats of Rust-o-leum on it. Oil it afterwards and oil the spots where the paint wears off as time goes on.
 
Yup. Paint it. I use clear lacquer personally. Paint will come off on the wear points, but that's ok because any rust will come right off in use.
 
Back in the day, it was common to use paint. Those that used axes every day, esp in the NW, were coming into contact with wet conditions almost daily. From what I have gathered, read, spoke to, etc, the preferred method wasn't paint(too expensive over time), but rather oil. What exactly this oil was/is, I am not sure. Early refined oil from crude is what I can gather. Other things I have heard/read is pig or any other animal fat, and also bacon grease, which I know works 100%, because I use that on my cast iron skillets at camp when not in use. I suspect those guys in those camps used whatever they could at the time due to where they were.

Today, there are so many options I am not sure if you can go wrong. Myself, use this - this is me, take it for what you will.

WD40 for the most part. Now, WD40 is not a permanent solution. You will have to reapply. I do so about every 3 months, depending on conditions. I have mine in the basement, so that is different than in a garage. Different aspect will call for different applications.

One I have been on lately, especially for those axes I know wont be used or moved, is regular linseed oil. If you apply it to the axe head, it will coat it nicely in what I call rednect clear coat - but it will take some time. It will take probably 3 days to properly dry, depending on conditions. I really like this, as you wont have to revisit your axes like you will with WD40. However, I enjoy revisiting the collection and going thru and wiping them down. To each their own.

Bees wax, stp, tung oil, motor oil, etc. I have probably heard of em, all, and tried most, but not all. Go with what you think works, what you have, can afford, etc. The big thing is, don't leave that axe alone. It's old, been threw who knows what, seen more than we can imagine, so it deserves some love. So love it. And often.

Hope this helps!

Mike
 
Operator1975 said:
What exactly this oil was/is, I am not sure. Early refined oil from crude is what I can gather.
Click to expand...

If I was an old time logger, and I was packing around a jug of kerosene to clean the pitch off of my crosscut, I sure wouldn't pack something else for rust prevention on my axe. I'd wipe it down with kerosene.
 
I use a mixture of linseed (BLO) / turpentine and a little Ballistol thrown in for good measure. It cleans off the pitch and sap, dries quickly . I will also work in a mixture of beeswax mixed with mineral spirits when melted. That is a cake and usually just rub it in with hand warmth. Both mixes are used on the steel and wood.
 
Operator1975 said:
Back in the day, it was common to use paint. Those that used axes every day, esp in the NW, were coming into contact with wet conditions almost daily. From what I have gathered, read, spoke to, etc, the preferred method wasn't paint(too expensive over time), but rather oil. What exactly this oil was/is, I am not sure. Early refined oil from crude is what I can gather. Other things I have heard/read is pig or any other animal fat, and also bacon grease, which I know works 100%, because I use that on my cast iron skillets at camp when not in use. I suspect those guys in those camps used whatever they could at the time due to where they were.

Today, there are so many options I am not sure if you can go wrong. Myself, use this - this is me, take it for what you will.

WD40 for the most part. Now, WD40 is not a permanent solution. You will have to reapply. I do so about every 3 months, depending on conditions. I have mine in the basement, so that is different than in a garage. Different aspect will call for different applications.

One I have been on lately, especially for those axes I know wont be used or moved, is regular linseed oil. If you apply it to the axe head, it will coat it nicely in what I call rednect clear coat - but it will take some time. It will take probably 3 days to properly dry, depending on conditions. I really like this, as you wont have to revisit your axes like you will with WD40. However, I enjoy revisiting the collection and going thru and wiping them down. To each their own.

Bees wax, stp, tung oil, motor oil, etc. I have probably heard of em, all, and tried most, but not all. Go with what you think works, what you have, can afford, etc. The big thing is, don't leave that axe alone. It's old, been threw who knows what, seen more than we can imagine, so it deserves some love. So love it. And often.

Hope this helps!

Mike
Click to expand...
Carefully measured response and I like it!
In 50 years of general observation I've never seen anyone, that actually uses implements all the time, do anything to protect them other than keep them out of the weather. Use and attention are what kept tools clean and shiny. Occasional users, that are conscientious and/or have a past of frequent use, might do the minimal thing such as wiping with an oily rag before storage, but even that was rare. WD-40 is a WWII invention (Water Displacement test batch # 40) but increasingly become a 60's era cure-all for penetrating fluid and rust-proofing. Convenient aerosol cans of this really is what did the trick.
Any 'oxygen contact-depriving' coating is better than none! It's primarily a question of how much effort are you willing to put in.
"The big thing is, don't leave that axe alone.......it deserves some love. So love it. And often."
 
A Visitor said:
I use a mixture of linseed (BLO) / turpentine and a little Ballistol thrown in for good measure. It cleans off the pitch and sap, dries quickly . I will also work in a mixture of beeswax mixed with mineral spirits when melted. That is a cake and usually just rub it in with hand warmth. Both mixes are used on the steel and wood.
Click to expand...

I do something similar. I use a mix of beeswax, BLO and turpentine. It makes a paste that's good for metal or wood. Best applied to a warm surface. Of course it rubs off during use so it needs to be reapplied for storage. Paints and lacquers are more durable. I just don't like the look of them.

Another quick and easy coating for storage is Boeshield.
 
Brownells Oxpho-Blue,

Quick easy cold bluing solution that brings most carbon steels to a nice black color, can be applied even if surface is a little oily so no strenuous cleaning needed. It will wear off eventually but i feel is better than paint
 
Square_peg said:
I do something similar. I use a mix of beeswax, BLO and turpentine. It makes a paste that's good for metal or wood. Best applied to a warm surface. Of course it rubs off during use so it needs to be reapplied for storage. Paints and lacquers are more durable. I just don't like the look of them.

Another quick and easy coating for storage is Boeshield.
Click to expand...

Just BLO and bees wax for me. Like you said metal and wood.
As a side note I seem to be having pretty good luck with sealing the end grain and wood to metal contact around the head with pure beeswax applied warm and thick, but my methods are far from a scientific study.
 
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