Estwing for the win...

My uncle died 10 years ago and left me some tools. He was an avid woodworker, and I have a shed full of stuff. Recently I was digging through a big wooden ammo box full of "junk" and came across a couple of axe heads. One turned out to be a True Temper Kelly Perfect Connecticut pattern, and so I got interested in axes. For years I've had an Estwing axe and an Estwing hatchet, and I love the fact that they seem indestructible. I didn't know the first thing about hanging an axe, until just recently, so whenever my wood-handled axes got marred from overstrikes, they'd wind up in the corner of the shed until I lost them. But now, I see the sense in both types. For one thing, I like crafting things and I admire craftsmen. My craft is beer, but since I opened a commercial brewery, I lost my home-brewing hobby, so if I can find some yard sale axes and rehang them, that'll be fun. Meanwhile, I used my Estwing hatchet to split some kindling this morning.
 
I have owned both the longer handle and the stack leather handle hatchet. The bits need some work to improve performance and I would like a longer handle on the 24" model and heavier head. But they are dependable and always ready to work. I buy 2-3 hafts every year, they don't last with my wood & duty. DM
 
I picked up an Estwing E24 hatchet at a yard sale this week for a couple dollars and have a couple of questions.
The hatchet I picked up has a notch for pulling nails. From what I can find online they used to have the notch but not anymore. Does anyone know when it changed?
The stacked leather handle is complete and tight but the varnish or lacquer is flaking pretty badly. I was thinking to lightly sand it down and refinish it. What's the coating of choice for this type of handle?
 
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andybtruckin said:
I picked up an Estwing E24 hatchet at a yard sale this week for a couple dollars and have a couple of questions.
The hatchet I picked up has a notch for pulling nails. From what I can find online they used to have the notch but not anymore. Does anyone know when it changed?
The stacked leather handle is complete and tight but the varnish or lacquer is flaking pretty badly. I was thinking to lightly sand it down and refinish it. What's the coating of choice for this type of handle?
Click to expand...
Sand it down with some fine sandpaper, then give it some Obenauffs heavy duty LP or some neatsfoot oil.
 
I've taken the time to Vacuum soak some of my leather Estwing handles in "Tung Oil", by putting them in a vacuum over night then soaking them in Tung Oil then collapasing the vacuum this method also facilitates washing away any previous applications of oil with solvent and removing that solvent by keeping them in a vacuum for an extended time. it IS kinda fun watching COLD water boiling!

But I'm probably the only one here that ever bothered to create a vacuum chamber for Imprognating Structural lumber with Thompsons Water sealer!

I was building a heavy wooden frame that was going to be left outside and the guy I was building it for wanted it to last!
 
I just wanted to throw out there that, in spite of my sufficiently large non-Estwing axe collection, I found two uses for my Estwing hatchet in the past few weeks. I was camping two weeks ago and brought it as a backup to my flying fox hatchet. My buddy ended up using it all weekend, and it worked well. Last weekend two rather substantial arbor vitae needed to come down at a local church, and once again I leaned on the indestructible A24 as a tool I could use in tight spaces, clearing limbs and not mar up the handle. It's a great hatchet, and I'm glad I have it.
 
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