Hardest steel ever!

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Jul 8, 2014
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I just started working on this English Spear and Jackson 3.5 lb axe. I believe its a 50’s or 60’s vintage made from Sheffield steel (according to their catalogue.) The poll filed nicely, and then I started working on the edge. Wow! I sanded 1/2” up on either side of the edge with the orbital sander to avoid filling my files with crap. I have refurbished approximately 60 axes now, and this is without a doubt the hardest steel I have ever encountered. Only one of my files touched it! It’s going to be a labour of love! If anyone has any suggestions regarding what might touch this kryptonite, I am wide open to your ideas.9356FB63-D782-40B6-BE55-2BB21F4ACD42.jpeg
 
I just started working on this English Spear and Jackson 3.5 lb axe. I believe its a 50’s or 60’s vintage made from Sheffield steel (according to their catalogue.) The poll filed nicely, and then I started working on the edge. Wow! I sanded 1/2” up on either side of the edge with the orbital sander to avoid filling my files with crap. I have refurbished approximately 60 axes now, and this is without a doubt the hardest steel I have ever encountered. Only one of my files touched it! It’s going to be a labour of love! If anyone has any suggestions regarding what might touch this kryptonite, I am wide open to your ideas.View attachment 1142152
I only have two suggestions... One is be patient and see if it gets any easier once you are down through the rust. It usually does. But not always! I've been lucky to find quite a few on the hard side but I have two in particular that are stupid hard.
Second suggestion is to try and find an old Simmonds nu-cut file. I'll be interested to see what others chime in with!
 
Abrasive files of almost any sort will fit the bill. Aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, CBN, or diamond are all gonna' be way more than hard enough to cut even the hardest low-alloy high carbon steel. What you want at that stage, though, specifically, is as coarse as you can lay hands on, and a long enough length to get a good stroke out of it.
 
I'll be hiding from armed mobs for this but if I get a really hard axe I'll use a grinding wheel to rough it out and a flap wheel to get it almost to where I want it, then I'll finish it with a stone. If you use a grinder be VERY careful not to get it too hot.
 
If using a grinding wheel just make sure it's a white friable aluminum oxide wheel and use a flippin' light touch with fast passes. It does work, but your common cheapo wheels are formulated to hold their shape grinding mild steel that doesn't need to be kept particularly cool during grinding so they generate a lot of heat.
 
If using a grinding wheel just make sure it's a white friable aluminum oxide wheel and use a flippin' light touch with fast passes. It does work, but your common cheapo wheels are formulated to hold their shape grinding mild steel that doesn't need to be kept particularly cool during grinding so they generate a lot of heat.
I feel like many things are good options provided that you know what you are about. Light touch indeed. No worries if used with knowledge and care. Having said that, I use files and stones. If I needed to turn stuff out at a high volume professionally, I'd become proficient with power tools. But carefully.
 
I know nobody wants to hear it, and to
each their own, but a 36 grit belt or flap wheel followed by an 80grit will do a beautiful job on that in about 15 min.

Then finish it up by hand.

For serious reprofiling I usually start out on a belt, too. I want to do as much as is reasonably practical by hand, but when you have to remove a ton of metal... It's incredible what a good 36 grit belt will do. My bench grinder has been relegated to wire wheeling and buffing for years now. A *good* modern abrasive belt is pretty freaking incredible. You just have to buy the quality ones!
 
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