What did you rehang today?

serotina · Mar 28, 2020

Old Axeman said:
Better than a utility knife or a V carving chisel is a gun stock checkering tool (Brownells catalog). It will not follow the grain.

Now that is a great idea! I have those around already.

For those that don't the other thing you could do is snap the tip off a small triangular file to get a file with teeth right up to the end. To snap it you clamp in a wood jawed vise with just the tip sticking out and give it a sharp whack with a hammer.

FLINT77 · Mar 28, 2020

FLINT77 said:
Here's a double bit axe head. Can't remember if I've shown this one before.

Its a beast. The only stamps on it are "Made in USA" and the 4^2 weight stamp.

It measures 10 1/2" long, and the bits are 5 3/4" each. It weighs 4lbs 11oz

anyone want to guess who the maker might be?

Finally hung this beast yesterday. Had a very dense Tennessee Hickory Handle. Thinned it up and decided to give this one some color with the torch.

Total length is 31", total weight is exactly 6lbs.

Yankee Josh · Mar 28, 2020

FLINT77 said:
Finally hung this beast yesterday. Had a very dense Tennessee Hickory Handle. Thinned it up and decided to give this one some color with the torch.

Total length is 31", total weight is exactly 6lbs.

Damnnnn! Sharp looking axe man! I mean in a clean, awesome sort of way...

serotina · Mar 28, 2020

I like that head a lot. Like the handle too of course, you thinned it down well, good compliment to the shape of the head.

Yankee Josh · Mar 28, 2020

I made a rock maple helve for this Walters Black Diamond saddle axe a couple years ago. But it was from dimensional lumber so the palm swell sucked. A few days ago I decided to change that so I added some black walnut. Took some photos to share with you guys.

Here some pics of the axe and helve all finished and oiled. I skipped an awful lot of steps there but you can imagine the work that went into it. Lots of rasping and sanding!

And just a few more of the swell.

I didn't like this little axe when I got it. But I appreciate its specific uses now. It's not one I'll use very often but I'm happy with it! What do you guys think? Thanks for checking it out!

FLINT77 · Mar 28, 2020

Yankee Josh said:
I made a rock maple helve for this Walters Black Diamond saddle axe a couple years ago. But it was from dimensional lumber so the palm swell sucked. A few days ago I decided to change that so I added some black walnut. Took some photos to share with you guys.

Here some pics of the axe and helve all finished and oiled. I skipped an awful lot of steps there but you can imagine the work that went into it. Lots of rasping and sanding!

And just a few more of the swell.

I didn't like this little axe when I got it. But I appreciate its specific uses now. It's not one I'll use very often but I'm happy with it! What do you guys think? Thanks for checking it out!

VERY nice! I love it. I'm going to have to try that 'swell' trick sometime. Nice Head also!! Love Walters axes! - and a black diamond even!

Yankee Josh · Mar 28, 2020

FLINT77 said:
VERY nice! I love it. I'm going to have to try that 'swell' trick sometime. Nice Head also!! Love Walters axes! - and a black diamond even!

Hey thanks a lot man! Yeah it can make a useful helve out of an otherwise not very good one. It actually opens up a ton of options as you can even get away with using 5/4". Most everything under the sun is available now! I just used titebond II.
I bought this little Walters at a yard sale for a couple bucks. SCORE!

Miller '72 · Mar 29, 2020

I finished this up earlier last week.

2lbs
19½"

Yankee Josh · Mar 29, 2020

Miller '72 said:
I finished this up earlier last week.

2lbs
19½"

Love that old oak man! That super old Collins ain't bad either...

. Did you ever figure out the age of that? Roughly anyway? I'm not a huge fan of the Hudson bay pattern but those ones look good..

TJLyon711 · Mar 29, 2020

Yankee Josh said:
I made a rock maple helve for this Walters Black Diamond saddle axe a couple years ago. But it was from dimensional lumber so the palm swell sucked. A few days ago I decided to change that so I added some black walnut. Took some photos to share with you guys.

Here some pics of the axe and helve all finished and oiled. I skipped an awful lot of steps there but you can imagine the work that went into it. Lots of rasping and sanding!

And just a few more of the swell.

I didn't like this little axe when I got it. But I appreciate its specific uses now. It's not one I'll use very often but I'm happy with it! What do you guys think? Thanks for checking it out!

Awesome job man! The swell turned out great! The axe looks so much bigger until you sized it up in your palm, what's the weight/length? I could see it being quite useful for a limber. Keep em' sharp!

Honed_Edge · Mar 29, 2020

Being stuck at home does let you get around to some projects that have lurked too long.
This is one of my three boys axes. I have much trouble finding the smaller size.
I got this one rusty and flopping around some. This is the handle that came with it.
Luckily, I was able to remove the head and drop it down some more. Saving old handles is the best!
IT'S AMAZING WHAT SOME SANDPAPER AND LINSEED OIL CAN DO!

Didn't thin the edge much, it already was thin enough for me. The cheeks are mostly flat.

Handle grain looks good. I was excited to get a nice one. Anymore, no stores have quality product.

Fits tight enough, looks good enough. It's getting used for some limbing tomorrow when we cut down a big tree in the back yard. No museum pieces!

You can see some lean to one side, the handle was not perfectly straight.
Won't notice it once you get working and stop staring at your tools!

Now to sharpen and prepare the other tools for tomorrows adventure.

jds1 · Mar 29, 2020

Nice job, nice photos! :thumbsup:

Jeff

Miller '72 · Mar 29, 2020

Yankee Josh said:
Love that old oak man! That super old Collins ain't bad either... . Did you ever figure out the age of that? Roughly anyway? I'm not a huge fan of the Hudson bay pattern but those ones look good..

The Hudson Bay is not a pattern I seek but this one is a Collins with a great stamp.

The Collins & Co name goes back to the beginning, 1826.
I know the name was changed due to a company reorganization in 1834 to The Collins Manufacturing Company.
In 1843, another reorganization changed the name to The Collins Company...on thru 1966.

In the late 1870's thru 1880's Collins had major axe counterfeit issues following their ever expanding and basic monopoly in the South American market. The export business being so expansive, along with the counterfeiting, Collins began to include the city of Hartford in the stamping and labeling to separate and inform these stamped axes are the real deal.
The name Collins & Co was used on thru 1966...
I wonder if this partucular head is no older than the 1920's(?).
Thanks man!

Pdr206 · Mar 29, 2020

Dunlap hatchet, cherry wedge on a nos no name handle.

Possible Collins (name was ground off, not a sticker peel up. Trust me there's grinder marks on it!). Cherry wedge with original handle. Whole thing was covered in tar.

Meek1 · Mar 30, 2020

FLINT77 said:
Finally hung this beast yesterday. Had a very dense Tennessee Hickory Handle. Thinned it up and decided to give this one some color with the torch.

Total length is 31", total weight is exactly 6lbs.

Good night! You're going to need a bigger truck to haul that thing around! Looks awesome man! Good job!

Meek1 · Mar 30, 2020

Yankee Josh said:
I made a rock maple helve for this Walters Black Diamond saddle axe a couple years ago. But it was from dimensional lumber so the palm swell sucked. A few days ago I decided to change that so I added some black walnut. Took some photos to share with you guys.

Here some pics of the axe and helve all finished and oiled. I skipped an awful lot of steps there but you can imagine the work that went into it. Lots of rasping and sanding!

And just a few more of the swell.

I didn't like this little axe when I got it. But I appreciate its specific uses now. It's not one I'll use very often but I'm happy with it! What do you guys think? Thanks for checking it out!

Awesome job man! So symmetrical! Your eye for detail never ceases to amaze me. This opens up a whole new door for my pile of flat boring handles I have accumulated. Thanks for sharing! This looks like a fun little project!

Meek1 · Mar 30, 2020

Miller '72 said:
I finished this up earlier last week.

2lbs
19½"

You are the Collins King! That looks sweet! Great stamp you saved there. Love that handle too!

Rogueman_1 · Apr 1, 2020

I recently acquired a find from the workplace of my recently deceased stepdad. I believe it actually initially belonged to his father because I vaguely remember seeing in the garage at our house when I was a kid.

Anyway, When I found it down at his shop the handle was pretty rotted and it had obviously been rehung at some point because it was the wrong style handle. It had a single bit handle which didn't make much sense to me. The head pretty much fell off so I just tossed the handle without snapping a pic first.

The head was covered completely in what looked like dried tar? The handle also had a bunch of this "tar" substance all over it and I wondered what in the world it had been used for. Roofing perhaps? I don't know. It is a full sized double bit. To me it looks like a Western / Lippincott. It had no markings on it other than a stamped number "5" on the head which I only discovered after restoration had begun. I'm not sure of what the original make is.

The head as I found it:

After removing most of the tar-like substance with a drill and wire brush bit, it started to reveal what was underneath:

Some more grinding this time with a stripping bit and drill. I was pleasantly surprised that it had no cracks with only minor surface pitting and clean cutting edges:

After more time spent on sanding with various grits of sandpaper and finally a polish, the head really looked beautiful. I didn't want to remove too much of the metal so I left most of the pitting as I think it gives it a classic, old look:

I'm not sure what the number "5" stamped into the head means. It doesn't depict weight as it weighs about 3.5 lbs:

I ended up at my local hardware store to pick up a new (and correct) handle. It was a nice piece of hickory with some good looking grain. I hung it and applied boiled linseed oil and viola! I've got a great tool now:

Boiled linseed oil on the handle and some Rem Oil on the head until I can get around to making a custom leather sheath which is my next project. I'm happy with the final result:

crbnSteeladdict · Apr 1, 2020

Rogueman_1 said:
Anyway, When I found it down at his shop the handle was pretty rotted and it had obviously been rehung at some point because it was the wrong style handle. It had a single bit handle which didn't make much sense to me. The head pretty much fell off so I just tossed the handle without snapping a pic first.

There is possibility it actually was original, factory, Adirondack handle.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/weird-vintage-axe-handle-fail.1514231/#post-17385723

Rogueman_1 · Apr 1, 2020

crbnSteeladdict said:
There is possibility it actually was original, factory, Adirondack handle.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/weird-vintage-axe-handle-fail.1514231/#post-17385723

Yes! That's exactly what it looked like. Most likely original I suppose. Well it was not salvageable unfortunately. Thanks for the info!