What did you rehang today?

[cityofthesouth]

 

[Glenn Bailey]

Damn!! That handle is outstanding!!!

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.
You should offer your skills in handle design to Best Made Co!!
Well, too late, they already laid off all of their employees and sold off the brand.
At least save another American Icon(they need ergonomic hafts so bad): http://remadeco.org/story.shtml

 

[cityofthesouth]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.
You should offer your skills in handle design to Best Made Co!!
Well, too late, they already laid off all of their employees and sold off the brand.
At least save another American Icon(they need ergonomic hafts so bad): http://remadeco.org/story.shtml

LOL "remade"

 

[Miller '72]

Tha

Thanks for the description, this level of modification is new to me. I have a few tweaked eyes that I live with, but would love to adjust if I could safely. And always interested in what's possible fixing a mushroomed poll to save as much stamp as possible (definitely thinking of my 3lb Rixford Kentucky). I was encouraged to here that you didn't use heat.

I don't have a soft faced hammer, but I have a hard one and lots of yoga ball rubber available. Would that be comparable?

I might think not.
I dont really know not having tried or having ever touched a yoga ball.

Perhaps a brass or copper punch, 1" diameter might make a good soft blow with a steel hammer or a good solid piece of oak or hickory to use a steel hammer on also.

I may need to send you a brass head hammer

 

[Glenn Bailey]

I might think not.
I dont really know not having tried or having ever touched a yoga ball.

Perhaps a brass or copper punch, 1" diameter might make a good soft blow with a steel hammer or a good solid piece of oak or hickory to use a steel hammer on also.

I may need to send you a brass head hammer

Thanks! The yoga ball rubber is fairly thick and comes in handy for loads of things. A yoga ball might be worth more cut up than inflated.

I figured using it for this purpose was a stretch though. I picked up a cheap used copper hammer head on ebay last night. I'll try and do it right. Thanks for your advice!

 

[Miller '72]

Thanks! The yoga ball rubber is fairly thick and comes in handy for loads of things. A yoga ball might be worth more cut up than inflated.

I figured using it for this purpose was a stretch though. I picked up a cheap used copper hammer head on ebay last night. I'll try and do it right. Thanks for your advice!

Thats great! Went and found a copper faced hammer!! Get after it! Cant wait to hear how it goes

 

[Glenn Bailey]

Thats great! Went and found a copper faced hammer!! Get after it! Cant wait to hear how it goes

It's not in my hands yet, but I'm excited about it!

 

[Miller '72]

It's not in my hands yet, but I'm excited about it!

Wow thats a great one!!
Shouldn't have any issue with that one working out!

 

[jake pogg]

Did something funky here...Trying to put this in some terms where i don't come off too curmugeonly...
I have this box full of misbegotten,experimental heads that didn't work out.Well,the other day i got Caught going through it,and was asked to handle a couple of these,essentially discards,for Wall-hangers for crissakes......I find it deeply depressing,when an axe is viewed as anything other than a Tool,not even necessarily the dreadful yahooism about "battle axes" and all that childish tripe,but just even "axe as decorative element" bizness...

But,in this case it's for someone i Really like and respect,an old friend(in both senses,we've been friends forever and he's nearing 90 years in age...).It's for gifts for some of his equally aged relatives,and i could neither refuse,nor was this a case where i could lecture a person,ill-naturedly,as i have more and more of a tendency to do as i myself age...

Anyway,about done with the first one of the two.This was an experiment in something like the Peterson Type B,or D,or the like...small,poll-less,boat-building type hatchet,probably around 2#.
I'm really low on hickory at this time,and had to scavenge some pallet-wood,5/4 oak of some sort...(i'm trying Very hard to not cut any corners for knowing it'll not be used as a tool,but that's just what i had...in every other way it's as real of a tool as i can make it,HT'd,and will be sharpened,And i'll test it here in a bit too).

Anyway,sorry to gripe,and this is what it looks like:

 

[Miller '72]

Did something funky here...Trying to put this in some terms where i don't come off too curmugeonly...
I have this box full of misbegotten,experimental heads that didn't work out.Well,the other day i got Caught going through it,and was asked to handle a couple of these,essentially discards,for Wall-hangers for crissakes......I find it deeply depressing,when an axe is viewed as anything other than a Tool,not even necessarily the dreadful yahooism about "battle axes" and all that childish tripe,but just even "axe as decorative element" bizness...

But,in this case it's for someone i Really like and respect,an old friend(in both senses,we've been friends forever and he's nearing 90 years in age...).It's for gifts for some of his equally aged relatives,and i could neither refuse,nor was this a case where i could lecture a person,ill-naturedly,as i have more and more of a tendency to do as i myself age...

Anyway,about done with the first one of the two.This was an experiment in something like the Peterson Type B,or D,or the like...small,poll-less,boat-building type hatchet,probably around 2#.
I'm really low on hickory at this time,and had to scavenge some pallet-wood,5/4 oak of some sort...(i'm trying Very hard to not cut any corners for knowing it'll not be used as a tool,but that's just what i had...in every other way it's as real of a tool as i can make it,HT'd,and will be sharpened,And i'll test it here in a bit too).

Anyway,sorry to gripe,and this is what it looks like:View attachment 1454912

View attachment 1454917

View attachment 1454918

Jake I am absolutely smitten with this axe. And if this axe is but a preview, I am certain I will be equally enamored with any of the other heads you have in the pile for your friend.

Excellent carve from the pallet oak!!!

I should get to learning myself how to forge, and how to forge an axe head.

 

[jake pogg]

Miller '72,thank you,Sir,it's kind of you to say all that...

You know of course that i'd be the first to encourage you to do just as you say-get a simple,minimal set-up,and forge axes!!!!
(you're doing Great on So much gear already-tongs,different hammers and set-tools,you're Fabulously wealthy!

BUT,i'd in the same time also Really recommend following some rational,systematic plan...NOT do as i've done-20 years of random,scatter-brained going in 1000 directions at once,the forward progress is pathetic...

If ever you can,the best man there is that teaches is Jim Austin.It's as far away from you as it gets,unfortunately,Oakland CA,but man...A class with Jim will get you further than i could ever get Ever(at this rate).
Another fantastic smith that teaches axe-forging at least somethimes is Tom Latane,in upper Midwest...Other than that there's no one that does it Systematically,but if a guy kept track of schedule and demonstrators at New England School of Metalwork sometimes there're brilliant people come and go as instructors...

But yes,i think you'd Love it,any forge-time is a blessing,but if only you could make it Count too...

 

[Ernest DuBois]

I'd say someone with comparable axe forging skill and understanding and outreach as James Austin is Mathieu Collette at Les Forges de Montreal.

 

[jake pogg]

I'd say someone with comparable axe forging skill and understanding and outreach as James Austin is Mathieu Collette at Les Forges de Montreal.

Became aware of M.Collette thanks to Ernest,and am just SO effing impressed.Yes,very much like JA's level of skill,organisation,planning,shop practice in general,another Outstanding smith.

All these are the rare few that carry the torch of knowledge of the making of a superlative tool,the kind that is comparable to the quality of old tools that we all love so much.

Miller '72,i'd be so happy if you've gotten into learning how to forge axes the Right way...You and Josh both,with your appreciation for all the minutiae of a fine axe-head...

I'm desperately trying to clear this project off my slate,but it all keeps turning cross-grained on me...I've been using that funky little Type B/D to rough out some other shop stuff,and will draw the wedge and use a thicker one,it started slithering about on me(that oak was Really dry initially,but after being soaked with BLO will take a bit more compression).
It's an ok tool,that super-extended toe is handy,in a "carving" axe kind of way.My convex bevelling job however is pretty useless for hewing a flat plane,too thick still,i think.

I hit an unexpected snag with the second one,there was an ingrown fissure with bark and everything Right where i didn't need it...The surface of the wood was discolored,and of course i didn't look close enough(originally that piece of hickory was meant to be a self-bow stave,Very unusual for this grade of wood from my supplier to have that kind of a flaw,but it's my fault for not being attentive enough...).


This head was a prototype (and a failure) from that "18th c." project a while back,a study,a sketch.
The modern tear-drop eye is of course inappropriate for the type,i found it to change the entire physics of the head significantly.
also the welding went kinda sideways on this,and by the time i've ground out most of the problems the shape has changed irrevocably into a completely different tool alltogether.
Now it's some odd hybrid GB knock-off wannabe,but will hopefully be functional enough as a small all-purpose hatchet...

 

[phantomknives]

that was a good thread, good times

 

[JLRubicon]

Made a handle for my mini Craftsman hatchet. Traced and cut this handle from an old broken handle. After lots of sanding I believe it turned out pretty good. I like it better than the original handle that is on the mini Craftsman.

 

[Yankee Josh]

It's been a long time since I posted here. I do check in from time to time. Hopefully I'm not regarded as too much of a traitor.
I made my first curly maple helve and I'm so darn pleased with it I wanted to share it with you guys. As usual it's hard to choose what pictures to post so there's a few.
1-1/2lb Sater Banko rhineland pattern hung on a 14" curly maple helve with an osage orange wedge.
A few of the process;

Here it is after applying blo and then, using the rag, burnishing the helve for about a half hour.

My uncle saved this for me from his firewood pile. To think this was almost burned!
What a gratifying project this turned ot to be! I still use yellow birch wedges for normal hangs. But this one called for something pretty.
Do any of you know if the figure weakens the structure of the wood? I haven't been able to find a good answer to that. Not as if this is a user or anything. .
I hope you are all doing fantastic! And thanks for looking!

 

[A17]

It's been a long time since I posted here. I do check in from time to time. Hopefully I'm not regarded as too much of a traitor.
My uncle saved this for me from his firewood pile. To think this was almost burned!
Do any of you know if the figure weakens the structure of the wood? I haven't been able to find a good answer to that. Not as if this is a user or anything. .
I hope you are all doing fantastic! And thanks for looking!

Any idea what type of maple that is? It reminds me of big leaf maple, but I don’t know if you guys get that on the east coast. As for your question, I don’t think the figure weakens the wood, but I have no evidence to back it up.

 

[Yankee Josh]

Any idea what type of maple that is? It reminds me of big leaf maple, but I don’t know if you guys get that on the east coast. As for your question, I don’t think the figure weakens the wood, but I have no evidence to back it up.

My guess is it's either rock or sugar maple. I not aware of other hard maples growing right around here (it was harvested in this county) though I'm sure there are others. I will ask my uncle this weekend.

 

[Ernest DuBois]

The figure is only one element so that alone will not tell much about the handle strength. At most I'd say it does not help on that account but you have the aesthetics for compensation plus it is a smaller axe. Still, I've noticed this effect makes a handle less resilient or more brittle in particular at the point the handle enters the eye. I would avoid any extreme force. Fine that you rescued this piece from the fire, it's really an eye-catcher.