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- Mar 31, 2018
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Deleted. Accidentally posted a draft. Will rewrite after work.
What did you rehang today?
- Thread starter Irongun324
- Start date
"Yankee Josh, My guess is it's either rock or sugar maple."
I've found this in sugar maple in Tennessee. Same situation for me, as it was in rounds I was splitting for firewood. Intended to make into knife scales for a Kephart, but am going with Osage orange. There is a YouTube video out there of a forester looking for curly maple by bark patterns (I think). It is a mesmerizing pattern that changes with light and orientation.
SwedeFP
I've found this in sugar maple in Tennessee. Same situation for me, as it was in rounds I was splitting for firewood. Intended to make into knife scales for a Kephart, but am going with Osage orange. There is a YouTube video out there of a forester looking for curly maple by bark patterns (I think). It is a mesmerizing pattern that changes with light and orientation.
SwedeFP
Perfection as always sir! I have always enjoyed the process pictures. Well done!!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!
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I was thinking along the same lines. Of course this helve was purposefully made with 45° grain orientation. However there is continuous grain. I don't intend to find out with this haft but, as you say, with a light head and short length I bet it would be fine.
That I find intriguing! Even it does sound too easy.
. But I'm sure an experienced woodsman can tell from the bark. I'll look into it! 
Thank you sir! It's hard to choose which pictures to share. I had to leave so many good ones out! I had a blast making this one the other day and thought you guys might like to see it. Thx again bro.
Much appreciated man, thank you! I was so surprised how easily I could see the figure throughout the carving process. Mind blown!
I think you are correct about it being a sugar maple. But I'll ask my uncle soon so we can be sure. Thx again for the kind words.
I rescued this from an antiqes store for $20. 2 1/4 lb. AA&T. I have been questioning whether it is original or an imposter due to the logo. I honestly cannot tell if it was just a byproduct of the rust or if there is a double-stamp on it (sure sign of a fake). However given the poor condition it was in I am leaning towards authentic. Either way, the mushrooming at the top of the head (how & whyyyyyyy?) and the screws and nails keeping the head on was making my one eye twitch so I had to do something for it (see last photo). It has seen a tough life so I cleaned up the blade a bit and ground off aforementioned mushrooming. I wirebrushed it to keep as much of the original patina as possible and hung it on a 19" handle that fit the eye perfectly. I am probably going to paint the handle and that will be it. Thoughts on this being an original specimen?
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https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/fake-aa-t-axe-head.1764413/#post-20191560I rescued this from an antiqes store for $20. 2 1/4 lb. AA&T. I have been questioning whether it is original or an imposter due to the logo. I honestly cannot tell if it was just a byproduct of the rust or if there is a double-stamp on it (sure sign of a fake). However given the poor condition it was in I am leaning towards authentic. Either way, the mushrooming at the top of the head (how & whyyyyyyy?) and the screws and nails keeping the head on was making my one eye twitch so I had to do something for it (see last photo). It has seen a tough life so I cleaned up the blade a bit and ground off aforementioned mushrooming. I wirebrushed it to keep as much of the original patina as possible and hung it on a 19" handle that fit the eye perfectly. I am probably going to paint the handle and that will be it. Thoughts on this being an original specimen?
Thanks C crbnSteeladdict I forgot i uploaded that one last week. I was having some technical difficulties (PEBCAK errors). Thanks for reminding me!
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AA&TCo was somewhat thrifty when it comes to overlaid bits. Before sharpening double check where hardened steel ends.
https://archive.org/stream/AmericanAxeAndToolCatalog/American Axe and Tool Catalog#page/n35/mode/2up
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Thanks very much man! It was so gratifying to see the figure the entire way through the process of making it. I really wasn't expecting that. I figured that beauty would lay dormant till I applied oil. But alas! It was there the whole time!
Love the shape of that handle!! Nice work man!!
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It's only my own practice, and to the degree it even is applicable in this instance is hard to say, (you've said that the axe isn't intended to be actually used, more of a show piece), and acknowledging that the handle as it is now is a success, but I think there are better finishing combinations than oil on maple, strictly from the stand point of appearance and figure enhancement, you understand, which is really the reason we add a (oil) finish anyway. First, in general oil will accentuate the natural tendency of maple, (also other light colored woods like ash, birch and so on and so on...) to yellow, particularly boiled linseed oil and it is better suited to woods on the red/brown color spectrum, oak, hickory... for example. This specific feature of the wood, (curly maple) is heavily dependent on maple's distinctive light refracting properties which oil will even diminish as it ages, absent a continual refreshing and vigorous polishing. Tung oil in particular can give a cloudy cover which light colored woods are particularly susceptible to, and maple even more so. Oil will also not seal the wood and so there will be an inevitable accumulation of dust and other potential filth dulling the refraction and making the feature less dynamic over time. That said, in this case the stripe is exceptionally strong and so no fear it will not remain obvious. In fact because of the variation in the orientation of the pores the stripe will darken as it absorbs more oil but the refraction will diminish and a dullness/flattening will set in.
Personally I don't go in for complicated formulations and secretive productions for wood finishes and find a suitable one on such wood is simple shellac flake dissolved in alcohol, heavily diluted which will penetrate deeply, not alter the color much if any and seal the wood off from grime and dust and help maintain and enhance the curly figure in maple.
Personally I don't go in for complicated formulations and secretive productions for wood finishes and find a suitable one on such wood is simple shellac flake dissolved in alcohol, heavily diluted which will penetrate deeply, not alter the color much if any and seal the wood off from grime and dust and help maintain and enhance the curly figure in maple.
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I actually practiced my double bit axe handle installation....had a Chinese 'Diamond' double bit head laying around. Cleaned it up and put a 'House Handle' 36" handle in it. An interesting cheap axe the Chinese diamond....It has an hour-glass shaped eye...the axe head isn't perfectly symmetrical(not to bad)....plainly marked 3 1/2 but actual head weight is four pounds four ounces!
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- Jul 25, 2017
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Merry Christmas!
WmPenn Supplee Biddle Hardware Co
1919-1950
Pennsylvania
• 30¾"
• 4½lbs
• 9¼" long head
• 4⅞" bits
Turned around & Rehung Same Haft
WmPenn Supplee Biddle Hardware Co
1919-1950
Pennsylvania
• 30¾"
• 4½lbs
• 9¼" long head
• 4⅞" bits
Turned around & Rehung Same Haft
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- Jun 4, 2010
- Messages
- 6,642
Did a rehang on a cheap 1.25# hardware store hatchet and a 1944 Mann 1.7# head. I hung the Mann last year on a 14" haft but felt a bit clumsy in that configuration, so put it on a 24" Collin's Boy's axe handle. The 1.25 matched with a 17" straight handle. The eye is way out of center, and was hung crooked from the factory - I cut it free a few years ago and never got back to it. A bit of a trick to get it straight on there but pulled it off.
Was intrigued by the Adler Canoe axe as something that is light enough to backpack, heavy and long enough to tackle larger jobs, but felt it was a bit to light and short to really fill the role at 19" and under 2lbs. The Mann/Collins weighs 2lb 4oz total, has a real nice feel and balance on the 24" haft.
The pair with oil/beeswax sheath/mask:
With 14" hatchet for comparison:
Next to Rinaldi American boy's axe about 2.5lbs, only 3ozs difference. Rinaldi pattern better for pure chopping, the traditional head configuration has better balance for choking up and doing smaller jobs.:
I usually apply a little watered down outdoor wood glue to the top after the wedge is fully set, then mineral oil the haft with some 1200 grit SiC flour to help grip and bring out the grain a bit. A blush of rust from being sharpened with waterstones, since oiled clean.
1944 Mann stamp:
With tape measure:
Was intrigued by the Adler Canoe axe as something that is light enough to backpack, heavy and long enough to tackle larger jobs, but felt it was a bit to light and short to really fill the role at 19" and under 2lbs. The Mann/Collins weighs 2lb 4oz total, has a real nice feel and balance on the 24" haft.
The pair with oil/beeswax sheath/mask:
With 14" hatchet for comparison:
Next to Rinaldi American boy's axe about 2.5lbs, only 3ozs difference. Rinaldi pattern better for pure chopping, the traditional head configuration has better balance for choking up and doing smaller jobs.:
I usually apply a little watered down outdoor wood glue to the top after the wedge is fully set, then mineral oil the haft with some 1200 grit SiC flour to help grip and bring out the grain a bit. A blush of rust from being sharpened with waterstones, since oiled clean.
1944 Mann stamp:
With tape measure:
Hi all, this is my first post here. I recently was given a Genuine Norlund Splitting axe but the handle broke. Where can I find a replacement handle? And what I’m I looking for, I’m located in Calgary AB Canada and like a lot of people I’m on a very tight budget. I have never rehung an axe before but there is some great videos out there. Any insight would be appreciated cheers NB
6⅛" long
5⅛" bit
3¼lbs
4lbs.
27½"
• Kelly Registered Connecticut Pattern
• True Temper
• Kelly Works
• Vintage Aubuchon Hardware replacement Handle
Abused pole and wonky eye is how i aquired but gently persuaded the eye back to close-ish-enough
Nice work. I have a head with a wonky eye and have been wrestling with how to approach it. When you beat yours into submission with a soft faced hammer(copper) what did you lay the axe head onto? Anvil? Wood? Tree Stump? TIA
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- Jul 25, 2017
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Hi there
I used an anvil surface but I bet a good stump or hearty bench top will do it too
I used an anvil surface but I bet a good stump or hearty bench top will do it too
Thank you. And sorry I missed that part of your comment, I must not have scrolled back far enough. And did you apply any heat to it or warm it at all, or was it room temperature? I'm assuming it wasn't freezing temps?
Love that pattern. Did you fabricate copper jaws onto that vise??? That's awesome.I rescued this from an antiqes store for $20. 2 1/4 lb. AA&T. I have been questioning whether it is original or an imposter due to the logo. I honestly cannot tell if it was just a byproduct of the rust or if there is a double-stamp on it (sure sign of a fake). However given the poor condition it was in I am leaning towards authentic. Either way, the mushrooming at the top of the head (how & whyyyyyyy?) and the screws and nails keeping the head on was making my one eye twitch so I had to do something for it (see last photo). It has seen a tough life so I cleaned up the blade a bit and ground off aforementioned mushrooming. I wirebrushed it to keep as much of the original patina as possible and hung it on a 19" handle that fit the eye perfectly. I am probably going to paint the handle and that will be it. Thoughts on this being an original specimen?