What did you rehang today?

[Old Axeman]

quinton,
There is going to be one hell of a antique hand tool auction one day, mine! And it really pisses me off that I wont be there for it.

 

[Grimalkin]

My latest. Its a Wetterlings Hudson Bay 24" handle on 26oz Plumb rafter. Oh man it feels so nice. And that head! So pristine for it's age!!!

...

I'll be sure to get better pictures in natural light tomorrow.

Did you just buy this off ebay? If so, I had my eye on that auction, Wish it were mine How do you like it on the 24"? I am thinking about hanging one on a 21" once I get my hands on one. The 21" would probably end up being 20 or 19" when all is said and done.

 

[quinton]

quinton,
There is going to be one hell of a antique hand tool auction one day, mine! And it really pisses me off that I wont be there for it.

That just about made me swaller my cud of 'baccer!

I'm lucky there, though for a while anyway. I have 3 sons who love the old tools, and have quite an eye for them. They are already fighting over how they will divide my goodies. Makes me mad, sad, and proud as hell all at the same time..

 

[quinton]

Damn, that's good.

Thanks, cots!

I've tweeked it just a little, I always do. I know what has always been comfortable for me over the years, and I make them close, and even finish them most times. I then use them a little, or just pick them up 3 or 4 times a day and tweak away until I get them perfect for me.

I will say, the Rockaway with the curved grip is not right for me, just to much curve in the grip area. It seems to want to twist my wrist when chopping, I'm going to work on it tomorrow.

 

[tobiism]

Did you just buy this off ebay? If so, I had my eye on that auction, Wish it were mine How do you like it on the 24"? I am thinking about hanging one on a 21" once I get my hands on one. The 21" would probably end up being 20 or 19" when all is said and done.

Yes sir, just got it in the mail yesterday.
Here are some size comparisons, 20 inch, 24-inch, 26 inch, 28 inch. Out of all of them for comfort reasons I like 24 inch and up. This 24-inch feels like a real winner.

 

[300Six]

My latest. Its a Wetterlings Hudson Bay 24" handle on 26oz Plumb rafter. Oh man it feels so nice. And that head! So pristine for it's age!!!



I'll be sure to get better pictures in natural light tomorrow.

This 1 1/2- 1 3/4 lb head is in lovely condition. Despite the obvious bevels it is not a rafting axe though. Plumb produced these in various weights under the name "National" pattern beginning in 1948 and likely discontinued them in the early 1970s when Ames took over. The poll is high, thick and generous but if you start pounding rebar, spikes and metal wedges with this the head will mushroom. I too have one (in 3 1/2 lb) and would like to find a competent smith to harden the poll for me. View the label in the attached 1951 ad in order to read "National Axe".

 

[Grimalkin]

Thanks 300!

So if it isn't a hardened poll, then its not a rafter? I still love this design, I am on the prowl for the 26ish oz.

@tobiism

Where are you getting your Gransfors handles?

 

[quinton]

Yes sir, just got it in the mail yesterday.
Here are some size comparisons, 20 inch, 24-inch, 26 inch, 28 inch. Out of all of them for comfort reasons I like 24 inch and up. This 24-inch feels like a real winner.

That Plumb pattern looks great on those handles. I have a few of those heads in various weights and love them. Nice work, Sir!

 

[tobiism]

Thanks 300!

So if it isn't a hardened poll, then its not a rafter? I still love this design, I am on the prowl for the 26ish oz.

@tobiism

Where are you getting your Gransfors handles?

The Gransfors handles come from Sheldon Hill Forestry Supplies. The Wetterlings handles come from Lie-Nielson

 

[tobiism]

That Plumb pattern looks great on those handles. I have a few of those heads in various weights and love them. Nice work, Sir!

Thank you very much!

 

[cityofthesouth]

Thanks, cots!

I've tweeked it just a little, I always do. I know what has always been comfortable for me over the years, and I make them close, and even finish them most times. I then use them a little, or just pick them up 3 or 4 times a day and tweak away until I get them perfect for me.

I will say, the Rockaway with the curved grip is not right for me, just to much curve in the grip area. It seems to want to twist my wrist when chopping, I'm going to work on it tomorrow.

I understand - that Plumb handle was at least an interesting looking one, and worth the time to make/test.

 

[300Six]

quinton,
There is going to be one hell of a antique hand tool auction one day, mine! And it really pisses me off that I wont be there for it.

On the flip side of the coin you did manage to scoop up, and enjoy using, everything that is to be on offer, and well in advance! That'd more than satisfy most folks. I guess tools, real estate and beer are the same; you never own them and merely rent for the duration.

 

[JPA88]

This was last weekends project. An old Vaughan-made Craftsman 3.5 lbs head on a 33 inch octagon handle. This is my first octagonal handle and was the most pleasant handle making and hanging experience i've had to date. You know how sometimes you're in the shop and things just seem to flow, and go how you intend them to? This was one of those. No screw-ups to correct and I got a real good hang and wedge. I was torn between a straight handle and a curved one, so I decided to make one with just an ever so slight curve. I really like the way it feels. This one polished off my hickory board, so I suppose I'll be visiting the woodshop soon. Thanks for taking a look.

 

[tobiism]

This was last weekends project. An old Vaughan-made Craftsman 3.5 lbs head on a 33 inch octagon handle. This is my first octagonal handle and was the most pleasant handle making and hanging experience i've had to date. You know how sometimes you're in the shop and things just seem to flow, and go how you intend them to? This was one of those. No screw-ups to correct and I got a real good hang and wedge. I was torn between a straight handle and a curved one, so I decided to make one with just an ever so slight curve. I really like the way it feels. This one polished off my hickory board, so I suppose I'll be visiting the woodshop soon. Thanks for taking a look.

Oh WOW. Just beautiful!

 

[Agent_H]

That is a pretty terrific axe you put together there. The flats on the octagonals look crisp and the handle is slimmed down really well. Great swell with finish work.

This is a good conversation photo:

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I'd be pleased to have put that together.

 

[BlackHands]

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Dont know what it is but it is very old, had a rotted handle 30" and thin, chopping and splitting sides and a few letters left that dont add up to anything. Had an 8th" of rust and now is a hair shaving wall hanger with a replicated handle. I would think very early 1900s and no chips, definitely used as a hammer one time though, guess they learned how soft it was around the eye and never did that again. I reprofiled a husqa 29" limbing axe that cold weather and a birch stump took a bite out of too. Love the husqas, close as youll get to a gransfors brux at +/-50$ an awesome deal.

 

[JPA88]

Thanks Guys! I used a half round rasp to do all the shaping and bevels on the handle, then took the rasp marks out with a file, then scraped with knife, and finished with a few passes of 220 grit to take the sharpness off the corners.

This is a good conversation photo:

I cut the wedge out of the same hickory as the handle. I think I'm done trying to use softwood wedges, they always fall apart on me before I feel like they are in far enough. The hickory stayed intact like a champ. Maybe I'll change my mind if I have an eye crack on me. I was contemplating whether to match up the wedge and tongue grain, but I think I like the zigzag pattern better.

 

[300Six]

I cut the wedge out of the same hickory as the handle. I think I'm done trying to use softwood wedges, they always fall apart on me before I feel like they are in far enough. The hickory stayed intact like a champ. Maybe I'll change my mind if I have an eye crack on me. I was contemplating whether to match up the wedge and tongue grain, but I think I like the zigzag pattern better.

Looks like a million bucks to me! Unless someone tells me softwood wedges remain 'springy' as compared to hardwood I suspect softwood was used because of it's compressibility and void-filling traits.

 

[JPA88]

Thanks, 300! I agree with your views on wedges. Hey I was at Ace today looking at Link brand handles. Most were complete crap. I found one that reminded me of one that you've posted in the past. Also, there were red labels and green. The reds seemed to be much better quality.

 

[300Six]

Hey I was..looking at Link brand handles..and found one that reminded me of one that you've posted in the past.

Yessiree that is a real beaut! You really do have to buy something horrible like that as a keepsake (I've done it!) to remind yourself of modern quality standards every now and again, and to ensure that some poor sucker doesn't get the opportunity to go home with a 'purty-lookin' handle thinking he's finally going to fix his continually-breaking axe for once and for all.
By the way, rubber-neck those new Collins once in awhile to see if there are "M" stamps on them. I'm predicting these soon enough will become "C" or "I".