Edged tool restorations

There seems to be a growing interest here in bringing some old axes and hatchets back for use or display. After chatting with a few members, it seemed like a good idea to start a running thread with what we have found, what is in process, and how it turned out.

I have a brush axe, hatchet, small axe and a roofing hatchet to work on. I'll get some pictures up when they get going.

Please share any stories that may go along with them.

 

Found this in my barn, I mean pile of rubble

 

I have noticed that a lot of the new ax handles that you get from the store will not fit the ax head and sometimes leaves a gap at the front or rear. I have used a curved piece of steal to fill this in and make it nice and tight.

What have some of you used.

 

Now that one looks like it would be worthwhile restoring. Good luck.

 

I'm finding the older ones that the blades are folded over rather than punched holes are a little more elongated.

I am restoring one handle for the brush axe, and making three news ones.

Sounds like a good solution you have.

 

I'm curious how that pick side is attached to the head. I wonder if there is a forge weld line or was it punched out of one piece?

 

Looks like a fireman's axe.

 

My thoughts exactly. I have no use for a firemans axe so I'm wondering if a new handle stained to look aged and leaving the rust would look cool as a wall hanger? Thoughts?

 

. I ran into a similar situation with this head. Only time will tell but I shaved the handle a bit more so the axehead could sit farther down on the handle and I trimmed slightly the small side of the wooden wedge allowing it to flare the handle wood more filling up the voids.

 

Do you have a local FD that you could donate it to as a wall hanger?

I have an idea to even out the finish on heads when grinding mushrooming down to shiny metal. I'll post my results when I get to it.

 

I like this idea a lot. Thank you!We have a few FDs within a few miles. It will be nice to give back. The FD I'd like to donate has a very old antique firetruck this would go nicely on.

 

We have a shingle mill and my house is sided with cedar shingles so when I saw a shingling hammer for $6 at a yard sale, I bought it. I also got two hand saws at a yard sale in New Hampshire for $10 a piece, eventually I will restore all of them. The shingle hammer will be the hardest; the cutting edge looks like an 8 year old used it to split slate! Yikes!

 

Nice looking old fireman's axe head.

 

It took two evenings too work on this Collins small axe. I am not sure if it is the original handle. The head was a bit loose, but I decided to keep the handle. The end of the handle for the wedge is in rough shape. I could not remove it without causing more damage to it. Under the electrical tape revealed a chunk of wood missing. The handle looks to be white oak. I cleaned up the break, filed it clean and glued a new piece in place. When it dried, it was pared down with a chisel and sanded. I did not have white oak, so the repair stands out just a little. The orange paint was removed along with the residue from the tape. I did my aging work to the handle and finished it with shellac.

Head cleaned up and tape removed.




New piece glued into place.



Pretty much complete. I didnt put a sharp edge on it. It will be a display piece, but with a new wedge, it can be put back into service.


I left some if the patina on, just enough to keep the age, but enough removed to see the details.

 

I thought I would show a picture of the curved piece of steel that I use to help this handle fit better in the ax head. The ax head is a Collins. The curved piece of steel I cut out of a old trailer rim that got messed up.

 

This is another ax head a true temper that I fitted to a handle. I like making my own wedges from pieces of flat steel and make them from 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. On this one I made two wedges to make it fit real tight.

I have used these axes for splitting some wood I have here and there is no sign of movement.

 

When I was 13 or 14, so in 1973 or 1974, my dad and I went to a flea market up in Bayfield, WI. He bought me a small double bit axe. It was in rough shape with a broken handle and covered in rust. My dad and I cleaned it up but left some of the old patina, and put an edge on it. We discovered a stamp on one side which reads.... E. Garnich & Sons Hdw Co. Superior Quality, Finest Finish, Ashland, Wisconsin. The Garnich Hardware Co operated in Ashland from the 1880's to the 1970's. On the other side is a stamping that I think reads...... something like... Kelly Axe Mfg Co, Charlston, W VA, US

He got a new handle and hung the head himself. It's a handy size, just 30" overall. I've treasured the axe since he gave it to me. I've used it a few times, but mostly it's a piece of garage wall decor.





I also have a couple of my grandfather's saws. Including his 2 man crosscut felling saw. It's razor sharp with a good set. It was hanging in a shed at the family lake place (cabin). I rescued it and hung it on the kitchen wall. My grandfather, born 1874, came to this country from Norway in 1900. He worked for the railroads and in the woods of northern WI as a lumberjack. It looks like he walked out of the woods on his last day, sharpened his saws, hung them up, and there they hung until 2002, when my sister and I inherited the family place.
We are a slow reproducing family... Grampa was 86 when I was born, dad, was 40... the last time that saw was in wood might have been as far back as 1934, grampa would have been 60 then


The saw. In its original state

 

That stamp is fantastic. Lots of pride and quality went into old tools like that.

You never know what gem is under the rust and crud.

Great stores Erik. Preservation of family history and having a few tools of his trade is even better.