*UPDATED* 15 Sep!
I was thinking about this the other night after a day out in an orchard...
Should I buy a new axe or just use the old ones I have laying around?
Seeing all the lovely shaped and styled axes on the market and looking at my old and quite tatty axes I was considering buying a new fine edged beared style axe (simular to the GB range) when an idea popped into my head.. 'why not make these axes better?'.
Now of the two axes nearby one was my oldest axe, a cheapo 1.5lb hand axe and the other was a rusty semi beat up 'kent pattern' hatchet I was given a while back.
Having tried to 're-shape' the profile of the hand axe in the past and not really getting anywhere I had a good look at the size, thickness and shape of the 'kent pattern' hatchet and I could see it working better to my needs if I were to cut away a few parts of the blade.
Out with my marker and quickly a much more desirable design had shown itself in the face of the old tool.
Something like this.. (I flipped the head as the shape worked better that way).
Equiped with an angle grinder (instead of a hacksaw like the last few projects) I got the old head off the haft and started work cutting it to the new shape, removing the hammered steel burs and taking some weight off.
After a short while the shape was starting to come to life and with a carefull hand it was nearly done, all that was left was a bit of light work on the bench grinder (and maybe some more light hand file work tomorrow) it was pretty much finished!
I haven't put the final cutting edge on it yet and untill I can either re-shape/clean up the old handle or cut a new one form some timber it won't be 'complete' but for the sake of a picture or two I stuffed the old handle back on so you guys can get the idea of what it'll look like.
And that is a light weight, fine edged bearded axe.. without having to buy a new one! (and making sure to recycle old stuff )
Ta Da!
I hope you enjoyed checking out my 'new-old axe'
Maybe you guys will try something simular and post it up!
*update*
After a little bit of tinkering with the old handle I think it will do nicely untill I can get some timber to make a longer handle in the coming weeks.
All I used for the handle reshaping was my opinel no*7 and a little sheet of some sand paper I had laying around.
I basically gave the handle abit of lypo as it was too thick for its length (imo) by cutting the thicker parts down by a third or so and cutting out the belly/bends to try and make it straighter. After that I gave it a good rub down to smooth the rougher parts and to remove the coating on the wood.
It didn't take long and was very fun and theraputic like all wood work is.
I had to adjust the head end to fit the new head and stuffed in a good wooden wedge to keep it nice and snug!
Finally a wee coating of raw linseed oil by hand to keep it preserved, I think it looks pretty cool now and hopefully after a few more coats of linseed oil it'll be ready for proper use.
here it is with its 'new old' handle (before a light oiling!)
and a little darker with a coat of oil..
hope you enjoyed the progress and pictures! maybe I'll do some more to fancy it up if I can find time in the next few days ;D
*update*
Had a go at making an axe handle today from some timber I had laying around. It's nothing special just some 2x4 pine that I thought would be good to practice on
So I took out me pencil and rough drew the straight styled handle I wanted and got started cutting/chipping away!
Very good fun indeed! and once I got far enough to my pencil lines I took out my mora 510 and got to carving its final shape out.
So here are the pictures from start to end..
Now I won't be using this handle as it's a bit too soft (being pine) but it was deffinatly worth doing as I now have an idea on what shape I will go for and how to do it when I get hold of some harder wood to make one from.
Thanks for looking!
I was thinking about this the other night after a day out in an orchard...
Should I buy a new axe or just use the old ones I have laying around?
Seeing all the lovely shaped and styled axes on the market and looking at my old and quite tatty axes I was considering buying a new fine edged beared style axe (simular to the GB range) when an idea popped into my head.. 'why not make these axes better?'.
Now of the two axes nearby one was my oldest axe, a cheapo 1.5lb hand axe and the other was a rusty semi beat up 'kent pattern' hatchet I was given a while back.
Having tried to 're-shape' the profile of the hand axe in the past and not really getting anywhere I had a good look at the size, thickness and shape of the 'kent pattern' hatchet and I could see it working better to my needs if I were to cut away a few parts of the blade.
Out with my marker and quickly a much more desirable design had shown itself in the face of the old tool.
Something like this.. (I flipped the head as the shape worked better that way).
Equiped with an angle grinder (instead of a hacksaw like the last few projects) I got the old head off the haft and started work cutting it to the new shape, removing the hammered steel burs and taking some weight off.
After a short while the shape was starting to come to life and with a carefull hand it was nearly done, all that was left was a bit of light work on the bench grinder (and maybe some more light hand file work tomorrow) it was pretty much finished!
I haven't put the final cutting edge on it yet and untill I can either re-shape/clean up the old handle or cut a new one form some timber it won't be 'complete' but for the sake of a picture or two I stuffed the old handle back on so you guys can get the idea of what it'll look like.
And that is a light weight, fine edged bearded axe.. without having to buy a new one! (and making sure to recycle old stuff
)Ta Da!
I hope you enjoyed checking out my 'new-old axe'
Maybe you guys will try something simular and post it up!
*update*
After a little bit of tinkering with the old handle I think it will do nicely untill I can get some timber to make a longer handle in the coming weeks.
All I used for the handle reshaping was my opinel no*7 and a little sheet of some sand paper I had laying around.
I basically gave the handle abit of lypo as it was too thick for its length (imo) by cutting the thicker parts down by a third or so and cutting out the belly/bends to try and make it straighter. After that I gave it a good rub down to smooth the rougher parts and to remove the coating on the wood.
It didn't take long and was very fun and theraputic like all wood work is.
I had to adjust the head end to fit the new head and stuffed in a good wooden wedge to keep it nice and snug!
Finally a wee coating of raw linseed oil by hand to keep it preserved, I think it looks pretty cool now and hopefully after a few more coats of linseed oil it'll be ready for proper use.
here it is with its 'new old' handle
(before a light oiling!)
and a little darker with a coat of oil..
hope you enjoyed the progress and pictures! maybe I'll do some more to fancy it up if I can find time in the next few days ;D
*update*
Had a go at making an axe handle today from some timber I had laying around. It's nothing special just some 2x4 pine that I thought would be good to practice on
So I took out me pencil and rough drew the straight styled handle I wanted and got started cutting/chipping away!
Very good fun indeed! and once I got far enough to my pencil lines I took out my mora 510 and got to carving its final shape out.
So here are the pictures from start to end..
Now I won't be using this handle as it's a bit too soft (being pine) but it was deffinatly worth doing as I now have an idea on what shape I will go for and how to do it when I get hold of some harder wood to make one from.
Thanks for looking!
Last edited:
