Hand Forged Bearded Axe

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,447
8,293
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
I had the pleasure of doing a day's axe forging at the Oldfield Forge near Hereford last summer. It's taken me until now to find the time to heat treat it (ran out of time on the day 'cos I had a dinner date :)) so, now it's hafted, I thought I'd tell you about it!

There were a number of forging courses running though the day; everyone else was doing knife forging or similar, I was forging an axe. That meant that I got 1:1 tuition for the day. It's an excellent environment, great facilities, and great staff. The day doesn't finish at a specific time but when you complete your project - it was my fault I ran out of time :(

I have a lot of axes of varying styles, so I wanted to try something different; I chose to make a Bearded Axe. OK, the result isn't pretty, nor is it perfect, but I made it :)

It started with a lump of steel about 100mm x 70 x 70mm - through manual hammering with large hammers (a new process to me) and a press forge I turned it into a passable axe.

In process

Bearded axe red.jpg


Bearded axe cool.jpg

The press

Bearded axe press.jpg


The completed axe :)

Bearded axe 3.jpg

Bearded axe 2.jpg
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,447
8,293
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Very nice. How far did you get with it before you had to leave? Was it easy enough to finalise yourself?

A nice long haft too, very versatile.

Hi Dave - it was finished apart from heat treating. I have a kiln so I was able to do that easily at home. It's tempered to around 56-58 so, not as hard as a knife - perhaps a little harder than a splitting axe.
 
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FerlasDave

Full Member
Jun 18, 2008
1,857
621
Off the beaten track
Hi Dave - it was finished apart from heat treating. I have a kiln so I was able to do that easily at home. It's tempered to around 56-58 so, not as hard as a knife - perhaps a little harder than a splitting axe.

Nice. It’s handy that you had the kiln then really. I presume you have some rockwell files to figure out the hardness, did it all go how you wanted it?
 
Dec 10, 2015
417
181
South Wales
You’ve done a lovely job there. The haft compliments it. I wouldn’t get hung up on HRC at all as edge retention is mainly down to steel type (carbide types and numbers) and the geometry. When it gets blunt you sharpen it. I’d be happy using that.
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,968
4,079
50
Exeter
Bump to this for related question.

Ref home made forges - any idea how hot one can get them in backyard garage type set ups? If one uses a crucible.

Asking as I want to make something with poured metal - either brass or alum but I'd prefer Brass which I think melts at 930 C.
 

Suffolkrafter

Settler
Dec 25, 2019
546
494
Suffolk
I had the pleasure of doing a day's axe forging at the Oldfield Forge near Hereford last summer. It's taken me until now to find the time to heat treat it (ran out of time on the day 'cos I had a dinner date :)) so, now it's hafted, I thought I'd tell you about it!

There were a number of forging courses running though the day; everyone else was doing knife forging or similar, I was forging an axe. That meant that I got 1:1 tuition for the day. It's an excellent environment, great facilities, and great staff. The day doesn't finish at a specific time but when you complete your project - it was my fault I ran out of time :(

I have a lot of axes of varying styles, so I wanted to try something different; I chose to make a Bearded Axe. OK, the result isn't pretty, nor is it perfect, but I made it :)

It started with a lump of steel about 100mm x 70 x 70mm - through manual hammering with large hammers (a new process to me) and a press forge I turned it into a passable axe.

In process

View attachment 86353


View attachment 86354

The press

View attachment 86355


The completed axe :)

View attachment 86356

View attachment 86358
That's a great looking axe!
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,447
8,293
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Bump to this for related question.

Ref home made forges - any idea how hot one can get them in backyard garage type set ups? If one uses a crucible.

Asking as I want to make something with poured metal - either brass or alum but I'd prefer Brass which I think melts at 930 C.

For 930C it's not necessarily a forge you need but a kiln - mine can go up to 1100C. Brass MP is between 900-940C so within its capability. However, if you want a forge, a home made one with electric bellows can reach well over that.
 
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Reactions: TeeDee

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