My first axe restoration

[Brandon-C]

Some of you might have seen my other post about a month ago where I found that Brades Criterion hatchet in an old church where it's packed to the brim with home removals all for sale. Anyway I got the hatchet for £10 took it home sharpened it and it worked great, like In my original post I wasn't sure if I was going to fully restore it because I didn't know if I had the means to fully do it.

A few weeks later I'm back at the church looking around seeing some massive scythes​, loads pick axes, lots of stuff just not what I need right now but I did manage to get an unused Nicholson half round ******* file for 70p. So I get home and started working on the really bad poll damage which was really the main problem, this took a few hours over some days with just that ******* file. After that I thought I might as well fully sand it down now so started with 80 grit and finished at 400, it's not perfect but it was a lot of work by hand. Also the old handle which felt great was loose and had a wooden wedge, a iron step wedge and seems like two old flat nails so it what time for a new handle. Because I live in the Highlands (Dufftown) there isn't many places where I can go to get a haft (I like to see hafts in person), the next big city is Elgin about 18 miles away. I was in the next town over (Aberlour) and there is a hardware store so I went in asked and the woman got on her hands and knees and from under the shelf there was one handle. Now the handle isn't good but in the moment I thought it'll do and it'll be practice if anything for £4. I got the handle home started whittling it with a carving knife to get the fit, well I fitted the head on but had no wooden wedge so I basically cut the top part off the old handle whittling it down to a wedge and hammered it in with the old iron step wedge as well and it's fit soild. Next I thought because the handle looked boring I decided to try burnishing it with a camp stove no less and then last thing was some raw linseed oil which it still needs a few coats more.

Now it's not perfect or great but for my first try I'm quite happy considering the extent of the poll damage also I'll probably get a new handle at some point. But the main the is it took a crazy razor edge (I even cut my finger with a slight touch) and cut like a dream. Next thing is to make a leather sheath.

Thanks for looking!

 

[laro13]

Nice work!

 

[Brandon-C]

Thanks a lot!

 

[Robson Valley]

You've done well. I sometimes think that doing all the work by hand makes me better connected to the piece.
Buzz, buzz, buzz with some power grinding lacks something in the craft. Does that make sense?
If anything, find more of these to putz around with. It's clean and bright and finished.

 

[Dogoak]

Nice work mate. I love popping into Gammack's in Aberlour, proper old hardware store.

 

[Janne]

Great work!

For the next axe project - carve the handly yourself, using this axe and your knives?

 

[Brandon-C]

Definitely, anything I can do by hand I will. It just feels better especially once you've finished and done a good job.

 

[Brandon-C]

Nice work mate. I love popping into Gammack's in Aberlour, proper old hardware store.

You're on the money, proper old school place nothing modern can beat it

 

[Brandon-C]

I definitely would love to do that it just getting the right wood for the handle but as soon as I do I'll have a go

 

[Janne]

I do not want to critisize, but it looks like the new handle is a bit small for the head. Sure it will work besutifully, but you will get more efficient with a longer handle.

Use local Birch or Ash. Split it so you get the fibers running all the way through the handle.

 

[Robson Valley]

Ask around about the wood. Tree-trimming companies, etc. Nobody knows you need wood until you start asking.
You will become a convenient repository for junk. Then you get to pick and choose. Gift on the stuff you don't want to keep.

 

[Janne]

In UK, before I bought my little woodland, I used to ask the council guys that did the parks and public places to tell me where they were working next, then I went and had a look. I did happen a piece of timber of a shape I needed got cut down.... usually a bit of palm greasing with a piece of square paper helped!

 

[Brandon-C]

You are right the head is too heavy but I used what I could get at the time considering it's not my main axe/hatchet but there is a lot of silver and downy birch all around where I live so I will have to give that a go, cheers

 

[Brandon-C]

I do have access to a lot wood I just wouldn't want to use an unsuitable species but it does seem birch wood work well and there's an unlimited amount around here. That being said your idea is good and is worth looking into if I needed something bigger or different than I could usually get, thanks

 

[Brandon-C]

I'll have to check them out, it's nice to know yours is in good order and if you make a post about the hatchet I'll definitely check it out

 

[vestlenning]

Good work there!