Id be interested to know how yours was "out of the box" JM - was the grind as uneven as mine was?
Red
Red
New pocket axe
- Thread starter British Red
- Start date
British Red said:
Hi Red
The grind was uneven, it had to be reprofiled. It was not sharp at all (flat parts on the cutting edge)
I had to go a 2 or 3 10th of mm behind that point to find good non decarburized steel, but after 1/2 hour of work, it just came very good!
got mine at toolshop.de, 36 euro, they send for free in all europe if you buy for over 100 euro.
Thats worth knowing mate thanks - so its fair to say I think, great value axe, but be prepared to go to work with an axe file and diamond file!
Underground, I don't think they are available in the UK. I got mine from a guy in the US for $30 plus about £7 in shipping - I'd try JMs link as well
Red
Underground, I don't think they are available in the UK. I got mine from a guy in the US for $30 plus about £7 in shipping - I'd try JMs link as well
Red
That's a good link, lots of very tempting stuff on that site at a competitive price too!
Red, I actually emailed the guy on eBay but haven't had a reply yet....
Red, I actually emailed the guy on eBay but haven't had a reply yet....
I'd send him another one mate. He did tell me he had a few of them. Shame you aren't closer or I'd invite your round...so long as I kept the kindling for the fires!
Its a super little axe for the cash. if you are prepared to invest an hour or two in the bevel, I say go for it...actually, no, don't - I quite like having the only one in England!
Res
Its a super little axe for the cash. if you are prepared to invest an hour or two in the bevel, I say go for it...actually, no, don't - I quite like having the only one in England!
Res
British Red said:I'd send him another one mate. He did tell me he had a few of them. Shame you aren't closer or I'd invite your round...so long as I kept the kindling for the fires!
Its a super little axe for the cash. if you are prepared to invest an hour or two in the bevel, I say go for it...actually, no, don't - I quite like having the only one in England!
Res
Hehe!
It is a shame actually, I'd love to pop round and spend some time sharing the knowledge- if I'm ever in the area I'll colect some timber and let you know to put the kettle on (or the beers in the fridge )
The beers in the shed (about 800 pints or so) - the farm grows barley
Theres a couple of hundred bottles of mead and wine in there too
And something called "firewine" that seems to make people fall down at meets. I can't imagine why its that strong though
Red
Theres a couple of hundred bottles of mead and wine in there too
And something called "firewine" that seems to make people fall down at meets
. I can't imagine why its that strong though Red
That's good advice with all axes. Even most of the GB's which came paper slicing sharp have a tiny secondary bevel which can really only easily be seen with a lens. That can still cause a glance and an accident..
I'm still puzzling over decarburized steel and Mora's. Mostly with those, sharpening to get the edge straight and even is what causes edge holding to improve. With axes, though, it soon becomes clear that once you've removed surface steel, sharpening becomes harder and slower. A person might attrribute this to having removed high spots, and so more of the surface is being honed with the abrasive. That is so, but the further you go, the slower things go - so steel hardness/toughness increasing is the only possibility.
There really are axes with some steel or heat treat - which we don't know the full details of any more. Some of the Hurds and Warren axes are too hard to file with any file. That should also mean that they lack toughness and so will lose chips on edge, just like a cheap glass hard Chinese axe. Well they don't because they are tough, too. The real big deal for me, though, is that regular axes set up correctly will have all the edge holding that a person will ever need. In addition the edge holding to resharpening time tradeoff is as good as it gets. I have to clean off tools after I get home because I'm often on beaches with lots of salt in wood. I find it pretty remarkable that a few minutes stropping of knife and axe will clean and resharpen at the same time.
Here's a pic of my new Wetterlings,
I think it's a bit bigger than Red's ( not intended as a boast). Now I'm a beginner with all this, but it looks like it needs some work. Any advice from some seasoned pros would be appreciated. Thanks for your help so far Red, if you need some more pics let me know.
I think it's a bit bigger than Red's ( not intended as a boast). Now I'm a beginner with all this, but it looks like it needs some work. Any advice from some seasoned pros would be appreciated. Thanks for your help so far Red, if you need some more pics let me know.
Heath,
You are very welcome mate! Okay a few questions to begin with.
1. The handle looks a bit odd..have you done anything to it yet? Its quite possible that those dark lines are some heartwood in the handle.
2. The grind looks about average (or even a bit better than average). The lighter line in the bottom picture. Is that a reflection or is there really a slight angled "bevel" along that line?
3.Here ar some more detailed questions
(A) Is this an indented area? It sure looks like one?
(B) and (C) - Is area B much rounder (blunter) than area C?
(D) Is area D another forge dent?
Also - do you have any of these
1. A belt sander
2. Coarse (b***ard) metal file
3. Fine metal file (diamond file etc.)
4. Axe Stone
5. Wet and dry paper
6. Any form of Whetstone or oilstone?
Come back on these and we'll walk you through it!
Red
You are very welcome mate! Okay a few questions to begin with.
1. The handle looks a bit odd..have you done anything to it yet? Its quite possible that those dark lines are some heartwood in the handle.
2. The grind looks about average (or even a bit better than average). The lighter line in the bottom picture. Is that a reflection or is there really a slight angled "bevel" along that line?
3.Here ar some more detailed questions
(A) Is this an indented area? It sure looks like one?
(B) and (C) - Is area B much rounder (blunter) than area C?
(D) Is area D another forge dent?
Also - do you have any of these
1. A belt sander
2. Coarse (b***ard) metal file
3. Fine metal file (diamond file etc.)
4. Axe Stone
5. Wet and dry paper
6. Any form of Whetstone or oilstone?
Come back on these and we'll walk you through it!
Red
Jason,
For me its about portability. I have everything from a 10" helve to a 36" double bit working axe. A small forest is a great all rounder - but Jimbo convinced me of the merits of a correctly ground pocket axe when he split a tree (BIG tree) with one. I love my larger Wetterlings, GBs and Rosselis, but the ability to slip something in the pocket of my smock that, with some skill and work, will get the job done, is a lovely feeling.
Heck, I just like axes in all the variations! I thought the samll ones were toys, but Jimbo convinced me otherwise. He's right, set up right, they really can "punch above their weight". When an old man like me has to carry it - that matters. For me, its not "either or", its the right tool at the right time
Red
For me its about portability. I have everything from a 10" helve to a 36" double bit working axe. A small forest is a great all rounder - but Jimbo convinced me of the merits of a correctly ground pocket axe when he split a tree (BIG tree) with one. I love my larger Wetterlings, GBs and Rosselis, but the ability to slip something in the pocket of my smock that, with some skill and work, will get the job done, is a lovely feeling.
Heck, I just like axes in all the variations! I thought the samll ones were toys, but Jimbo convinced me otherwise. He's right, set up right, they really can "punch above their weight". When an old man like me has to carry it - that matters. For me, its not "either or", its the right tool at the right time
Red
<shrugs>
Some people buy golf clubs. All my axes get used - a lot! We heat by wood all year round. Next year it will supply our hot water too. When I started to split a couple of cords of wood at a time, I got really interested in performance. I have to say Old Jimbo has probably saved me several days of my life. I'm always interested when BB (my GF) has an opinion. She adores the Wetterlings Large Hunter (reground by me). far more than any GB. The broader profile. better handle contour and fowrward balance really impressed her (although I had to re-finish the handle and do a complete re-grind before she would touch it). If splitting Ash, she'll use a GB (Ash splits so easily and the lighter heft makes it less tiring), but oak, beech or birch, she'll take the Wet'. For me, I'd use the Sandinavian Forest GB. Its much better balanced than the small forest (which I think is a limbing axe with a short handle) and I really can feel it limbing up a large tree. As a result, its a gentle shoulder roll and the extra handle length really packs a punch - enough to compensate for the narrow profile.
Hey call me a kit junkie - its a better use of cash than a take away!
Red
Some people buy golf clubs. All my axes get used - a lot! We heat by wood all year round. Next year it will supply our hot water too. When I started to split a couple of cords of wood at a time, I got really interested in performance
. I have to say Old Jimbo has probably saved me several days of my life. I'm always interested when BB (my GF) has an opinion. She adores the Wetterlings Large Hunter (reground by me). far more than any GB. The broader profile. better handle contour and fowrward balance really impressed her (although I had to re-finish the handle and do a complete re-grind before she would touch it). If splitting Ash, she'll use a GB (Ash splits so easily and the lighter heft makes it less tiring), but oak, beech or birch, she'll take the Wet'. For me, I'd use the Sandinavian Forest GB. Its much better balanced than the small forest (which I think is a limbing axe with a short handle) and I really can feel it limbing up a large tree. As a result, its a gentle shoulder roll and the extra handle length really packs a punch - enough to compensate for the narrow profile. Hey call me a kit junkie - its a better use of cash than a take away!
Red
that told me .British Red said:<shrugs>
Some people buy golf clubs. All my axes get used - a lot! We heat by wood all year round. Next year it will supply our hot water too. When I started to split a couple of cords of wood at a time, I got really interested in performance
Hey call me a kit junkie - its a better use of cash than a take away!
Red
Yeah - stick that in your Indiana Jones Travel Bag and smoke it!jason sears said:that told me .
Well said Red. I feel the onset of a serious axe addiction I cant stop filing an d polishing my rubbish hardware store hand axe thanks to old jimbos inspirational writings on the subject, I have a gb sfa on order from outdoorcode and now I want to buy this mini wetterlings from toolshop.de
I like your point about the golf clubs, I have often thought that using an axe for splitting is very similar to golf with the added thrill of potentially loosing some body parts along the way, I just wish I had the wood burning stove so I could go out to do it more often!
I cant stop filing an d polishing my rubbish hardware store hand axe thanks to old jimbos inspirational writings on the subject, I have a gb sfa on order from outdoorcode and now I want to buy this mini wetterlings from toolshop.de I like your point about the golf clubs, I have often thought that using an axe for splitting is very similar to golf with the added thrill of potentially loosing some body parts along the way, I just wish I had the wood burning stove so I could go out to do it more often!
jason sears said:that told me .
It did come over that way - wasn't trying to be offensive (I don't have to try). In a lot of ways you are right, I have more axes than anyone will ever need - but I think the golf club argument holds water - why have a 9 iron and a sand wedge? Because they are better at different jobs. If I didn't use them, I guess I wouldn't care so much. I'm also learning a lot by handling different profiles, bit shapes, head shapes, helve lengths etc. I thank God for old Jimbo's writings helping me make sense of what I'm learning and challenging my prejudices (like pocket axes are useless). If you are passing some time, come try it out - it might surprise you too!
Red
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