Oh HillBill..........

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
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No mate...do you mean ground differently (as in a Nessmuk grind - one obtuse and one fine?)

I have already reprofiled it I must admit ....I took that photograph first as part of a record set.

The Kelly Perfect Cruiser (2.5lb) is as rare as rocking horse poo. I was perving on a thread on another forum where a nice guy had a collection of Kelly's. We chatted about them as I posted my admiration. Just before Christmas he said he had found one that was sound but needed some work - would I be up for a challenge? Well of course I would. He posted me a Cruiser head, new helve, even the wedges by air mail - and wouldn't take a penny for it! Aren't people fantastic?

One blade just had medium dink


3) Blade 1 Edge by British Red, on Flickr

The other had a significant ding


4) Blade 2 Edge by British Red, on Flickr

There was some (non structural) eye damage too


5) Eye Top by British Red, on Flickr

Nothing that a few hours in the workshop haven't sorted mind you! Haven't done up an axe for a while now so I decided to follow Old Jimbos techniques given I now had a workshop....its looking good so far :)
 
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Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
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~Hemel Hempstead~
No mate...do you mean ground differently (as in a Nessmuk grind - one obtuse and one fine?)...

Ah right... some cruiser axes besides not just having different grinds had each edge tempered one harder than the other. You could tell the difference by the sound when you tapped each edge (if I remember rightly the harder edge rang higher).

Nothing that a few hours in the workshop haven't sorted mind you! Haven't done up an eaxe for a while now so I decided to follow Old Jimbos techniques given I now had a workshop....its looking good so far :)

I'm looking forward to seeing the after pictures :) It's going to be one sweet looking axe :cool:
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,871
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Now there you go - I didn't know that - I'll do more research

The Kelly Double Bits are covered in "The American Felling Axe"

http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/pdfpubs/pdf99232823/pdf99232823Pdpi72pt03.pdf

and "An Axe to Grind"

http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/pdfpubs/pdf99232823/pdf99232823Pdpi72pt04.pdf

I have set this one up with an obtuse blade and fine blade but I may need to "tune" the profile


17) Sharpened Blade by British Red, on Flickr

Here is the head reground, re-profiled, sharpened, acid cleaned, blued and waxed


19) Waxed Blade by British Red, on Flickr

Doesn't look a whole lot different (which is what I wanted) - but all that pitting and dings are gone. Its a fascinating tool to examine. If you look at the ding picture above, you can see the teeth marks from filing (lines of scratches going in to the eye) and the circular axe stone honing marks. Its like holding a piece of history :)
 

HillBill

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 1, 2008
8,163
158
W. Yorkshire
That's just mean... :p.

Nice axe though Hugh, ya lucky devil :) I will have..... Oh yes.... I will have one :D
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,871
2,110
Mercia
:)

Been through three sander belts on it....so far. Its only roughed out so far...when I get it re-hung and generally tidied, I may get obsessive about polishing bevels and ramps.


....or I may just use it!
 

HillBill

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 1, 2008
8,163
158
W. Yorkshire
Its got to be used, there are laws against not using an axe like that :D I'd love a cruiser, don't mind which, but i just gotta have one.

I've just bought some really nice saws, and they need a cruiser to partner them.

3ft crosscut, 26" Pax ripsaw, 26' pax handsaw, 3.5lb double bit feller, 2.5 DB cruiser, and a DB hatchet. I'm missing the last two. Probably just going to make my own now though ;) But that list is my aim for woods work. Not exclusively, but its the start. I'll show off my saws when they come next week, they are made to order ;)

You make sure it gets the love it deserves, it'll only sulk if you dont use it :D
 
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British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
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Love to see the ripsaw...thats on my list :D

I do have a Flynn Garlick 3' crosscut saw....now thats a thing of beauty! I have a link to a whole series of crosscut saw maintenance videos if you want them, not just sharpening and setting but restoration, truing, the lot!
 

HillBill

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 1, 2008
8,163
158
W. Yorkshire
Please mate.:)

It's the flinn garlick crosscut I have too, and these other saws are from flinn garlick aswell :)
The ripsaw has a breasted toothline 4.5 tpi and a taper ground blade. £96 of wood chewing goodness :) I'm actually really looking forward to them arriving. I wanna saw a few yew logs into boards.. I'll post some pics up when they arrive.
 
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HillBill

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 1, 2008
8,163
158
W. Yorkshire
Nice fit there mate, grain alignment is as near perfect as you can get too. looking forward to the finished pics :)
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,871
2,110
Mercia
Chris,

Tom (my friend) posted it to me from the USA!

I think he must have gone through a barrel of them because it has a brilliantly straight grain alignment. He even sent me a wooden and metal wedge. I confess I am blown away by his generosity in sending it to me.

Red
 

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