Vintage axe heads

[ateallthepies]

Hi all, I just received in the post a Plumb double bit axe head that I will be modding. The steel is really hard, my metal files are only just capable of removing metal!

Is this normal for vintage axe heads?

 

[bikebum1975]

Far as I know that means a great heat treat still. Gotta love vintage American iron. I'm not an expert it's possible ya might need an upgrade in files?

 

[ateallthepies]

Thanks, I have another unknown vintage double bit from the states and it was a bit softer. Also my Gransfors Bruks which are supposed to be near 1055 and a Condor scout hatchet which is 1045 were both softer steel along with an English Kent pattern axe.

I have had to use diamond files to finish the edge!

 

[petrochemicals]

I've sharpened an elderly head from the 30's or something with a file before, it had a large hard ball within the face that wouldn't file for love nor money, and the rest of the face was hard but fine to file. Tempering problems, metal mixing problems, chemistry problems, imperfect method, less scientific process.

I suppose most where meant to be ground. Which is what you did.

And it looks very nice too, is one side a chopper and the other a splitter?

 

[ateallthepies]

Yep one side was thicker. This head weighed 2.5 pounds, the reason I bought it was because I wanted a double bit hatchet. I saw a vid from Dave Canterbury showing off his Norlund double bit hatchet and liked it very much. So I went to eBay looking for Norlunds and they are way too much money when shipping is added in, around $200!
This was the lightest head I could find and quite reasonable in price so I bought it with the intention of modding it into a small hand hatchet.

Took off some metal and it now weighs in at 1.5 pounds. Just need to finish the handle now.

This is where I'm at so far.....

A bonus is that piece of metal at the top which I think will make a nice Adze with a bit of bashing?