old video, 10 min

http://digg.com/video/axe-making-emerson-stevens

wish Bristoe could check this out!

Sycamore

This is why hand forged axes are in excess of $100 today and still a bargain.

I never have got the hang of putting a new handle on an old one...

Tag

I rehafted one recently, purchased a premium handle, took my time, made sure it fit just right, got it just about finished when I realized the head had a twist. I now tell people that it isn't crooked, it has cast like a fine shotgun. I'll give it to my brother this fall, am certain he'll notice, and have my lie all thought out.

Super Cool !!!!

It takes the practice only a seasoned craftsman has to truly "get the hang of it".

I'm a complete failure

Cool video. Doing that specialized work for a $1.25 an hour. Times along with quality sure have changed.

When my son was working his was through Boy Scouts I bought him a Gerber camping ax with the black plastic handle. What a piece of crap, a broken beer bottle held a better edge.

I soon after bought him a Granfors Brux after throwing the Gerber Ax in the trash can.

Nice film...

Doc

Sad part is the guy was headed south (Mass?) to make twice as much, sweeping floors!

I just kept thinking there were a lot of opportunities to lose a digit in that place.

Sycamore

Nobody wants to pay shyt for fine craftsmanship anymore. That's why nobody wants to do it anymore and why you'll continue to buy cheap junk.

Adjusted for inflation, that is probably about what they sold for then too.

I dunno how much hearing they had left.

That's a buck an hour more than the Chinese guy that's making them now makes an hour.

Actually there is an American company still making very good axes, among other tools; Council Tool in North Carolina. Best barely-known bargain out there.

Wrong, ....
there ARE lots of die hard traditionalists that want things RIGHT.
I'm honored to work for a variety of folks so oriented, ...calling on a variety of skill sets.
Their respect is not automatic, and I don't think it should be,...THAT whole patron / client - craftsman / artisan relationship and dialogue to support it is no longer taught, or exercised by a growing majority.

GTC

It is called hanging an axe and when you do it wrong it was said you can't get a handle on it.

Not hard at all and not really hard to make one from scratch.

Scott, how about a tutorial?

Try this. He does a lot better job than I could.

thanks for that information.

Sycamore

Scott F beat me to it with his posted video of how to hang and sharpen an axe. That is an excellent video.

Here is a site where you can find out the history of any old axes you might have. I have an old Mann axe and an old Plumb Victory. Both are just as good today for "laying into the wood" as they were many, many years ago.

http://yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears%20Tools/Mann,%20Ltd.%20Can..html

L.W.

IIRC, Scott DID a tutorial several years ago.
Need a re-do!

They still make them the old way, in Sweden



Reminds me I should acquire one

Granfors Bruks axes are pretty good. Have one myself.

Great swedish steel.. you should probably purchase several as they are one of the best bargains out there!

How long ago did they start putting a harder insert at the cutting edge, and do they still do that? I always thought that the edge was just tempered until recently. I was almost badly injured by double bit axe head long ago. I was helping a neighbor split a large red oak block of wood when the head came off and whizzed by my ear, brushing by ball cap. He was hitting one side and I was hitting the other. The eye cracked open and let it come off without warning. I caught a glimpse and moved my head just a little or it would have hit me dead center. miles

I wish I would have bought a couple a few years ago too. It seems like only 2 years ago their Small Forest Axe was about $120. I can actually still see places where that is the price but they are out of stock. The only ones in stock just a couple weeks ago were nearly $300.

That forced me to buy a similiar sized axe from another very good company Hults-Bruk. They are actually the oldest axe manufacturer in the world,having been established in the 1600's.

Very cool..

A personal favorite, and a true bargain are the lesser known Husqvarnas. The carpenter's axe I have is made by Sweden's oldest axe company Hults Bruks.

Some have been made by Wetterlings, the stamp on the head should let the buyer know the origin.

It would force me to laugh in their faces and go pick up a made in the USA Estwing hatchet that is unbreakable from Home Depot for about $35.

Marketing never ceases to amaze me.
My hat is off to anyone who can get someone to willingly part with 3 bills for a hatchet.

Some guys shoot Coopers, some guys shoot Savages it all in the realm of things.

I just wish I could find a decent outlet for good quality octagon hickory handles. That's not as easy as one might think.

House Handle Company. Google them and give them a call.
if you have a bench belt sander it is pretty easy to make an oval handle into an octagon. You can thin a handle down until it looks and feel like a tool handle rather than the clubs you find in most places today.

I go to a hardwood store and search for second growth hickory or ash then lay out the handle, cut it out with a band saw and use the bench sander to shape. Finish with a orbital sander wetting with warm water a couple of time to raise the grain, scorch with a propane torch, scrape with a cabinet scraper or a piece of glass than finish with thinned linseed oil. I usually seat the head after the second coat of oil. Never use a steel wedge.

This summer I may get back into making some handles. Since all my tools were left at the farm I will probably pick up a Harbour Freight bench sander and some sort of band saw. If I do I will document the way I do it from start to finish.

While the majority of folks are probably....


... Otter Sled people, (and RAR rifle... Chevy Impala, Bud Lite types)




There are still some who appreciate the "old ways" which involve a more personal touch....



...but it's nice to see that you're consistent.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/10347862/Re:_RAR_of_hunting_knives#Post10347862

I mostly agree with your post but it would have had a more sarcastic zing if the handmade sled was not filled with plastic totes and plastic gas cans.

Just saying...

You're right. And it shouldn't have a welded towbar, nylon lashing, plastic runner bases, or planed hickory construction either.

It's not that I don't understand where he's coming from, and I understand that many people can't afford the truly nice things....(many of us have "Chinese budgets" ) and I would have been really disappointed if he had been anything other than a "Buck knife" kind of guy. He did bring up "laughing in their faces" about high quality stuff that is personally crafted. I think that kind of stuff deserves respect even if one can't afford it themselves. I find the "marketing ploy" thing to be somewhat offensive, especially in this day and age when burger flippers are asking for $15 minimums while craftsmen who turn out top quality, high value items are lucky to make a fraction of that oftentimes.

Mentioned head patterns, sure enough I looked and there are charts of such, also about the hang. I didn't know that one.

Welding a harder edge on soft steel is as old as iron and forging.

The poll is NOT a hammer, or a place to use the axe as a maul and hit it. That leads to heads splitting and flying off. I have a couple old axes, have a prized shingling hatchet that belonged to granddad.

While we have to use cheaper mass produced stuff, there is still admiration for the old ways and craftsmanship. We were better off in many ways having one well made tool instead of the stuff we have to replace all the time. I do have an Estwing camper axe, and a chain saw..

I have been trying to teach a coworkers about heat treating and quenching, I picked it up through the years. I do not harden anything that I depend on for my life, or the life of "my" machines! Mostly small pins, simple dies and such as needed in shops.

ttt

so I can get back to it later today.

good stuff guys, thanks for posting the videos and such.

Geno