I managed to pick up a 24" Norlund camp axe cheap from a seller on ebay, when it arrived the head was loose on the shaft so I removed it, rasped and wedged, then soaked in linseed for a week, I then removed the excess wedge and shaft and resoaked for a further two days.

The axe is solid, but does have a slight 1/4' kick on the bottom of the blade due to the original handle having somewhat of a twist when it was originally wedged. As I wanted to retain the handle I rasped the wood and reset the head slightly lower on the handle.

I specifically chose this axe as I wanted a short light axe to drive wedges when I get the chainsaw bar caught, the straight handle should lend itself to being turned over and using the poll to drive wedges from waist to shoulder height.

The axe comes in at 3 lb and 1/2 oz with handle.








Thought it may interest some here.

Very nice... I like it

Oh ya, cool ol piece!!

LOVE my vintage Norlund axes! Got two.

2 1/4# camp axe and a 4# splitting axe. Both in great shape and used all winter.

Congrats. On a great find.

Nice old Norlund there. But I have to ask, why the metal step wedge?

Beautiful piece. Congratulations on a classic find.

Nice piece. I collect old woodworking tools. I appreciate the quality.

The axe originally came with a steel cross wedge, which I do not like as they can be a cow to remove.

This one is made of alloy muck-metal which drills easily (some of the wood is harder). I use my axes on Black-box which is as hard as the hobbs of hell and tends to loosen everything including teeth so I find a cross wedge assists in keeping it all tight...when I next go to Griffith I shall wander around to the mob with the waterjet cutter and get them to drill a hole through each of my axe heads so I can install a rollpin as well.

In a couple of days I shall make a sheath for the axe to prevent anything in the back of the truck (and myself) getting damaged, and in the off season the axe will sit in the tool box of the vehicle for in-case.

Very nice. I've been looking for something similar as a light camp axe.

Update on post.

I have pinned the head with a roll-pin and today I made a heavy sheath for the blade face, I chose to make the sheath like this so that I can still drive a wedge without the need to remove the sheath.
Two needle hand stitch with two knots between each stitch and a heavy welt to keep it together, it is still wet from forming but is tight with no movement at all.

The axe shall be used next week when we go get our first load of winter wood.

Regards.

Added, I placed the heavy welting at the front of the blade as that is what takes the brunt of any impacts whilst being carried in the back of the vehicle...not that it matters as the sheath fits either way.

Nice axe! Curious about the knife off to the right, what is it?

It started out as a Bark River Adirondack Guide with wood scales, I cut it up and added red deer scales provided by Kurt Simmonds from Castlemaine...it is my leather work knife.

Nice. Bet it would be a dandy skinner too.👍

Looks like you made a good find.

Are you sure you're allowed to have those in that far Eastern penal colony?

Pretty sure some of us are here because of them.

(Southern)

Dandy ol piece.

To keep the head tight you soaked it in linseed oil.
I drill a small hole in the end and fill with oil.
Put a set screw in.
Once in a while I “check the oil”
Haven’t lost a set screw yet and the handle stays swelled from the oil. As linseed will dry as it loses the thinners.
Just sayin.
I like the cross pin idea.
Hope all is well with you.

I believe that I shall run with that idea.

Thank you.

Added, okay I drilled four inch in to the end and the wood is all saturated, I used a 5.94mm drill and screwed in a 6.22mm flanged screw, filled with cold pressed linseed oil that contains no driers and put it together.

All is good.






I believe I shall do the same with my big axes, cover + oil hole.

ps, if ever I feel the need I shall inlet the screw flange into the butt of the handle.

I must have missed something.
You make an oil reservoir in the butt end to keep the head on tight????
So the oil migrates from the butt to the head?????

That has me scratching my head too.

No, I drilled an oil hole in the butt to keep oil seeping into the handle.

I have seen a few old axes here with a hole and a cork in the end to hold a piece of oiled cloth which is used to wipe the blade when it has been used, I decided to put a hole in the end to keep oil seeping along the wood fibres...hence the use of cold pressed linseed without driers.

Instead of soaking the axe regularly I shall just unscrew the screw and pour some linseed inside.


What can I say, I really am lazy.


Added, and if it doesn't set the world on fire then I am okay with that as I still got to play with a new toy.

Still confused I guess...
To quote from above:

"To keep the head tight you soaked it in linseed oil.
I drill a small hole in the end and fill with oil.
Put a set screw in.
Once in a while I “check the oil”
Haven’t lost a set screw yet and the handle stays swelled from the oil. As linseed will dry as it loses the thinners.
Just sayin.
I like the cross pin idea.
Hope all is well with you. "

So two issues here?
Keeping the head tight and keeping the grip area of the handle swollen?????

I do, by the way, like the cross pin idea for the head.

No, it is to keep the wood in the handle from drying out and splitting...I do not have a problem with the axe heads loosening from shrinkage.

Beating them against a big lump of old "Black Box" on the other hand is brutal on them, hence the pin and cross wedge..

OK, gotcha.
I do not remember of ever having a handle split out on me.
I have seen some splitting from incorrect or abusive use.

Anyhow, good ideas.

Should anyone be interested in one of the Norlund camp axes for driving wedges it is worth noting that the axe worked a treat, when your shoulders are sore and you get the bar caught the axe is a joy to use, certainly beats swinging a full sized axe.

Went and cut a load of redgum this morning and used the axe to free the bar, pic 1.