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Thread: Axe talk

  1. #91
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    Reading this thread coincided with a major workshop clean out,this axe inherited from Dad ,who passed in 78,he was a bower bird,no use for an axe ,a bit of a clean up revealed Plumb, USA,I used Plumb hammers as a framing carpenter over there,summer job for a Aussie ski bum, nice Hickory Handle,probably time to find a new home for it,thanks for your massive body of knowledge,Rossco
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  3. #92
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    A good 'lucky dip' find woodsurfer. I'd be interested to know how hard the steel is. Have read about varying experiences.

    @Matty re maul heads, acc to D. Cook in The Ax Book, root stems were favoured for maul heads in the US. You can imagine why.
    Cheers, Ern

  4. #93
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    The replacement for the Helko light axe is a Husqvarna 'All Round Axe' (from Arbormaster in Melb). These are contracted out by Husky to varying makers apparently. Has been Wetterlings; this is probably Hultafors. You don't get a boutique finish nor do you pay that price. This design I think falls into the category of a half axe - for general work in light cross-cutting, limbing and splitting.

    Specs:

    26" long, hickory handle
    850g head
    85mm bit width
    Swedish steel alloyed with silicon, magnesium and vanadium
    25º included bevel angle

    It comes in need of sharpening and an edge protector is included. Roughly treated it probably wouldn't take much for the edge to contact the rivets in the protector.
    Behind the bevel the cheeks run flat for about 60mm and make for a fairly thin body. From there a concave curve leads to the body around the eye.

    Quality:

    Grain alignment and fit in the eye are good.
    The balance isn't brilliant. More weight in the poll is needed.
    As with the Helko, the cheeks are not quite symmetrical and the cutting edge is 2-3mm off the head centre-line.
    There was no noticeable dulling of the edge after 10 minutes of cutting into dry Silky.
    It could cross-cut quite deeply and very cleanly. There was a tendency to stick after a deep cut. The light weight and manoeuvrability means more strikes to the minute and it wasn't that far behind the Kelly four and a half pounder on the Silky log.
    With that head shape and weight you wouldn't expect it to be much chop for splitting and it wasn't on the Silky. But to be fair that lump was a foot and a half and Silky fibres cling.

    Husky.jpgHusky 3.jpg
    Cheers, Ern

  5. #94
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    Quote Originally Posted by rsser View Post

    Matty, I've seen those in the catalogues. What was the thinking behind the corrugated cheeks do you think? Reduce sticking?
    Ern, I'm gonna go with decoration, I can't see any other reason, like the courragated hand plane base, some believe its a solution to friction, I'm not convienced.
    Many thanks for the info on the US mauls
    I'll take a look !

    Melbourne Matty.

  6. #95
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    I guess it changes the size to weight ratio. Maybe it was to economise on steel.

    ...

    This is a good read: An Ax Primer
    Cheers, Ern

  7. #96
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    Quote Originally Posted by L.S.Barker1970 View Post
    Ern, I'm gonna go with decoration, I can't see any other reason, like the courragated hand plane base, some believe its a solution to friction, I'm not convienced.
    Many thanks for the info on the US mauls
    I'll take a look !

    Melbourne Matty.

    Could be a ringbarking axe
    Drive it in and squirt the poison down the face. The grooves allow for better penetration into the wound
    cheers pat

  8. #97
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    Default Can I join the 'Axe appreciation Society' ?

    Here are my axes, or at least the ones I can find....
    1. My 'Boy Scout' hand-axe by Brades. I managed to destroy a few New Forest trees and parts of Buckinhamshire with this back in the 50s, those were the days when small boys were allowed to carry sharp tools in public (I even sported a 7" sheath knife on my belt).

    2. A Kent pattern axe marked "CORNELIUS WHITEHEAD & SONS CANNOCK" Crown "A.M. 1940" The A.M. stands for Air Ministry and as I understand it these were part of the kit in WW2 bombers so that the crew could cut their way out after a crash landing (assuming there was anyone left with the energy to wield an axe)

    3. A COLLINS double-bit axe I bought many years ago (just because I had always wanted one...)

    4. Top is my favourite small axe, French but unknown maker. I bought the head at a junk stall & made an ash handle. Lovely to use and keeps a very good edge.
    Under is my Estwing that Father Christmas brought me a couple of years back. I love Estwing tools.....

    5. A bit of fun, this was made for me in Zimbabwe, not sure what getting the tang red hot to make the socket in the handle did to the steel temper but it seems to keep a good edge and is a user.

    Mark
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    What you say & what people hear are not always the same thing.
    http://www.remark.me.uk/

  9. #98
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    Some interesting tools there Mark. Thanks for the show and tell.

    How do you find the double-bit to use?
    Cheers, Ern

  10. #99
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    D. Hook in The Ax Book makes some interesting comments on the desirable head shape of the ideal axe (in plan).

    Also on its profile. Axe cheeks from the forge he says are far too thick. The Kelly is getting slimmed down following this advice.
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    Cheers, Ern

  11. #100
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    Hey axeheads.

    I brought 1/2 a dozen axe heads today at a market for $2 each, and came up with, among other things, a Brades Cockatoo Made in England with a light rust covering but very cleanable. Happy days.

    THe question though, is about a little hatchet which is marked MC with what looks like a cog wheel around the lettering.

    Any ideas?

  12. #101
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    Good score!

    Maybe your mystery head was from the Mann empire.

    Check out the labels here.... Home
    Cheers, Ern

  13. #102
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    Hi,
    Farther to Old-biker's African axe (badza) Axe talk-axea5-jpg the prized steel for the blades were old car springs and were set at the angle to suit the tool you wanted even with a long handle for a hoe.
    2dworth.jpg
    Hugh

    Enough is enough, more than enough is too much.

  14. #103
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    Strange looking beast.

    There's one contemporary maker who says their heads are of 'spring steel'.

    Well my two double-bit US ebay heads are on the way. Along with three handles and a sheath, postage amounted to USD 105. Left the heads in the original packaging for consolidation, described as woodwork tools.
    Cheers, Ern

  15. #104
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    Thumbs up

    A good humorous read OBUK!!

    Reminds me a bit of my scouting days when many an innocent tree/bush wound up as a cup rack/hanger or a clothes horse/hanger.

  16. #105
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    You could write an economic and social history centred on the axe. Eg. it seems the tomahawk was refined to meet US Indian needs, and that Indians were trading for metal axes as early as 1540.
    Cheers, Ern

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