my second axe (pic heavy)

[Peter_t]

found annother cheep axe from a car boot sale. it cost me £3 for the axe aswell as a bowsaw:D it is another spear and jackson, i had a S&J neverblunt befor which was terrable but i think this one is much older, when they made good tools. unlike the neverblunt you can sharpen it with a file (the neverblunt was way too hard). it is 130mm long with a 75mm edge and weighs 1 1/4lbs.

heres the axe after i bought it next to a bit of ash i got from college. im sure that isnt the origenal handle
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/IMG_3658.jpg

the profile is much thicker than my kent pattern axe, this will be far better for splitting wood
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/IMG_3655.jpg

here it is so far, i have roughed out the basic shape. i used some oak wedges to split off a section and the axe for the rest.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/IMG_3660.jpg


thanks for looking, i will keep you posted:)
pete

[spamel]

Like the handle shape on the Kent pattern. Did you make that yourself? It's a good job if so!

[Peter_t]

thanks spamel:) heres a thread i posted a while back when i did the kent pattern if you want a look.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38531

pete

[Peter_t]

ok time to re-open an old thread:)
since i last posted i have been very busy finishing college,work and generaly trying to sort my life out:rolleyes: lol so this axe project had been put aside and forgoten about until recently.

here is how it getting on now


http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image208.jpg

i keep hammering on the head, removing it and then shaving off excess wood. i found this to be the best way because when you hammer on the head the bottom of the eye dents the wood, showing you what to remove.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image210.jpg

the head is a tight fit this time so im having to hammer the handle through with this wooden punch and a caveman club to take it off. i would use a hammer but im worried about missing and damaging the axe head.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image204.jpg

thanks
pete

[bushwacker bob]

Looks good. The axehead looks like an Elwell.

[Twodogs]

Nice one ,
Twodogs

[Earlyturtle]

Looking good, but don't drop it on your toes!(pic 2)

[TJRoots]

...and a caveman club...

ah the old reliable multi purpose "ugg stick", where would we be without one?

TJ

[ickyan]

I love your kent pattern axe
It looks like the granford carving axe.
nice job

Also I think neverblunts are quite good (my opinion)

[SOAR]

Nice job there fella, nice Kent also.

[Peter_t]

first off thanks for the replies:)


Looks good. The axehead looks like an Elwell.

i have seen the same axe under the name spearwell (descendant company from Elwell and predecessor of spear and jackson) so it could well be an old elwell design.


I love your kent pattern axe
It looks like the granford carving axe.
nice job

Also I think neverblunts are quite good (my opinion)

thanks:) well i had a bad experience with the neverblunt i owned, well it was too hard to be sharpened with ordinary tools wasn't much use to me:( but maybe the quality and tempering varied over the years?


ok now for another update, i spent today working on the head.

i found this online book http://www.woodsmoke.uk.com/documents/files/woodsmanship_by_b_mason.pdf which has a good guide to sharpening these style of axes and i realised it had done it wrong:o
you are supposed to file the bit to a flattish convex profile with a small steeper convex secondary bevel. this allows for much deeper, efficient chopping. this also makes it less likely to glance so is safer to use.

this is how i did it before
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image224.jpg

half way there... it takes a while with all the metal to remove. luckily i got myself a b@stard file which was a great time saver compared to the smooth file i used last time.
for those who don't know im not trying to swear, files come in grades. rough, b@stard, second cut, smooth and dead smooth.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image238.jpg

first side done:D one to go...
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image228.jpg

the angel at its steepest, the shallowest is flush with the eye
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image225.jpg

the finished result! well for now, i will do the secondary bevels and sharpen after i finish the handle
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image241.jpg

i also cleaned up the poll which had some heavy burrs to remove. obviously the previous owner liked to use it as a hammer:o
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image231.jpg


thanks
pete

[Peter_t]

ok for one reason or another its been put off again:(

now i have cleaned most of the rust off back to the remaining blackened steel. i mite take it all back to just steel and maby polish it but im undecided yet.
i have also been thinning the handle and have cut slots for the wedges.

iv been using my mora as a make shift draw knife
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/IMG_3688.jpg


thanks
pete

[drewdunnrespect]

good on you pete keep up the good work looking good so far

[Tubbyfraser]

Looking good is this! I have a 1950 Gilpin axe needing some heavy restoration and a new handle - has a similiar shape to the one your currently doing. Also got an Elwell kent pattern in fairly good nick which needs a new handle and a and some work on the edge.

Really enjoyable thread and should hopefully prove a major inspiration!

Thanks :D .

Graeme

[Peter_t]

its finished! well bar a good sand down, soak in oil and sharpen:rolleyes:

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image029.jpg

fitting the wedges
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image030.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image033.jpg

the alignment and hang seem to be prety good:D
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image036.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image037.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/peter556/Image038.jpg

hope you enjoyed :)
pete

[The Cumbrian]

Helluva nice looking axe there.

[launditch1]

That handle is kinda sexy!Very nice.

[y0dsa]

Nice work!

[mart]

Immensly satisfying, I would imagine.
I bet your smug-er than smuggy mc smugg the smug-est smuggle from smuggleville.