Let's talk Axes for a Minute

[2oolhound]

Yep got to agree, there's no one ax and there's a ton of good ones around. The last time I was working with them was before 1990, before internet (for me anyway). The husky and many of these ones posted here are some real beauties. One of my favs was a hudson bay ax I bought from an old timer who'd made it. I used to buy plumbs too for general use.
I like this northlander stahwart

http://www.neemantools.com/en/products/axes but oh man $290!!!

 

[Outlawmws]

Yea I appreciate all that, it's all pretty common sense though. I'm not certain what you mean by "Hardwood has a different head design than an axe for hardwoods." You meant soft maybe?

I won't be using this for anything over 8" most likely. I liked the look of the fiskars I linked because a lot of people from review sites said it did a pretty good job at splitting smaller stuff while not being half bad at chopping either. Probably because it has a slighter larger angle V on the head that most traditional cutting axes I'm guessing. Either way I ended up ordering the X15 so we'll see how it does once it gets dry out.

Yeah; sorry about that, I was hammering that out on a short lunch break...

 

[Gotmayhem]

The Fiskars X15 came last night, just went out to give it a whirl. Pretty sharp out of the box, cuts deep, and sends chunks flying. The handle took a little bit to get used to but it's actually pretty comfortable. For the $35 or so it cost I would say it's a nice deal. We'll see how it holds up this summer I guess.

 

[Mr. 360]

I know this thread has been dormant a few months, just found it and thought I'd toss in a sketch I did a few weeks back, highlighting the anatomy of an axe.

View media item 32585
Personally, I go for old axes I find at garage sales, old barns, etc. These usually have better metallurgy and hold their edge better. If you can find one that hasnt had the life beaten out of it (minimal sharpenings, non-mushroomed Poll), it's probably a good buy, with or without the handle. Typically I find people let an axe head go for next to nothing, since it seems valueless to them without a handle. Rust works to the buyers advantage too, it's good bargaining chip and you can just vinegar the rust off.

I may be OCD, but I always sharpen with files and finish with a Carborunom stone, since using a grinder will affect the strength of the metal due to heat.

For roots and all ground type chopping, I use an $8 TSC boys axe, since I don't care about it.

Soon I hope to hang a few Bits on home made Handles. Thinking of using Canadian White Ash (since, that's what I have, and it's free).

 

[A_Pmech]

Eric,

Very nice illustration!

 

[stewed baker]

An ax for automotive work ?
Sure !
Years ago I had a cab from an old truck to dispose of.
The local dump or the junkyard would not take it without paperwork.
I had the title but was using the running gear from the truck, so had to keep it.
I took an ax to it and in no time at all had it chopped into little pieces that I had no trouble getting rid of.
Quick and cheap.

 

[Outlawmws]

An ax for automotive work ?
Sure !
Years ago I had a cab from an old truck to dispose of.
The local dump or the junkyard would not take it without paperwork.
I had the title but was using the running gear from the truck, so had to keep it.
I took an ax to it and in no time at all had it chopped into little pieces that I had no trouble getting rid of.
Quick and cheap.

Where did you get the idea this place is only about Automotive work? it's anything in the garage, shop, shade tree...

 

[shovel]

An axe is the best tool to split a gas tank in two for disposal. Really good info in this thread guys. My axes were from garage sales and hand me downs. I dont have any heirloom or collector stuff, but they all hold an edge. My favorite is a cheap boy's axe that is handy for cutting tree limbs, roots and carrying around to make the neighbor think I'm nuts. It has worked well for all these jobs! Y'all have me curious about the iron handled Estwings and the Husquvarnas though...

 

[Outlawmws]

An axe is the best tool to split a gas tank in two for disposal. Really good info in this thread guys. My axes were from garage sales and hand me downs. I dont have any heirloom or collector stuff, but they all hold an edge. My favorite is a cheap boy's axe that is handy for cutting tree limbs, roots and carrying around to make the neighbor think I'm nuts. It has worked well for all these jobs! Y'all have me curious about the iron handled Estwings and the Husquvarnas though...

Really? A steel ax, a metal container full of explosive fumes, and you WANT to risk the spark when to hit the tank with the ax?

 

[shovel]

Really? A steel ax, a metal container full of explosive fumes, and you WANT to risk the spark when to hit the tank with the ax?

Yep. Better than than taking a saw or grinder to it!
Seriously, I had three old pickup truck gas tanks that had laid around for too long. They had been drained and flushed, but couldn't be discarded as the metal yards wont take whole gas tanks. The axe made short work of it. Problem solved.

 

[Outlawmws]

Not me; I thought I had completely cleaned out a 5 gal. Jerry can prior to soldering some copper line into it and it still flashed back. It is hard to get all the fuel out as it soaks deep into any seams...

You have to be smart and purge the tank of any air (CO2, nitrogen, argon, even fill with water first... whatever) before risking a spark. All you can say is you were lucky. Someone else reading you first post is all to likely to go try it without the flushing you did which would be incredibly dangerous.

 

[2oolhound]

An axe is the best tool to split a gas tank in two for disposal. Really good info in this thread guys. My axes were from garage sales and hand me downs. I dont have any heirloom or collector stuff, but they all hold an edge. My favorite is a cheap boy's axe that is handy for cutting tree limbs, roots and carrying around to make the neighbor think I'm nuts. It has worked well for all these jobs! Y'all have me curious about the iron handled Estwings and the Husquvarnas though...

How about an oily rag and a lighter?

 

[Joe B.]

Considering this thread is back from the dead, how about some free stuff from the government!

An Ax to Grind: A Practical Ax Manual
A free book compliments of our friends at the US Forrest Service. I found this great for a novice woodsman such as myself but I'm sure some of you more experienced folk will enjoy it also.

You can also download the full PDF of the book here:
Full PDF Verion of the Book

Too lazy to read a free book? Then just watch it on youtube:

(Actually a cool video)

 

[Canoe50]

I know this thread has been dormant a few months, just found it and thought I'd toss in a sketch I did a few weeks back, highlighting the anatomy of an axe.

View media item 32585
Personally, I go for old axes I find at garage sales, old barns, etc. These usually have better metallurgy and hold their edge better. If you can find one that hasnt had the life beaten out of it (minimal sharpenings, non-mushroomed Poll), it's probably a good buy, with or without the handle. Typically I find people let an axe head go for next to nothing, since it seems valueless to them without a handle. Rust works to the buyers advantage too, it's good bargaining chip and you can just vinegar the rust off.

I may be OCD, but I always sharpen with files and finish with a Carborunom stone, since using a grinder will affect the strength of the metal due to heat.

For roots and all ground type chopping, I use an $8 TSC boys axe, since I don't care about it.

Soon I hope to hang a few Bits on home made Handles. Thinking of using Canadian White Ash (since, that's what I have, and it's free).

Nice! Thanks for posting.

 

[Mr. 360]

Something neat to look at if anyone here enjoys restoring axes (I assume if you do, you'll know this already). One thing I love about taking a rusty bit and soaking it in vinegar for 24 hours is a) it removes all the rust, and b) it patinas the metal underneath, with the softer metal being a lighter shade, and the harder steel taking on a very dark appearance.

This 'hamon line' is where the harder metal meets the softer, and is a pretty good indication of the metallurgy of the bit, and if you should continue with restoration.

View media item 33256
I found this 'True Temper, Genuine Underhill' lath hammer as a kid while digging at my parents farm, pretty rusty but the bit looked pretty unused. 15 or so years later I'm refurbishing it. This was it fresh out of the vinegar, the rusty bits just wipe off, leaving nice, bare steel. Note that the blade has a hamon line about an inch and a quarter from the edge, denoted by the dark steel. lots of good meat here to bring back a good edge with filing (not grinding, as it can ruin the edge). Also, although harder to see in the image, the hammer poll also has a hamon line about an inch from the ****, meaning it is nice hard steel as well. The milled face is a little mushed, but I can bring this back with a triangular steel file.

Another old bit that I had, made in china, has a hamon line about 1/4" or less deep. It's poorer quality, but I'm still hanging it on a free unused handle, mostly as practice. I can leave it in the car for emergencies.

So, grab some old bits, a big cheap tupperware, some white vinegar, and go to town. It's a lot of fun, and makes you appreciate your tools more when you made them (or at least, made the handle and hung an old bit yourself).

 

[stewed baker]

Where did you get the idea this place is only about Automotive work? it's anything in the garage, shop, shade tree...

I was responding to the original posters opening comment:
"I wouldn't recommend one for automotive work,"