Axe collectors?

[Adios Pantalones]

I'm on a page on FB for axe collectors. There are freaks for all types of them- new, or classic flea market finds. I get the impression that a lot of them just like collecting axes, and rarely if ever use them.

Anyway- I have a couple of Gransfors Bruks (hunting axe and small forest axe), plus a couple hatchets, and other axes around the place. I will probably try my hand at making them as my blacksmithing improves.

Anyone here care to share your collection- custom made, or "well loved"?

 

[Shawn Curry]

I have a couple of custom-made wedges. I made them by breaking a couple home depot splitting axes .

I considered getting a Gransfors splitting maul, but at the price they want for them, it would probably end up hanging over the mantle next to the antique bow saw, instead of splitting much wood. Settled on the Fiskars instead.

 

[TreePointer]

Aw, geez! Now I'm going to get hooked on axes. I hate you all.

 

[Charlie2]

Heck, Treepointer, I got hooked on acquiring pickaroons and I didn't even know what the hell they were last year, even had to look up the spelling.----But I got some now by golly! ----- Now don't ya'll all go rushing to find them, they are already hard to find and I don't need no folks driving up the prices. Find your own crazy stuff.

 

[osagebow]

I used to collect hatchets that my sons distributed far and wide aound the property. Now I collect cans of orange spray paint.

 

[johneh]

Heck, Treepointer, I got hooked on acquiring pickaroons and I didn't even know what the hell they were last year, even had to look up the spelling.----But I got some now by golly! ----- Now don't ya'll all go rushing to find them, they are already hard to find and I don't need no folks driving up the prices. Find your own crazy stuff.

Don't need your got my own and use it
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=51108&cat=1,41131

 

[BobUrban]

Not a very good photograph and pretty sloppy work but here are a couple hawks I hammered out. The one on the left is true wrought Iron from a 100+ yr old truss bridge from Iowa with a forge welded bit of 5160(lawnmower blade) for the business edge. The one on the right is hammered from a ball pein hammer. I will say that cutting and flaring the drift is the toughest part of the whole deal and I really suck at it!! My whole thing gets all deformed as I try to get my drift tools through but watching an MS smith do it sure makes it look easy.

I saved that Pickaroon photo for a future project - that thing is pretty cool.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Good stuff, Bob! I watched a video on drifting the eye- they make it look easy, but you know how it is- the exact right tool and a ton of experience. I see a fair number of people that wrap it around and forge weld to form the eye. Would still probably need something to keep it from deforming, but maybe easier?

 

[BobUrban]

yea the wrapped eye is an option and a really good one when using material like a leaf spring(5160) typically. But no matter how great your weld is the dog gone thing relieves itself from its job at some point from continuous pounding. For a Simple hawk it is probably plenty but for an axe you will likely be sorely disappointed after a while.

And yes - still very challenging to get it all to work out and not deform. The next step for me is to make some better drifting tools. I have been communicating with an MS smith just recently on another forum I frequent about the tools he uses to drift hawks.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

I know a couple of axe makers that wrap the eye with good effect, but honestly- I'm very new at getting a good weld, so the intricacies are lost on me. My class starts again next week