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Axes and Hatchets and Machetes rule my life...

By the way I have decided not to reforge that hatchet head into a halberd. ( I am still going to make one.)

My old boy scout hatchet disappeared years ago, so I'm just going to clean this one up and put a handle on it.

The metal in the eye is deteriorated somewhat so I will end up having to do an epoxy fill job to make it tight.
 
Pawpaw said:
I stumbled on this and immediately thought about this thread.

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I have one of those, or a copy. It sucks!!

I only keep it because the back side does make a decent light sledge.
 
While waiting for coats of varnish to dry, I managed to spend some time cleaning up this old Hatchet head that I had bought.

It's really so old and damaged and rusted away inside the eye that it's not very useful as a tool anymore. I had bought it because I thought the steel might be worth reforging into something else.

Anyhow after degreasing it, I ran it through my electrolysis tank, scrubbed it, wire brushed it, and then gave it an acid etch.
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The pits are incredible.

This is what I found somewhat magnified.

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I can make out this much but I can't make out the letters at the top.

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Possibly it just says "Made in USA".

As I said there are lots of pits and there are also lots of nail marks from hammering on the side of this head.

But maybe one of you guys will recognize this old logo. I spent an Idle Hour on some old tool forums trying to find a match but no luck.

But that Keystone trademark is familiar to me and I have seen it before.
 
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Damn Scoop! That's it!

I stared at that for hours and couldn't see it.

But with these new lenses it is a lot clearer.
 
Spent to much time cutting trails today as im in recliner not really moving now. Aging sucks. Anyhow I finally killed the SOG machete well not really but the handle died. The good it was a comfy handle and it lasted several years of hard use and abuse the bad Ive never killed a GI machete handle EVER ? So consider that. Now machetes i keep several on hand I just like them they are a go to tool for me, but what I thpught was if this was my Only one and I was not close to house etc.. Hmm it would suck, so ponder handle longevity. That sog has been rode very hard and held up metal wise so Il call them and see about a new handle or perhaps fab something myself. Its thick rocky hilly terrain. 20180621_162759.jpg 20180621_162713.jpg 20180621_162728.jpg 20180621_163027.jpg
 
nitesite said:
I don't have this much time (or desire) but it sure is fascinating!

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That was def fun watch. Heres my boggle, i love axes per se, i actually only own 2 but i care for and use occasionally. Bottom line though I hate Axing !!!!! Lol if im doing it its because of a failure ie a tree has fallen across trail or road and im without saw or saw is being a prick. I cherish all my tools and the axs are special no doubt i just want someone else to use them. Now machetes woohoo stand back jack I LOVE swinging the machetes☺
 
DJ, I would just mix a handfull of epoxy putty and just mold a handle exactly to fit your hand. Oatey's Fix-it-Stick is cheapest here and nearly as tough as JB weld at 1/3 the price per oz. I use it for tool handles all the time when I make custom scrapers and picks and such.

That SOG is a utility grade blade and not worthy of fine woodwork, but an epoxy handle is economical and easy. Just clean the steel really well first.
 
dieselmudder said:
Get with ripjack. He may be able to make you a nice wooden handle using the old one as a pattern. He's done some damn fine 1911 grips
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I'd offer to make something, but those blades are a dime a dozen. Not putting em down, but they are commonly low priced everyday machetes. If it was knife, then that would be a different story....

However, I see holes in the end, which leads me to believe there are more of them under the rubber. Use those to your advantage. Use some poplar or pine and make a handle to fit. Use the holes to bolt the handles on. Counter sink them below the surface. Fill the holes with putty. Then shape it to your fancy. You want to shape it till it's just a tad smaller than you like....then get some liquid rubber in a can, (plasti-dip), and dip the handle till you like the size of it. Different colors are available.
 
ripjack13 said:
I'd offer to make something, but those blades are a dime a dozen. Not putting em down, but they are commonly low priced everyday machetes. If it was knife, then that would be a different story....

However, I see holes in the end, which leads me to believe there are more of them under the rubber. Use those to your advantage. Use some poplar or pine and make a handle to fit. Use the holes to bolt the handles on. Counter sink them below the surface. Fill the holes with putty. Then shape it to your fancy. You want to shape it till it's just a tad smaller than you like....then get some liquid rubber in a can, (plasti-dip), and dip the handle till you like the size of it. Different colors are available.
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Nah machetes are cheap and plentiful no need for excess effort at all. I have 4 and i think the most expensive was maybe 20 bucs ?? The just do work i was simply showing the comfy rubber handle does have a shorter life span.
 
Whoa !!! As ive said im finding things from past long put away, @caddmanQ you may like this ☺.
Its not an ax or machete though, hmm what could it be ??? Stay tuned...
 
@CaddmannQ nope its not a halberd,
Its a battle ready shaving sharp spear. I bought years ago at Atlanta Cutlery on an impulse. It did have a handle not sure where that went, my buddy actually used it on a hog along time back. But that was the only trip it ever made. Time to clean up and rehandle i suppose. I layed pistol and hand so you get idea how big this nasty beast is.20180705_122022.jpg 1530807926642366039294.jpg
 
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That's quite a pork sticker you got there DJ.

As for the halberd, I had to put aside my iron working efforts for the duration of our home remodeling, as I have absolutely no access to those tools right now.
 
Machete swinging is sometimes a bit tiring but darn it there is some fun involved!
 
Ok Ax folks, here ya go the lil forest ax that could. A fellow forrumite turned us on to these great handy axes last year so happy/lucky i got one. Thank you @nitesite . ive use it sparingly till today. When we came home from church i decided a tree that had been bugging me because half dead on top and to close to where i park utility trailer and sometimes my pickup had to go. The method would be ax for the exercise and to finally really push the ax abit forcing self to do what I dont really like doing(i often push out of my comfort zone i feel it promotes growth and suppose after years under uncle sam im used to it). Enough here are pics. After review tell me if i should do anything to handle or head before pounding back in ? I apparently pushed the boy abit beyond its intended purpose ? I must say it was a tough task in this humidity on hillside yet the fss20180708_174931_Burst01.jpg 20180708_174907.jpg 20180708_181139.jpg 20180708_181201.jpg 20180708_181349.jpg 20180708_181244.jpg 20180708_181249.jpg ax was a pure joy to handle ☺Critique away
 
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