Vintage Axes and Garden Equipment

[spudulike]

I was asked to show some pics of what I am currently messing about with in the workshop on another thread so rather than de-railing it, I have started another thread to honour the great Industry that was Great Britain and the axes and gardening tools that came from our foundry's typically Sheffield and Cannock. Feel free to post up your projects, horror stories, loves and hates etc.

So, here are the beasties...I own a Fiskars X27 for splitting, these are all smaller hatchet type axes

 From the left, a ball pein hammer converted in to an axe - the rubber strapping is to get a good grip on what is a hammer handle - I picked this up from East Ruston Gardens. The next is a small kindling axe/knife stamped "Made in Sheffield", The next is a Kent design hatchet 15" handle which will be original as it was my Grandfathers so probably 100 years + Stamped Riley and Sons. Next is one I have just aquired, an Eagle Edge Tool Company axe, around 1 3/4lb, the handle has a serious twist but feels fine in use. The next is a Gilpin Kent Style with a head of around 2.5LB and handle of 18". The two on the right have had the handles removed and re-wedged, I fitted a small metal cross wedge on the Eagle one as one was fitted already and wanted a clean job. 

 

Close ups below: -

This last one is work in progress, a Brades head stamped 1918....possibly from WW1. I have an Ash Stihl handle on its way so I will strip, stain and fit it when it arrives.

Edited January 25 by spudulike

[shavey]

Brilliant idea starting this thread Spud 

and a lovely job on those axes 

I’ll  add some photos and info on axes I’ve done 

and axes too be done 

 

 

Edited January 25 by shavey

[shavey]

A small batch of heads from a farm sale a lot of work 

but worth it 

[shavey]

But here is that group finished plus a few others 

added in 

[slack ma girdle]

9 hours ago, shavey said:

But here is that group finished plus a few others 

added in 

Wot be the pointy thing Shavey?

Edited January 26 by slack ma girdle

[Stere]

Its a garden dibber for planting.

 

Shavey  you have   burnt the handles they look cool.....?

 

& whats your go 2 rust removing methods?

[Muddy42]

Here are a few "projects" that were caught in a house fire. I'm going to give them a basic clean and ditch any with poor metal, some are just B&Q specials.

[shavey]

10 hours ago, Stere said:

Its a garden dibber for planting.

 

Shavey  you have   burnt the handles they look cool.....?

 

& whats your go 2 rust removing methods?

spot on with the Dibber

 

iusualy go with sand paper and wire brush 

and maybe a grinder with a  medium flap disc

 

or if it’s really bad maybe evaparust does the trick 

[shavey]

12 hours ago, slack ma girdle said:

Wot be the pointy thing Shavey?

@Stere got it Murray a dibber forthe garden 

 

or I keep it for anyone who doesn’t like Dolmar

[spudulike]

Nice job, always good to bring these old tools back to life. So much more rewarding than getting some old bit of that that wont last. The history is what I find interesting, not that you see much of it but every axe tells a story.

Stihl do decent Ash axe handles that don't cost a fortune if anyone is interested in this work. Doing my Brades 1.5lb head at the moment, have stripped the handle of the paint and logo and am shaping the end to receive the head over the weekend.