Vintage Axes and Garden Equipment

[lux]

On 17/03/2024 at 17:04, Botty Cough said:

I did consider giving it to my farrier.

Depends how much heat is required I guess. Obviously dipping it after makes it stronger.

Being older the metal should be a better quality but I'm kind of thinking leave it as is ,. 

It's been well used and I kind of like that

If you reshape it , heat it with the oxy torch very localised to the 'mushroomed' area. Introducing any colours that spread could do more harm than good. Quenching after heat will harden it but its a striking tool so you will want to temper it as well. Probably 2-3 cycles of tempering. If you dont know what colours you are looking for at the quenching stage take it to non magnetic and you will be in the ball park. 

Personally I would just leave the deformation, if its on the original handle still, the head is part of the story / history of it. 

[Botty Cough]

13 hours ago, lux said:

 

Personally I would just leave the deformation, if its on the original handle still, the head is part of the story / history of it. 

I think I'm inclined to leave it as is.

I like it and it's part of the house really.👍

[sime42]

Here's a bit of a derail but still within the bounds of the thread I think.

So I went to a water powered forge mill at the weekend. They used to make farming and other metal tools, including bill hooks and I think axes. Fascinating to see how such things were made. The wheels were actually running and some of the machines and tools. Plus an awful lot of heavy, rusty, wrought iron lying around the place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://churchillforge.org.uk/