Tool Talk
Woodworking Forum => Woodworking Forum => Topic started by: johnsironsanctuary on May 27, 2012, 01:13:52 PM
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-Craftsman-hatchet-axe-POLISHED-custom-handle-old-tool-camp-fire-/150823119620?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231dc22b04
http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-Plumb-hewing-axe-hatchet-POLISHED-custom-handle-hammer-finger-grooves-/160808280704?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2570eba280
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I think I'll take a plain old hickory handle instead, one in a design that has proven useful and practical over the centuries. Custom finger grooves? Custom to whose fingers?
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I aggree with branson.
Even though its a very nice looking handle and the craftsmanship looks great Its just not my style. I am sure someone will love it thoe.
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Yea, I'm sure the fellow put a lot of work into it, and it is well executed, but,somehow, yellow, orange, and chrome just strikes me as ....gaudy..
And somehow I suspect it doesn't function any better than my 1950's boy scout hatchet...
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To pretty to use. After all the work someone went to I'd hate to mess it up.
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And somehow I suspect it doesn't function any better than my 1950's boy scout hatchet...
I'll bet they don't work as well as your scout hatchet. They aren't made to work; they're made to
look at. You can't comfortably choke up on either of them.
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This is the Oregon guy. There is another one from either Idaho or Utah, I forget.
I love them but they are definitely built for show. You'd have to -really- trust your life to all those glue joints, if you were taking one into the wilderness.
Its pretty understandable how they both came to this. Trying to get a decent piece of hickory when you live 2000 miles from the nearest tree..............
People keep threatening to send me hickory, but so far I am scrounging the dump like a maniac and hyper careful at yards sales to never miss any good stock.
Oh, I don't think the heads are chromed.
Regular full polishing is how many of the old axes were sold in the first place. They will tone down in time. I have polished many an ax (and other tools too).
(http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/hometools/fireaxe.jpg)
But have been bluing most heads lately. You polish first, then blue. It still requires care but lasts longer in hard use.
I don't think its much faster to make, I've been using figured madrone for handle stock. Madrone is not usually a good handle wood. But once in a while a tree grows defective, with the grain all twisted and bound up inside. Then its nearly indestructible. Carving it is like working some soft stone.
Here is an ax handle I made for a neighbor. Its his kindling ax. We all use wood stoves here.
(http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/hometools/carving-ax.jpg)
The hammer below in my latest garage hammo.
yours Scott
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>Trying to get a decent piece of hickory when you live 2000 miles from the nearest tree..............
Then there's second best: white ash, the standard of Europe (where hickory doesn't grow). Easy stuff to find in Sacramento. Just picked up a 7 foot real two by real four last week. Grain is wonderful, straight, and will take care of an Italian hand forged ax head I acquired some years ago. The recently bough Spanish hatchet head will get a dash of this ash as well.
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Scott,
Louisville Sluggers are made from the best straight grain hickory and St Vinnys sells them for $3 each. Softball bats are bigger, but they are harder to find.