Axes

[georgeschmitt]

Hey guys I'm starting to experiment with making axe and hatchet heads out of 1050 steel. Has anyone here done work with 1050? Quenching and tempering advice would nice.

Also after I go though about 6 miles of spring steel and start making real axe heads is there any kind of market for handmade axes in the traditional world of archery? I'm not looking to get rich (HA! Get rich from blacksmithing! Yea Right!) but only looking to defray the costs of building them.

I can't find too much info on forging axe heads on the internet and books haven't panned out well either. Any advice will be glady taken and considered.

Thanks

[Jeremy]

Check out the iforge section of anivilfire.com

Depending on your stock size you can make them like the railroad spike hatchet or the small hand or camp axe.

1050 will make a servicable axe.  Coldsteel uses 1055 or 1050 for their hatchets and axes.

I think "The are of Blacksmithing" details making axes too... I'll check tonight.

[Bobby Urban]

All I know is that after you quench it is best to draw it back further than a knife blade - back to about 45 or 50 Rockwell if I am not mistaken?(anyone can correct me)  This is because 55-60 is too hard for the pounding an axe takes and it is likely to chip or break.  Again, up for interpretation and or correction on this.  

As my own devils advocate, I would think one of those sweet double head axes on the Stihl lumberjack challenge would be made much harder to take a nasty edge that stays put but I am guessing your goal is not competition double headers?

Bob Urban

[georgeschmitt]

Thanks for the info so far. I've been on anvil fire and one thing I've found beyond the RR spike axe is a whole bunch of distractions of things I'd like to build.

No I don't think I'll be forging competition axe heads any time soon. I'm just looking to make something better than you can buy from the hardware store. Double Bit does sound intriguing but one step at a time.

I can tell you why I do like traditional archery over most other modern hobbies. When I came up with the idea to build them almost everyone I talked to said "That's dumb just go buy one." But then when I talked to the traditional guys I shoot with the feedback ranged from "That's cool." to "If you hammer like you shoot we're going to waiting a while for that axe."

[kbaknife]

Here's a little link to one of my good buddies who has a tutorial on his site.
I build mine the same way.
 http://www.hawknknives.com/forging/_forging.shtml

[LAR43]

Ray Richard is a phenominal smith! He makes some gorgeous knives & hawks & he can make them look 100 years old.    

Larry

[georgeschmitt]

One thing that does make me laugh about custom knives and well pretty much any kind of blacksmithing is that when normal people are at a trade show or something like that they are always amazed by the work but when they see the price tag they put that knife down like it's still hot from the forge. Then a lot of them get indignant as though the smith is the one trying to rip them off not just trying to pay for his time.

And yes I agree Raymond Richards knives and hawks are gorgeous. One day I hope to get to that level. As for know I'm just a junkyard smithy trying make his way.

Mr Anderson thanks for the link.