Main Discussion Area > English Warbow
a good axe for roughing out staves?
stuckinthemud:
I'm with you on the wooden handles. This is my auction site axe. I put a little extra curve on the blade, and got rid of the hard edge to the bevel; the cutting edge is smoothly transitioned out of the blade. I find these modifications increase the bite of the blade and reduce the frequency of it bouncing out of the cut. I was going to reduce the thickness of the blade - this is widely recommended - but the axe was so beautifully made it didn't need any reduction at all. Think it cost me £5 plus £3 postage
Note.
Steel production in the UK went through a sea-change in the 1940s when British Steel came into being. Up til then, specialist tool steels with the best carbon levels for that type of tool were made available to manufacturers - hand-tool (axe) makers bought steel specifically made for that type of tool. After the 1940s tool makers got generic steel. This did not change until the 1990s or later when specialist steels once again started being used by hand-tool makers. Unfortunately, at the budget end of the market, the use of generic steels is still common, so, you get what you pay for, and since I'm too tight to shell out £100 for a quality hatchet, I ONLY and ALWAYS buy pre-War hand-tools ;) ;)
Ruddy Darter:
Thanks stuckinthemud, that's good info. I'll keep an eye out for any pre-war heads on ebay.
R.D.
FilipT:
Just be careful handle is not too long. I learned the hard way what it does to your hands after long use. I have since found one that has big head but small, just over foot long handle and its a huge difference in handling.
Ruddy Darter:
Thanks Stalker, I managed to have a little go just now and I got a major forearm pump. :D
That went rather well, I found it quick and controlled. I'd already taken off the corners from the wedge shaped stave some time ago, I just reduced the belly down to 30mm the whole length and after giving the axe a little sharpen I will reduce the width down to 40mm the whole length getting it squared up for marking on the final dimensions.
I took a water percentage measure off the fresh exposed belly on the outer limb and got this reading. It's also pretty damp outside too, still way to wet? (not really a concern as it's early spring time I'm planning on working it).
R.D.
FilipT:
--- Quote from: Ruddy Darter on September 29, 2017, 11:14:26 am ---not really a concern as it's early spring time I'm planning on working it).
R.D.
--- End quote ---
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