Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Aaron H on December 27, 2016, 03:31:40 pm

Title: More hatchets
Post by: Aaron H on December 27, 2016, 03:31:40 pm
Not as cool as Clint's holey hatchet, but here are a few I have been working on the past month or so.
I picked up the heads from the big auction site, they were pretty rusted and neglected when I got a hold of them, but I think they cleaned up pretty good.  One Collins, and two Plumbs, all old American made quality.
The handles are all made of Shagbark hickory from my parents land, stained with a mixture of brown, mahogany, and burgundy leather dyes.  No power tools touched these handles, other than the chainsaw used when my brother and I cut them down 3 years ago.
These were each given away as Christmas gifts this past weekend, one to my dad, and the other two to each of my brothers.
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Aaron H on December 27, 2016, 03:39:52 pm
I also made some leather sheaths for each of them from vegetable tan cow hide.  They all three have white oak leaves tooled into them, then dyed and sealed with wax.  I also put rare earth magnets on the flaps to grab onto the hatchets when closed
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: ---GUTSHOT---> on December 27, 2016, 03:53:28 pm
Wow!!!!Aaron your brothers and Dad got a super nice Christmas gift. And those sheaths are the nicest I've ever seen! Great work.
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Aaron H on December 27, 2016, 03:58:53 pm
Thank you Paul, that is very kind of you.  Although I cannot take credit for the oak leaf idea, it is something that I saw when doing a search online
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: bubby on December 27, 2016, 04:01:15 pm
Sweet work, ya can't beat a Collins or a Plumb quality tools
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Buffalogobbler on December 27, 2016, 04:01:46 pm
Great job!
The heads look brand new and the sheaths are awesome.

Kevin
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: selfbow joe on December 27, 2016, 06:22:39 pm
Very nice work. I really like the leather sheaths.
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Danzn Bar on December 27, 2016, 06:48:59 pm
Wow.....love those......sheaths are very special.
DBar
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Stringman on December 27, 2016, 06:49:07 pm
That some fine work bud! Great salvage job on those hatchet heads.
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Parnell on December 27, 2016, 06:51:35 pm
Wow, that's sweet me very fine work Aaron!
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: bowtarist on December 27, 2016, 07:22:15 pm
Those are sweet Aaron! True craftsmanship and originality. Love it!! dp
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: osage outlaw on December 27, 2016, 08:42:05 pm
Very nice restoration work.  That's a gift that will last the rest of their lives.  Those are good quality heads.  How about some information on how you cleaned them up?
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: YosemiteBen on December 27, 2016, 09:17:02 pm
Very Nice! I like the quivers!
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Knoll on December 27, 2016, 10:33:19 pm
Bet there were some "WOW's" said as those were unwrapped!
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: chamookman on December 28, 2016, 04:06:05 am
Nice work and the pics are excellent ! Bob
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: bjrogg on December 28, 2016, 07:36:22 am
Nice job Aaron those really cleaned up beautifully and I love your handles they are very uniform.  Bet your Dad and brothers couldn't wait to chop something with them.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Aaron H on December 28, 2016, 08:04:53 am
 Thanks guys. 

Yeah BJ, they were all volunteering to go get some kindling.  :D

Clint, I started off by cleaning off all the rust and loose debris using a wire cup wheel on an electric angle grinder.  Then I cleaned up the mushroomed edges and rid them of any pitting using a pneumatic angle grinder.  Then I took them to the belt sander to get even grind marks.  After that, I just sanded then by hand using finer and finer emery cloth until I was using a scotch bright pad.
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: PaulN/KS on December 28, 2016, 10:58:57 am
Great job Aaron. Bet those hatchets didn't look that good when they were new.  :laugh:
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Aaron H on December 29, 2016, 08:35:20 am
Thanks Paul
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: BowEd on December 29, 2016, 08:49:22 am
Great ending to your fixer uppers.Quality period.
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Badly Bent on December 29, 2016, 07:13:12 pm
Wow those look great Aaron. I don't think a guy could walk into any store and buy hatchets that nice, the handles and sheaths make them unlike any other you could find. Beautiful work and cool gifts.
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: BrianS on December 29, 2016, 07:24:20 pm
Very nice.
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: mullet on December 29, 2016, 08:14:14 pm
I know your Brothers and Dad were happy to get those nice gifts. You did real good, Sir.
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: feathersnwood on December 29, 2016, 08:45:42 pm
Those look great !! We have to get together sometime to show me how u did the sheaths and handles since I'm not to far from you. Andy
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Aaron H on December 30, 2016, 06:45:27 am
Thanks guys
Andy, I would be more than happy to show you how I did them
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: rps3 on December 30, 2016, 08:24:27 am
Those are the best kinds of gifts, thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on December 30, 2016, 09:56:48 am
You perfectionist types make me sick...............
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: gifford on December 30, 2016, 10:37:21 am
Aaron - nicely done, matching handles and sheaths no less. Guess your dad and brothers were really good last year.  :)
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Aaron H on December 30, 2016, 12:17:13 pm
Far from perfect Pearly
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Hans H on December 31, 2016, 01:25:36 pm
very nice work! seems every Job from you comes out very pretty,

happy and healthful new year

Hans
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: GlisGlis on January 06, 2017, 06:01:20 am
outstanding work on those hatchets and sheaths!!!
would love to see a buildalong of making one !!
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: simson on January 06, 2017, 11:31:50 am
Just found that post, these are mighty fine hatchets. Really awesome work brother.
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Aaron H on January 06, 2017, 02:02:56 pm
Thank you guys.  I am in the process of building another one, but it is in the final stages now.  Maybe I'll see if I can get a build along put together.   Clint has one the he just recently posted though, I believe it is in the around the campfire section, it is called Holey hatchet build
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: ajooter on January 06, 2017, 08:42:37 pm
Beautiful work Aaron....those sheathes are crazy cool!
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: 1442 on January 08, 2017, 12:45:00 pm
Man!
I stumble in here ever now and then but I've been missing out.
You did an awesome job refurbing the hatchets,
Glad I got to see them because they are great to look at.
Title: Re: More hatchets
Post by: Pappy on January 09, 2017, 05:10:22 am
Them are some beauties, great job on getting them looking like new again. :)
 Pappy