Pack Axe

[BrownBear]

With the short handles I bend over while chopping- to save my feet from a glanced blow.

In a variation, if the wood to be chopped was flat to the ground, I'd drop to my knees. Upright chopping was 2-handed, a sincere boon compared to single-hand hatchet hacking. Even single-handed, the 24" handle on a cruising axe was a huge step up from the shorties. You absolutely couldn't beat the 24" handle for one-handed limbing unless you switched to a full length handle. Also, don't forget that if a shorter handle is called for on a specific cut, you can just "choke up" on that 24" version and use it like a conventional hatchet. Once I tried a cruiser, I never went back to a hatchet.

 

[Black Hand]

I thought the deal was (I could be wrong ) that you forge weld high carbon for the bit and low carbon for the head. Now heat it up, quench, temper etc. The bit can be made very hard but the head, since there isn't enough carbon, doesn't temper at all.

At the end of the quench, the bit ends up being harder than the low carbon, but everything hardens to a degree dependent upon its composition. The purpose of the tempering is to take some of the "hard" out of the quenched high carbon steel, otherwise it is too hard & brittle (also softens the low carbon steel). High carbon steel that has only been quenched can shatter like glass if dropped on a hard surface. The ultimate strength has to do with composition and the crystal structure that results from heat treatment.
www.hnsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/heat-treatment-steel.pdf

 

[Bo T]

With say 1050 to 1075 steel, once the axe head is formed and quenched, as noted it is brittle. The poll is then tempered at a higher temperature which decreases the hardness and increases the toughness. Running up towards the bit the steel is tempered at a lower temperature which still reduces the brittleness but keeps the bit harder. 200 years ago high carbon steel was difficult to come by so an ax would end up 90% wrought iron and 10% steel(give or take). A modern ax with the differential temper is probably better than the old axes but it wont be correct for most of the historical period.

 

[crockett]

For whatever its worth...I have a Broad Ax by Collins with a Hartford Stamp and "Cast Steel". The issue is whether they kept using the Hartford address in the stamp after they moved to Collinsville. IAE you would think a tool that old might have had a welded in bit.
On a hard temper, is that a plus or minus? If a file was used for sharpening, then I would figure a slightly softer temper might be needed than if a grindstone was used.
And, that bent over chopping, years ago that was used by a lot of folks in remote wilderness areas.

 

[Black Hand]

For an inserted bit, you should look for a forged head (the difference between the bit and body can sometimes be seen as a line). If left too hard, you take the chance of chipping the bit and the axe will be difficult to sharpen. A chart for temper colors can be seen here.

 

[Bo T]

From my limited reading, I understand that 'cast steel' was a selling point used for the earlier axe heads that were made from a single piece of forged steel. The 'cast' part from the method used to make the steel. So my guess is your ax may or may not have a bit welded in later to correct for wear or damage. Though, originally I don't believe it did.
Currently, there are some ax heads that are made by casting the steel and of course, in the bronze age I'd guess that they all were cast.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Currently, there are some ax heads that are made by casting the steel

Probably all modern axes are made that way. And, I suspect, quality varies with the steel being cast. Some no so good, some excellent. I bought some wood turning tools at a yard sale for $5.00 each. They are simply marked "cast steel". I believe they are older than I am. But, these are the best tools I have, much better than the highly touted brand names out there.

 

[Black Hand]

Currently, there are some ax heads that are made by casting the steel...

With few exceptions, I'd say the greater part of axes available today are cast. Far cheaper than forging, though forged axes can still be had.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I bought some wood turning tools at a yard sale for $5.00 each. They are simply marked "cast steel". I believe they are older than I am. But, these are the best tools I have, much better than the highly touted brand names out there.

No doubt. :grin:

I have some old axe heads bought at a flea market, and a couple say "forged", but that's not the same as hand-forged. Machine forged or you also see "drop forged" is when a heated billet of steel is pressed into a mold at very high, hydraulic pressure, and the remaining "flash" of metal is then ground off the axe head..., or whatever tool is being made.

They are very good axe heads, circa 1950's, but they are not the same as a fellow using iron and adding a steel bit to form the edge in a hand-forged axe. :wink:

I found a full sized axe, American pattern, at a yard sale, many years ago, an antique. Not "high quality" steel, the butt is peened a bit outward as it was used to hammer stuff in the past :shocked2:, and it's hand forged. Something about it's geometry is the key, as it isn't kept very sharp, but it splits wood very very well.

LD

 

[Elnathan]

From my limited reading, I understand that 'cast steel' was a selling point used for the earlier axe heads that were made from a single piece of forged steel. The 'cast' part from the method used to make the steel.

"Cast Steel" was used to denote crucible steel, as opposed to blister or Bessemer steel. I've never run across an axe made from cast steel, but I own a couple old carving tools marked as such.

 

[crockett]

When they say cast steel- there are two different ways that could happen. One way would be to cast a tool (sand cast). The second and what I always thought, was that "Cast Steel" was simply the product, like a bar of cast steel, with carbon distributed throughout the metal, and then this material was forged into various tools.

 

[Mad Professor]

Check out Council tools

They have some nice forged axes , made in USA