Hand Tools for Today, Off Grid, and or the "Collapse." (farmer, grain)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I’m unsure if this is the proper forum, but I feel that it ties into self-sufficiency and general preparedness. I thought a hand tool thread would be nice. It would be a venue where ideas can be exchanged, tips and techniques can be learned, or one can just “show off” their stuff. Hatchets, hammers, or saws doesn’t really matter. If it’s a hand tool, it belongs in this thread.
While power tools are rather nice, they’re expensive, and require modern technology to operate. Whether the power source is down for a few hours, a lengthy time, or there just isn’t any, hand tools will always work.
Why doesn’t one just purchase a new tool some may be thinking? The older tools generally have better steel and heat-treating as well as an overall better fit and finish. Furthermore, I find myself hard pressed to find a decent shovel, axe, or any hand tool in the big box stores. Most of what I see is of poor quality, and one’s lucky if the tool’s even useable whereas the tools I’m going to focus on can be used frequently and passed down through generations.
I recently finished two axes. I did not want to pay 200 dollars for a Gransfors Bruks American Felling axe, so I found two older heads, bought two new handles, and put them together. My total cost was well under what a new Gransfors Bruks cost.
I am not an expert. There are so many axe patterns that I could easily misidentify one. I am a novice be sure. I haven’t received any training other than wood and metal shop classes back in the 70s.
This looks like a 1970s 4 lb True Temper Dayton felling axe. It came without a handle. In most cases, I find them without handles or the handle needs to be replaced.
Raw head as I found it
After cleaning
After rehafting it.
Not too bad for a 15 dollar axe. It has good steel, nice heat treat, and it really took an edge.
This looks like a 1960s Plumb 3 ½ pound Jersey or Rockaway Pattern, but again, I’m no axepert.
Raw head as I received it.
Finished axe with new helve
This would be another 15 dollar axe with good steel, heat treat, and near perfect grain handle.
Here’s a Philadelphia Tool Company carpenter’s hatchet.
Raw Head
Finished product
Free.99 head the neighbor was throwing away. The steel is really hard. My files struggled to cut it. I had a 5.00 dollars off any purchase coupon, so I picked out a half decent handle. This hatchet didn’t cost me a dime. I repurposed it for bushcrafting. I use hatchets a lot. Whether bushcrafting, processing firewood, or sometimes I forgot a knife and the hatchet has to stand it, they get used a lot.
If one has never done such tasks, they might be surprised at just how easy it is. While I’ve done a few hammers and hatchets in my day, I have never hung an axe in my life. I have had to rehang a few, but I have never had to fit a brand new handle to a head.
I soaked the tools in plain white distilled vinegar to remove the rust.
Before
After 12 hours
After 24 hours
After 36 hours
I rinsed the vinegar off with tap water, applied a light coating of oil, and sharpened it.
I buy my handles from Welcome to House Handle Company I have looked through hardware stores, big box stores, and all the local brick and mortar retailers, but I have never found a decent handle. At the househandle, I can order one handle or 1,000. I can specify in the instruction box that I do not want lacquer coating, perfect grain, or no more than 15° grain, complete my order, and in less than a week, they’re delivered. They are very reasonable! I’ve tried other online vendors, and I wasn’t satisfied.
After a little work with my rasp, the head went on the handle
After a little work with my four in hand, the head went on much easier
Here you can see how much thinner I took the handle down. The top one is a new untouched handle.
I took the knob down pretty hard to balance the axe with the 3.5 pound head.
Speaking of knobs, note the three axes below. The bottom and middle axes are ones that I finished. Note the ends. The middle axe has a heavier knob on it when compared to the bottom one. That’s because the head on the middle axe is heavier, so I dind’t have to take as much wood off to balance the axe.
The handle has decent train, and I use poplar wedges. I am not a big fan of metal wedges. I also leave some of the handle sticking out on the top because it wedges out and helps to prevent the tool head from leaving the handle.
When looking down the bit, one can see if the head and handle line up. It’s not the best job, but it’s straight enough for me.
Why bother with old tools? For direct comparison, here’s a Made in the USA Council Tool Dayton Pattern 3.5 pound head. Note that it lacks fit and finish. It’s a very crude stamping. The metal is so soft that my files easily go through it. Council Tool’s axe was double the price of the two axes I rehalfed and doesn’t have near the quality.
The handle is far too thick
The grain on the handle couldn’t be worse
I didn’t need a lot of different tools. These are all the tools I used. I didn't include a photo of the 36, 320, and 400 grit sand paper that I used as well.
I like the dead blow. It has “pucks” than can be changed. I’m using rawhide, but they make several different ones, and they’re easily changed. It even has lead in it, so it’s got a lot of heft.
It’s a Basa No. 3, which is still in production I believe, and a classic example of generation tools. It was passed from my grandfather (1898), to my father (1938), and and then to me(1965), yet it works just as well as it did when it was bought 60 – 70 years ago.
If I didn't have the 100 year old vise, I could just clamp it to the table.
Whether you collect, prefer hand tools, or are getting ready for the collapse doesn’t matter. Perhaps you’re off the grid self-sufficient and hand tools are a must, I know I’d like to see what you’ve done.
One could search Bernie Weisgerber for videos at youtube. He's a wealth of information for more than tool repair and maintenance. There are videos of him doing all sorts of wood working tasks.
Last edited by bolillo_loco; 09-09-2013 at 09:27 AM..
Reason: No Rhodes scholar here
Hope your're not wearing those Jerusalem cruisers in pic #20 to cut wood!!! Your not going to last long when you cut you foot off with one of those axes!
P.S. nice axe btw!
I started forging handtools including axes and had to do a lot of research on them. One thing I found is most axes are made from a medium carbon steel because the harder a steel is, the more brittle it is and because of the blows when chopping, you could shatter a high carbon ax.
Conversely, medium carbon because of the blows will work harden over the years, probably why your axes are difficult to sharpen with a file.
The American Ax as designed in the 1700s is what we consider a classic style ax like the ones you pictured. They are designed for felling trees. http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/pdfpub...Pdpi72pt03.pdf
The heavy head, short blade and heavy boss on the rear increased the force on the cutting edge with each stroke. Much better for cutting timber than a broad ax.
The double bitted ax simply reduced the amount of time spent sharpening an ax because you had 2 blades.
When the colonists first came to this country they found the axes they had didn't work well for felling hardwoods found on the east coast.
This style worked well in conjunction with a shaping ax for cutting beams and building cabins and other structures.
A goosewing ax like the above one could shape or flatten beams, and could be used for cutting shakes for shingling roofs.
Tenon axes were used to cut the holes in the beams for puting your Mortice and Tennon joints together for framing barns, houses and other heavy structures.
They had long narrow blades that could be driven through the Mortise to form the hole for the tennon to pass through and then a hole would be bored for a peg, or on a pass through, a hole would be cut in the tennon on the outside of the mortise and a wedge driven in to hold the joint tight.
Of course people go nuts too and go too far when designing and get some pretty wild stuff like this goosewing bearded ax.
As to handles, blacksmiths used to only forge the steel parts of tools, called the "fingernail" and it was up to the craftsman or farmer to put a handle on it that fit them best.
That slight curve in the handle Bolillo has above is called "cast" and could be set for either right or left handed users to offset their swing for a straighter cut.
Even the teardrop or oval shape of the hole through the ax head is a fairly recent development, it didn't start showing up until after the American Civil War. Up until that time, the holes were all round. The elongated shape helps to keep the path of the ax true, and also keeps the head from turning or twisting.
On adzes and mattocks you will see a square hole for the same reason.
Love the old tools and since I started making things like drawknives or coopers knives, axes, hatchets etc. I have had to delve into the designs and techniques and found the actual reasons for why tools look the way they do and how they have evolved to be fastinating.
The pictures I put up are of antiques that show the designs I am speaking of, not my stuff. I will see if I can get some pictures I can post of those.
I have to agree with my54ford though, those steelless toed flip flops don't really work in a shop environment
Guys, guys, please! Lay off my chancletas! Those are special order John Rambo commemorative flip flops made from ballistic nylon, kevlar, and carbon fiber. They're designed for people living in countries that have abandoned mine fields.
For those out there interested, another name for the broad axe is a hewing axe. The curved handle keep one's digits away from the bark on the log. Barking one's knuckles was what happened when the worker's knuckles came in contact with the bark on the log. I've heard people use, "Barked me shins, knees, finger, and the like."
The flowing are just my opinions and or tastes, which doesn't necessarily mean they're true.
I'm no metallurgist, but if I had to guess the hardness of the three axes above, I'd say that the brand new Council Tool Dayton Pattern is probably Rc 48 - 50, which is fine if one lives in a Boreal forest and only cuts frozen wood during the dead of winter and can't be bothered with warming up their axe before chopping. The True Temper and Plumb feel like Rc 53 - 55. The old Philadelphia Tool Company carpenter's hatchet feels like it's in the upper 50s.
I feel that anything below Rc 50 is too soft for a striking tool unless you're grubbing roots, frozen wood, or knots. Low Rc 50s is for mauls, Rc 53 - 56 is good for full size axes, Rc 56 - 58 is fine for 3/4 or boy's axes, Rc 58 - 60 for hatchets, Rc 59 - 62 is good for knives and other non impact wood working tools, while Rc 65 and above is best left to files. I guess it depends upon the temperature and job.
Note the toe of bit (near the top). There's a chip out, and this axe is made from some rather soft 5160.
Dead of winter, I was running out of daylight, on a hill, sideways, and against the earth's rotation, I was taking off an ankle sized branch of frozen wood and couldn't be bothered to clear the snow away. I cut the branch fine, but it was during the follow through when I heard a tink. Under the snow, was a rock sticking about three inches out of the ground.
Thanks for your contributions my54ford and MTSilvertip. I'm sorry MTSilvertip, I always enjoy reading your posts, but City~Data is once again telling me that I have to spread the love before I can give you reputation points. I'd love to see some homemade tools MTSilvertip. It's a tool, so it only has to work not be pretty.
Up next:
Council Tool 6 pound sledge hammer. It's soaking in the vinegar, and I have to wait for a few more tool heads before ordering a few handles.
Last edited by bolillo_loco; 09-09-2013 at 01:35 PM..
Reason: No Rhodes scholar here
Guys, guys, please! Lay off my chancletas! Those are special order John Rambo commemorative flip flops made from ballistic nylon, kevlar, and carbon fiber. They're designed for people living in countries that have abandoned mine fields.
Rambo shower shoes!! LMAO!!!!
I'd love to see some homemade tools MTSilvertip. It's a tool, so it only has to work not be pretty.
I appreciate your kind words Bolillo. I enjoy your posts as well especially like this thread because it is so near to what I do.
I will have to see what I have in the shop or in process. I have been selling that stuff faster than I can make it.
Just got an order last week for 3 knives and 2 axes on top of the orders I already have.
This blacksmithing could be a good gig!!
People like my Viking axes which are a small ax head, roughly 3 lbs, and usually have a small beard at the bottom of the blade. I make the eye by pulling out the steel and wrapping it around a mandrel and then forge welding instead of punching the metal, (more work) and I don't like the strength of the eye if I split the head, bend the two tails around a mandrel and then weld at the back. That method also puts all the weight forward on the blade instead of balancing the head.
I have done a few American style axes by forging the steel into a long bar, folding it around the mandrel so the eye is formed and then forge welding the body of the head together.
One nice feature of this style is that I can use pretty soft steel, and then insert a strip of high carbon for the edge and weld the whole thing at the same time. Saves a lot of steps
I have also done repairs on old ax heads that were chipped out or broken as well.
My draw knives sell about as fast as I can make them because I can make various shapes like a spoke shaver with a radius, or a coopers knife that has one down handle and one straight for working edges, etc.
Not sure if folks are actually using this stuff or just hanging it on the wall, but as long as the money is good, I don't care.
I just about finished one knife yesterday just got to put a handle on it, got another almost ground out and ready for the finish work, and forged two others that I can work after my shift. Trying to get my forge hot enough in the evening just doesn't warrent the fuel for the amount of work I can do in that short time.
Let me see what I have and if I have something I will post a picture or 2
If nothing else, I could start one of my orders and give you a blow by blow picture show, (so to speak )
I always loved good hand tools, and I have some that I always keep that I bought at sales or whatever, I would like to keep some of my own, but the money is too good and I can always make more right?
Oh yeah, one last thing, Because I do traditional blacksmithing, I don't use the Rockwell scale, I temper to color. Knives I usually take to straw or yellow, axes should be no harder than brown.
Some folks llike their stuff soft so it is heated to blue to anneal it for working, which is fine for some stuff, but it is too soft for most of what I do.
Went through my shop last night and found an ax that I had repaired. Its a Plum Victory that according to the proof mark was made sometime in the 1930's or 1940's.
It had split near the eye and I had welded it and re-tempered it. I took a bunch of pictures, but now the dang things won't load for me!!
Stupid Computers!!
I also took some pictures of some of my knives in various stages of production, they won't load either!
Oh well, I will keep working on it and hopefully have them for you soon Bolillo.
In the meantime, because I had to re-temper that ax, I thought I would describe the process. When you weld an ax to repair it like I did, it changes the temper of the ax and you have weak spots and super hard spots, so you have to equalize the temper.
Metal has a crystaline structure and you need to line up the crystals because if they aren't, you will shatter or crack your ax when you try to use it.
Because an ax head has heavy parts and lighter parts of the metal, the edge and eye don't have the mass of the body or the haft of the head, it can be difficult to get an even heat. One method is to constantly move the head over the heat, or heat the heavier body of the ax and let the heat flow out to the rest.
I move mine through the coals to try and heat everything to the same temperature at the same time, more or less.
Once the ax is up to orange, I use an oil quench.
Then you hit the ax with a grinder so you can see the steel and watch the colors run.
Once it goes to brown, I use a water quench to freeze the structure at that level.
Once the ax is cool, I like to tap it with another piece of steel to listen to it. A clear ringing tone means you don't have any cracks and a clean line up of the structure. You are good to go to clean and fit a new Handle to it and head for the wood pile
A dull ping means weak spots so you will have to re-temper because you didn't have it hot enough for everything to realign.
Thunk means you have cracks, so you will either have to see if they are large enough to find and fix, or it's a wall hanger if they are too small to find.
I will keep working on getting some pictures to post. I've done it before, don't know why this stupid computer won't let me post today.
Beautiful photos and excellent work, OP. You are an inspiration! Especially in this day when most younger folk have never heard of an adze before. And it's a very useful tool.
I have never had the opportunity to build my own tools, as I was always too busy using them. For our trucking company, we did most of our own repairs, and used the best available tools - Snap-On being one of the brands. We'd use Craftsman only if the tool was not available in other brands, but even I admit that some of our older Craftsman tools lasted a good long time, and have passed hands with the truck company.
This past year we have been doing a lot of brush-clearing around the new Maine acreage and have found that the Swedish Bahco bow saws (formerly Sandvik) were clearly superior implements of brush destruction, as opposed to axes, which sent wood chips and splinters flying all over. My really favorite tool is the common pick-mattock ("pick-axe") which is great for digging through stubborn roots. While not a hand tool, the Stihl brush cutter (with a blade, not a string trimmer) blasted through the smaller stuff and even did the 3 alfalfa cuttings we did this year.
After re-clearing the drive into the property (I can see this is going to be a yearly task, until we get moved up there), we set to building a small ranch house and large bunk house attached to it. Yes, we did use power saws, but we also used several older Craftsman hand saws for finish work, and were pleased with the results. Our framimg hammers (no power nailers here) were Estwing and Vaughan in 20 and 22 oz weights. I guess you can say that we used the best we had that would get the job done, and all of the tools (Irwin, Stanley, Vise-Grip, and DeWalt) are still in good working condition and likely my grandsons will be using them someday.
So, while I have not really ventured into restoring old tools myself, I do admire the workmanship that goes into making them useful again, and appreciate the efforts. Such tools are a joy to own, use, and just look at. Thanks for the post!
Real good job on reconditioning those. I will always grab a manual drill,old wrench, hammer I don't have or something used 50 or 100 years ago. They will work when you don't have electricity for your power tools.
Here are some of my timber framing tools, some of which a housewright would have had many, many years ago:
Here we have a adze, used for squaring timbers and various other tasks when shaping tenons; a hand-crank boring machine, used for drilling mortises before chiseling them square (works really well, almost as fast as a big power drill... except it burns more calories!); 36 inch crosscut saw (it cuts very fast and I far prefer this over a chainsaw) to cut timbers 6 inch to about 12 inch--I don't have the extension handle on it right now that fits on top; A froe for splitting shingles; rip saw for cutting tenons (5 tooth per inch); and a standard crosscut for finish work (I think 7tooth per inch) that is a super fast cutter. Oh... and there are a couple of 1 inch oak pegs there, used to secure the timbers after the tenons are matched to the mortises.
Top saw is a newer crosscut saw--it's okay, but the old one cuts WAY faster; two T-handle augers for really old-school mortising--it's a challenge to keep everything squared when using these, but this is the way they did it before the hand-crank borer in the other photo; then you have various socket timber-framing chisels from 1 inch up to 2 inch (they are bigger than they look and literally razor sharp--you could shave with them if you had lots of control!); the biggest "chisels" are framing slicks at 2.5 inch and 3.5 inches--they are huge and work great when you need more control with that long handle (which is about 3 feet total on the big one); then you see a broadaxe head that I haven't gotten around to restoring--this was used to square timbers (from logs)--first a more typical ax was used to "notch" the log, and then the broadaxe was used to "shave" the timber down to rectangular dimension. It can also be used for tenoning rough cuts.
I haven't used these much lately because timber framing the old-fashioned way is MURDER on the wrists. It's a quick way to carpal tunnel. This is especially true for working with the framing slicks--they just beat your wrists. So, you have to be really careful. My hands were literally numb for months after my last real timber framing project. But then I'm sort of a wussy. However, caution is advised with this sort of work!
Hopefully this works. If it does, this is a Plumb Victory ax from either the 1930s or 40s from the trademark, that had a split near the eye that I repaired and re-tempered.
If this works, you can still see the outline of the crack along the right side of the eye. I preheated the head, welded the crack, then heated the whole ax head to critical and allowed to cool, (did that twice,) Then heated and tempered in water to brown.
Sanded off the oxidation, ready to go.
Found an old steel pry bar and a railroad spike for base material.
I started with the bar and forged tangs.
Once I had the tangs formed, I hammered in the bevel and then heated and oil tempered.
Corse grind to get rid of burrs and clean up the edges.
Got to test it.
Finished product. It took me about 2 hours of work on Sunday to turn out a working draw knife.
Sorry about the picture quality. But if I actually got this to load, I am pretty happy.
Blacksmithing is a great way to make your own tools to your own requirements. The finished blade is 10 inches long. It has a narrow blade that will work great for furniture or fitting doors and windows.
Finally got the computer to work with me. That was a lot more work than the forging!!
Not sure why the computer decided to put the picture of the coarse grind at the bottom of the post, but at least it is attached.
Last edited by MTSilvertip; 09-17-2013 at 08:28 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
