German pattern axe > Survival Discussions

Posted: 4/5/2017 8:57:08 PM EDT

I just bought this on e Bay.

After rehanging and sharpening.

The steel is very tough. It was very hard to profile. It took a lot of time to get right. It had a very nice, sharp 90 degree V edge profile before I started. Lol!

The handle was very poorly hung. Seems like rubberwood and may well be a replacement. There was evidence of hard yellow epoxy in the eye, but nothing on the handle. There was no wood wedge. Just a steel wedge and silicone holding it on.

The head seems to be better quality than the crappy handle. I actually have a 24" wetterlings handle sitting on the bench. The wide cutting surface would be cool with a nice handle like that.

Posted: 4/5/2017 9:02:30 PM EDT

[#1]

I couldn't leave it alone. My wife sat next to me on the couch and I showed her my new prize with its messed up paint and ugly cheap handle. The first thing she said was, "That's ugly!" She left to get groceries so I ran back to the basement to see if that 24" Wetterlings handle would fit.

I used a special sanding pad my company sells on my 5" random orbital to remove all the paint and clean up the head really nicely. Then I blued the entire head with 3 coats of BC Super Blue. I started evening out each coat with wet steel wool before I dry the part for the next coat. It seem to make it much more consistent.

Then I hung it on the Wetterlings handle and sanded down the entire handle to clean up a few ugly stains scratches. I'll recoat with BLO over the next couple days.

A few days ago a guy on Axe Junkies on Facebook asked me if I had any ugly axes and I told him I do, but after seeing this axe looking so poorly, I decided it wasn't going to be one of them. I don't make ugly axes anymore.

Posted: 4/5/2017 10:30:52 PM EDT

[#2]

Nice work!

Mike

Posted: 4/6/2017 8:32:02 PM EDT

[#3]

Quick and dirty edge cover. It's too sharp to have around without it.

Posted: 4/6/2017 9:15:44 PM EDT

[#4]

In your opinion what's the best way to correctly sharpen an axe? Everyone has their ideas and I'd like to hear yours.

Thanks.

Posted: 4/6/2017 9:40:52 PM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
In your opinion what's the best way to correctly sharpen an axe? Everyone has their ideas and I'd like to hear yours.

Thanks.

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If you look up the video "an axe to grind" on youtube, it will give you the basic shape you are looking for. You need a thin convex between 25 and 30 degrees. I tend to the thin side.

The best way I have found to create a truly smooth convex edge, with a continous curve from the edge to the cheeks, is to use a 1 x 30 belt sander. I use the hard platen to rough out the edge. Then I use the slack of belt to create the actual convex.

All of this can be done by hand. You can rough out the edge with a large bastard file and then use the "Rooster Method" to finish out the convex. The Rooster Method is on youtube also.

The old fashion method is to just rought out the edge with a file until you are very close to the edge and then change to a slightly steeper angle to finish out. Then blend it out with a sharpening puck.

There really isn't a wrong way to do it unless you heat up the steel until it changes color. I am always very careful of creating too much heat.

This is the best representation of a absolutely perfect edge I have.

Posted: 5/21/2017 11:36:30 PM EDT

[#6]

Great looking end game. Used those in Germany in the 70's GREAT axes and yours is even better with the handle change.

Posted: 5/22/2017 3:08:24 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
Great looking end game. Used those in Germany in the 70's GREAT axes and yours is even better with the handle change.

View Quote

I wish I knew what most of my axes looked like new. It might give me ideas on new configurations. I do know that I like a hatchet with a longer handle for sure. Choking up is easy when working close up. Making a shorter handle perform like a long one is much more difficult.

Posted: 5/30/2017 11:28:56 PM EDT

[#8]

That's a heck of a fitting job on the handle.

Nice job, OP.

Posted: 6/3/2017 7:25:33 PM EDT

[#9]

My new favorite!

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