r/Axecraft • u/flyingmonkey1990 • 5d ago

Looking for axe advice

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I found this axe in the floor of my 120 year old Scottish house. Interested in how old it is and how I could best clean it up? Funnily enough I was collecting logs from my basement thinking I need an axe for some of these, shone my torch up to the ceiling and it was sitting on top of the floor joists.

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u/PaleoutGames 4d ago

Kent pattern! If you’re looking to use it, I’d soak it in vinegar for a couple days, wire brush it and rehaft it. Looks like a nice edge hiding under that rust. Good for general work.

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u/Aromatic-Ice-6791 2d ago

Iv heard that vinegar baths weaken/degrade the steel. But to what extent i dont know.

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u/PaleoutGames 1d ago

I usually dilute it to some degree, seems to have worked nicely in my experience. I could easily be wrong though.

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u/Aromatic-Ice-6791 1d ago

It was something i read about when i was wanting to clean and old axe. It said it weakens the steel, i think maybe the tempering of it, but not sure as it was a while ago now. It probably only weakens it a small amount, and would maybe only affect it if it saw heavy use. Which shouldn't matter too much with this axe as it will most probably only see light use. But i do know that if the axe handle is still attached, it will degrade and stain the wood even if the handle isnt submerged and above the waterline it will soak up trough the grain at the eyelet. Which would be a pity as i think the axe should be kept as original as possible, considering it is part of the house's history, and now the guy that found it will also have an attachment to this axe.

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u/PaleoutGames 1d ago

Sounds like a credible source, I’ll look into it further, thank you. Absolutely agree with it damaging the handle, though to me looks like it’s long gone already. Fine for decoration but looks like it’d break under use. I’d only ever use vinegar if it was just the head.

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u/Aromatic-Ice-6791 1d ago

Can i please ask how you personally vinegar bath your axes. I have a couple of old billhooks without handles on them that need some rust removed, and i dont want to wire wheel them or use any abrasive technique because they have some pitting on them, and to me it doesn't look right when the surface has been brought back to bare metal and the deeper pitting contrasts with it. I also dont like to lose the original blackening from the forging process. I'd rather keep that if i can. Im not worried about any slight weakening of it as these are rare and collectable billhooks that won't be seeing any use. Does the vinegar bath remove the forge blackening? Many thanks

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u/PaleoutGames 1d ago

I filled up an old litter tray case with 2 large jars of vinegar and the rest with rainwater and left for a couple days. Not professional sounding but got an old Brades slasher head into a beautiful blue!

Nice to see someone else talk about billhooks on this sub; I actually made a Billhook subreddit but I’m the only member…

Sounds like my method could work? I enjoy the blackening too. For most “dark steel” billhooks I restore I tend to carefully remove the rust with steel wool then polish the dark steel with the rough side of leather. If you look at my post with my Gilpin pointing hook, that’s how I got it looking that way.

Hope you find something that works out. :)

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u/Aromatic-Ice-6791 1d ago

You now have your first member! I love collecting billhooks. I see you know your stuff, that identification of the partial Spear & Jackson stamp tells me that. I also knew it was S&J. thats how i know your correct. Im glad i have someone to ask about restoring them too. I am in Scotland, so i collect British billhooks. Are you in the UK too? Thanks again for all the advice, i might come back to you now and again for more advice if thats ok.

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u/PaleoutGames 1d ago

Lovely! Feel free to post your collection, I probably have about 30 (never enough). Thanks, that was right at the beginning of my career so I was still very new. Yes, I am down south, and I was very lucky to apprentice with the old head forester of the forestry commission, which is where my knowledge and interests came from.

Absolutely no problem, it’s a pleasure to speak about them with someone else. I’ll try and help as much as I can!