I have done a lot of axes over the years , mostly hawks or camp size hatchets over the last few years.

MP

Matthew, old buddy! You must have made a bearded axe at some point along the way, haven't you?

Thanks for the mention, but not sure I should be placed along James Austin. He's a skill axe maker, I'm just some guy that plays at making them in my spare time.

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Thanks for the mention, but not sure I should be placed along James Austin. He's a skill axe maker, I'm just some guy that plays at making them in my spare time.

Maybe so, and I admire the humility, but your end product is what counts and the tutorials you have written are primo. I have been trying (a futile effort I might add) to commit the steps in your Hammer's Blow article to memory. I plan on doing some forging this Wednesday to replace a Bowie I broke and start an axe. I will probably keep the article on the bench for reference.

Well, I jumped into the fray a while ago and tried to follow Gerald's woodsman axe tutorial. I used mild steel for the body and a chunk of old leaf spring for the bit.

The forging that day almost killed me as it was the same day I replace that broken Bowie from a piece of 1" O-1 drill rod.

This is what I ended up with.

Today, I set myself to taming that beast a little and reworked it into this. Not quite what I wanted to do, but this is a journey and there is much to learn along the way.

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Matthew, old buddy! You must have made a bearded axe at some point along the way, haven't you?

several even one or two in pattern weld with silver inlay

Joshau That looks really cool to me!

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Joshau That looks really cool to me!

Thanks Jason. I knew it was going to be a challenge, Both mild steel and spring steel are notoriously temperamental when it comes to forge welding, and there are a few flaws. Some of which I have recently learned how to avoid.

The one at the front of the eye is avoided by putting a small shim in there and hot cutting it off with a round chisel after welding. The small void at the back of the bit is avoided by forging the bit edge down further than I did. Ultimately, it needs to be very thin at that point. Even the seam welds came out pretty clean, once I ground the overlap off.

Still, it was great practice and I think the next one will go much smoother. I might even get serious and try using wrought iron for the body.

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Thanks Jason. I knew it was going to be a challenge, Both mild steel and spring steel are notoriously temperamental when it comes to forge welding, and there are a few flaws. Some of which I have recently learned how to avoid.

The one at the front of the eye is avoided by putting a small shim in there and hot cutting it off with a round chisel after welding. The small void at the back of the bit is avoided by forging the bit edge down further than I did. Ultimately, it needs to be very thin at that point. Even the seam welds came out pretty clean, once I ground the overlap off.

Still, it was great practice and I think the next one will go much smoother. I might even get serious and try using wrought iron for the body.

For what it's worth, i have been enjoying working with wrought and W2 for the bit when making bearded hatchets.

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For what it's worth, i have been enjoying working with wrought and W2 for the bit when making bearded hatchets.

Please post some pics. Some of the process photos would be nice, if you have any.

Very nice