First try at a trade axe

[Hogan Baker]

Well, I played around with forge welding today and decided that it was time to actually make something, so I figured that I would try to make a trade axe. I wasn't really sure what I should make it look like, but I kinda just started and this is what I ended up with.

 

I made it by looping a piece of 1 1/4 iron and weld it to either side of a chunk of rail road E clip. It really isn't as off centered as it looks in the pictures. There is just about 1/4 to 1/2 of steel showing on the edge of either side. Right now, in these pictures I have not done the heat treat or filed any on the edge. I plan to leave as much as possible with the as forged.

 

 

 

Does it look anything like a little trade axe? What should I do to make it better next time? From some of the pictures that I have seen, I think that I should:

-Keep the top of the axe flat.

-Make the axe longer by and inch or two.

-File some notches in the top of the axe.

 

Thanks for the input!

 

~Hogan Baker

[Luke Shearer]

Are you welding in the little charcoal forge! Good job. I have the same one. I don't use it much any more though since getting a propane forge.

Edited August 30, 2010 by Luke Shearer

[Ty Murch]

nice job. that's the basic concept, from there you can go anywhere with these.

[Alan Longmire]

Yep, you're on the right track. Flat on top, maybe a little bit of a notch just ahead of the eye on the bottom. You don't often see filework on originals. On hawks, yes, on that type of axe, not so much.

 

Keep it up!

[Hogan Baker]

Ok, thanks for the suggestions!

 

I welded it up in my cousin's coal forge, I was too chicken to try charcoal.

 

~Hogan Baker