Finnish/Earlier Scandi axes - Kirves

No you won't want to try driving the handle backwards out the opening in the conventional way, but there is a solution according to the Norwegian smid and carpenter's axe historian. By knocking with a stick, for example, it's an intimidating prospect I know, along the length of the socket the vibrations will eventually break the grip and the head will loosen from the handle. This is one of the advantages of the whole concept of tapered sockets. The head coming loose is not problematic and is in fact desirable at times, because it's always re-seatable, (when you haven't prevented the possibility by creating a hard shoulder there and so long as the angle of the socket's taper is not overly open). A breitbeil, it's the same.

 

Yeah well I never intentionally back out a handle that way, tried it a time or two but didn't trust myself to not incur some inadvertent damage as a result. But a head will loosen from time to time, incidentally, in the course or work. I will rap the socket of my slick to break it down for traveling. It works like a dream.

 

helppo





Joo?


Bob

 

Are you going to get one?!

 

That's what I was thinking, too. I viewed the whole line on Amazon. I bet it's the same maker.

I received one of those 'axe and azde' models for testing. I gave it a workout on some dry hardwood and it held up nicely. Stayed sharp, didn't roll or chip. I even made some very hard blows at 90 degrees straight into the wood. It took it just fine.

 

Thought this was interesting




Couldn't find "scout" axes in this thread, or in the couple of catalogs I have available. Not much found on web either. Here is one from our Facebook friend




Anyone have information on them?


Bob

 

Agent_H,i mulled over this subject for a number of years now.And adding all factors together i now think that the solution would be some cool old welder/fabricator guy Locally(someone like the guy you're having repair your post-vise).
We should let the fire-weld,and other neat little traditions go,and just cut to the chase and save the tool itself,in it's essence.That socket/poll/et c. represent a terrific amount of highly skilled,possibly not repeatable today labor.
So,make a straight cut,bevel it correctly et c.,and electric-weld an edge of modern steel alloy of your choice*,HT,and have another 100+ years of use of the tool.

* given that a chunk of Known alloy is used,with it's data-sheet attached,the object can then be shipped to a commercial heat-treat joint,if a COG(cool old guy) is not set up or is intimidated by HT.
If an alloy commonly used locally for automotive springs is used(often quite a good choice for edge material,good example being AISI 5160),then it makes it even simpler,as many spring-shops do their own in-house HT.

 

Absolutely.
The going rates for fabrication and machining are commesurate with all other trades and economy in general.
Whereas forging methods are so out of date Time-wise,so relatively little happens in a forge in one hour,that i simply does NOT work.

With the resurgence of axe-collecting this could be a lovely little racket for a right person.So much nowadays is being done remotely anyway,by means of mail and internet,and axes of all things are so conveniently compact to ship...
Beyond even custom work that same guy can invest in some of all these leprous/toeless-heelless TT's et c. that seem to be dime a dozen,and offer retreads at a reasonable rates for those seeking a utility in an old tool.
As a smith i see Tremendous value in something like that as it is SO incredibly time/energy/Skill-consuming to forge even an "average",American type poll/eye...If only folks knew...And of course there's nothing whatsoever wrong with that part in an otherwise utterly played-out axe.

I'd even suggest a possible touch of class in such repairo the weldment in SS rod,to accentuate the repair vs attempting to hide it.
The resulting color scheme would match that of an older Japanese tradition,i've no examples to hand but to me it always looked corker...

 

It looks to me that my favorite Finn left the tongue a little long. I did on Piggy.

I used a mallet instead of a stump. You waste a little wood, but you don't need that extra on top to fit anything. Also tried it on a couple of handles I made for "regular" heads. I can only say it works well for me, but YMMV.

As to the cigarettes. . . I gave them up so I just live with crooked hangs.


Bob

 

That thing is incredible! The massiveness, the majesty is awesome. Well done sir!