Replies

• earlyagain Posts: 6,911 Senior Member

  November 2018 #2

  Is that decorative are for use???

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• Old Ron Senior Member Posts: 4,286 Senior Member

  November 2018 #3

  That is really nice ! Now I need the step by step of how you did that . I like to make old things look nice too & that is nice work there .
  

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• hawk18 Senior Member Posts: 742 Senior Member

  November 2018 #4

  early again--- use. I probably ruined any collectors value by changing it. I won't use it. I'll probably end up giving it to some guy who needs it. 
  
  Old Ron---  In this case, it was in pretty good shape to start with. I just wire wheeled it and ground off any bad spots on the edges. Any grinding was finished off up to about 800 grit. Then I browned it according to Birchwood Caseys Plum Brown instructions. Then I boiled it in water on MommaLynette's stove for one hour. Took it out and cooled it just enough to be able to handle it with rubber gloves. Rubbed it down with OOOO steel wool and ATF. I'll sharpen it and polish the edge after I mount it back on the original handle. 
  
  Hawk

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• tennmike Senior Member Posts: 27,454 Senior Member

  November 2018 #5

  That's a darned good job, Hawk! Beautiful finish on that axe head!
  

    “I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer”
  ― Douglas Adams
  

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• Old Ron Senior Member Posts: 4,286 Senior Member

  November 2018 edited November 2018 #6

  Looking at the nice job you did is how I get side tracked with projects around here . I really like the look & will try it on a couple things I have around here . Thanks for the follow up & letting me know how you did it . Will that hold up with use or just a really nice way to display tools ? A friend of mine always paints his tools . That look I really don't care for . Some of the primitive tools on my wall would look great doing that to . What does the plum brown do ? My old eyes didn't see a brown color there . But still looks great .
  
  

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• hawk18 Senior Member Posts: 742 Senior Member

  November 2018 #7

  Ron--  Browning is what you see on most black powder rifles. BWC Plum Brown is not the best way to achieve that but it was cheap and convenient and this is just an axe. Boiling it changes the brown to black. I tried it first on a cheaper, no-name hatchet and it came out solid, dark black. The more expensive, and better steel/finish, specimen probably needed more repetition before the boil. As to how it will hold up, not well rubbing against other metal or rock.  Pretty well chopping wood.  Probably a little better rust protection than cold blue.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Here it is hafted with the original piece of hickory.  Notice how tight and straight the grain is.  I don't know where to buy anything that nice any more.
  
  Hawk
  

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• earlyagain Posts: 6,911 Senior Member

  November 2018 #8

  It's a beauty!💎

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