MC Hammer

Very nice! I've suspected mine is a Peter Wright for a while now but the box has no markings. Mine looks an awful lot like yours.

You really got that anvil clean Congrats on finding a good anvil. Now it's time to put all that knowledge to good use and start forging on it. Did the stand come with the anvil? Did you get it for a good price? How does the face rebound? I remember how excited I was to find my first decent anvil. I don't think the feeling ever gets old when you find a good anvil.

Wow, ok............well back to the OP's question. There's a lot to quenching and heat treating. I'm no expert at all, but there are many different ways to accomplish good results but because you used water I'll tell you what I know about it. I watched a guy make a punch and he got it up to critical non-magnetic temperature then he quenched the struck end first, then the punching end, quickly shined up the punch end letting the heat left in the middle to soak down to the punch tip until it was the correct straw color he was looking for then he quenched the whole tool in water. I'm guessing the struck end tempered to about the same hardness as the punch end because you wouldn't want the struck end too hard or it could chip and cause injury. This is the way he was taught to do it by the master blacksmith he apprenticed under. He was using coil spring steel. Try it since you are working with water. I've always heard to quench punches and tools with oil. When I have time to start making all the punches I want to make I'll probably try each method to see which one works best marking the water quenched ones with a "W" and the "Oil" quenched ones with an "O". After a while using them it will become evident which I like better. Mr. Sells makes a valid point. There are quenching oils in the good, better, and best categories with him naming the better or best ones. I think for those engaged in serious bladesmithing, they want the optimum results. Makes perfect sense to choose better and best quenching oils. I think that's what Mr. Sells is getting at. I see nothing wrong with food grade oils and they are probably categorized as good quenches that get the job done. Each must choose a quench according to desired results and need in accordance with the steel being quenched. If you do high end knives for a living, maybe peanut oil is not the best choice, but if you are making a chisel for your own use it'll work just fine if you do it right. Water was used for a very long time too. Again, I'm no expert so others can feel free to correct me.

Twisted - When I cleaned up mine I found no maker's mark at all. It rings like a bell so I plan on spark testing it this weekend. I suspect it is made from quality steel. If I found Plumb on it I was going to keep it as is because I know it has value. I like the reference to "hatchet job". I sort of collect eccentric facts like that and store them until just the wrong moment and then bore everyone with them Thomas - interesing on the Jamb hooks.

Is that mostly dead Frosty or completely dead? Inconceivable!!!!

JHCC - good idea, but I already have a really nice handled hot chisel. I've been doing some research on these hatchets and they literally can as old as the 17th and 18th century right on up to modern times. I'm guessing mine is from the 20's or 30's, but that style has been used a loooong time.

BaxSmith, a healthy fear of all things surrounding blacksmithing is not a bad thing. What I mean is a fear that develops a respect for hot metal, hot forges, hot tools, sharp tools, sharp things, hot scale, etc. I had a piece at orange heat just briefly touch my finger when I was just starting out and it almost burnt my finger down to the bone. There's a difference between fear and being afraid. Fear is a force that sharpens your senses. Being afraid is a state of paralysis in which you can't do anything. Fear of the heat, fire, sharp things sharpens your senses and makes you more careful. Don't be afraid of blacksmithing, but do have that healthy fear. I've been forging outside with a propane forge for years and never had a problem. I'm building a forge shop this year, so I'm working out the issues of fresh air, replacement air and venting. If you read through the threads there is a common theme.....get as much fresh air into the space as you can. That's not cracking a window or door, that's having big doors open and having the wind blow through the space. Have a plan to vent the gas byproducts up through a hood/chimney of some sort. The one thing I haven't got an answer to is rather my idea of hooking a pipe of some kind up to my air intakes will work if the pipe is connected to fresh air outside the building. I did see a well know bladesmith that has that set-up so that his forge isn't recycling exhaust fumes from the forge.

The Native Americans created hand prints on rock formations with ochres and charcoal that have lasted thousands of years. They survive best in the western desert regions. Given the right conditions, they do well. Not sure a sea shore site is the ideal conditions, but archaeologists are pretty particular about contaminating sites so I don't think the hand print would have been caused by them, but you never know.

Good advice Thomas. I try to follow those principles. I'm usually working on two projects at once so there isn't a lot of time to be lost in thought. I usually keep one end for heating project #1 and the other side for #2. Before using the project table I was always looking for a hammer or whatever. 95 % of the time I try to leave my hammer on the anvil as was advised when I was starting out. Still evolving the work process but love the concept of rolling work tables / racks.

I break ground in two weeks on the foundation of my shop addition. I really like the idea of having a tool table on wheels as well. I want mine to hold my punches, top and bottom tools, tongs and hammers. I also have a lay-out table that I plan to put on wheels as well. This is not a working table or heavy welding table, but some place to lay hot metal, draw on with chalk or soapstone (it will have a metal top). The lay-out table will roll into the work area because it will be smaller and only containing the tools I need for the project at hand as well as the stock. I already use this table now and it's greatly improved my efficiency. When not in use, both tables can be wheeled out of the way. In the future when I begin building a healthy amount of tools I'll probably build racks to house the tools I use occasionally and keep the tool table stocked with my most used tools. Otherwise, I thing a guy will build a hammer rack, a tong rack and a table or rack near the vise for punches. In a small space that can get real crowded. I absolutely despise looking for a tool, especially when you have hot metal out of the forge and you are wasting a heat. Nothing frustrates me more than completely wasting a heat. I've learned over the years to quickly put my stock back in the forge and resume my search for that MIA tool. I'll be working in a 20 x 14 space someday so efficiency will be something I'll be working on for a while.

Looks like a great anvil. The new one looks very useful. KIlo66, you are lucky to find such a good anvil. It should last you a lifetime.

I don't have a tool box or bag - too many tools. Like Thomas, I decide what I want to forge for the day and line up my tools and stock for that project + perhaps another project in case I get done quicker than I think. With a gas forge, I can always have two projects going at once when I get to a certain point with the main project. Once I learned to lay out my tools and stock it greatly improved my efficiency because I didn't have to think or go get a tool while my forge is wasting fuel. If I were traveling to a friend's forge, I might assemble a bag of tools. My favorite cross peens, a straight peen, and specialty tongs like scrolling tongs and a pair of wolf jaw tongs. On top I'd roll up my leather apron, and safety glasses. I'd bring some stock to work and some to give to the friend but that would probably go in the back of the SUV rather than with the bag. Travel light and carry a big hammer

The poor striker must have some terrible back pain dropping that stone hammer like he does. As a flintknapper I can appreciate the use of stone tools. Reminds me of the indian artifact called a spud. Hmmmm, makes me wonder if the American spuds were used for copper forging? They've always been considered a ceremonial item, but the resemblance to what the natives were using is striking.

Gobbler - that's a good suggestion to use a ball peen hammer. If I had a bigger head I'd be game, but since the junk fairy gave me this, I may just try it. It would make a good user just as is.

My favorite junk shop guy threw the hatchet in for free because all I found was a nice drift and he didn't want to charge me the $5 minimum just for the drift. So I only paid $5 for a drift, the hatchet head and a couple of wrenches. He's a good guy. There's a nice straight peen hammer there too that I'll pay his price for this week just as a thank you. I try to do that every so often and it works well with him so that when I have to negotiate prices he's more willing. I hope to be around here for a while if the mods will have me.

Thomas - thank you for the information. I hadn't really considered it could be cast steel that was drop forged. As I forge this, what should I be looking for that would indicate that I have a cast steel or crucible steel hatchet head? I've only pretty much forged know steel. Thanks for explaining how you and others read the forum. I probably should use it that way. That makes sense. I guess my "deep six" comment was unwarranted and a misunderstanding on my part.

Robo - I see nobody responded to this. I'd suggest you read this thread: Lots of improvised anvils like what you have and it'll show you how many of them were secured. I have a square chunk of steel that I use as a flatter station and this is a picture of how I mounted it with 2 brackets, routered out the top of the post and secured it with silicone to stop the ringing. I made the brackets - nothing fancy just quick and dirty to hold it in place.

Good idea Glenn. Glad you made the title changes as that makes sense. You know, I'll do the experimenting with this hatched head and bring my results to this thread so others can learn something from it. I'll get around to making my own axes someday, but I thought this would be a way for me to get my feet wet. I have a lot of tools to make in the way of drifts, punches, and hardie tools that are occupying a lot of my forging time now.

JHCC - That's a great idea to take a piece off that side and do some heat treat experiments. I usually think of that with other unknown stocks, but with this ax I think my mind was off to the races thinking about how I was going to reshape it to the style I need to make. You dialed me back to common sense, thank you. Glenn - thank you for a kind reply. I truly thought about where to put the post and wasn't just throwing it in the general area. I actually thought those monitoring the axe threads would be thinking I put it incorrectly in that section. My other thought was these carpenter's and roofer's axes are all over the place as far as availability and I can't be the only smith who has re-purposed one so what I was looking for is for someone to share their experience of that with me in hopes of matching their success or avoiding their failures. I knew it was an unknown steel, but out of the millions of these hatchets out there still floating around at flea markets and garage sales I figured someone here had some experience with them. Learning from other's successes and failures I feel is important. I appreciate your kind help and the kind spirit of your reply.

Apologies Steve, no arrogance meant by that comment. As I stated above, my question wasn't about how to make an ax or about an ax question but if anyone knew what steel the popular carpenter's ax was made out of. As you can see, only one person responded here but I'm sure others would have responded where I put it originally. Maybe not. I guess what I am trying to say is that I pretty much place all my posts where I think they belong. I thought this one belonged as a general question. If I'd had any other unknown piece of steel like say a plumber's wrench and asked the same questions it would would have been appropriate for the general category...........well at least I think it would have. At any rate, not worth arguing about so I'll just figure it out for myself. Just thought I could save some time by tapping into experience I didn't have with this material.

While I appreciate the admins trying to keep the forum organized and clean, deep sixing this post in the ax section will not help my original question which is a general question about steel type, temper and quench of this material. I put it in the general section because I wanted more people to see it. Oh well, thanks Twisted. I'll probably try the oil quench first, file test, and if it's a hard blade I'll just stick with it. If it doesn't adequately harden it I'll go for water.

I could think of a lot of good uses for it!

Anyone ever forge on a carpenter's hatchet like the one below? What kind of steel is it in general terms? I'd like to reforge it into a spike tomahawk type we see here in the northeast. This would involve drawing out the top hammer section into a long spike. I'd probably try to upset the side with the slit in it to save as much of that material as I can and then grind the remaining bit of the slit flat so I have a smooth side. Then I plan on shaping and drawing out the blade section to the typical shape. Any idea on the quench and heat treat?

Yes, no bad words can shake out here no matter what the season is.

When I said take as much as you can, I didn't mean everything so thanks for clarifying that Thomas. Yes, you do not want to look like you are taking advantage of a good thing. You could even offer to take the rest to the scrap yard for your boss and give him the money. Pretty soon you will be having the pick of the best stuff and your boss feels like he's getting something out of the deal. That's what I'd do.