basher Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Fertile soil round here........ here is a bunch just doug up ....... some for commission, some not. some sharpened, some not. Some patternwelded, some not. however they is all axe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Speachless.... Fantastic work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Very Pretty, love the second one down and the pattern welded one middle right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 i hope to find a mentor around here with some of your skills. they all look great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam2519 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Is it wrong of me to have axe envy? Very nice axes Basher. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron woodrow Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 nicely DONE sir. Are they all drifted or are some wrapped and welded? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old South Creations Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 great work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 All the above were punched and drifted , I make using both methods though . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Expecting a busy raiding season this year? They look very useable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 For sure they is axe! Wonderful work, you done good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Axcellent !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McCoy Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 They most definitely is axe ... you set a high bar for the rest of us to hurdle. Love the patterned ones! Thanks for sharing !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron woodrow Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 i first saw them on my small phone screen. now i am completely impressed!! love them all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 thoese are very nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordPrefect Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Basher, I love the axes, incredible workmanship, maybe just add few words on how you made at least one, from point one from selecting metal to finishing and HT, thanks in advance for sharing. Here is one more I really fell in love and will attempt to make soon: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 My process differs from what Jim Austen is doing . I also make up wrapped and forged in edge axes but have been working on mainly punched and drifted eye axes as they are simpler for me to make.probably not a lot quicker though as the all steel construction requires quite a bit of bashing. My process goes like this . Cut billet from bar , I use en9 which is equivelent to 1050 . I like this simple steel as it makes a tough axe and takes a good edge and is easy for me to work and HT. If needed I upset material into the blade area to gain more width. I sometimes drill guide holes in the billet before punching as this assists with deep punched holes , I have moved away from this now as I like to keep as much thickness as i can in the eye area this then give me room to draw ears If I want. I used to punch by hand........I am past that now and use a 16tonne press. I have a selection of press punches and a load of hand drifts to get the basic eye shapes be they round, oval, teardrop or D. the axes above are all these types. H13 punches and drifts made from whatever I have around. I do a lot of the eye enlarging under the power hammer with short or long drifts in . when I have the eye done 80% I separate the eye and blade area with a triangular hack and then work on drawing out the blade in length and width. I try and do 90%of the shape forging under the power hammer . Its then a case of working the head over anvil tools to lineup the eye with blade and assure there are no material jumps and everything is smooth. I then draw my final axe outline on my axe blank and shape on a grinder , on some axe shapes I remove almost no material on some I cut quite a bit away. I am not a forge to final shape merchant, unless it is needed for material placement or the quickest avenue...... I then Ht:- 3 normalisations , Harden and one temper , the blades are then sharpened wire brushed and re tempered, I like the temper colours to come through I like the finish it gives the steel , I then hot wax them and do a final sharpen followed by an edge polish on a leather strop, the blades go out with a robust shaving convex edge..... I am in the process of tooling up for axes and a lot of what I would do by hand 5 years ago is done under the press or power hammer now . I have a couple of shapes I am standardising so that should speed things up as well. hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinculo Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 when I have the eye done 80% I separate the eye and blade area with a triangular hack and then work on drawing out the blade in length and width.. I know what a "hack" is in the colloquial sense of the word . . . But i imagine you are talking about some sort of butchering tool? I'd love to know more about this tool and the profile of it. Beautiful work and very inspirational. thanks for sharing these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordPrefect Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Basher, Thank you for the details, for the beginners this is great, it helps in preparation, thank you. Your axe designs are great, simple but great looking, I love that finish as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffinforge Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Great work Owen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomN Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I'm practically salivating at the patern welded, bearded axe near the middle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Hot 77 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I love them!Beautifully done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grayhorn Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Owen, Those are very well done and a great selection. I could use a couple of them in my throwing collection. Great job. Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dereck Glaser Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Fantasic Owen, splendid shapes and proportoin, heralding the tried and ture forms returns us to our roots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotanvil Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Very nice work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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