March 5, 201214 yr Hi people, I had a question on the process of forge welding a HC piece into the working edge of an axe. I have seen many videos where the person splits the main body of the axe, and welds in a small sliver of HC steel to the edge. I can see that this may be the easiest method. But I was thinking, why do I never see it the other way around? i.e. splitting the HC into a V, and then forging it onto the axe head. Just wondering...
March 5, 201214 yr Think it has to do with the amount of steel needed. As well you end up with a thinner skin of high carbon. Takes fewer sharpening to wear through it. Of course there could be other reasons, take somebody with a little more knowledge than I.
March 5, 201214 yr High carbon steel welds at a lower temperature than low carbon steel. High carbon steel *degrades* at a lower temperature than low carbon steel. Putting the HC in the middle allows you to heat the low C hotter to get into it's welding zone without burning up the HC I have an adz where the factory just forge welded a thin pad of HC to back the wrought iron thus giving it an HC edge even after a large number of sharpening. This type of weld was generally done with the HC pad applied to the WI and then both of them being heated to welding temp with the HC on top when stuck in the forge.
March 6, 201214 yr Thomas hit it on the head. Ouch! I've seen the steel bit lap welded on, too. The birds mouth weld is a better solution.
March 7, 201214 yr I found an old broad hatchet that had a piece of HC folded and welded to the blade and a piece welded to the poll, I will see if I can gey some pics and post them.
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