Ladies and Gents this is one of very first projects I have undertaken and I am pretty pleased with the outcome, I don't know what to call it!!! I was given a piece of steel girder, cut one end off and started making the axe!  

There is a surprising amount of weight behind it but obviously it dosn't have enough weight behind it to be used as a splitter!!  I still have a couple of pieces of girder left and was going to make a couple more axes! so please throw in any criticism as it is appreciated!

Thanks - Don Kutter 

Hard to tell from your photo, but is the eye a complete cylinder?  If not the force of using the tool will work that wood loose in time.  I would probably term this a tomahawk based on the eye shape, but that is just nit picking.

The shape you have achieved it pretty good for a first effort, good job spreading the edge laterally.

You probably have not done any heat treating as the girder used is most likely not high carbon steel.  Edge retention will be limited due to this, though it certainly matches some of the period hawks that were used as trade items here in the states.  Better tools had hardened steel pieces forge welded to the cutting edge to act as bits.

Hey Latticino sadly the eye doesn't wrap completely around but it is something that I could work on, I needed something to cut wood for the fire and didn't have the money to buy an axe so thought I would go and head and give it a go. 

I tried to heat treat it a little but not sure if I got it completely right and like you said if the steel is good enough! I have a couple more of the girders knocking around so could try and make another if you have any ideas for improvement!! I was thinking of shortening the whole thing but I don't want to lose too much weight! 

hey don is that top photo a before shot (did you use that piece)

hey Fergy yes and no, that was taken from another piece I was given that is practically identical, however this end is a little more rusted!

Edited August 14, 201510 yr by DonKutter
adding extra info

Could you fold the blade over rather than shortening it ?

 

Girder is hardly ever a high carbon steel worth making a blade from. Forge welding a strip of HC for the edge is suggested.

What about wrapping the t part around for the eye?