November 19, 20169 yr Here you go littleblacksmith... Another member asked me for some more info on how I recently made a hewing (broad) axe. I didn't start taking photos till after I'd punched the eye but I can walk thru that verbally. Starting stock 1x2 1/2" a-36. Drilled 2 @ 5/16" holes about 1.5" apart, 3/4" from one end of the bar, thru the 2.5" dimension to guide the punch. Punch is h-13 tig welded with stainless rod to a piece of mild steel flat bar. Handle started strait and bent when punching under the power hammer. Once eye was punched and drifted I isolated the blade material with 1.25" clapper fullers, also under the power hammer. Starting to spread the blade, just using the flat dies of the hammer. Accentuating the center rib and directing the spread with a top fuller. Fuzzy but you get the idea. Prep for forge weld. Cleaned to bright metal, and tacked on a piece of 1080. Back edge of the carbon steel well beveled precent a cold shut. Not a perfect union but it doesn't have to be. Some gap allows flux in and space for gunk to squirt out. Fluxed with Iron Mountain, this is the first pass weld. Repeat 2 more times. After welding some more spreading with the fuller, then trimming each edge to symmetry with a hot cut and helper. Could have done this under the p. hammer as well but my boy wanted to help. Stop cutting BEFORE you jam the hot cut into the face of the anvil. Edge of the hot cut slightly beyond the edge of the anvil. Shear off the rag at a dull red/black heat, it shears easier at low temps. Operations like this are why I prefer a flat anvil with fairly crisp edges. Single bevel grind, close forging means less grinding, and grinding sucks. Couple of passes on the back to get it flat, weld line obvious. 3 or 4 more passes and it disappears, as do the divots closer to the edge. Heat treat discussion more than covered elsewhere here. Customer reports it takes and holds a wicked edge. He's hewing timbers from his own land to build himself a barn, so this is a user not a wall hanger! Offset eye and single bevel for hewing.
November 20, 20169 yr Thank you very much Judson Yaggy! you did a good job on it! now I want to forge one, but without a power hammer, and me being really bussy, it going to have to weight. Maybe ill start first with a hewing hatchet. gotta start somewhere! 11 hours ago, Judson Yaggy said: Single bevel grind, close forging means less grinding, and grinding sucks Yes! Preach it brother! I hate eating grinding dust! Littleblacksmith
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