Here's the newest one I just finished I have two more left to do handles for. I started with 4 1/2" of axel and went from there. Definitely going to make a few more out of the axel as it was relatively easy to work and took a nice heat treatment and stayed hard so there was no need to forge weld a higher carbon bit in. I quenched in 100degree motor oil at around 1500 degrees and tempered in the oven for two hours at 360. It's slightly modeled to be a smaller variation of the Kentucky or Ft. Meigs belt ax. The handle is hickory. Please let me know what ya think and any suggestions or criticism is welcome!

I like it man I got some axles comin can't wait to make an axe or 2 myself ,did you make the handle as well

The only thing I can say as "criticism" is that the handle grain might be better off running directly up and down the handle to help prevent breakage.

I like it. Especially how the handle turned out, that looks really nice. Good work. 

Looks great. . . What's the diameter of the axle?

21 hours ago, bubba682 said:

I like it man I got some axles comin can't wait to make an axe or 2 myself ,did you make the handle as well

Thanks! Yeah, I made the handle out of a hickory board. I shaped it and did the majority of it with my awful little belt sander, then hand sanded it to 400 grit and then took a propane torch and lightly charred it , once again lightly with the 400 grit getting any too charred spots and then a coat of dark wood stainer. It turned out better than I thought it would!

16 hours ago, beech said:

The only thing I can say as "criticism" is that the handle grain might be better off running directly up and down the handle to help prevent breakage.

I totally see what ya mean and I'll be putting it use in future handles for sure!

5 hours ago, buckbrown said:

Looks great. . . What's the diameter of the axle?

Thanks! The Axel diameter is 1 1\2"

Nice little axe! Grain orientation looks fine to me.