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I Forge Iron

Forging a "Type D" Inspired Axe.


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I have not been on  the forum in quite a while, but here is one of the many projects that I've completed. It is a "Viking" axe, modeled after some axes that fall into the Petersons Typology of "D"
As it has been from the time that I started making this some years back, my work has been heavily influenced by that of James Austin and the work that he did with Jeff Pringle. 
 
I've tried many different methods and starting stock sizes and shapes, however I have found my work to be the most consistent by starting out with 1" square A36, about 4" long. The one side then gets "upset" to build up the material for the front portion of the axe, and the rear section stays about 1" square for the eye. Next the hole that will become the eye is hot punched slowly with hand hammers.
 
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After the eye is punched, it is drifted out about 75% of its final size.
 
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The edge is hot cut, beveled, opened and cleaned to accept the high carbon steel bit, which will then be forged to shape, and forge welded into the axe head.
 
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Here you can see the axe fresh from forge welding with a little clean up work to remove the excess bit material, and a little clean up around the edges. I normally have less material to remove post forging but it has been a long time since I forged one of these. You can also see the higher carbon material used for the bit showing black in the photo.
 
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Cleaned up and etched, ready for heat treatment.
 
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The heat treated axe with the material that it started out as. That's a LOT of hammer work.
 
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Test fitting the tapered handle:
 
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Here is the finished axe on the fire treated and oiled handle.
 
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I took the axe out to clear out some shooting lanes where Ill be putting up a new tree stand this year for deer season.
 
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Thank you for having a look, perhaps next time I can take more detailed photos. 
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9 minutes ago, Laertius said:

great work -- Would you mind showing the drift you use post punch?  Ideal with a rule behind it to show dimensions.  Thanks.


Thank you. I use 3 drifts. The first two are commercially available through most blacksmith supply shops, and the final drift I sized the same as the replacement tomahawk handles that you can get. 

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