MilwaukeeJon Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 I do a lot of green wood spoon carving so it seemed logical to try making a small hand adze. Based on Hans Karlsson’s 5 cm model. Lots of curves and compound curves....kept me on my toes while forging! Features a 1075 bit forge welded into a 1018 body. The canola quench wasn’t working well so I did a 3 second water quench and then into the oil, which did the trick. From a design standpoint, I definitely learned that the top (outer) bevel has to be quite low in profile for the tool to work right. Otherwise the angle of attack is wrong and the blade bounces off the wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosetrot Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 Nicely done, Jon! By the way...I grew up in Pewaukee. Moosetrot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilwaukeeJon Posted May 10, 2020 Author Share Posted May 10, 2020 Let me know if you come back this way. You know about Cyril Colnik, Milwaukee’s greatest blacksmith? https://www.villaterrace.org/colnik_collection/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momatt Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 Nice adze. I enjoy wood carving, especially green tulip poplar. I find I prefer the bevel on the inside of the curve. Much harder to sharpen but I like how they bite. I’ve never perfected the technique of a outside bevel adze. Before I started smithing I got a couple adzes from a smith named don Dillon. I usually start with a claw hammer head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosetrot Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 I don't get back that way often anymore. Had family back there but most have passed. Gretchen Colnik is a name from my childhood, watching t.v.! She was a host of something waaaaay back then. My gosh, his work is really something! Will want so see more once we get through this COVID stuff. And when I do get back there I would be happy to look you up! I think I still hold the speed record on Main St. in Pewaukee driving a '69 Super Bee Six Pack. Used to lay some serious rubber on Wisconsin Ave. in Milwaukee too! Regards, and hope to meet you sometime! Keep up the fine work! Moosetrot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilwaukeeJon Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share Posted May 12, 2020 39 minutes ago, Momatt said: Nice adze. I enjoy wood carving, especially green tulip poplar. I find I prefer the bevel on the inside of the curve. Much harder to sharpen but I like how they bite. I’ve never perfected the technique of a outside bevel adze. Before I started smithing I got a couple adzes from a smith named don Dillon. I usually start with a claw hammer head. I've seen that method of starting with a claw hammer or a ball peen. When doing that, what steel do you assume the hammer is made from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momatt Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 It’s always a mystery! Usually a hammer is something hardenable, I quench in oil and see if a file skates then temper back to gold. I buy them at a nearby antique store for a couple bucks so not much invested. I’ve made a half dozen or more and they all performed well. One hammer crumpled when I hit it. No idea what it was made of. your method is superior, but takes more skill to punch an eye and forge weld a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 Crumpled or crumbled? Some really cheap hammers have been made from cast iron and not forgeable or useful for hammering on metal. Cast iron tends to crumble when you try to forge it at lower temps and "splash" if you try to work it at higher temps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilwaukeeJon Posted May 20, 2020 Author Share Posted May 20, 2020 Learned a lot from #1 so I quickly made another (back one in top pic, left one in bottom). Added 4 oz. of weight to bring it up to 20 oz, and made a tighter and more uniformly radiused curve on the bit for more precise spoon and bowl carving (by the way, that is not a chip on the larger blade, but rather some wood residue from chopping). The newer, larger adze has more beef in the neck as well and overall feels more efficient and powerful, and less inclined to bounce off of the timber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momatt Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 Nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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