Jaegers Forge and Foundry Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 So when we first bought our house my grandpa came over to see it and me and him were chopping wood with an old ax that came with the house well anyway the ax head broke off and so we just left it there. I just remembered about it so took my metal detector and found it 6 inches under ground I was able to remove the rotten wood handle still left in it and now I plan to turn it into a hatchet or reforge it into a battle ax It's been sitting in the dirt for 6 years. Is it still good? Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welshj Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 Post a pic, let's see it. My little brother has made a hobby out of finding old axe heads and restoring/rehandling them. You'd be amazed at what you can do with one. As long as the eye (my term), or the opening for the handle- is structurally sound... I'd clean it up and keep it an axe. New handle, and you have the use of your granddad's axe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 Nope not grandpa's axe; just one that came with that house. Time in the ground won't affect the temper or carbon content so as long as it was in good shape---no cracks or distempered in a fire---when it went into the ground and hasn't corroded past usability while it was in the ground; it should be fine. I've picked up several tools that way or as I tell it; married my wife to get the 16# crosspeen sledge in her shed and paid US$50K for a rivet forge once; of course they threw in a 4 bedroom house in on the deal! If it was a good quality Axe; I'd keep it as one. If just so-so modify it as you will! I will note that keeping the eye sized for commercially available handles makes re-handling a lot faster and easier over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaegers Forge and Foundry Posted May 20, 2020 Author Share Posted May 20, 2020 I did stick it in a camp fire to dry out the wood so I might just have to do an edge quench I think I'm going to make it a hatchet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welshj Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 15 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Nope not grandpa's axe; just one that came with that house. Ah! I missed that. Good eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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