Wrapped wrought iron axe.

[Benona blacksmith]

This started as a 4 inch wide wagon tyre. I cut 2 equal lengths that one ended up 32 ounces exactly and the other 32.2 ounces. I split them down the center to make 4- 2 inch wide pieces. I ground, stacked and welded them at the corners. I didnt weld on a working stick I just held it with tongs. I forge welded the 4 pieces together drew it out a bit and hot cut and folded it to make 8 layers. I'm not going for layer count just refining the wrought a little to make it easier to work. This wagon tyre is not very refined. Then I forged into a fairly uniform billet roughly 7 ½ inches by 2 ¼inches by ⅝ inch. And began the shaping.  I did most of the forging from here with a striker. one spot of concern is here at the set down. 

all that was yesterday's work. Today I got everything welded up and the one spot i was concerned about showed its ugly face again. I'm not sure what in going to do about it now. Maybe try to forge weld it back shut AGAIN. This time I will bring it up to welding temps and drive the drift home and hope for the best?the little spot near the poll is just a mark from what I belive was from the tongs. It's not a delam though.

More work will be done tomorrow morning. I try to be done in the shop around noon before it gets too hot. This northern blood is too thick for these hot summer days!!!

[Benona blacksmith]

This is the last wrought iron axe I made. This one is a bit smaller than the one I'm making now.

[ThomasPowers]

That one has a particularly nice pattern in the wrought iron to my eye.

[JHCC]

Well, now I know what I'll be doing with some of my new wagon wheel tires.

[ThomasPowers]

Use the *old* ones; they are more likely to be wrought iron!

[Benona blacksmith]

In case anyone was wondering about drifting an axe with the lugs like this there is several ways of going about it.

One is obviously the swage block.

 

next is a bolster which would be good for people that dont have a swage block and a small hardie hole in there anvil. This bolster was actually made for making viking style hammers but works excellent for a viking style axe. 

 

that's my tip for the day. Have a good night everyone.

[BeaverNZ]

That wee one by the fire is indeed a good looking axe Very nice

[Momatt]

 Very nice pictures and axe! I am still trying to get a wrought wrapped eye to turn out that nice.   I find with wrought that I need to use a 1/4 inch round bar fuller on the step downs before using the anvil edges.  Even though my anvil has nice radiuses if I go straight to the anvil it shears enough when I wrap the eye breaks.  I’ve also discovered that the cheeks can’t be as thin as in mild before the bend. I bend at white heat and still the eye tears half the time. 

[ThomasPowers]

 An excellent example why sharp edges on an anvil was considered a BAD thing in the days of working predominantly with Wrought Iron.

Have you tried other wrought iron?  Some wrought iron is much more "picky" to use than others---why the old books talk about testing each new buy of wrought iron for cold shortness, hot shortness, how refined, etc.