Man Ian your video production quality has improved so much! It really makes the videos entertaining to watch, and the amount of information you pack into such a short video is really impressive! I get sad when the videos end and I can’t wait for the next! Thanks so much for making such great videos!
I appreciate that Nolan; I’m glad to hear they’re appreciated! I’m hoping I can get better at making them and help others as well. I have a few I’ve been filming for the past month or so that should be pretty cool projects To watch 🙂🙏
Nice production! I collect and restore axes, so I have some recommendations for your next one! 1. When shaping your eye for wedging, cut around 2/3rds down from the topline of the eye. You dont want that line too low as it will provide a stress point, but too high meants you wont wedge fully. 2. When wedging, I find taking an 1/8" Drill bit and run it along the end of your kerf, that will allow your kerf to open, rather than crack. You see this alot on older handes where people have just stuck wedges in. 3. Use a dremel, die grindr, file, etc and create a chamfer on the bottom of the eye of the axe. This will remove the "Ninja Shelf" that can cause the axe to break at the base of the eye. 4. I always use softwoods on the wedges, as it allows compression against the hardwood of the handle and reduces the likelihood of cracking the eye. Something has to give, and older Plumbs are famous for breaking out the eyes. 5. Defenitely try to save the handle! I cringed when you cut it! The older handles are valuable to collectors and users, though yours did look wonderful at the end. You can usually take a drill bit and cut out the old wedge, then try to drive it out. Axe eyes are typically shaped like funnels, so you were actually not only making the hatchet seat tighter, but you were also driving the wedge in further, creating more compression. That can cause cracking and fractures. 6. Satin finishes are great, but I find them difficult to maintain. Patina leaves a natural blued look, but Blueing is also a great option. Thats nothing more than a personal preference though. I despise polished axes. though you did a great job on yours! 7. The overstrike guard is meant to be a sacrificial piece, so I wouldnt cement it on. Just take leather, soak it in hot water and then sew it on, making sure to stretch it well. It will dry, shrink and provide a great fit. That way when you inevitably ruin it, all you have to do is copy it and spend a few minutes remaking it, rather than messing with the scraping, sanding, and all that nonsense. 8. I find that a convex, or apple seed grind is very effective on axes. It give you a high durability with excellent edge retention. Beveling it properly is the first major step though! Which I am sure you know with your background! I typically sharpen mine up to 800 grit then put a micro bevel up to 5,000 grit. Mostly because I am overdramatic. 9. When seating the head on the handle, I typically drive the axe down, while holding the end of the handle. Basically allowing the handle to drive further in, rather than hitting your wedges from the top, which can loosen your fit. As well as soaking the top of the eye in BLO to swell that wood up, making for an incredibly tight fit. If you ever need/want help or anything. Let me know! I also have a pretty solid amount of axes, and can find just about anything you are looking for! Iam always happy to help, only a message away
@@eliarnold593 There is an immense wealth of information here! Thank you for this; I’ve certainly never done an axe like this before, but honestly on my next hammer build I’m going to apply the things you’ve said here as most of my issues with my first one were fixed by reading through this comment. Thank you again, I appreciate your expertise on this!
Im 14 and love restoring axes I read the entire comment very knowledgeable im So glad to know other people do it and I also saw the bad eye job but it was still nice
This is actually a response to a video request a while back to creating an axe; I don’t have much experience with forging axes so I thought I would attempt to restore this one first; what other videos would you want to see me do in the future?
Thank you for stopping by! Check out some of the other builds on the channel if you get time; and I hope you all enjoy this one! I’ve got a couple cool projects I’ve been working on for several weeks that I’m filming for some awesome build videos here in the next couple weeks! One of which is a damascus Type x Sword with a bold multibar/stack pattern 🤠 God bless - Ian
Hey Ian! What dusk mask do you have? That thing looks way comfier than the 3M filter mask I have. Thanks! Also, I just started my own little knife shop in my garage and am currently working on a Tanto design! Wish me luck XD
@@KingParzival Good luck on the Tanto! That’s great to hear! And as far as the dust mask; it is a Forged Air Respiratory system with an n95 filter in it. Check out their website at ForgedAir, I’m not sponsored in any way but they are a great mask that is reusable and as you said, much comfier! Thanks for checking out the video too, let me know how the Tanto goes! God bless - Ian
Is african hardwood really a good choice for an axe handle? 🙊🙊🙊 And i dont like the fitting on the top, too loose 🙊🙊 But nice try, why not, nice axe head and outcome. May it serve well and long! Oh and i liked the "old" handle too, but what can you do..
@@Lootzoid Thanks for checking out the video, and to be honest I liked the old handle as well; had it not been loose I would’ve left it alone but It was past due for an upgrade 🙂 God bless - Ian
Man Ian your video production quality has improved so much! It really makes the videos entertaining to watch, and the amount of information you pack into such a short video is really impressive! I get sad when the videos end and I can’t wait for the next! Thanks so much for making such great videos!
I appreciate that Nolan; I’m glad to hear they’re appreciated! I’m hoping I can get better at making them and help others as well. I have a few I’ve been filming for the past month or so that should be pretty cool projects To watch 🙂🙏
The early bird catches the IanZ show 👍
@@ericmillard1683 I really appreciate that! 🙏🙂
Nice production! I collect and restore axes, so I have some recommendations for your next one!
1. When shaping your eye for wedging, cut around 2/3rds down from the topline of the eye. You dont want that line too low as it will provide a stress point, but too high meants you wont wedge fully.
2. When wedging, I find taking an 1/8" Drill bit and run it along the end of your kerf, that will allow your kerf to open, rather than crack. You see this alot on older handes where people have just stuck wedges in.
3. Use a dremel, die grindr, file, etc and create a chamfer on the bottom of the eye of the axe. This will remove the "Ninja Shelf" that can cause the axe to break at the base of the eye.
4. I always use softwoods on the wedges, as it allows compression against the hardwood of the handle and reduces the likelihood of cracking the eye. Something has to give, and older Plumbs are famous for breaking out the eyes.
5. Defenitely try to save the handle! I cringed when you cut it! The older handles are valuable to collectors and users, though yours did look wonderful at the end. You can usually take a drill bit and cut out the old wedge, then try to drive it out. Axe eyes are typically shaped like funnels, so you were actually not only making the hatchet seat tighter, but you were also driving the wedge in further, creating more compression. That can cause cracking and fractures.
6. Satin finishes are great, but I find them difficult to maintain. Patina leaves a natural blued look, but Blueing is also a great option. Thats nothing more than a personal preference though. I despise polished axes. though you did a great job on yours!
7. The overstrike guard is meant to be a sacrificial piece, so I wouldnt cement it on. Just take leather, soak it in hot water and then sew it on, making sure to stretch it well. It will dry, shrink and provide a great fit. That way when you inevitably ruin it, all you have to do is copy it and spend a few minutes remaking it, rather than messing with the scraping, sanding, and all that nonsense.
8. I find that a convex, or apple seed grind is very effective on axes. It give you a high durability with excellent edge retention. Beveling it properly is the first major step though! Which I am sure you know with your background! I typically sharpen mine up to 800 grit then put a micro bevel up to 5,000 grit. Mostly because I am overdramatic.
9. When seating the head on the handle, I typically drive the axe down, while holding the end of the handle. Basically allowing the handle to drive further in, rather than hitting your wedges from the top, which can loosen your fit. As well as soaking the top of the eye in BLO to swell that wood up, making for an incredibly tight fit.
If you ever need/want help or anything. Let me know! I also have a pretty solid amount of axes, and can find just about anything you are looking for! Iam always happy to help, only a message away
@@eliarnold593 There is an immense wealth of information here! Thank you for this; I’ve certainly never done an axe like this before, but honestly on my next hammer build I’m going to apply the things you’ve said here as most of my issues with my first one were fixed by reading through this comment. Thank you again, I appreciate your expertise on this!
Im 14 and love restoring axes I read the entire comment very knowledgeable im
So glad to know other people do it and I also saw the bad eye job but it was still nice
This is actually a response to a video request a while back to creating an axe; I don’t have much experience with forging axes so I thought I would attempt to restore this one first; what other videos would you want to see me do in the future?
Thank you for stopping by! Check out some of the other builds on the channel if you get time; and I hope you all enjoy this one! I’ve got a couple cool projects I’ve been working on for several weeks that I’m filming for some awesome build videos here in the next couple weeks! One of which is a damascus Type x Sword with a bold multibar/stack pattern 🤠 God bless - Ian
Cool af
Thanks for being here this early! I hope you enjoy the video!
I have an 1837 L & IJ white shipwrites adez and its a pain to restore. Its in amazing condition but the angles are a pain to hit with a file
Hey Ian! What dusk mask do you have? That thing looks way comfier than the 3M filter mask I have. Thanks! Also, I just started my own little knife shop in my garage and am currently working on a Tanto design! Wish me luck XD
@@KingParzival Good luck on the Tanto! That’s great to hear! And as far as the dust mask; it is a Forged Air Respiratory system with an n95 filter in it. Check out their website at ForgedAir, I’m not sponsored in any way but they are a great mask that is reusable and as you said, much comfier! Thanks for checking out the video too, let me know how the Tanto goes! God bless - Ian
@@IanZ_Forge Will do thanks brother! Keep up the good work on your videos!
Is that an actual Ax or a Hatchet???
Is african hardwood really a good choice for an axe handle? 🙊🙊🙊
And i dont like the fitting on the top, too loose 🙊🙊
But nice try, why not, nice axe head and outcome. May it serve well and long!
Oh and i liked the "old" handle too, but what can you do..
@@Lootzoid Thanks for checking out the video, and to be honest I liked the old handle as well; had it not been loose I would’ve left it alone but It was past due for an upgrade 🙂 God bless - Ian
@@IanZ_Forge thanks for reply, Lucka. God bless!