Double Bitted Ax Head After Restoration (Using only vinegar)

[Valley Ranger]

Haven't found a whole lot of interest lately. I'm working on permission for a couple of new spots while waiting for DIV to get there. One of the area farms I keep going back to until then (and where I found a nice Confederate Block A button last December) keeps giving up ax heads. I've found 3 there. Below is a photo of my first double bitted ax head. It overloaded my T2SE and I almost didn't dig it, assuming it was a plow piece or some other iron junk. I don't have a before photo (though I'm working on a video that will show it before it was restored), but this is what it looks like after being restored. As you can tell from the pitting, it was very rusty when first dug. I've had some success with electrolysis but I read about another process a couple of weeks ago that works well on rusty iron - soaking in apple cider vinegar. That is what I did on this piece. It soaked for about a week and I changed out the vinegar twice. It worked just as well as electrolysis. Then I spent about an hour on it using a wire brush, a wire brush bit in a drill, and a wire brush on a Dremel. I then "cooked" it in the oven at 200 degrees for an hour to remove any remaining moisture and, while it was still hot, applied a healthy coat of Briwax to seal it and give it a gentle luster. The inside where the handle goes was impossible to get all the rust out, so I treated it with Rust Converter. It works well, but turns iron black. I'm going to get a hickory handle for it and proudly display this piece in my office. But I have a question, is there any way to date these ax heads by their shape? Thanks for any help.

 

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[Woodland Detectors]

Very nice Axe head. I can't tell you exact date, but I think maybe early eight teens.

 

[wyattrr]

Nice job on the Restore...Congrats

 

[Valley Ranger]

Very nice Axe head. I can't tell you exact date, but I think maybe early eight teens.

Wow Mike - thanks. That is one very helpful chart! I'm thinking either the Swamping or Humboldt. I also dug one of the Rockaways recently. It's next to be restored. Thanks again. I'm going to save that image for future reference.

 

[Stickman]

Haven't found a whole lot of interest lately. I'm working on permission for a couple of new spots while waiting for DIV to get there. One of the area farms I keep going back to until then (and where I found a nice Confederate Block A button last December) keeps giving up ax heads. I've found 3 there. Below is a photo of my first double bitted ax head. It overloaded my T2SE and I almost didn't dig it, assuming it was a plow piece or some other iron junk. I don't have a before photo (though I'm working on a video that will show it before it was restored), but this is what it looks like after being restored. As you can tell from the pitting, it was very rusty when first dug. I've had some success with electrolysis but I read about another process a couple of weeks ago that works well on rusty iron - soaking in apple cider vinegar. That is what I did on this piece. It soaked for about a week and I changed out the vinegar twice. It worked just as well as electrolysis. Then I spent about an hour on it using a wire brush, a wire brush bit in a drill, and a wire brush on a Dremel. I then "cooked" it in the oven at 200 degrees for an hour to remove any remaining moisture and, while it was still hot, applied a healthy coat of Briwax to seal it and give it a gentle luster. The inside where the handle goes was impossible to get all the rust out, so I treated it with Rust Converter. It works well, but turns iron black. I'm going to get a hickory handle for it and proudly display this piece in my office. But I have a question, is there any way to date these ax heads by their shape? Thanks for any help.

Looks pretty good............gonna try that formula for sure. Found lots of old iron pieces with not much luck besides spraying with wd40

 

[Valley Ranger]

Looks pretty good............gonna try that formula for sure. Found lots of old iron pieces with not much luck besides spraying with wd40

It was a slow process. I should have added - I took the piece out every day and wire brushed it. This helped the rust flake off faster. I really didn't think it would work as well/fast as electrolysis, but it did on this piece.

 

[kuger]

Very nice Axe head. I can't tell you exact date, but I think maybe early eight teens.
[/quote






They were invented in the 1850's,but were not very popular until much later......

 

[VOL1266-X]

That relic came out looking great Richard. I had not heard the apple cider method but the pic tells how effective it is. Great job, Quindy.

 

[Valley Ranger]

That relic came out looking great Richard. I had not heard the apple cider method but the pic tells how effective it is. Great job, Quindy.

Hey Quindy - thanks. I've heard of using vinegar on other brass relics - with caution - but I had never heard of using it on badly rusted iron pieces either. I have to say I was impressed. It was a little slow at first, but after the first day, it began to flake off. Did you get the books?

 

[kw4outdoors]

Great job. Would like to see one of them.

 

[dfx willy]

swamping looks like the closest mach! but something even seems off about that. hmm were did i put all my old axe heads? willy

 

[zaxfire69]

I found a double bitted axe like yours on private property in Vicksburg, Ms about a year ago. We were hunting on a ridge in a little flat spot. Found the axe about 4 inches down. I took most of the rust off, but I still need to take some more off. I may try your method and see what it will do for me. Very nice axe. Congrats.

 

[VOL1266-X]

That relic came out looking great Richard. I had not heard the apple cider method but the pic tells how effective it is. Great job, Quindy.

Hey Quindy - thanks. I've heard of using vinegar on other brass relics - with caution - but I had never heard of using it on badly rusted iron pieces either. I have to say I was impressed. It was a little slow at first, but after the first day, it began to flake off. Did you get the books?

Yes, and my wife (who is a Librarian and BIG fan of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson) grabbed them from me, read them, and felt they are VERY well written. I haven't read them yet due to relic season but I promise I will. I'm out of hard copies of "Taking Southern Trails Home" but will be glad to send you an ecopy. Thanks for the personal autograph. I would encourage anyone who enjoys confederate history to get one of these books at Amazon. HH, Quindy.

 

[umrgolf]

good looking axe, I'll have to try that on some of the iron I have

 

[Valley Ranger]

Thanks everyone for taking a look and for your comments. I'll post some pics after I put a new handle on it.

 

[Baldingboy]

Thanks for the tip


Great Axe. I have several I have dug. I will try that technique for sure.

 

[Valley Ranger]

Thanks for the tip


Great Axe. I have several I have dug. I will try that technique for sure.

Here's where I originally got the idea to try the vinegar:

http://thesharpenedaxe.blogspot.com/2011/03/bmatts-double-bit-axe-restoration-part.html

And:

http://thesharpenedaxe.blogspot.com/2011/03/double-bit-axe-restoration-part-2-by.html

My ax head had a whole lot more rust on it than the one you see in the posts above, so I did have to employ some good old-fashioned elbow grease with wire brushes but, I've had to use the same process with electrolysis. Let me know how it works for you.

 

[bclark]

Nice axe head. I am working on some iron relics as well and will try the apple cider vinegar method. I might do what you did and put a handle on mine as well for display.

 

[Valley Ranger]

Nice axe head. I am working on some iron relics as well and will try the apple cider vinegar method. I might do what you did and put a handle on mine as well for display.

Recycling at its highest and purest level!! Hey, that's another way to present our avocation to the public - we're recycling!

 

[raweddle]

Thank you for excellent post and photo. Axe head diagram also quite useful.