In this video I show you my step by step processes of modifying a half hatchet/riggers hatchet into a lighter and more ergonomic bushcrafting axe. I use a straight handle, repurposed from an old double bit, to give this one a tomahawk style throwing handle. It’s turns out really well and we have a good time getting together with some friend to celebrate my birthday with an evening of axe throwing. We hope you enjoy.
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They are "Carpenter's Hatchets." They are very useful tools if you learned "Old Scool Carperntry." A "Roofer's Hatchet" is completely different style which is very useful for adjust cedar shakes. "Carpenter's Hatchets are useful for trimming studs and rafters. Adjusting doors to fit etc. When I was a youngster back in the 1950's all of the "Old Carpenters carried a Hatchet in the hammer loop of their Bibs. They used them for sinking nails but also trimming wood. 2x4's were real 2"x4" in those days. Rough lumber. I vegan learning carpentry with those "old time tools."
Would love to hear your story!
I’ve got a 1857 Germantown head. Carpenters hatchet. I just cold blued and rehandled it . It’s my absolute favorite. I’ve had it since 1980. When I started in the scouts from my grandfather.
That's an old box hatchet... Or crate hammer. The hex head gave it away. Rigging axe round hammer head hardened for nail driving 28oz. Plus Roofers hatcher square head with shingle stop holes hardened for driving nails. 16 - 20oz Box hatchet \ crate hammer hex head smooth or light waffling only hardened slightly more than a regular hatchet various weights usually 32 oz and less I cut my teeth same as you rigging axe framing.
what about 2x6s and gypsum lath hammers or horse shoe cawk hammers? i bet ur not that old lol
My grampa, a former carpenter has one and I use one for bushcraft that was an old family friend's. I've been taught they can also be called cowboy killers
Bruh, turning that $15 HF grinder into a small bench grinder with a jig is pure genius
Right?
Wow a restoration KZheadr who doesn’t just turn their axes into mirrors, and uses them👍👍
This may sound strange, but I'm really happy to see that a big chunk of your tools are from harbor freight. Its nice to see that someone can make/restore something really nice without 20k worth of woodworking tools
At first I was like...that grinder....then i saw the blue anvil... and was like....oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh coool. I feel like I can do things on a budget now
I concur. I'm a proffessional bladesmith and a close 85 percent of my electric tools are from the dump or from harbour freight and i make almost 200 becks a blade in my little town so good on him hes doing a great job what minimalist tools
Warren, thanks for the comment. I agree, HF tools are tools. They are as good as any other, which is only what the user imparts to them. I’m sure we would all love to have a 100,000 dollar shop with all the best tools, but craftsmanship is in the hand of the maker, no mater the tool used. Thanks again!
@Hoosier Hell Hawk Harbor Freight is red chinese and a BIG no-no post Wuhan Virus... Should be driven from the country!
@Hoosier76 Yes, perhaps some parts are from Germany :-)
Great craftsmanship with a relaxed, non-tactical attitude. And recovering something beautiful from junk headed for a landfill is just damn cool.
Thanks for watching Aaron!
Gotta hand it to you brother. A few things I truly appreciate about your videos are that you do not need to own a machine shop to do what you are doing, you give very straightforward explanations, and you have innovative ideas that usually include something regular people have laying around their shed or garage.
thankfully i found this. no mirror polishing, no painting, no huge head modifications but attention to details like the wedge and all the chamfering.
This has to be the most beautiful and instructive video about a hatchet or axe restoration ! You seldom see people push the love for detail and chamfer the part of the handle that sticks out of the head. Hats off !
Thank you Samuel. I find the Art lies in the craftsmanship when making a tool. (Not trying to sound cliché but that the exact reason I named the channel that)
Tip: instead of using a pencil, use a candle. The soot is perfect for marking. An old gunsmithing trick. Thanks for posting.
I love that you keep in the parts where you have to troubleshoot on the fly. That’s how life happens. It’s very helpful.
Love the screwdriver chisel to remove the wedges , let's not fool each other , everyone does this . Lol Nice job dude .
Lol. It’s true
My Father who is now 81 use to carry a Carpenters Half Hatchet when he was a boy. He made cabins in the woods, and bushcraft with one. He swears by them over a regular hatchet. I like them as well.
Never saw such a video before ,even with my endly supply of old axes here in Norway. Have a 300 year old log house I have been rebuilding for years. Axes and me are no strangers.You did a great job. I learned a lot and got some great ideas.
Great repurpose, I've modified a few diff tools, and Come across the same type you converted frequently, probably have a couple, if not I'll be picking a couple up to convert. Thanks for the great video...
A beer in one hand, throwing axe in the other. What could go wrong?!? 🤣 Great video. I have an old, double edge axe, probably 50 yrs old, plus, I've wanted to refinish. Picked up some great tips from you. Thanks for sharing. Roger
I have broken more axe handles than most folks have seen. Now I know why. I've been sawing to deep. Thank you for great content. Been fixing them wrong for 50 plus years😁
"You can always cut off more wood but you can never put it back on" this could have saved me 2 hours of searching for the board stretcher in one of my first jobs.
Chris Sproles ... and it is for this reason I chose blacksmithing. I can almost always forge weld on more steel!
Everybody knows the board stretcher is right next to the striped paint Sherlock
My grandfather made me look for the board stretcher while working in his wood shop with him as a kid, classic woodworking bit, brought back memories.
@@mytchroy1821 ever been snipe hunting lol
As I new hire I was sent off for black/yellow safety spray paint; said sure, as soon as you can get me a fallopian tube bender,.. Got a raise @nd a ton of knowledge from that "crazy old man"!
Another trick for marking compound (@16:35) is to hold it above a lit candle. The smoke that comes off about 4 inches above the flame works wonderfully for marking compound.
Here I am,watching you again.This whole process is relaxing me./ mental therapy?/ Don't laugh! Thanks.
My friend I second that emotion. 😂
Thanks guys! It’s my pleasure.
Found a Norland Hachette in the bottom of my fathers toobox thats been sitting in my garage for 35-40 years. You have inspired me to clean up the hachette and hang a handle. I only have hand tools so it takes me a little longer to get it in shape. But watching your video keeps me going. Thank you!
You got this.
Looks good! 👍 you did a great job, thanks for sharing! I think I might try to make one for myself , you made look easy.
Love the project, explanations and videography. Thanks for sharing, what is obviously, your passion!
Got this half hatchet, belonged to my Dad. Cut many sticks of kindling with that hatchet. Dad made a handle for it, and his Mother's double bladed axe, several years before his passing in '89. Yep! I do treasure them both.
It's pitch black outside, it's pouring down with rain and we're in lockdown. That was a very pleasant way of spending 35.18 on an otherwise boring evening. Thanks.
That grinder jig tho! Lol OSHA approved!
Saftey third.
I have been watching you-tubes for months as I get into tool referb and knife making. Yours is the first I have written to. Your work is beautiful and seems to be achievable. I see many of the tools I've been collecting in your shop. The techniques you use seem to be things I can develop with practice. Thank you for your work I will be watching. 62 and starting!!
Thanks for watching and the kind words. Our goal was to make a channel that could teach and encourage people to make things. I love hearing from viewers who have been encouraged. Please send pics of the work you do and I’ll try to get them up on the channel.
Grant Parlier Hay, 62 isn’t old.
@Grant Parlier Never too "old" to learn something new!
Respect Robert! Enjoy yourself..
@Grant Parlier . Your old what??
I was watching all of you prepare to throw your axes at the same time and all I could think was, "You'll shoot your eye out!" Must be the Christmas spirit.
Love it!! My favorite Christmas movie of all time.
Boys, beers, and throwing axes... what could possibly be funnerer?! Well done, I learned a few things watching you fix up and mount the axe head to the haft.
I remember my Dad having that Stanley framing axe in his bags when I was a kid. It never felt right, it looks like you fixed the design.
Thanks for these 35 minutes ! It was a pleasure to watch you working on the hatchet. I have an old Klauenbeil (German, translates to Claw hatchet) and now I know what to do with it.
What you have there is an early drywall hatchet. Roofer's hatchets have a longer axe bit. My family always bugs me about my knowledge of old tools, George it's 2022, you have to catch up to the modern times. This one time my former spouse and brother in law were garage saling and they were looking at this barrel set up on stands and they couldn't figure it out. Oh that's an old butter churn. The old guy looked at me and asked how I knew that and I told him I grew up on a farm where we use to do things with old tools and such. He was very impressed.
Awesome!
Thanks for the inspiration. Just finished mine this evening.
I just found your channel and immediately knew I was gonna love it. Love the axe!! Keep up the awesome work!!
As a fellow axe restorer, I see the results of experience in your work -- patience and attention to detail; not rushing the grinding; cooling the metal repeatedly so you don't ruin the temper; taking the time to size the kerf and wedge perfectly (very satisfying); marking the depth of the wedge (great tip) -- excellent work and a pleasure to watch. These kinds of videos are how I relax. Everyone is always in such a rush these days... you get criticized for long videos because people have short attention spans -- ridiculous. Mastery in any craft takes long hours and years of patient pursuit. Nothing worth knowing is learned in 60 seconds. The one piece of the handle debate I don't see mentioned is the bit about there being a necessary performance balance needed between handle shape and the weight of the head. All the best old school loggers' axes had thin handles because a certain amount of flex is crucial to the power of the swing and the resilience of the handle on impact. Wood type and grain alignment are also key. Too hard / too thick in the handle gets brittle and is actually more likely to break. That said, that'is all more important for full length felling axes than it is for hatchets and hybrids under 20". You're not going to need much flex in a tool that short. It's also a function of how big your hands are. You look like a good sized dude, so I'm sure that handle fits your hand nicely. For my own part, I hit the bare wood that's going inside the eye of the axe with a very light rub of linseed oil before I drive it home -- just on the outside, as you want the kerf cut and wedge dry so the glue takes hold. The best part by far is the beer drinkin' buddy axe tossing contest at the end. Loved it when you all threw at once and not one stuck. ;-) The process of building it is reward unto itself and you can't be afraid to risk a little damage -- USE the damn things -- that's what they're for! You got a new sub from me -- keep up the quality work.
Thanks for this great comment. You hit the nail right on the head!
I bet im one of the few ppl who ever read this whole thing and its great I want to get started on axe restoration and forging but i dont post vids on you tube all i have is the tik tok app btw i think your comment is one of the best and most true comments here
I was sad when it was over. I wanted to see more....I think I have watched every video now
BS - Take a perfectly good AMERICAN made hatchet and ruin it with the "bushcraft" syndrome .
you need to cool the metal better, just pour a little water on it. and you should not have cut the original cutting grind.
Just a couple of men hanging out, drinking beer and throwing axes. Seems to be a nice world.
I spent most of this video listening at full volume with headphones on like "tHiS iS reAlLy LoUd".... then I realized I could adjust the volume, and I was just having a flashback and enjoying the sound of time spent with my dad.
Lol. Thanks.
those small angle grinders are one the most versatile tools you can own..i like the bench holder you made for yours
Alcohol and sharp cutting tools ,my kind of party looks like y'all had alot of fun.I really enjoy watching your videos I've learned alot from them.Please keep them coming.
You are a true craftsman. Most folks have lost these skills. It ain't easy. Half hatchet, never heard them called that. Thank you for a great video. You seem to have a bunch of nice tools. I can build a 31" airboat propeller with a jigsaw and a wood rasp. Don't need all that fancy stuff. Nice axe. Proper.
Excellent workmanship. Thoroughly enjoyed the transformation. Love from London. UK
Thank you.
I've always been intimidated about the strength of metal and how to work with it, but you make it look relatively easy and achievable. Thanks for these videos. They are awesome!
You have a good eye for angles! I can see you have had a lot of time on a bastard to a key file. keep showing us cool stuff please!
I did the same with an old, rusty half-hatchet I found when I was fifteen, except I couldn't shorten the hammer head. It had the narrowed, faceted rebate seen on claw hammers, & wouldn't have worked if shortened, so I left it alone. Used it for years, until, while chopping a limb at a bankside camp & fishing spot, the handle split, the head flew off, & sailed about thirty yards out into the middle of the river. But it did great service all the time I had it.
in two minutes into your vid and I've subscribed. I love your explanations and your attitude. You have a nice and calm channel and I really appreciate that.
Nice work! For your information, those are shingling hatchets which we used to shingle all buildings before asphalt shingles were introduced. Some times the shingles came in bundles sawed or split to size but some times the carpenter split each shingle from a block of wood and applied it to the roof. Western red cedar was a favorite for shingles but many other rot resistant local woods were used as well. Just thought you might like to know what those tools were originally designed for. Thanks once again for the great video. Dick Hyde
Same thought here. I can even forgive him for using a screwdriver in that fashion. :)
compition axes
@@richardbhyde7186 they were used to cut to width, weren't they?
High, i'ver thought the same. Now i will see other videos from him. Kindly Fiete
This reminds me of This Old House, but more relatable for me personally. Subbed
I have been looking for this exact restore/mod. I haven’t watched it all yet but thank you for this!!!!! Liked and subbed off your first video!
Wow, that hand built wooden holder for the grinder was ingenious. That basically saves you from having to buy a whole other power tool. Awesome!
I would put something over the top to hold it if it bites and bucks up. The grinder being "locked" on could be a hazard if it went flying through the air.
The "Best" channel I've found so far. Really informative.
Wow! Thank you for that awesome compliment.
I have a hatchet just like your original, I love what you did with it. Good job! 👍🏻
We used rig axes framing back in 70s early 80s. Main use for chopping out door plates and bent nail. Waffle the head you'll hqve a good nail driver.
Another great shelter responsibly utilizing dead fall, no cordage, natural cooking you "rocked it". As always great skills
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This is the 5th or 6th time to watch this video ! I also love and redo axes,hatches,knives! I went to a big box lumber store spent $20 for a 2X4 3ft. long! Then found a mill and bought a 2X10 10 feet long for $20! Hickory with great grain orientation! Winner ! Took back the 2X4X 3ft. Good info for newbies!
This video is MINT!!! Love the restoration work. Bringing old tools back to life. Great job man. Can't wait to go through your other videos to pick up tips.
Thanks so much Bold!
Just found your Art!.... Thank you for a super video AND the peace of mind to know there are other TAS-maniac (tool acquisition syndrome) craftsmen ! this Re-purpose will be great for a Carving Hatchet that works well as a throwing axe (if evildoers steal my carved Spoons!) Look forward to discovering all your Videos!...Thank you Again. Brian
Love the high level of craftsmanship you display... *Subscribed*
Shinglers hatchet. I did not modify the profile, but did add a longer handle.....20" Has been my long handled trappers hatchet for 45 years... 🤠. Nice work.
Very very nice video. The only bad part is seeing the beautiful art you've created getting smudged in the dirt and that gnarly bullseye. Your great presentation has inspired me to go right into my workshop and work on some axes I've scrounged over the years. Thanks a million and carry on.
I think it gives it character
Thanks for the tip about marking the depth on the wedge. Beautiful work.
As a knifemaker of over 50 years I would advise getting a good respirator and wearing it whenever grinding, Too many of my friends have silicosis or COPD from grinding without them.
Silicosis is from silica dust that's not from metal dust
@@derek8095 right but the abrasive belts are full of it.
Love this project. I have a half hatchet on an 18" handle as a camp axe and wish I had seen this video before hanging it.
Sweet axe! I'm looking for an old carpenters hatchet with the broad face and the hammer pole on the back to play around with. I'll run across one at an Antique Store sooner or later. You do great work! Thanks for sharing!
Kudos to the person running the camera
My brother was pumped to see this comment. Thanks!
I knew that there is a reason that I have a barrel in the barn with handles and heads. recently I put a handle on a pick, now I know what I did right and wrong. excellent teacher !! I subscribed Keep up the good work!
Appreciate your video - great to see old tools brought back to life
I've seen a lot of axe hanging videos. This is the best. Thanks! OBTW: I like what you did with the head too.
Beer and Tomahawk throwing..my kind of party !
Dude you need your own tv show along side the wood Wright shop and this old house
Let's do it.
I want to create stuff but I can’t afford buying every type of tool out there. Watching this show on Axes has given me the ways to adapt what machinery I do have and be able o get by with those. Brilliant stuff.
Great job. I just did the same thing with a new "carpenter's hatchet". I chose to make my "camp hatchet" more of a bearded style so I can use it more easily for carving and "hanging on a limb". You lost the heat treatment on the hammer side when you cut if off. I am not saying that is wrong, it is just a choice. The pattern of heat treatment became obvious on mine when I "antiqued" it with a mustard treatment (three times, thin, and fully dry between treatments). The antiquing on the heat treated steel is different on the front heat treated edge (about an inch) and on the hammer side (about 5/8 of an inch). The entire hatchet is not heat treated the same, it is softer. You did great. I like mine of course.
Vcxybbuf
Beautiful job. Broke my heart to see you throwing it though!
if you can make it, you can fix it 😉
You truly prove you do not need big equipment to make great axes and hatches!! Excellant
I love the great detail and effort you put into your work. Love your axes.
Great to watch your very accomplished work. It is great to see your generation celebrate the practice of repairing and rebuilding vs.a throw-away mentality. Loved the video. Subbed.
I appreciate your use of Harbor Freight tools. Proves that you don't have to be a tool snob to get wonderful results. Love your videos!
That came out really nice. Great job and thanks for sharing your videos.
You did a great job.👍 lot's of work you put in to axe
A knifemaking friend made me two little hatchets dang near identical to yours for wood bowmaking. Wonderful little tools, they're easy to control for fine wood removal but can really hog off the excess wood on a stave.
would also be nice for handles for hammers and other hatchets (:
Excellent job! Nothing feels better in your hand than a tool you've built or customized! I really enjoyed watching and look forward to more!
Well done. Great work. Inspiring to watch a master at work.
I like to take old junk tools and turn them into other things and I as yourself love axes grew up using them, I find a lot of them at junk shops and auctions very cheap and modify them. Great video thank you very much for your ideas and time.
Great video, the explanation of everything you did is so far out in front of other Channels of this nature. Lookin forward to the other's you have. Small pile of roofing hammers, hmm what should I do. New sub and thanks for sharing this with us. 🇺🇸
You've got skills... great restoration ~~so cool to watch, definitely have a new found appreciation for half hatchet
I’m super impressed that you got both of those wedges out. It turned out great!!
Thanks!
This guy has the patience of Job. Very nice.
Thanks Dennis.
I’m enough of a craftsman to know that you’re a very talented craftsman who knows his way around the shop and you’re articulate too! Good job, man!
Great level of attention to detail. Professional editing and commentary, what more could you ask for? So satisfying
I love hatchets and axes too. Agree with a lot of comments about your abilities and attention to detail. Learned a lot. Love the finished product.
I loved the camerawork. It was as artistic and creative as your project. I learned quite a lot from both you and the cameraman.
The nails in the handle where to measure from the top of the eye down to each nail that measures different size logs most of the time for fireplaces in woodstoves
A person that shows that much attention to detail is also showing respect to the project at hand. sub...like...bell
I enjoy watching somebody that knows the craft well enough to make particular axes and hatchets. As long as you don't want to get into zombie killers, I'm in. I want to watch I'll let you know what I think
Great way to give new life to old forgotten tools! I subscribed a few minutes in, the moment I saw that clever tabletop angle grinder rig. I run a 2x72 belt grinder and sometimes you just need to nibble away at those funky angles and inside radii. I’ll be installing one of those rigs on my workbench this weekend! Thanks for the great videos, you’ve got a lot to offer
This is the second time I’ve seen this. 😐 love it.
Cynical Texas Dad ... Ditto; had to refresh my memory as I’m preparing to refurbish an old single broad head I dug up while excavating wife’s fish pond. It’s got just enough good metal left to repurpose it for my tool belt.
Well done - beautiful axe!
Cool project! I've really wanted a camp axe/tomahawk like this for a while but I've been having a hard time finding one that strikes the balance between practical and looking good at the same time. I really like the profile you used, I think I'm gonna try this myself! Nice work.
Target)...it worked & Ibsplitbthr Target tomahawk handle from 15 yards,!!
This reminds me of when my brother taught me how to throw...He said U needed a Target ( handle of another tomahawk stuck in the target from 15 yards
That was nice. I think more hatchets have or will end up being converted into axes or tomahawks. So many people neglect their old tools. Good thing for some of us, is they're always available and usually very cheap. A little rust removal and sharpening and viola!
I had a new hatchet that the wood dryed out and everything became loose. I used a good epoxy instead of wood glue. It has not come lose in 35 years.
this is a beautiful project buddy. very well done. and your shop looks really cool too. it has a very nice lived in feel to it. i believe your channel is gonna blow up very soon with this quality of video you're putting out. =) Those japanese saws are awesome. always wondered what the fuss was about until i got one for myself. fine teeth for cross cut and coarse teeth for rip cuts and teeth designed for pulling so they can thin the kerf, they seem to think of everything! and that handle, man. if i'll be honest, it was hard to see you cut into it. from the patina and the nails put into it to measure length, it must have been the work tool of someone for awhile. but of course, it turned out really well. looking forward to more videos soon bud!
Subbed because of the supremely sharp chisel.
😊
It took 1 video & a quick brows through some of your catalogue to sign me up. I really dig your laidback attitude & your attention to detail. Let’s have fun!
Thanks Trent. Enjoy!
First off, I almost never have a palm swell or fawns foot at the end of my small - medium axes. Its never been a problem! And good god, art of craftsmanship is an understatement. Fantastic instructions! Super creative ideas! Your videos are quite the wealth of knowledge!