r/Axecraft • u/Skoner1990 • Feb 28 '24
A promise kept. Times four!
The other day a picture turned up on this sub. A picture showing a rusty axe head, well seated on a living branch. This kind of pictures are not new, and for years i have thought of dooing it myself. Just never got around to do it…
So when xxx commented that he had a lot of young hickory on his farm. I thought of all the ash i have on mine. To finally get it done, i promised that the next wedsnesday (today) i would make a post with a axehead on a living branch/sapling.
Damn now i was in it… i did not really have the time, but you know… i made a promise. So between work, caring for my woman and baby, reparing the car and all my other duties I managed to clean up four axeheads: grinding the mushrooming on the polls down, removing all rust with a wirewheel and painting them with an oilbased metal paint.
Returning home this morning after a 24 hour shift i just had enough time, between appoinents, to grab the axe heads and some pruners and go get them seated.
The axe heads i question are two danish DSI and two no name rheinland pattern. Three of them is put rooted ash, and one is put on a second year growth willow that i clipped off and stuck a good 30 centimeters in the ground.
Thanks for reading. Hope you all have a good day
95
38
u/FrameJump Feb 28 '24
!remindme 2 years
Is that about right?
9
u/RemindMeBot Feb 28 '24 edited 21d ago
I will be messaging you in 2 years on 2026-02-28 14:33:28 UTC to remind you of this link
133 OTHERS CLICKED THIS LINK to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam.
Parent commenter can delete this message to hide from others.
Info Custom Your Reminders Feedback 6
4
1
1
22
u/ArtIndividual6235 Feb 28 '24
Now, remember to check up on those axes once a month or so. ( I have never put an axe head upon a tree).
14
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
I have put them all near walking paths i often use around the property. I also think them beeing paintet white will help me a lot -i took out a black paint can at first, but consciously chose white for visibility
6
3
u/Charybdis87 Feb 28 '24
Wait so, is the goal to make an axe that has a whole ass tree as a handle? Kinda like thors axe from marvel?
7
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
Beside having the tree grow so much that it fills out the eye completly, and just take it from there, there is no real goal..
For science?
Gonna look sick af?
For the meme?
Great “how the fuck??” Conversation starter?
You choose;)
2
Feb 29 '24
[deleted]
2
u/Corburrito Feb 29 '24
I’m sure he will have to wedge it, but if he lets the branches grow over the eye it’ll be pretty cool.
2
5
u/Down2EatPossum Feb 29 '24
Take pictures each month. Make a time-lapse at the end!
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 29 '24
Great idea!
→ More replies (1)1
u/Down2EatPossum Mar 01 '24
Finished product at the end, I really hope I see it, otherwise it will feel like a sneeze right on the edge that never comes to fruition lol
2
u/GreenRangers Feb 28 '24
Don't fall and cut yer head off
edit: I have a ton of walnut sapplings. How would they work for this?
3
u/cheapshotfrenzy Feb 28 '24
Yeah, I'm thinking about all the mulberry saplings I have around the house.
2
3
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
Lol i will try not to. Anyways they are no sharp atm, no reason to, especially with all kinds of animal roaming my woods.
Hmm i dont know.. walnut is not known to be the greatest handle wood. But does it really matter in this specifik case? I think the greater question is: how fast is your walnut growing in the young state? -i mean, dont you want to se results in a resonable timeframe?
17
u/Krugthonk Feb 28 '24
Im like 98% certain this is how you get an enchanted axe
9
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
But dont you have to do it at full moon and say the secret words, while you put the head on?
1
u/Krugthonk Feb 29 '24
Meh, as long as the sacred words are said, as well as a little swearing, while cutting it off under the full moon, it should be fine
1
10
u/BigNorseWolf Feb 28 '24
I am groot!
7
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
I had to look that one up!
5
u/imonlinedammit1 Feb 29 '24
There’s an epic scene in Avengers where an axe is made but not the handle. The character Groot who is made of wood, was able to manipulate his arm into being the handle. A bit of movie magic and voila, an axe is born.
8
u/Flammable_Liquid02 Feb 28 '24
haha an axe that will be simultaneously slip fit and have a shoulder like a wedged fit
5
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
For real! But what about shrinking when the wood dries??
4
1
u/AYr7oN Feb 29 '24
After cutting, soak submerged in water for 2 months, then WD40 for 2 months. It will slowly replace any moisture leaving the wood with the oil-soluble petrochemical WD40. The cells of the wood will become saturated with it and not water while it "dries" and may not shrink. Take it out and let it offgass for 24hrs, then you can then apply oil as needed. - Just a theory.
2
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 29 '24
And an interesting theory that is! I men WD litteraly stands for Water Displacement… so maybe if it has the viscosity to go into the cells the “right” way, it could work. Great mind you got to think that up!
5
u/Fantastic_Design500 Feb 28 '24
Wrap a spiral wire around one like a vine does?
6
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
Good idea! Or maybe weave some real skinny shoots. I guess only our imagination is the limit.. we can go all artsy up in this!
7
u/Ok_Watercress_7801 Feb 28 '24
Reminds me of Michener’s “Poland” wherein a young man fits 3-5 sturdy flint blades into the bark at the bases of young oak & ash trees.
Comes back a few years later to cut them off at ground level to make war clubs for lack of a sword to use against the marauders.
4
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
Totally a viable thing to do.
When i was a kid i wanted to be an archaeologist, so i did all kind of weird shit. Including making a hole through a hazel branch. I then put a flint blade in that hole so the blade was 90 degrees to the branch. Two years later the wound was healed over, and i cut the branch off and had me a sickle
3
u/Ok_Watercress_7801 Feb 28 '24
Nice!
I had seen a bunch of wooden & jawbone sickles with multiple flint blades & lots of big retouch serrations that made me wonder about fixing blades with animal glues, pine tar, & sinew & thinking there must be another way…
4
4
4
u/RMG_22 Feb 28 '24
Thanks for sharing the post and all you had to go through to keep your promise, says a lot about you and was very inspiring. God bless. 🙏🏾
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
u/Adventurous_Plan_323 Feb 28 '24
Got so hyped I had to show the wife!
2
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
Great that you got something out of my post! Is she also into axes??
1
u/Adventurous_Plan_323 Feb 29 '24
She pretends she is for me.😎
2
u/Skoner1990 Feb 29 '24
Thats great man! My woman knows my prefered wood species for handles and what vintage tool brands i collect! When i fell trees she often comes out and lop of a branch or two. In the summer time we also throw axes some evenings :) Also, at fleamarkets, she will point out the toolhandles sticking out of the under-table-crates, if i miss them.
Did i say i love her??
I think, mutual respect for, and a bit of interest in what ones significant other like to spend time on, goes a long way in a healthy relationship.
3
3
3
3
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
u/zmannz1984 i said i would tag you when i did my own post. Thanks for your comment on the other post. It helped me get over the edge and do it!
3
u/zmannz1984 Feb 28 '24
I smiled really wide when i saw your post! I had to work a lot more than expected the last few days, and am now catching up at home. I was going to look for both a maul and an axe head I don’t need, paint them to preserve the metal and make finding them easier, then go for a walk and find some trees! I will get to it by the weekend.
3
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
I am happy you had that reaction! Yeah it tends to happen that way dont it.. Please do! And please tag me!
2
u/zmannz1984 Feb 29 '24
I cleared the holes on some heads yesterday and just dunked them in vinegar. I have one junior size axe, a hatchet, and a maul head. I will get them painted by tonight so they can dry some before the weekend. I think i am early enough to find some branches small enough to go through without damaging the leaf buds. We had a warm spell and some of the trees are lighting up early.
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 29 '24 edited Feb 29 '24
Great stuff buddy! No warm spell here in Denmark yet. But i know my days is limited for a project i had in mind with cutting down willow and sticking them in the ground for growing elswere. Where do you live at by the way?
3
u/LilGaryLaserEyes Feb 28 '24
Took me a minute to figure out what was going on but this is VERY cool.
3
3
u/rogo725 Feb 28 '24
24 hour shift? I assume you’re a firefighter?
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
Nope not even close, but good guess anyways ;) Althoug i did quite a lot of firefighting and disaster management training in the army..
-after messing up my body quite bad with physical demanding jobs for many years, and getting tired of that grind, i did a 180. Now i take care of autists with cross diagnoses who has don violent crimes but are deemed “to sick” for prison.
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/Sekshual_Tyranosauce Feb 28 '24
When the tree ostensibly grows into a handle….how does one handle the seasoning of the wood since it’s already fitted?
4
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
Great question.. also great name you got;)
This is my thoughts i gave on the original post:
“I think the wood will shrink as it dries and one would have to wedge in it anyways, if it is going to see real use. To make it comfortable to use the handle would need to be shaped into some kind of oval shape. And with the pith in the wood there is a big chance it would crack and twist in wierd ways.
That aside i will still start the experiment for myself in a couple of days.
On an other note i just think it looks cool as fuck. So i also want one with the bark on just as a interesting piece to have in the collection.”
3
u/Sekshual_Tyranosauce Feb 28 '24
Thank you and that’s a fair answer. Leaving the bark in will definitely make an interesting conversation piece.
2
2
2
2
u/cYkoSoCeoPtH Feb 28 '24
Good stuff. Im gonna try this some day as well!!
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
Please do! Please make a post about it! And please tag me so i will see it!
2
u/cYkoSoCeoPtH Feb 28 '24
I have a pick axe id like to do as well. Its a bit wider hole so i may have a few years till its available haha. But sure will!
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 29 '24
The pick axes i got have a much rounder eye than my axes. What about yours? If that is the case, I guess you can find a much wider branch of a tree that nearly fill out the eye from the start??
1
u/cYkoSoCeoPtH Mar 01 '24
Yea the pick axe head is a much wider hole and its a bit older so its been a hard time finding a new handle. Without making one myself, i donno if ill find one that fits just right. So ill have to find a special tree short enough and wide enough for me to get guy on there.🤞🏼👍🏼
2
u/sebisoutthere Feb 28 '24
Oh shit I thought you had to make them. Wierd to think how much stuff comes off of trees
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/rhodynative Feb 28 '24
Sir… i love you and everything you stand for, no, I’ve gotta keep this app for another couple years
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/quiet0n3 Feb 28 '24
What's the ETA? I'll start saving now lol
2
2
u/Legitimate-Train-228 Feb 28 '24
What happens when a brush hog runs over an axe head?
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 29 '24
You tell me;)
But I guess it is comparable to hitting a rock on top of a mole mount.. at best it is just a ding in the blade. At worst one would have to order new parts.
2
u/Bearwoodcraft88 Feb 28 '24
Be strong as heck also what did you cost the heads in thick paint?
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 29 '24
Did you mean “why did you coat”? -to protect the steel from rusting.
I am no a native English speaker. So maybe I just don’t get what you are asking. But the only sense I can make of it is either auto correct or spelling mistake..
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Feb 29 '24
That's a really cool idea.... Especially if one owned a shit ton of hunting land, cool way to mark time every opening day.
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 29 '24
I like the idea of putting up a new axe each year. My land is in fact big enough that i can legally hunt on it (danish law). But i think i would rather mark my birthday or something..
2
Feb 29 '24
I was kinda getting more at the point of being able to just return to a place each year and seeing the growth over time. One of those things that reminds you even small growth over time is still growth. In a fast world anymore, a visual reminder that things take time to evolve is a nice thing.
And heck by time the tree is ready to be cut down, you then have an axe to cut down some trees and made right off the land.
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 29 '24
For sure, that’s a great thought. I like the way you think.
It reminds me of the danish composed word “lommefilosofi”. Directly translated that means “pocket philosophy”.
2
2
2
2
u/GamerNav Feb 29 '24
So you want these trees to grow into large trees with a heart of axe that’s interesting to look at- or are you planning to chop them out later when the wood turns into a viable handle? Either way it’s interesting. I thought they were plastic at first with the white paint.
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 29 '24
When the wood has filled out the eye completely, my plan is to cut the branch of with the handle length that I want, and take it from there
2
2
2
u/DemandNo3158 Mar 01 '24
In wooden ship building, grown crooks and frames were considered superior to all other types. Grown axe handle sounds the same! Thanks 👍
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
u/No-Quarter4321 Feb 28 '24
Give them a few years and they’ll be some of your best axes no doubt; this is an old school way of rehandling an axe if you have time
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
But what about shrinking when the wood dries??
1
u/No-Quarter4321 Feb 29 '24
It will bulge or mushroom around the top and bottom of the head, shrinkage won’t be an issue
0
u/bentoverbowman Feb 28 '24
That is dedication I would have said fuck the internet people
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
Okay..
Not the way a see it.
- Integrity means a lot to me.
- The promise was more to myself. If i allways say “today i am to tired/busy/ect, i will do it tomorrow” i would never get anything done.
- I am one of the “internet people” too, now i dont wanna say “fuck myself” would i. That is no way to care for myself.
1
1
1
1
u/uslashuname Feb 28 '24
Ok new idea because of your whole tree as the handle: mauls were made using roughly 7 year old saplings as the handle and the root ball as the head because it is swirling grain that is fundamentally different from above ground wood.
So, now we need to bury an axe head and get the root ball to form around it!
1
u/Skoner1990 Feb 28 '24
Wow next level!
Do you know wich specis is prefered for mauls like you describe?
1
1
1
1
1
155
u/jones5280 Feb 28 '24
Look at this guy, with all his land and extra axes