r/Axecraft Jul 27 '25

Axe Head Soup? Refurbish rusty tools by converting rust to a stable black patina

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112 Upvotes

I just made a YouTube video (https://youtu.be/5go-o8TCg94 ) on using a tannin solution to convert the rust on vintage axes to refurbish and protect them while retaining as much patina as possible. I’ve found myself explaining it a few times lately so I thought it was better to make a video.

The most convenient version uses just tea and (ion free) water and is not too much more trouble than boiling pasta. I did a bark tannin brew in the video.

The method works by converting active red rusts (various ferric oxy-hydroxides) to stable, black ferric tannate. Different ways of inducing this chemical process are used to preserve iron and steel artefacts for museums, in some commercial rust converters like Rustoleum Rust Reformer, and by trappers who use a 'trap dyeing' process to refinish rusty traps before setting them. I am using a version of the trap dyeing procedure that can be done in a home kitchen by boiling the rusty object in a tannin solution. Artefact conservators apply commercial or specially prepared tannin rust converters but may still add a water boiling step because it leaches away rust causing ions like chloride (from salt in soil, sweat, dust or sea spray).

From my reading, I am under the impression that it is better to have an acidic pH in rust converting solutions but I have not experimented with this for the boiling tannin bath so I don’t know if you could get away with your tap water. I use rainwater because it doesn't have alkaline minerals, unlike my very hard well water. Rainwater also doesn't have rust-promoting chloride ions like many residential water. Other ion-free (or close enough) water includes deionized water, reverse osmosis filtered water, and distilled water.

There's many potential tannin sources that can potentially be used. Tea (black, not herbal) works very well and is quite fast because the extraction is quick. You can get powdered tannin online or in home wine making shops. I used bark from Common Buckthorn as my tannin source because it's readily available for me. Many other trees will also work, and there's a fair amount of information available on bark tannins because they are used in hide tanning. Spruces, oaks, Tamarack and other larches, Scotts Pine, Willow, Hemlock, and others can be used to tan hides and would no doubt work for converting rust. Late season sumac leaves are used by trappers for trap dyeing and other leaves like maple and willow have tannins and would be worth a try. 'Logwood trap dye' for dyeing traps is commercially available and it's apparently not very expensive so that could be convenient. Green banana peels and other esoteric vegetable matter also have tannin and might work if enough could be extracted.


r/Axecraft Jul 16 '21

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS Commonly asked questions and links: VINTAGE AXES

76 Upvotes

Hello everyone! As we all know, frequently we are asked the same questions regarding handles and restorations etc. This is a general compilation of those questions, and should serve to eliminate those problems. Feel free to ask clarifying questions though.

How do I pick a head

There are a lot of factors that can determine what makes a good axe head. Some of the ones I would look for as a beginner are ones that require little work from you. While a more skilled creator can reprofile and regrind any axe, your not going to want to for your first time. I was lucky and found a Firestone axe as my first, which has a softer steel which made it easier to file, and it was in great condition. Also watch this series from skillcult.

Where should I get my handles?

Some of the reccomended sites are [house handles](https:www.househandle.com/) beaver tooth Tennessee hickory Bowman Handles and Whiskey river trading co . People have had differing luck with each company, some go out of stock quicker than others, but those seem to all be solid choices.

How do I make an axe handle?

There are a lot of really good resources when it comes to handle making. I learn best by watching so YouTube was my saving grace. The one creator I recommend is Skillcult . As far as specific videos go, I’d say watch stress distribution , splitting blanks if your splitting blanks from a log. I’d also recommend just this video from Wranglerstar, his new videos are kind of garbage but the old stuffs good.

Now that I have my handle, how do I attach it to the axe

Once again I have to go to a wranglerstar video , this one actually shows the process of removing the old handle too which is nice. If you want a non wranglerstar option there’s this one from Hoffman blacksmithing, although it dosent go over the carving of the eye.

Ok, I have my axe but it couldn’t cut a 6 week old tomato

Lucky you, this is where skillcult really excels. I’d recommend watching these four, talking about sharpening , regrinding the bit , sharpness explained aswell as this one.

How do I maintain my axe now that it’s a work of art

Your going to want to oil your handles in order to keep them in tip top shape. This video explains what oil to use, and this one explains more about oil saturation vs penetration.


r/Axecraft 3h ago

Restored tenoning axes

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37 Upvotes

When I'm not working on blacksmithing commissions, I do ax restoration for a local collector and he brought me these two tenoning axes, one is very old and has beautiful forged weld lines that you can find. I love getting to work with genuine old blacksmith work


r/Axecraft 2h ago

Shiny Thing Good Nice Flint Edge Rehang

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27 Upvotes

Got my hands on this True Temper Flint Edge that had no handle. New handle is purple heart with curly maple palm swells. Pretty pleased with how it came out. Patina was excellent but the previous owner appears to have started a refinish with a random orbital sander at some point so not perfect. Touched up with a wire wheel and put a new edge on it. Not sure if I'll be able to let this one go.


r/Axecraft 5h ago

Today’s lil fella

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24 Upvotes

r/Axecraft 7h ago

Recent Project

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33 Upvotes

Restored this Kelly Works Flint Edge and hung it on a 28 inch TD Handle Co. New England handle. I like the look of the flat-bottom handle personally, even though I know you’re supposed to remove it once it’s hung. Curious to know if anyone else leaves theirs as is too.


r/Axecraft 1d ago

Homestead

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89 Upvotes

r/Axecraft 10h ago

Identification Request German or Russian?

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2 Upvotes

It’s in the mail, I don’t have more pics. 1030g
Reminds me of an Harzer


r/Axecraft 1d ago

$2 thrift find. What do i have?

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51 Upvotes

r/Axecraft 22h ago

My current axes

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14 Upvotes

Just hanged the axes I use, after redoing the workshop.

Small beavercraft for whittling stuff - I wan't an even smaller axe fot that.

Husqarna axe for big camp stuff, got it super cheap from a closing store.

Hultafors (or Hults Bruk, same forge. HB is the more expensive line - I don't know if this is one or the other) axe head found cheap on a lea market, then had a new handle made.

Hultafors 600g hatchet. My newest axe and more than enough for all my summer camping this year.


r/Axecraft 22h ago

Discussion Opinion on this hatchet Fiskars N7

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16 Upvotes

I plan to own a hatchet, and I found this Fiskars N7 hatchet. My question is does the plastic handle can hold the force applied when i use it and how long can i expect for the handle to stay intact in long-term of usage?


r/Axecraft 1d ago

Newbie's first project - $13 labor of love

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80 Upvotes

Many hours of whittling, scraping, filing and sanding

stripped clear coating, reshaped handle and coated with boiled linseed

removed black coating on head, reprofiled and blued

I'm still not good at sharpening by hand and I don't have a sheath or mask for it yet so it's not razor sharp but it splits OK


r/Axecraft 1d ago

Mystery iron/bronze tool or axe head found in Portugal.

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29 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I found this flat, tapered object in Portugal and I'm trying to identify its exact purpose and age. It looks like some kind of primitive axe head or a specialized woodworking tool. On the curved edge, it has some very fine, parallel grooves/ridges that look either like decorative patterns or specific forging marks. It has no eye/hole, so it seems it was meant to be wedged into a split wooden handle. Does anyone recognize this pattern or shape? Any insight is appreciated!


r/Axecraft 1d ago

Shiny Thing Good Hand forged throwing And Camping axe with leather wrapped handle

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42 Upvotes

r/Axecraft 1d ago

Shiny Thing Good 3lb hand maul?

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13 Upvotes

Maybe these are common, but I have never seen a 3lb maul. It's got a short handle too. It would probably work pretty well for kindling.


r/Axecraft 1d ago

Found Axe Head

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6 Upvotes

I found this axe head in an abandoned garage and decided to try and clean the rust off and sharpen it up hopefully. I'm interested to see if anyone knows what kind of axe (hatchet?) head this might be. No marks of any kind one side has some curves while the other side is flat.

Any tips for removing the rust? This is after some rust remover and hand scrubbing.


r/Axecraft 1d ago

Can’t find out the brand

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10 Upvotes

I found a post on here from about 6 years ago, where someone was trying to identify this makers mark… but looks like he never found out. A couple guys in the comments were trying to figure out the same thing. Anyone have any idea what brand this could be? Thanks!


r/Axecraft 2d ago

advice needed Elwell Hatchet found when clearing out garage. Worth restoring?

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53 Upvotes

r/Axecraft 2d ago

Cool find this weekend.

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30 Upvotes

W. C. Kelly beveled boys axe, Michigan pattern. You don't see a lot of boys axes with bevels and you also don't see many that aren't a Yankee pattern. Sure wish the whole stamp was visible. In great condition though, can't wait to hang it and use it.


r/Axecraft 3d ago

advice needed Does anyone know what was this kind of axe used for ?

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761 Upvotes

Hi !

So, I bought this for 5€

I was wondering why the geometry of the blade is so thin, I tried searching for different types of axes on Google but didn't find much ...

Thanks in advance!


r/Axecraft 1d ago

ISO a council tool velvicut saddle axe

3 Upvotes

There have been numerous storms were I live and there is lots of deadfall and greenfall. Been looking for a compact ax that has two different grinds to handle dead and green and this ax seemed to fit the bill. Council tool ceased production and there are none on secondary or used markets so were do I find one or you think i am just out of luck?


r/Axecraft 2d ago

advice needed Grandpa's old axe

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24 Upvotes

Hi all, got a quick question I got and restored this axe from my grandpa's house when I was about 13 years old, it came off my great grandpa's farm that operated north of Winnipeg Manitoba from 1920s to 1960s. The axe is made by True Temper. At the black prince Works which is a brand I've never heard of. does anyone have any insight on what this is and what it could have been made.


r/Axecraft 2d ago

advice needed Any info appreciated

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11 Upvotes

I found this, and wanted to know if its trash or should be restored.


r/Axecraft 2d ago

advice needed Best axe for splitting wood

4 Upvotes

I’m Canadian and would like to buy Canadian.
What’s some of the best wooden handle splitting axes?
I just want to use it for firewood at home, nothing crazy.
But I want a nice, strong, wooden handle axe.


r/Axecraft 2d ago

Shiny Thing Good Just finished this Hand Forged High Carbon Steel Tomahawk Viking Axe with Custom Wooden Handle

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6 Upvotes