PLUMB RESTORATION FSA-0053
A tired Plumb head, traces of old gold paint and one of the most unusual axe handles I’ve had on the workbench. Sometimes I buy an axe because of the maker. Sometimes it’s the pattern, the condition or a stamp I’ve been chasing. This Plumb came home with me almost entirely because of its handle. […]
HULTS BRUK RESTORATION FSA-0055
A big Swedish working axe in excellent condition. No rescue mission required—just a little workshop attention and a properly finished edge. Not every axe that lands on the Forgotten Steel workbench needs saving from fifty years of rust and neglect. Some arrive with mushroomed polls, broken handles and edges that look as though they’ve been […]
KELLY DANDENONG RESTORATION FSA-0051
Original red paint, remarkably clean steel and one very questionable handle repair. This restoration will be about knowing when to leave well enough alone. This Kelly Dandenong Tasmanian pattern axe recently arrived on the Forgotten Steel workbench in remarkably good condition. The head shows very little evidence of hard use, retains plenty of its original […]
SANDVIK RESTORATION FSA-0056
A small German-made axe, plenty of rust and the remains of an old handle still firmly wedged in the eye. A perfect little project for the Forgotten Steel workbench. This small Sandvik axe head arrived on the workbench covered in surface rust and still carrying the remains of its old handle. Beneath the corrosion, the […]
AN HOUR IN BRETT’S SHED
I went to look at a few axe heads. I left with an armful of handles, a handful of workshop tricks and a reminder of why the people are often the best part of the pick. There is a strange thing that happens when you put the word out that you’re looking for old axes. […]
A Winter Pick Through the Highlands
Sometimes the best finds aren’t just the tools you bring home. If you’ve ever watched American Pickers, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. There’s something about heading off before sunrise with an empty ute, a hot coffee and no real idea what the day is going to bring. Every old shed, every farm gate […]
How to Restore a Vintage Axe Head
Bringing forgotten steel back to life—without erasing the history that made it worth saving. Every old axe has a story. Some spent their lives felling towering Mountain Ash. Others cleared fence lines on family farms or sat behind the seat of a ute waiting for the next day’s work. Unfortunately, many eventually found themselves tossed […]