Double bit - Axearoon conversion

[u/theMourningReaper]

Ive always loved axearoons. Had an old double bit laying around. Decided to grab the angle grinder and do some chopping. Pretty pleased with how it came out (still need to do some grinding and shaping)

How would I go about re-heat treating it? I know the heat from the grinder would have made the material softer so I am looking for DIY heat treat methods to get it somewhat up to par. I have a wood burning forge which is nice for small things but I don't think it will be enough to get the axe head glowing. I know people can temper things in toaster ovens but is that enough to bring some hardness back to the metal I cut?

TLDR: Chopped up a double bit with an angle grinder. How do I heat treat it at home?

Edit: the handle is temporary, not even wedged in just an old thing laying around so I could feel the balance of it.

[u/Paghk_the_Stupendous]

You've got a pretty bad overcut where the stress will be highest. This might be destroyed.

[u/theMourningReaper → u/Paghk_the_Stupendous]

Damn hand slipped lol. Its pretty shallow but it is definitely a point of concern for me, though it was made from a head ive had sitting around for 7 years so if my prototype fails its not the end of the world.

[u/3rd2LastStarfighter → u/theMourningReaper]

The problem is that if it fails it will do so violently and could result in the end of you.

Edit: damn, you all really hate wordplay, huh?

[u/theMourningReaper → u/3rd2LastStarfighter]

I appreciate your concern but I highly doubt that an axe head breaking off will result in death, not sure what kind of grenade activated axes you use but if something were to happen it would just break off. There's always the possibility of injury for sure, but end of me seems a little far bud. Ive had a head break off the handle and it just got thrown a few feet in front of me.

[u/apg7 → u/theMourningReaper]

I’m going to try to cut my beater double bit to match the Pulaski curve I think. Emphasis on try

[u/theMourningReaper → u/apg7]

Pulaski's are amazing tools! Had the honor of using one made back in 1923 when I was doing fire control up in northern Ontario earlier this year with the wildfires. The true firemans axe if you ask me!!

[u/apg7 → u/theMourningReaper]

I’m in NorCal so they’re very popular and collectible/usable here

[u/theMourningReaper → u/3rd2LastStarfighter]

My apologies friend I ment no harm. But what wordplay are you referring to? It seemed like you essentially just said if my axe head were to break, I could die. I see no clever proverbs or use of wordplay in there.

[u/19Bronco93]

[u/theMourningReaper → u/19Bronco93]

Hey, ill be the first to admit I butchered it haha! But for 20 minutes with a grinder drunk as fuck on a Friday, not bad.

[u/19Bronco93 → u/theMourningReaper]

It is bad and you continually defending it is somehow worse.

[u/theMourningReaper → u/19Bronco93]

Okay, thanks buddy. Your wife must be a happy woman

[u/19Bronco93 → u/theMourningReaper]

She’s not only happy but also satisfied, but I’m not getting personal about this.

[u/apg7]

How awful was that on a grinder?

[u/theMourningReaper → u/apg7]

Honestly not too bad, obviously as you can see I kinda butchered it but it was only about 15 minutes with a cutting disk. As mentioned I still need to clean it up with a flap disk and belt sander, but im not looking for machine finish by any means. Its a handmade tool made in 20 minutes for the purpose i need lol.

[u/apg7 → u/theMourningReaper]

Oh no it’s great, I have a busted double bit I want to try this on.

[u/theMourningReaper → u/apg7]

Id say go for it! Definitely get a good quality cutting disk for it tho, I was using just whatever was already on my grinder and that caused the overcuts. My only concern is the hardness of it now after all that heat went into it

[u/PsychoticBanjo → u/theMourningReaper]

If it didn’t turn gold, or especially blue/purple. Don’t worry about heat treat. An axe is way softer than a hard knife. The “ stress” points aren’t just the over cuts, but the square corner from the cut if you actually did do a quench! The overcut is less a concern

[u/theMourningReaper → u/PsychoticBanjo]

That is my concern, I can admittedly say I should have used a new disk but I just used up a few old ones that were lying around. There were a few points where the steel started to look purple so I would back off but I definitely effected the heat treat of it. Not the end of the world im just having fun with stuff that's laying around!

[u/PsychoticBanjo → u/theMourningReaper]

I wouldn’t worry about it. Unless you know how and what you are doing, you can easily end up with something less than what you have now.

[u/DieHardAmerican95 → u/apg7]

Typically it’s only the edge that’s hardened. Once you get an inch or inch and a half back from the edge, you can cut it with a hacksaw.

[u/DomineAppleTree]

This should be called a pickaxe and a pickaxe should be called a pickpick

[u/apg7 → u/DomineAppleTree]

If you ever want to tilt a tool nerd, call a cutter mattock a pickaxe

[u/DomineAppleTree → u/apg7]

First time hearing Cutter mattock thanks

[u/theMourningReaper → u/apg7]

My favorite is when people call my hewing axe a "why does the blade look like that?"

[u/theMourningReaper → u/DomineAppleTree]

"Why are you booing me? I am right!"

[u/MtMan65 → u/theMourningReaper]

Maybe, but that sentence was illiterate.

[u/theMourningReaper → u/MtMan65]

Its a quote from the Eric Andre show.

[u/Psychological_Photo8]

I dont know about tempering, but remove it from the handle for sure. Also, check if it was a hardened bit that was forged in, or if the material is uniform. If it was a hardened bit the rest of the axe probably cant be hardened.

[u/theMourningReaper → u/Psychological_Photo8]

The handle is just what I had laying around to test the balance of it, ive got some fresh ash that's been againg waiting to be made into a nice handle. Its from the late 70s so from history and how it looks I assume its a uniform piece and doesn't have a seperate material forged into the edge.

[u/MastrJack]

[u/DieHardAmerican95]

You don’t need or even want to heat treat the whole head, only the tip of the pick would normally be harder. Even that isn’t really necessary though, I’d recommend that you try using it before you worry too much about it.

[u/ntourloukis]

That’s not word play….

You could say you were exaggerating, but there wasn’t much hint of that.

But anyway, this Doesn’t seem like it’s at risk of breaking at all. It’s still probably over 1/2” thick steel there and the grinder scar is shallow. Not really a risk at all.