Go get the axe (part 2)
One of the most important features of any restored axe has to be the little changes that are
made to the antique object to make it cooler and more personalized. For this one, I want to add a design I made a few years ago. I had intended to put this logo on an “antique” electric clock I was making, but the idea fell through and I forgot about it until recently.
The best way to make this design permanent is to etch it into the steel. This is too complicated to do without a stencil. My first try was to print it on adhesive label paper and cut out the negative space with a hobby knife, but that proved much more difficult than I expected. It’s almost impossible to cut an “O” and not have the inside crooked from eyeballing the lost circle back into place. Fortunately, I found a guy nearby who makes vinyl stickers, so I had him make me one for $10. Problem solved.
There are two types of etching - a safe, friendly and cheap electrolytic etch or a chemical etch. I chose the former.
I got the information on how to do this from The Internet, which is a vast database of good and bad advice, cat videos and dirty pictures. It can be found on most computers, many phones and in your public library. After perusing many blogs and forum posts on the subject of electrolytic etching, this technique seemed like the least expensive and dangerous way to make this without dying. I’d cite my sources here, but I used so many of them that I don’t remember which ones I combined to come up with this plan.
I started using a neat system that involved salt and vinegar in a bowl, a cotton swab and a 9V battery. It worked, but it was going to take me all day to get anything accomplished. I shifted this idea into a salt and vinegar bath with the electrodes hooked up to a 12v, 6A power supply. I let this cook for an hour or so, checking every so often.
The process is surprisingly simple.
1. Use vinyl, either in the form of a decal or as electrical tape, to insulate every area that shouldn’t be etched. You can also do this with nail polish, I’ve heard.
2. Connect the positive side of the wire to the part you want to etch, and connect the negative side to a sacrificial piece of metal. I used a chain for maximum surface area, but later switched to a bolt because I was worried that I’d burn up my power supply.
3. Put the pieces in a salt / vinegar / water solution. The higher the concentrations of salt and vinegar, the faster the process will go.
4. Turn on the power.
5. Watch the bubbles.
It etched out pretty clean and it was a good proof of concept. I’m not thrilled with the result, but it’ll do for now. The next time I attempt this, I’ll use a higher amperage power source like a deep-cycle battery and I’ll invert the design so that the words are cut into the metal and not the other way around. I’m not sure how well the positive etch will hold up. It’s not cut that deep into the metal. Let’s be real, though… this is going to go back into a corner of a garage somewhere and rust back up again. I live in a townhouse… when will I ever need an axe?
From here, I attached the handle. I was going to make this a separate post, but it’s not that
complicated. I bought the handle from Lowes and promptly sanded off the polyurethane finish (this will give you blisters). I pounded the axe head on by putting the head on the axe and then pounded the end of the handle on the ground until it stuck.
From there, I cut off all but about ¼” of the part that was left sticking out, pounded in the wedge as far as it would go, then trimmed it down to size. Now the whole assembly is soaking in some linseed oil. The oil will soak into the wood and cause it to expand even more.
At this point, the axe itself is done, but before I sharpen it, I want to find a way to keep the sharp edges from getting covered in blood when someone accidentally bumps into them.