Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions Hand forged chisels and slicks, looking for advice

Some good points, there, DL. Specifically, the potential for delamination, which I have seen. But in my empirical non-scientific experience, my old tools hold an edge longer than the new ones, at least the ones I've tried (top-shelf American and Japanese). I have not tried a modern German-made model, however. CB.

There is a very popular video on you tube showing a blacksmith in a very modern shop forging the body of an axe head under a special type of trip hammer. He then inserts a high carbon or alloy tool bit and welds the bit into the axe. A female striker assists him during the weld. I believe that is a Gransfors Bruks video. Apparently, not all of their tools are a single alloy steel as described above. I did not go back to find the video so I am not positive it was Gransfors but my memory is/was much better than the average tool nut.
A hand forged laminated blade pays homage to tradition, kinda like timber framing.

Hello,

Often the cause of a blade delaminating is the use of an electric grinder. De-lamination can occur at surprising low temperature, even just warm to the touch. Therefore only whetstones and hand powered grinders should be used given the absence of an expensive water-cooled grinder with a low rpm.
The blades I have from the now defunct Ulmia tool company are indeed fine blades but they are, relatively, a lot of work to sharpen.
The hewing axe from Billnäs Bruks, out of Finland, now also defunct, has a carbon steel inserted cutting edge and compared to the Gränsfors hewing axe I am using, sharpens with much less effort. On top of this the more malleable iron used in laminated blades acts as a shock absorber. The most expensive axes made by Gränsfors also are made with an insert and I have it second hand, so take it for what it is worth, that the head blacksmith at Gränsfors, Lars Elander, has said that laminated blades are the best way to go.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

The video of forging a laminated axe at Gransfors can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbCpDsxUHVc

I was last autumn at their facotory and saw how their axes has been made. There was an 80 year old man who handles the axes. He is the only one in the factory who does it. I saw with what amount of love and satisfaction he trully does his job. Gransfors tools has a soul.

How do you like the striker. She is very good.The holding device used to split the billet in preparation for the insert is also pretty cool.