Any Norlund Axe Fans Here? UPDATE- restoration in progress

[HyperMOA]

So I bought a cabin this summer. While cleaning out all of the sheds and stuff to haul junk to the dump I found an old axe. Great! Touched up the edge with a file to remove a few small burrs. Took it to the fire pit and split about a quarter/half cord of old wood that came with the place. The axe edge held up so nicely; I looked at it and the maker’s mark is “Genuine Norlund”. Went home and did a bit of research and found that these axes are kind of desirable and of good quality.

I now have my Fiskars out there. This is a chopping axe. I believe it to be their 2.5lb cabin axe with 36” handle. It could be an original handle but it is a touch loose and extra wedges have been added. All of the original old orange sticker is gone so it could be a different handle. The head itself is in really good shape other than rust of course.

Not sure what to do with this axe. I don’t think I’d appreciate it the way others may. Not sure if I should restore it, trade it, sell it, or just use it.

Likely it’s use would be negligible as I will split with my fiskars and not this old gem.

Suggestions??????

[moniaw24]

The thought of you splitting wood by axe reminds me of how accident prone you are..... my suggestion is to refrain from using an axe period.. Myson

[urban rednek]

Originally Posted by moniaw24

The thought of you splitting wood by axe reminds me of how accident prone you are..... my suggestion is to refrain from using an axe period.. Myson

Well done!

[robson3954]

Post a couple pics of the ace please.

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by moniaw24

The thought of you splitting wood by axe reminds me of how accident prone you are..... my suggestion is to refrain from using an axe period.. Myson

Never had an issue with an axe before. It’s the chainsaws that can get tricky.

Also, hold on a minute here; I’ve never fallen out of a tree before.

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by robson3954

Post a couple pics of the ace please.

I was worried somebody was gonna say that. Now I gotta figure out how to post pictures. Sigh.

[roper1]

I'm a Dad also, post the pics carefully please.....

[HyperMOA]

[robson3954]

If it were me, I’d keep it and refinish it and get a new shaft. PM me a price if you’re interested.

[Drewski Canuck]

You had me until I saw the wedges in the handle.

Why is there a wedge width wise, instead of length wise? Someone really made this axe handle unsafe in a hurry.

But yes, it looks like a nice axe head!!!

Drewski

[CaberTosser]

Is that a really slender handle or is the head huge? The handle hole seems kind of undersized, or maybe that’s just me?

I’ve heard the brand name before but that’s it, off to Google I go... I don’t even know country of origin for that brand

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

You had me until I saw the wedges in the handle.

Why is there a wedge width wise, instead of length wise? Someone really made this axe handle unsafe in a hurry.

But yes, it looks like a nice axe head!!!

Drewski

I'm not too sure how, "I had you"?

As for the wedges I stated somebody added wedges to tighten the handle.

Not sure which wedges you reference, but the wedge closest to the butt or poll is the correct way to install a wedge. The one closest to the edge was added later and that is the incorrect direction to add the steel wedge. The middle wedge that was installed at "45 is acceptable had it been centered. Being right at the edge of the head likely cracked out the missing piece of handle.

Regardless, it could use a new handle, I just thought that that may be the original handle.

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

Is that a really slender handle or is the head huge? The handle hole seems kind of undersized, or maybe that’s just me?

I’ve heard the brand name before but that’s it, off to Google I go... I don’t even know country of origin for that brand

Its very comfortable in my hands. I don't feel its thinner than most handles. It is fair sized head on it.

As for Norlund history, this is what I have found, not an expert by any means. Canadaian Tire had a steel company in Pennsylvania make the axes. Mann Edges was the company. The owner went to study Swedish axe design. He returned and started AO Norlund and made the axes in Pennsylvania primarily for Canadian Tire from the late sixties to the early eighties. They are known to have a good quality steel and edge hardening. The edge I will attest to as my file skated on it except for the burs I mentioned.

The above may not be exact 100% correct. Just from my memory of research.

[bsmitty27]

I have the same Norlund axe. It is a beautiful thing. The poll is f@#%$%$ huge and has tons of leverage with a little twist. I'm always looking fore more norlunds
Good find. There is not a lot of info on this particular design. But there are a few out there.
Brad

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by bsmitty27

I have the same Norlund axe. It is a beautiful thing. The poll is f@#%$%$ huge and has tons of leverage with a little twist. I'm always looking fore more norlunds
Good find. There is not a lot of info on this particular design. But there are a few out there.
Brad

Do you know anymore than what I found basically in the above post?

[bsmitty27]

Originally Posted by HyperMOA

Do you know anymore than what I found basically in the above post?

Think it's closer to a 4lb head. The big poll (part behind the handle) is the thing that stands out about this axe. I have heard it called their rafting axe or heavy splitter. They sell from 90- 250 on the Ebay. It looks in great shape. If your selling it I would hit it with a wire brush and sell it. If your keeping it, I would take the head off but in in a electrolysis bath and find a quality handle for it.
Brad

[CaberTosser]

Instead of the complexity of an electrolysis bath, EvapoRust works great. I did my vintage axe using it.

[bsmitty27]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

Instead of the complexity of an electrolysis bath, EvapoRust works great. I did my vintage axe using it.

Ya anything that doesnt create a line between hardened and soft steel like the vinegar bath does.
Electrolysis bath is quite simple and your only cost is some baking soda.

Rubber made tub
Water
Backing soda
Old steel baking sheet
Old battery charger
Item you need rust free.

[Drewski Canuck]

"I'm not too sure how, "I had you"?"

This is an expression of admiration, for the Axe head of course!!

As for the handle, you understand what damage had been done with the wedges being installed improperly for the force imparted on the wedge across the width of the axe head essentially leveraging the handle apart.

This will cause the handle to crack apart because of the force imparted by the metal wedge width wise on the handle, similar to a lever.

You can see the cracks already near the axe head making the handle unsafe.

But yes, it is a nice axe head design for splitting fire wood.

It is difficult to get good wood axe handles now as alot of the handles do not have the grain running length wise, if you can find a wooden axe handle at all!

Alot of the modern axe handles have now gone to a plastic composite design that never seems to break.

The "finesse" and frustration of a wood axe handle is really lost on this younger generation, as is the appreciation of good steel in an axe head.

Drewski

[HyperMOA]

So I had decided to give the ol girl some TLC. I finally ran across a handle that was nice and bought it today. Been watching for a couple months now. So I carefully carved out the wood around the original wedge as I plan to reuse it; just because. I got the handle off and the head is in a bucket of rust remover as I type. The handle I found was very much bulkier and straighter than the original. So I laid out a pattern on the new handle and cut it out with the jig saw. Took the belt sander to it, to rough in the shape. Then I finished it off with the orbital. The handle is waiting for the head to finish its bath, so I can fit it.

Been taking some pictures, I'll post at the end of the ordeal as I'll have to learn to do it all over again.

So, I'm having a hard time deciding how to finish the head. If you look at the pics you can see that it originally was painted a metallic blue. Should I leave it bare with the bit of original paint? Or should I get a rattle can of similar coloured paint and go all the way? I'm really torn here, what do you guys think?

[bsmitty27]

Looking forward to seeing more pics! I would leave it, but that's just me.
I am picking up what I believe to be another one of these axes tomorrow morning. I'll let you know if it a norlund.

[HyperMOA]

Well my rust remover coloured the metal as bsmitty warned me; so I decided to paint it in the end against bsmitty’s advice. Sorry. Now I have to figure out how to post pics again. Ugh.

[HyperMOA]

Stupid pictures

[HyperMOA]

[HyperMOA]

I think to get a handle any better I’d have to make my own. Not 100% happy with the fit but it’ll split a lot of wood before I need to worry about it again. The steel wedge also cracked out the edges. That was a little disappointing. It was cool though, driving the very same wedge somebody drove into that axe 40+ years ago. Felt rather satisfying. The paint could’ve been a bit greener; but it was the best that I could do in the rattle-can aisle at Canadian tire.

[bsmitty27]

Looks Good!
I mentioned that I found a head That looks identical to this beast. I picked it up today and it is a identical match. I now have one Norlund and one Mastercraft axe of the same patten? I need to do some research now! I will try to get pics up some time.

That was easy
copy and paste off bushcraft.ca

https://bushcraftusa.com/forum/threa...ration.149979/
still need to do some research but I think Im barking down the right hole.
Congrats on your project!
Brad

[HyperMOA]

This is the best info I ever found on the Norlund line.

http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yest...und%20Co..html