When blacksmithing a project, more often than not, the project starts by reviewing if you have the tools for the job. One on my next projects is to hand forge a small carving axe.
The photos below set out the 3 additional tools I needed to make this axe. They are:
1. Slitting chisel made from van coil spring 5160 high carbon steel.
2. Axe eye drift made from 4140 forklift tine. This is a lower carbon steel
3. Axe eye tongs made from 20mm x 20mm mild steel. Low carbon steel. The tongs still need to be adjusted to suit the axe eye. This will be done during the axe making.
The slitting chisel is slightly wider that the drift point. It will produce a slot for the axe eye and wide enough to allow the drift to entre and swell the iron out to the side required without lost of iron mass. This is a very common technique use is blacksmithing and some knifesmithing.
The last photo is just an order of mixed steels that are either for stock reduction knives or making patterned steel, better known as Damascus steel. Also some quenching oil and clay for various future projects. Watch out for the axe project that will be forged during the winter months.
