Axe

Tools are a special category of things; they are an extension of the human, giving you super powers. I’ve restored a few tools over the past year so I thought I should pop my latest up here. I restored a shaftless “big mell” that belonged to my Papa for putting in fenceposts, and a very rusty big hammer with a split shaft that was in a damp toolbox in the corner of my parents garage for years. I ground off the rust, oiled, bought and fettled new shafts (both were slighly unusual shapes), cut and hammered in wooden wedges then finished off with steel wedges to secure the new handles. They both look great.

Then one of my curses happened - I went to the dump to get rid of things and came back with more things. Last time it was a Dutch-style bike that some quick repairs led to £100 profit, which has surely only motivated to hunt through the trash every time I’m there. This time it was a cross-pein hammer that was rusty and covered in some kind of caulk or putty, and the axe in the photo above. The axe needed the handle knocked out and both needed some rough edges ground off. Sparks flew.

Something that’s interesting to me is that people are often dumping other people’s stuff at the dump - clearing an old garage or a shed at a new house, or doing a downsizing or a house clearance for a relative. Despite all of the stuff that goes straight into the big skips there’s often a tool box at Seafield, and I think it’s people knowing tools are special in some way - that they helped people create things - and so they are keeping the tools back from certain death for the potential of a second chance at a life. I foraged. I found. I’m so glad to have helped these four and already to have used them. Who knows the origin of the axe head but it’s a great shape and it cuts kindling perfectly. Here’s to old tools!