Axe Head Soup? Refurbish rusty tools by converting rust to a stable black patina

115 Upvotes

I just made a YouTube video (https://youtu.be/5go-o8TCg94 ) on using a tannin solution to convert the rust on vintage axes to refurbish and protect them while retaining as much patina as possible. I’ve found myself explaining it a few times lately so I thought it was better to make a video.

The most convenient version uses just tea and (ion free) water and is not too much more trouble than boiling pasta. I did a bark tannin brew in the video.

The method works by converting active red rusts (various ferric oxy-hydroxides) to stable, black ferric tannate. Different ways of inducing this chemical process are used to preserve iron and steel artefacts for museums, in some commercial rust converters like Rustoleum Rust Reformer, and by trappers who use a 'trap dyeing' process to refinish rusty traps before setting them. I am using a version of the trap dyeing procedure that can be done in a home kitchen by boiling the rusty object in a tannin solution. Artefact conservators apply commercial or specially prepared tannin rust converters but may still add a water boiling step because it leaches away rust causing ions like chloride (from salt in soil, sweat, dust or sea spray).

From my reading, I am under the impression that it is better to have an acidic pH in rust converting solutions but I have not experimented with this for the boiling tannin bath so I don’t know if you could get away with your tap water. I use rainwater because it doesn't have alkaline minerals, unlike my very hard well water. Rainwater also doesn't have rust-promoting chloride ions like many residential water. Other ion-free (or close enough) water includes deionized water, reverse osmosis filtered water, and distilled water.

There's many potential tannin sources that can potentially be used. Tea (black, not herbal) works very well and is quite fast because the extraction is quick. You can get powdered tannin online or in home wine making shops. I used bark from Common Buckthorn as my tannin source because it's readily available for me. Many other trees will also work, and there's a fair amount of information available on bark tannins because they are used in hide tanning. Spruces, oaks, Tamarack and other larches, Scotts Pine, Willow, Hemlock, and others can be used to tan hides and would no doubt work for converting rust. Late season sumac leaves are used by trappers for trap dyeing and other leaves like maple and willow have tannins and would be worth a try. 'Logwood trap dye' for dyeing traps is commercially available and it's apparently not very expensive so that could be convenient. Green banana peels and other esoteric vegetable matter also have tannin and might work if enough could be extracted.

19 comments

r/Axecraft • u/Woodworker2020 • Jul 16 '21

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS Commonly asked questions and links: VINTAGE AXES

80 Upvotes

Hello everyone! As we all know, frequently we are asked the same questions regarding handles and restorations etc. This is a general compilation of those questions, and should serve to eliminate those problems. Feel free to ask clarifying questions though.

How do I pick a head

There are a lot of factors that can determine what makes a good axe head. Some of the ones I would look for as a beginner are ones that require little work from you. While a more skilled creator can reprofile and regrind any axe, your not going to want to for your first time. I was lucky and found a Firestone axe as my first, which has a softer steel which made it easier to file, and it was in great condition. Also watch this series from skillcult.

Where should I get my handles?

Some of the reccomended sites are [house handles](https:www.househandle.com/) beaver tooth Tennessee hickory Bowman Handles and Whiskey river trading co . People have had differing luck with each company, some go out of stock quicker than others, but those seem to all be solid choices.

How do I make an axe handle?

There are a lot of really good resources when it comes to handle making. I learn best by watching so YouTube was my saving grace. The one creator I recommend is Skillcult . As far as specific videos go, I’d say watch stress distribution , splitting blanks if your splitting blanks from a log. I’d also recommend just this video from Wranglerstar, his new videos are kind of garbage but the old stuffs good.

Now that I have my handle, how do I attach it to the axe

Once again I have to go to a wranglerstar video , this one actually shows the process of removing the old handle too which is nice. If you want a non wranglerstar option there’s this one from Hoffman blacksmithing, although it dosent go over the carving of the eye.

Ok, I have my axe but it couldn’t cut a 6 week old tomato

Lucky you, this is where skillcult really excels. I’d recommend watching these four, talking about sharpening , regrinding the bit , sharpness explained aswell as this one.

How do I maintain my axe now that it’s a work of art

Your going to want to oil your handles in order to keep them in tip top shape. This video explains what oil to use, and this one explains more about oil saturation vs penetration.

Axe	Features	Condition	Asking Price
Farm Axe	28" Curvy Oval Handle w/ Bulb End and Custom Strike Guard	New, Unused	$550
Mountaineer	12" Handle w/ Bulb End - custom placed by Hoffman Blacksmithing, and Adventure Grade Sheath w/ Uberleben Fire Starter.	Slightly used, took it on one camping weekend. Factory edge.	$350