Damascus chainsaw chain axes

[jb-chainsaws]

alright I know it's not technically a chainsaw but bare with me.

A local forge and good family friend of many years has moved onto axe making after years of making beautiful knives. This guy is a real artisan at work but isn't too good at marketing etc, and I'd love to help him get more recognition.

I'm taking him some spent chainsaw chain for him to forge a custom Damascus axe for me, and I'm just gauging interest here of who would be interested in such a thing? Seems a waste of good quality steel to just throw them away, and I'm betting it'll make for a beautiful pattern.

I can't comment on pricing etc but will keep everyone updated, and for now here's the few photos I have in my phone of his recent work:


A recent forge welded knife he made out of a length of steel cable


An axe he forged for my father as a gift. He also made the haft and sheath by hand. I'll get some more detailed photos in the next few days

 

[Marshy]

Damn, too bad you're across the pond. I can't imagine they'll be cheap to begin with them to add in the price of shipping... I'd love to have a 3 lb axe for banging wedges and stuff.

 

[XP_Slinger]

That's incredible work. Looking forward to seeing how your axe turns out

 

[Rob Stafari]

Super cool. I'm saving all my old chains to try my hand at forging some day. In the mean time a side axe made with old chains designed with pounding wedges in mind should certainly spark an interest in any chainsaw junkie.

 

[t4driller]

Very nice work!! I gave a guy I know a couple old bars to make some knives out of. I can't wait to see the end product..

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[jb-chainsaws]

Thanks for the support chaps, the wedge pounder is what I had in mind. Personally I'd like a nice slightly bearded axe somewhere around 3-4lb with a big square poll for pounding on.

I'll keep you all updated on the process and costs, but I know it won't cost as much as a gransfors axe!

 

[dustinwilt68]

I bet a Sugi Hari or total bar would make some nice pieces, I have a knif from an old saw mill blade, amish made, last thing I have that my mom bought me before she passed.

 

[jb-chainsaws]

I bet a Sugi Hari or total bar would make some nice pieces, I have a knif from an old saw mill blade, amish made, last thing I have that my mom bought me before she passed.

Damn that's a cool story about your maw, sorry to hear she's no longer here. I had thought about Sugi bars for making nice Damascus due to the steel quality but I never come across any that are worn out enough to warrant cutting up!

 

[Hinerman]

@sunfish may have an expert comment or 2. His knives are world class. I have never seen an axe from chainsaw chain, and there may be a good reason.

 

[jb-chainsaws]

@sunfish may have an expert comment or 2. His knives are world class. I have never seen an axe from chainsaw chain, and there may be a good reason.

I've seen a knife made out it once, the pattern was superb. I think as long as it's a stihl chain the steel quality should be right up there with the best metallurgically speaking, however I am told that it's more difficult to forge weld due to the irregular shape unlike starting with stacked steel bars for regular Damascus

 

[Hinerman]

I've seen a knife made out it once, the pattern was superb. I think as long as it's a stihl chain the steel quality should be right up there with the best metallurgically speaking, however I am told that it's more difficult to forge weld due to the irregular shape unlike starting with stacked steel bars for regular Damascus

I have seen the knives from chainsaw chain, they can be nice. Never seen an axe though.

 

[Wolverine]

@sunfish may have an expert comment or 2. His knives are world class.

+1. If any of you are on instagram, check out donhansonknives. Absolutely beautiful work.

These were floating around a while back

 

[2manyhounds]

Wow, beautiful pattern on them blades

 

[Adirondackstihl]

@sunfish does some extremely BADASS forging!!

 

[Iron.and.bark]

+1. If any of you are on instagram, check out donhansonknives. Absolutely beautiful work.

These were floating around a while back

Nice! That second image shows a startling resemblance to a birdseye timber grain. Would go fantastically with this birdseye sheoak that I milled and onsold (here's a pic off US sellers website).

 

[XP_Slinger]

You guys are making me want to pick up another hobby. We recently started watching that Forged in Fire show, yes it's corny for the most part but seeing how those guys make that stuff is awesome. I've always loved metal work, be it machining or forging. Hats off to all those that have developed that skill set. Simply awesome.

 

[jb-chainsaws]

Nice! That second image shows a startling resemblance to a birdseye timber grain. Would go fantastically with this birdseye sheoak that I milled and onsold (here's a pic off US sellers website).

man that looks beautiful! if you don't mind me asking what does a piece like that cost?

 

[astnmacgto]

You guys are making me want to pick up another hobby. We recently started watching that Forged in Fire show, yes it's corny for the most part but seeing how those guys make that stuff is awesome. I've always loved metal work, be it machining or forging. Hats off to all those that have developed that skill set. Simply awesome.

I've never seen the show but I do know the guy that won the competition lives a 1/4 mile from me!

 

[XP_Slinger]

I've never seen the show but I do know the guy that won the competition lives a 1/4 mile from me!

That's cool! Man they have some talent to produce what they do in that small amount of time. I'd like to see what they can do when the clock isn't breathing down their necks. Stupid reality show crap takes away from the potential of the bladesmiths.

 

[Wolverine]

That's cool! Man they have some talent to produce what they do in that small amount of time. I'd like to see what they can do when the clock isn't breathing down their necks. Stupid reality show crap takes away from the potential of the bladesmiths.

But it also brings the trade/art into your living room! We love the show.