Why? Because it too needs an over haul. I built up the back of it with 5/32 inch Lincoln 7018 electrode. Hard facing rod is just too hard. Ran the first past at 150 amps the second at 120 amps and it was red hot so I buried in the dirt for a few hours to let it cool and be soft enough to reduce the chance of chipping. Left the bit sticking out so it would not over heat and ruin the temper. I will probably weld it up some more to make it a little heavier. Had to do something to get out of the house while the woman folk were burning the food.
Grand dad used to bury the axe head in the dirt, at least damp, and burn out the broken wooden handle. If you had used the axe to pound with, it would have been bad as the eye had no temper, but if he caught you pounding a wedge with the axe, your butt wouldn't have been happy either. Funny about all the old rules with hand tools, always oil, always use right tool, always keep sharp, etc, and at 6 years old you were expected to know and follow the rules and accept your punishment and learn if you didn't. That age was a little short of snowflakes.
picked an axe head up in the woods a few days back. it probably is a Chinese piece of crap, but who knows. it was dropped and lost, and the wood was destroyed by various wood eating bugs and grubs we have here in Florida. It is laying on my work bench at present although now thinking about it, I have a covered bucket with kerosene I may drop it in. might as well stop the rust right where it is at now. will make or purchase an appropriately sized handle soon.
Am trying to clean up before winter, or that is the wife's line, and have a couple broken axe, maul, pick, handles and they are carefully put up in the shed. Wife is all upset, but I have hard time burning, throwing away, good handle material. Good hickory, good grain, air dried for a few years and I know that sooner or later I will need a hammer handle. Pack ratting dies hard. Never could throw away a piece of chain, a clevis, or anything that goes on a chain either. I blame my grand dad for "ruining" me when I was just a kid!
I added water quenched hard facing to a hatchet edge, and from that time on the only method of sharpening is on the grinder, a file won't touch it. It's one I use chopping roots digging sewer ditches . Haven't yet figured out what t do with this one. LOL
I got a double bit axe I tilled up a couple years after I bought this place. Wire brushed it, a little oil and a new handle, hanging in the shop.
