Restoration Antique French HUGE AXE

Video Description

Hi! Today, I’m restoring a Huge French Axe. This old item was purchased in France. It’s really intriguing to think about what it was originally used for. Was it meant for chopping firewood? Or perhaps something else? I couldn’t find any definitive information. If anyone knows more about this item, please share — I’d love to learn more. Its condition is moderate. The original handle is missing — instead, there’s some sort of modern stick imitating a grip. There’s no proper balance, it’s hard to hold, and there are cracks. So, it’s time to fix all of that. First of all, I removed the surface rust using a wire brush. Then I placed the axe in a rust remover solution. The next day, after taking it out, I submerged it in warm water with baking soda to neutralize the acidic effect. After drying it off, I moved on to light sanding and shape correction. I used sandpaper ranging from 80 to 600 grit. The sanding was gentle, just enough to remove burrs and surface irregularities. I also used a metal file to refine the shape, trimming away any protruding pieces of metal to get a relatively smooth and clean edge. Since the object holds historical value and needs preservation, I moved on to the conservation stage. Before that, I thoroughly wiped down the axe with a solvent. For the conservation mix, I used: 150 grams of linseed oil, 50 grams of beeswax, and a few drops of essential oil. I melted everything together in a water bath — be careful, the water, wax, and oil get very hot. Afterward, I transferred the mixture into a separate container and applied it to the surface of the axe using a wool cloth, carefully filling all the pores and cracks. Once conservation was finished, I began working on the handle. I used dry wood. Since this axe won’t be used for chopping, the goal was to craft a handle in an old-fashioned style — something comfortable and safe to hold. I split and widened part of the wooden blank and glued it. After the glue dried, I trimmed the excess, shaped the end, and fitted the axe head onto the handle. At the bottom, I added a leather cap — just in case the axe ever starts to slide off unexpectedly. For better grip, I added a leather strap, used small nails, and finally wrapped the handle in thin leather with the help of glue. At the very end of the handle, I attached a small piece of iron to improve the balance. After all the stages of restoration, the axe turned out just the way the client had envisioned it. I hope you will enjoy this restoration video. Please share this video! Sincerely, Alex. Thanks for attention! Good luck and health to everyone! With best wishes, Alex! Please subscribe to my channel: @ScrewsAndTools 🍖 My New Cooking channel! @screwsandtoolscooking Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Screwsandtools Paypal: paypal.me/screwsandtools Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scresandtools/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/screwsandtools/ #screwsandtools #axe #restoration