Pattern weld axe made from chain

[Avery P.]

This is a project I've been working on a long time, stretching back into last year. I get very little time these days between work and life to work on projects but I was finally able to finish this.

This axe started out as a piece of chain, similar to the ones pictured below. I don't have a shot of the actual billet due to....well I lost the picture. But you'll get the idea.



Now, after a bit of forge welding, here is what the billet looked like.





And here is the final axe head etched with ferric chloride.








Now to make a handle.

[Peter Remling]

That is SWEET ! What are the heads' dimensions?

That head deserves something like curly maple for the haft .

[Straelbora]

Very nice. It would never occur to me to turn drive chain into an axe head.

[Ringulf]

Avery, that is awsome man! I love the reverse technology aspect of the whole thing, it could stand as a very cool statement on Rangers and our society...then again it is just freakin awsome by itself!!

[Eric C]

That is some very large chain to begin with. Much like a stash I have salvaged from the mill where I work and have put back until I am more confident in my welding skills.

Awesome axe! I love the look it has. But I am sad to say you've failed in one area: DIMENSIONS MAN!!! YOU FORGOT TO GIVE US DIMENSIONS!

[E.MacKermak]

Yet again, a beautiful work of art made from something I would NEVER have thought to make a blade of any type from. You have raised the bar again.

[Greg]

It's gorgeous, and has Emberverse written all over it.

[Avery P.]

That is SWEET ! What are the heads' dimensions?

That head deserves something like curly maple for the haft .

The heads dimensions are as follows -
Overall Length from is 6 7/16"
Spine Length from Eye to front - 3 7/8"
Blade Face is 3 7/8" from tip to tip
Eye Length - 1 3/4"
Eye Width - 1 1/8"

The haft will be about 22", I think.

Thanks all for the compliments, better stop or you'll give me a big head, lol. It's funny that some have mentioned not thinking of using chain; when I go to flea markets I'm always looking and thinking of how I could use a certain material for axe making and forging in general.

[robinhoodsghost]

Fantastic work, never would have thought you could do that with chain.

[Avery P.]

Okay, so here is the finished axe. I decided to go with an ebony stain. But I also sanded most of the stain off so that it would show in the grain and compliment the pattern on the axe. After a couple of coats of stain, sanding in between, I polished it with Minwax Polishing Wax.

So, without further adieu, here it is.

[ineffableone]

Wow, I have always liked your axes Avery, but that is a work of art as well as a wonderfully functional tool. I love the work on the handle, totally gorgeous.

What is the head's weight? I noticed you didn't mention that in the specs you provided.

[Peter Remling]

Now that's a beautiful axe !

[Greg]

My favorite of yours so far, by far.

[Ringulf]

That is awsome Avery I love the handle!
You should put that Rune you have there burned into the haft at the top just like the picture.

[Mirimaran]

Nice haft, Avery! Well done!

Ken