INCONCEIVABLE! 155-Year-Old CIVIL WAR ERA Rusty Axe Head Tool Restoration in 4K! BURIED UNDERGROUND! 

The main body of that axe head is wrought iron and the cutting edge is carbon steel which has been forged welded on. This axe was made in a Blacksmith forge. If you look closely around the eye of the axe head, you can see where the iron bar was formed then folded over and forged welded. The eye was then formed with a drift of appropriate size. Also, you can see the "grain" pattern in the wrought iron itself. The Blacksmith who made this was an expert !!! The forge welding is superb. This axe head is definitely 19th century and probably 1850's - 1860's. Axe heads of this kind (wrought iron, forged welded) were not made on an industrial scale after 1880 - 1890 or so because of manufacturing tech advancements and carbon steel became more widely used after the Bessemer process came into the main stream here in the U.S., (research Carnegie steel, et al ). How do I know this?? I'm a 25 year professional restoration Blacksmith and have worked as a restoration Blacksmith for the National Park Service. I have reproduced this axe head before, although the main body was made from 1015 mild steel because wrought iron is no longer produced in the United States and I didn't have any available from old stock. Also, I have done historical research on this subject for the NPS

Congratulations... You're the first to swing that ax in over a century.

That ax is living history, those old tools have a soul !

Discussing and discovering history through every day items is one of my favorite things to do...More like this please!!!!!

You've done a magnificent job on that axe---and I'm glad to see you using the hammer!

"These sidewalls are too thin to ever really use this axe. This axe will be decorative" 17:31 - Y E E T

You’re a miracle worker Steve! When I see you restoring objects from yesteryear, I can’t help but think about all the hands that touched it and what times were like for them! Ah, the stories encased in them!

Nothing more beautiful than the age and a mirror polished edge!!! The man who forged that axe is smiling!!! No matter where he is now!!! The single most beautiful axe head I have seen on RU-vid!!!

At last a sympathetic restoration. Not overdone like some channels. It still has age marks and patina and it works. Great job.

What a nice to watch this video during my quarantine days

At first I was on the fence when you decided to leave it mostly natural. Then I saw the sanding on the blade, which brought me back. Then you re-blued it, lost me again. Then you buffed and sharpened it and suddenly I’m all in. It was a roller coaster, but I loved the choices you made. Not just another grind and buff restoration. Well done.

Finally a RU-vidr that says brass wire brushes are softer than steel wire brushes, and actually uses it. Also when you gotta mess something up on purpose cuz you did too good of a job is always funny to me

I love that this turned out to be a Dayton Style Axe. I'm from Dayton.

I really like the enormous contrast between the scars of the rust and the high shine polish of the blade. Ver well done. 👍

I love the effect the pitting has with the polished tip.

Jeez if I was just walking in nature I would pass it thinking it was just a rock tbh

I love the fact that you used mostly hand tools, makes it look more antique. From junk to museum piece. Nicely done.

By far, my favorite restoration you have done. Keep them coming 🪓

The nicks and groves of this arrowhead is what gives it it's character. 🙃 I'm holding my breath as you file down the blade...😲😭 Thumbs 👍🏾👍🏾! Great skill! ❤️⚒️

Great work yet again, Steven. Interesting axe head shape, I've never seen that before.

THAT WAS AWESOME!!! love how you used the Hammer you restored

love the scars of the time... incredible work! congrats

This is so cool. I love watching these restoration channels. And I truly appreciate that you only polished the blade tip and not the entire head. So many go ham and ruin the raw beauty of the craftsmanship on the piece. Absolutely stunning. Thank you for sharing.

Never in a million years this would look like this very nice job.

Loved the ode to the 1750's hammer you restored!

The old music .. Classic! love it.

Great work..”that went through like a laser” 😂😂👍 .. love it ! 😁

Simply beautiful 👌🏻🌟 I really liked the shape you decided. Thank you for sharing with us 🗜️⚒️✌🏻 stay safe

You turned a rusty axe head into a work of art. I can’t think of a way to artificially create that effect and I sure wish I had the vision you do. Well done. You have another sub. Cheers Stuart 🇦🇺

You've got a lot of patience. If I didn't know it's age I'd have gotten a screwdriver or something and started bonking that big knob of rust hoping to chip it off. I guess I like seeing stuff like that get removed in big chunks.

Dude, awesome job.... I love your restorations.

Man the grain on that old wrought iron axe head is something else it looks gorgeous.

When reading that title/thumbnail all I could think of was the Princess Bride. InCoNciEvAbLe

Nice work, Steven. I love the history lessons.

That was Bad Ass, my friend! Great work and restoration! Love it.

Amazing restore! Love the finished look you accomplished

Love the Easter eggs. Keep them and the videos coming!

Wow! I'm glad I found this video! I have found a couple double bit axe heads on my property metal detecting and wanted to fix them up. Thanks for the information!

this video was so entertaining we viewed it again . thanks for sharing.

there was no need to test the axe; but since you did I hope you keep it as a show piece. thank you for bringing it back to life and many thanks to Iron clad for his valuable comment.

Beautiful work. You did this venerable old tool justice. Subbed 👍🏼

I kinda relate to this axe, its like me. Been through a lot, restored by my friends and came out still kicking ass. Depression sucks. This is a cool video i appreciate the craftsmanship! I salute you sir.

Such a cool piece of history glad you brought it back to life I wish I could find something like that

Holy smokes, man, I had that toaster oven growing up! Forgot we had it! What a blast from the past.

I like how you become one with each tool that you restore and not just a quick make it pretty and sell it off job. You keep and use these tools because you have made them your own tools. Very cool videos.

patience when handling tools gives a perfect result

Simply stunning restoration, Steven! I never would have believed that rusty hulk could come out looking so tremendous, especially with that big ol’ rust blister on the one cheek. The evaporust did an amazing job eating away the lion’s share of a century plus of heavy oxidation. I was mesmerized by the whole video (watched at least 3 times already!), but I particularly enjoyed that you used your restored hammer to set the handle - brilliant! Cool that you were able to do a little research and get a possible ID on the axe type and add to its history - I honestly had no idea about different axe patterns, so I learned some new stuff watching and reading some of the comments. Loved seeing it get one last whack at a log, too :) And thanks for the shout out in the video to me and the Friendly Metal Detecting Forum! I’m so glad I saw your open call for “rusty junk” on the forum - I can’t think of a better possible outcome and new home for that axe! Hopefully I can dredge up another interesting restoration candidate in a future detecting hunt soon!

Incredible restoration, 10/10 job.

Love this one too.😍 Greetings from the Netherlands.

Nice

IMPRESIONANTE. Increíble lo duro que suena ese Acero. Te ha quedado de lujo tío. Un abrazo

This is one of my favorite RU-vid videos.

I love the use of the hammer and how you presented it in the video!

Nice job on the axe, well done 👍🏻

Looks beautiful, great job!

Awsome dude that's what taking pride in your job looks like . Proud of you I hope your are too.

Man I'm addicted to these vids 😀

I really appreciated this restoration ! Let this tool eated by the time was a very nice idea :)

I like how you took a store-bought ax handle and made it your own. Nice work!

You are an artist! Amazing work!

8:55 Mom downstairs: STEVEN, HAVE YOU SEEN MY CAKE MOLD? Steven: ... NO, MOM

at 13 :15 you say "OVERKILL?" I think it's a good idea because since it'll be an indoor "DECORATIVE" piece, you'll have an added layer of protection with a piece of metal that sharp hanging on the wall.

Nice work. I really enjoyed the story you told about the axe head.

Ohhhh Dude Most Awesome Axe I Ever Did See!!!

I work in a chrome shop. We use muriatic acid to dissolve rust. It’s 10 times faster and cheaper than evaporust and doesn’t die out quick either

Love how you can see the grain of the wrought iron body and the different high carbon cutting edge

Blade's curve is emblematic of all that is good, and just. Forge weld, iron and steel, summarize, all that which makes our nation great. Thank you for this Steven. Amen

Great job and the back history on it was the icing on the cake and good recovery by playing the old record all around awesome

LOVE the old record at the beginning..... ....throw in that song from “The Green Mile”.....and the one from “Wall-E” Love the vid!!

Great job with your restoration idea. I would have dressed it down smooth if it is not going to be used and etched it with ferric chloride and maybe instant coffee. You can see the beautiful grain structure of the Civil War era wrought iron and the juncture where the high carbon steel was forge welded on. The etching process would have brought out the contrast of the metals more dynamically I think. But that is just my opinion. I think the wall thickness for a seldom used axe would have been okay with an inside dressing up for a better handle fit. I'm 64 and any dressing yon my account is an improvement and I am a seldom used item myself.😁😁 But I liked the job you did and the final sharpening was not overkill. If you have ever used a full axe even seldomly, then you know what I mean. Keep up the good work. Old Man Andy.

Damn, that edge is like a mirror! Beautiful job!

If I had this axe for display I'd have kept the mushrooms as part of its story. I don't know much about forging but I think I can see where the blade was forged onto a softer metal body and the creases where the eye was made. A really cool thing. I love that you put an amazing edge on it, if it was in a museum it would have been left as found (with mushrooms!) but you have shown this axe respect as a tool and not just an object.

Prácticamente es un fósil amigo. Pero realmente lo vas a dejar increíble

I've never seen someone make a file suffer like you

Great work!🛠️🔧😁🪓

I just found(again) an axe head my grandmother found buried in the garden, 50 years ago. This was just before she passed away 6 years ago. She gave it to me, with many other old tools from my grandparents parent and grandparents(kids during the Civil War) and some may be older. Some of the tools are in old photos from around the farm, around 100 years ago. The axe's poll is cracked to the eye and another deep crack on the side. Can never be safely used, so only good for a wall hanger. Seeing this now, is making me want to go out and start on it.

I recognize that oven! My family had it in the early 80s :)

Files are made to go in one direction only. Doing it back n forth rolls close the groves in the file and runs the file. Stroke forward then lift...repeat.!

Favorite part of the video was the sharpening process. It looks great!

Awesome restore without compromising its story and history!

"That belongs in a museum" XD

Great restoration, but I’d have left the roll-over as part of its history. Good though well done. It lives again!

That axe reminds to me , the basque axes, nice job. 👍🏼

Absolutely Awesome!

You can tell from the 'grain' pattern that the main body of the axe is wrought iron . The area of the blade is a different color/pattern ,which indicates the the blacksmith that forged that axe head used hard to come by tool steel and forge welded it in place for the cutting edge.

Nice job! From the look of the mushroomed butt the poor old thing spent at least part of it's life chopping firewood.

Amazing!! Very talented!

Ver nice it turned out beautiful, what a great find.

that axe had alot of character on its back end & you took it all away.... ):

Me: sees thumbnail Me: Ah! Yes! *a block of fricking rust* !

Very interesting Video. Thank you. Everything was good up to the filing, then the value plunged.

I've watched this 3 times now!!!! Wow...is all I can say. From dirt comes a 400 year old work of machinery.

Beautiful piece! I can't believe you actually split wood with it after all of that work!😱 Now clean it off and display it properly.

YOU SHOULD GET A STANDING OVATION FOR THAT RESTORATION!

"...like a laser!" made me LOL !

Restoring an ax that was used during the Civil War. Just imagine all of the soldiers that held it, used it, wielded it. Fantastic restoration.

Hi Steven. I have a Civil War sword that as passed down through my family. It’s in decent shape but I’d like to have rust removed and just have it restored. Is that something you could do?

👍🔥

Fantastic work. Congratulations.

That evaporust doesn't mess about! Great stuff!