This wasn't what I expected to see today, but even though I'm never likely to use these techniques it was still fascinating and entertaining to watch you at work. A new challenge: build a guitar using only this axe! PS The instant I saw that clamp I wanted one. I don't have a use for it, but I still want one.
Its wonderful to see vintage tools being brought back to life! I would have been torn as to the complete restoration or just a clean up on the axe head. You did the right thing, because it looks awesome! *runs to sift through my old tools*
It's always satisfying to do a little project ! I made my brother and I some beautiful mallets from purple heart, Padauk, Cherry, Walnut, and flame Maple from scraps in the shop. They looked so nice I don't even want to use mine lol. Keeps the creative juices flowing !
Ben you’re a star, you’ve done a cracking job of restoring that old axe, the possibilities for the things the that you can achieve are endless, what more can I say. Good luck and good health to you and everyone else, cheers, Chris.
Oh how dare you , Mr. Ben Crowe! Not enough that you faszinate me with your Guitars, no, now you do my 2nd favourite thing on YT. You, sir, are truely a genius. Keep up the great work. Greetings from Germany. Hawky.
Nice... I like these small non-guitar videos... Keep them coming! Doesn't matter if it's specifically about guitars cause I learn something nonetheless!
I'm a fan of this kind of video here, Ben. Any chance to see your woodworking skills and creativity will inspire hundreds if not thousands. We will see skills that can be translated to our building--guitars or otherwise.
Thank you Tucker, I really enjoy making in all its forms and personally take inspiration from more than just luthiery videos, I'm glad you feel the same way.. more will be on the way for sure. B
These were routinely available in the '70's as new old stock in the UK, as fire services upgraded to more modern kit - so normally no history of daring rescues locked up in the patina of most of these. I bought one for £1 - it's in the workshop now, having done little more than chop firewood. I have another better quality fireman's axe of unknown origin which has a hard resinoid rubber handle which I am sure has seen action somewhere - it's an encapsulated through metal handle, and weighs an absolute ton.
Remembering the fireman's axe my father used to split kindling, your handle could be 2-3" longer. You could also put a hole through the end to take a wrist loop.
Beautiful work, Ben. The finished product looks very similar to the presentation axe my Dad received on retirement as Leading Fireman after 33 years in North Staffordshire Fire and Rescue. Respect, Sir 🤙🏻
I have exactly the same sort of axe to restore at some stage. Mine still has the original handle, which is basically straight (end on its a slight oval shape) so this was a good video to get some ideas
your comment about abrasions telling the story of the tools life is very true...I believe the maker of a thing imbues the thing with part of his/her soul and that thing then shares that story with its maker.
I love watching your woodworking skills in action. Makes me wish I could do things like that, but since my right hand doesn't work like a "normal" persons hand does, I'd require all the knowledge of all the possible tools I could circumvent the disability of mine.
Hi Ben, Lovely job on that 'Brades' axe head and I reckon you're correct in saying that it's from the 1950s. A bit of history: 'The Brades' was actually a factory complex in Oldbury, Worcestershire, owned by William Hunt (later & Sons). 'The Brades' trademark of WHS took its name from the factory complex location, near the Brades Road (to Brades Village) and the canal. William Hunt were famous worldwide for quality edge tools and my grandfather worked there as an 'exhibition grade' tool polisher in the 1920/30s - he'd have been proud of you! In 1951 William Hunt and Son's were taken over to become Brades Nash Tyzack, who used the name 'Brades' as their trademark stamp. Later, In 1960 BNT were themselves acquired by Spear and Jackson only to end up with BNT manufacturing being removed completely from Oldbury after 280 years. Ultimately they were closed down altogether.
You should make a channel for vintage tool shop, and focus on tool restoring and appreciation :) make it more vlog like an such as it doesn't need to be as high production as this right away. Anyway I think it would be great as I, and others watch alot of restoration videos and personally I've enjoyed watching you more then most.
One of my favourite watches of all time, trying to figure out how to get an apollo 8 speedmaster though.. that skeletonisation and ceramic case just do it for me! B
Sleek looking axe. You made the right choice not merely restoring it to it's former glory. It just looks like it was mass produced, there's no makers mark on it like a hand forged one, so why not be original and bring out the design...I'd hang it up somewhere in your redesigned shop It turned out pretty sweet. The demo was pretty hilarious too. Never waste a good watermelon.
Nice one, Ben. I've recently inherited a WWII Arpax, which I think my Nana's widower took from his Dakota. It needs some love and I think you may have just provided the impetus to do so. Nice job!
I too am sorry to see the axes history erased, it's a stunning final result but the story was more important. I also think it's older than you think Brades made fire axes that were issued during ww2 to a very similar pattern.
I restored my dads old hammer recently -. The one with a Bottle Opener instead of Nail Puller. It was was quite heavily oxidized. All i used were the small silicon NAIL MANICURE POLISHING pads that i got in the cheapo shop. 75cents each here in Madrid Took half an hour. Of course I forgot to take a BEFORE photo
Three years late to the party here… I know. But I just wanted to thank you, Ben, for attacking this Fire Fighter’s Axe with such an attention to detail. It is truly beautiful. I can’t claim to know the culture of the Fire Service in the UK. But here in the states a Fire Fighter’s tools are looked at with a bit of historic reverence. Sure… they’re ‘tools’. And they truly are put to work. But they’re always whenever time allows, cared for intensely with (hopefully) the level of detail that you have given this axe. In a ‘station’ here, or ‘fire house’, it’s usually a job given to the younger Fire Fighters to do. With the hope and intention of instilling in them the traditions of the Fire Service. To clean and sharpen and polish… and made ‘worthy’ of attacking the next task. Whenever possible taking them to ‘better than new’ condition & capability. Quite as you’ve just done with this tool. Better than new. As a retired Fire Fighter/Paramedic I just wanted to pass along my gratitude for having done such an awesome job with this. That axe has likely seen some things. I may be wrong… but the look you had in your eye at a few points made me think you might have sensed that about it. Anyway… I’ve become a big fan of your content, Ben. And of Josh and Sophia, and all that have appeared on the channel there in your shop. I haven’t seen them ‘all’ but I’m likely passing halfway. I’ve even been purchasing tickets for a number of guitars in the Great Guitar Giveaway! I wish you all the best as you get the museum up and running. Quite a task, but it would seem you all are up to it. You guys have also been a great help to me in showing me how to take care of & modify my own parts-casters. It appears to be more than simply a job with all of you - it’s a love. Again, I’m three years late, and I’m not certain anyone will see this… but I couldn’t ‘not’ thank you. So thanks! Be well & God bless. 👍🏼
A big welcome and thank you for all your positive comments. I hope we continue to put up content that you will enjoy. To facilitate searches much of the content has been placed into Playlists - an ongoing excercise. DC
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars Ohh you’re quite welcome! The playlists are a HUGE help. I watch the daily videos as they become available, and then also utilize the playlists to watch the projects from start to finish. Big help! Take care, ‘DC’. And thanks again.
Love this :) Was hoping you'd use the lathe for the handle, don't think I've ever seen you use it 🤔🤔 2 questions. 1. Did you clean up inside the head? 2. No thoughts about preserving the markings (brand name etc)? As always, looking forward to more content 😊
you really don't want a perfectly round handle on an axe or hammer because it can turn while swinging or when you hit something. the oval shape helps keep it facing the way you want it to.
Nicely done. I know the tough choice of renewing an old tool, there is history there, but some tools seem to cry out to be seen as they originally were, or made better than they were. The stain was a "perfect" choice. I have many old tools from my great grandfathers who were both shipwrights as well as my grandfather who built many of his tools to fit the job he was doing. These I leave as is, other than a dressing up of edges so they can still work. Ones I don't have that connection to are easier to restore.
Ben you should split it in have after you restore it and use it on a build. Inlay it in the body or do something with resin. I think itd be pretty unique and different.
At 2:14 you can see a cloud of rust coming off the back of the wheel, if you put the hose of a Shop Vac (or your local equivalent) there, it should suck up most if not all of that material before it makes a mess of your shop...
Nice job on the restoration it was something I never thought you would do but being the person that you are it didn't surprise me one bit thanks for showing us if you think that you can make it look awesome it will look awesome
Ben, you've made me so sad😔. You've erased the history and soul from the axe. Every dent could have told the story of a daring rescue. Removing the Brades makers stamp actually brought a tear to my eye. If only you'd stopped soon after your initial rust clean up, made your absolutely perfect handle and sharpened the axe to a good useable condition. Then it would be a tool I envied. I love my vintage tools and enjoy feeling the history in my hands every time I use them.
Very much in line with what I was thinking. Not a restoration, he scrapped it and use the steel to make a new one. The end result is beautiful but I feel there would be more merit in building it from raw stock.
I agree. Removing the maker's stamp and the scale that was marked along the edge of the handle removed its character, history and most of its value as an antique.
Definitely think you should use that axe (or similar) as the tailpiece of a custom Ben-made Crimson 'axe'. (Sorry, I know it's good to get away from guitar building sometimes)
5:14 you mean better axe-cess? This is like one of the videos I'm always being recommended by youtube so hopefully more people will find your channel like that.
This wasn't what I expected to see today, but even though I'm never likely to use these techniques it was still fascinating and entertaining to watch you at work. A new challenge: build a guitar using only this axe!
PS The instant I saw that clamp I wanted one. I don't have a use for it, but I still want one.
Ben, I'm actually quite surprised that you didn't use a blowtorch to char the handle before staining it 😆 are you feeling ok?
Its wonderful to see vintage tools being brought back to life! I would have been torn as to the complete restoration or just a clean up on the axe head. You did the right thing, because it looks awesome! *runs to sift through my old tools*
Now that's metal! Right up my alley.
It's always satisfying to do a little project ! I made my brother and I some beautiful mallets from purple heart, Padauk, Cherry, Walnut, and flame Maple from scraps in the shop. They looked so nice I don't even want to use mine lol. Keeps the creative juices flowing !
Ben you’re a star, you’ve done a cracking job of restoring that old axe, the possibilities for the things the that you can achieve are endless, what more can I say.
Good luck and good health to you and everyone else, cheers, Chris.
Ben needs a channel dedicated to tool restoration!!!!
Is it gonna be a hollow body?
Thats a different kind of "axe" than what I'm used to seeing on this channel lol
Awesome
I love restoring old tools
Oh how dare you , Mr. Ben Crowe! Not enough that you faszinate me with your Guitars, no, now you do my 2nd favourite thing on YT. You, sir, are truely a genius. Keep up the great work.
Greetings from Germany. Hawky.
Careful With That Axe, Eugene
I would like to watch more of those Restoration Videos. The BGM is just Fantastic.
Nice... I like these small non-guitar videos... Keep them coming!
Doesn't matter if it's specifically about guitars cause I learn something nonetheless!
Fark! This is a marvelous job! It was lovely to watch this video, Ben. More axes please.
''I changed the handle, I changed the blade, but its still the axe of my great-great-grandfather''
Daaamn, I need that magic clamp. For anyone else looking, it's a Triton Autojaws bench clamp.
"The Rusty Fireman's Axe" sounds like something from Viz, or Roger's Profanisaurus.
Imagine the state Finbarr Saunders and his double entendres would be in whilst watching Ben "polish his tool."
sounds like a pre war era sex manoeuvre
@@jimgraves4197 Fnarr fnarr!
This doesn't look like a case for the 2020 build? 🤔😉
It'll be made with that axe.
I'm a fan of this kind of video here, Ben. Any chance to see your woodworking skills and creativity will inspire hundreds if not thousands. We will see skills that can be translated to our building--guitars or otherwise.
Thank you Tucker, I really enjoy making in all its forms and personally take inspiration from more than just luthiery videos, I'm glad you feel the same way.. more will be on the way for sure. B
Ben I love the work you do!
I've got my grandads ww2 hatchet. Its a war hero in itself.
The tool shop I knew I'd met you. Thanks for the drill press.
That was cool. Nice to see something different.
These were routinely available in the '70's as new old stock in the UK, as fire services upgraded to more modern kit - so normally no history of daring rescues locked up in the patina of most of these. I bought one for £1 - it's in the workshop now, having done little more than chop firewood. I have another better quality fireman's axe of unknown origin which has a hard resinoid rubber handle which I am sure has seen action somewhere - it's an encapsulated through metal handle, and weighs an absolute ton.
Should've put a truss rod in the handle haha
Something a bit different and i LOVED it. Turned out beautifully.
Thank you, too sharp though.. my wife won't let me bring it home!! B
A thing of beauty...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2:55 Taking ANYTHING and going a "Little Bit Crazy" with it isn't hard for you, you Lovable Lunatic!
I love old tools, they make me all warm and tingly. Great job on that resto!
....and the brown traditional coat comes out. Ace.
Remembering the fireman's axe my father used to split kindling, your handle could be 2-3" longer. You could also put a hole through the end to take a wrist loop.
I really loved seeing you apply your skills in a different way, always a craftsman! Beautiful piece.
Beautiful!
Someone's been watching Man at Arms videos. Heh.
Great work on the axe. Looks gorgeous.
Wow what a fantastic restoration.
I quite enjoyed that!
OMG! I'm in a daze. Crimson goes Hand Tool Rescue! Does the day get any better?
Nice, please more of this Ben?
Good music on this one.
"let's take this and go a little crazy"
Yep. That's the Ben we know and love.
If I had probably the best guitar making video site in all the world as we know it..........................I too would make a video about an axe.
Great job, liked your patience and attention to detail. Fire axe looks great!
I like how the blade gets a drink of coffee while being sharpened.
It’s almost like you know I’ve been binging axe restorations lately. ;)
Beautiful work, Ben. The finished product looks very similar to the presentation axe my Dad received on retirement as Leading Fireman after 33 years in North Staffordshire Fire and Rescue. Respect, Sir 🤙🏻
My father was a fireman for 30 years! This is great to see.
Great restoration Ben , really nice job .
I have exactly the same sort of axe to restore at some stage. Mine still has the original handle, which is basically straight (end on its a slight oval shape) so this was a good video to get some ideas
Not much brightens my day like hearing “Ha Ha! Yay!”
your comment about abrasions telling the story of the tools life is very true...I believe the maker of a thing imbues the thing with part of his/her soul and that thing then shares that story with its maker.
Looks great, how is the intonation?
Love it! Guitars and tool restoration! Quickly falling more and more on love with this channel!
Ben is truly a UA-cam maker now: restores axe, slow mo shot of it destroying fruit.
I love watching your woodworking skills in action. Makes me wish I could do things like that, but since my right hand doesn't work like a "normal" persons hand does, I'd require all the knowledge of all the possible tools I could circumvent the disability of mine.
More! More!
That clean rook away the history of it
Loved the different video. Keep it up
Hi Ben,
Lovely job on that 'Brades' axe head and I reckon you're correct in saying that it's from the 1950s.
A bit of history: 'The Brades' was actually a factory complex in Oldbury, Worcestershire, owned by William Hunt (later & Sons). 'The Brades' trademark of WHS took its name from the factory complex location, near the Brades Road (to Brades Village) and the canal. William Hunt were famous worldwide for quality edge tools and my grandfather worked there as an 'exhibition grade' tool polisher in the 1920/30s - he'd have been proud of you!
In 1951 William Hunt and Son's were taken over to become Brades Nash Tyzack, who used the name 'Brades' as their trademark stamp. Later, In 1960 BNT were themselves acquired by Spear and Jackson only to end up with BNT manufacturing being removed completely from Oldbury after 280 years. Ultimately they were closed down altogether.
Interesting headstock.
That was brilliant. Just class
great work! Ben, you are a litlle magician :)
Stunning work Mr Crowe!
You should make a channel for vintage tool shop, and focus on tool restoring and appreciation :) make it more vlog like an such as it doesn't need to be as high production as this right away. Anyway I think it would be great as I, and others watch alot of restoration videos and personally I've enjoyed watching you more then most.
Sweet Axe 👍 👌
I had my father’s one for years.
who else knew when he said he could leave it like this or , that it was absolutely going to be the or ? another great one Ben . Thanks and be well .
Great job. Loving the seamaster chrono too!
One of my favourite watches of all time, trying to figure out how to get an apollo 8 speedmaster though.. that skeletonisation and ceramic case just do it for me! B
Very nice
Funny! Ben maybe the craziest guy on youtube.
Sleek looking axe. You made the right choice not merely restoring it to it's former glory. It just looks like it was mass produced, there's no makers mark on it like a hand forged one, so why not be original and bring out the design...I'd hang it up somewhere in your redesigned shop It turned out pretty sweet. The demo was pretty hilarious too. Never waste a good watermelon.
Ben you simply HAVE to go to Montana and spend some time with Alec Steele. Seeing you guys make a Damascus hand plane would be ridiculous!
Nice one, Ben. I've recently inherited a WWII Arpax, which I think my Nana's widower took from his Dakota. It needs some love and I think you may have just provided the impetus to do so.
Nice job!
I too am sorry to see the axes history erased, it's a stunning final result but the story was more important. I also think it's older than you think Brades made fire axes that were issued during ww2 to a very similar pattern.
Nice +1silverd axe. Perfect for the zombie apocalypse
I restored my dads old hammer recently -. The one with a Bottle Opener instead of Nail Puller. It was was quite heavily oxidized.
All i used were the small silicon NAIL MANICURE POLISHING pads that i got in the cheapo shop. 75cents each here in Madrid Took half an hour.
Of course I forgot to take a BEFORE photo
Sweet axe. Really shining 😏
Different but cool 👍🤠
Three years late to the party here… I know. But I just wanted to thank you, Ben, for attacking this Fire Fighter’s Axe with such an attention to detail. It is truly beautiful.
I can’t claim to know the culture of the Fire Service in the UK. But here in the states a Fire Fighter’s tools are looked at with a bit of historic reverence. Sure… they’re ‘tools’. And they truly are put to work. But they’re always whenever time allows, cared for intensely with (hopefully) the level of detail that you have given this axe. In a ‘station’ here, or ‘fire house’, it’s usually a job given to the younger Fire Fighters to do. With the hope and intention of instilling in them the traditions of the Fire Service. To clean and sharpen and polish… and made ‘worthy’ of attacking the next task. Whenever possible taking them to ‘better than new’ condition & capability. Quite as you’ve just done with this tool. Better than new.
As a retired Fire Fighter/Paramedic I just wanted to pass along my gratitude for having done such an awesome job with this. That axe has likely seen some things. I may be wrong… but the look you had in your eye at a few points made me think you might have sensed that about it. Anyway…
I’ve become a big fan of your content, Ben. And of Josh and Sophia, and all that have appeared on the channel there in your shop. I haven’t seen them ‘all’ but I’m likely passing halfway. I’ve even been purchasing tickets for a number of guitars in the Great Guitar Giveaway! I wish you all the best as you get the museum up and running. Quite a task, but it would seem you all are up to it. You guys have also been a great help to me in showing me how to take care of & modify my own parts-casters. It appears to be more than simply a job with all of you - it’s a love. Again, I’m three years late, and I’m not certain anyone will see this… but I couldn’t ‘not’ thank you. So thanks!
Be well & God bless. 👍🏼
A big welcome and thank you for all your positive comments. I hope we continue to put up content that you will enjoy. To facilitate searches much of the content has been placed into Playlists - an ongoing excercise. DC
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars Ohh you’re quite welcome!
The playlists are a HUGE help. I watch the daily videos as they become available, and then also utilize the playlists to watch the projects from start to finish. Big help!
Take care, ‘DC’. And thanks again.
have a good day!
If possible, I would like to see your bring back back the makers mark. Just so the next restorer can see it in a hundred years time
It's so pretty I wouldn't even wanna rescue anyone with it in an emergency.
Love this :)
Was hoping you'd use the lathe for the handle, don't think I've ever seen you use it 🤔🤔
2 questions.
1. Did you clean up inside the head?
2. No thoughts about preserving the markings (brand name etc)?
As always, looking forward to more content 😊
Ben uses the lathe in episode 20 of the BoB build at about 5 mins in, to make the control knob :)
@@jessyjohannsen861
I knew I'd be wrong as soon as I hit reply.... I watched all of the Bob build 😂
you really don't want a perfectly round handle on an axe or hammer because it can turn while swinging or when you hit something. the oval shape helps keep it facing the way you want it to.
@@seanthompson6720 interesting point! Hadn't considered that! 😊
Nicely done. I know the tough choice of renewing an old tool, there is history there, but some tools seem to cry out to be seen as they originally were, or made better than they were. The stain was a "perfect" choice.
I have many old tools from my great grandfathers who were both shipwrights as well as my grandfather who built many of his tools to fit the job he was doing. These I leave as is, other than a dressing up of edges so they can still work. Ones I don't have that connection to are easier to restore.
0:00 and now for something completely different
Brilliant work as always 👍🏼
Ben you should split it in have after you restore it and use it on a build. Inlay it in the body or do something with resin. I think itd be pretty unique and different.
At 2:14 you can see a cloud of rust coming off the back of the wheel, if you put the hose of a Shop Vac (or your local equivalent) there, it should suck up most if not all of that material before it makes a mess of your shop...
Nice job on the restoration it was something I never thought you would do but being the person that you are it didn't surprise me one bit thanks for showing us if you think that you can make it look awesome it will look awesome
5:58 - the dremmel part was so satisfying... Great work!
This channel recently has turned into axes and fire and I'm okay with that
Watermelon! Was expecting to see you chop through an old door a la jack nicholson, missed a trick there, here’s Ben !!!
Well you beat me i had to hit the thumbs up 👍🏻I normally don't bother with the 👍🏻👎business .👍🏻☮❤
The perfection 😍
Ben, you've made me so sad😔. You've erased the history and soul from the axe. Every dent could have told the story of a daring rescue. Removing the Brades makers stamp actually brought a tear to my eye. If only you'd stopped soon after your initial rust clean up, made your absolutely perfect handle and sharpened the axe to a good useable condition. Then it would be a tool I envied. I love my vintage tools and enjoy feeling the history in my hands every time I use them.
This was what I was thinking. It actually looked real nice, and then it turned into an anonymous tool.
Very much in line with what I was thinking. Not a restoration, he scrapped it and use the steel to make a new one. The end result is beautiful but I feel there would be more merit in building it from raw stock.
I agree. Removing the maker's stamp and the scale that was marked along the edge of the handle removed its character, history and most of its value as an antique.
100% agreed
You should use the silica rubber machining bit and machine the ax head up to the 1” from the chopping blade surface?
Definitely think you should use that axe (or similar) as the tailpiece of a custom Ben-made Crimson 'axe'. (Sorry, I know it's good to get away from guitar building sometimes)
5:14 you mean better axe-cess?
This is like one of the videos I'm always being recommended by youtube so hopefully more people will find your channel like that.
i see what ya did there
Awesome! Love the idea of giving a new lease of life to old tools :-)
That looks beautiful Ben, just a shame that you weren't able to maintain the manufacturers stamping on the axe.
You sir, have out-axed me.