I have never worried about it before but I picked up a couple of rusty axes off ebay (DB Kelly Flint and DB Sager Chemical)the other day and had to use navel jelly to get them cleaned up.
Has anyone ever forced a patina on their axes to prevent rusting?

Mustard, Ketchup, Gun Blue, etc?

I know folks do this with knives all the time but seems like an axe may be a little different?

I have done the gun blue on an adz and a broad axe that I found along the foundation of my Grandma’s house. They were getting ready to sell the acreage and I went hunting like never before.

My Grandpa’s family farmstead the place back in 1868. They were much pitted so I shot blasted (not sand blast) them and then blued. Now I need to get some handles on them.

I want to build a shadow box for them and my 1817 Common Rifle that also came from the farm.

Sorry not much help.

browning

Embrace the rust? I have no experience with 'browning', just know of it's use on blackpowder arms.

butthead

Thanks,

I will try the gun blue thing. I have been hafting axes all day, trying to catch up on some ebay finds. Now on to making masks and sheaths.

Thanks again!