one for the metallurgists

[Norm]

If thats how you spell it, someone I know accidentally shovelled a wooden handled hand axe into a bonfire and discovered the head and metal wedge in the ashes the following morning, oops!.
Now said person has a replacement handle for the axe but is wondering what this escapade has done to the quality of the metal ? will it be softer, harder, brittle, etc. does it need to be treated in any way i.e re tempered / hardened or is it ok to re-use as is?
Norm

 

[MattF]

It's only going to be chopping wood. Should be absolutely fine once rehafted.

 

[rtbcomp]

New head and haft, should be fine.

 

[Norm]

New head and haft, should be fine.

Thanks

 

[awemawson]

If the bonfire got the axe up to cherry red it will be soft as anything and not hold an edge. Try filing it and see how hard it is. If it has softened, re-heat to cherry red, quench in old motor oil (OUTSIDE and away from other flamables) then temper to straw colour to avoid brittleness or it may shatter.

 

[pedrobedro]

Do a file check and then if it needs it reheat the cutting edge to cherry then quench it in oil as above then stick it in the oven for an hour at 250° and let it cool naturally, it will cut wood again.

 

[TechnicAl]

you will probably have softened it but it depends on what steel its made from. They use quite a few different steels, some use high carbon, some use lower carbon with Mn, some use CrMo, some are Stainless 17Cr High C.

 

[outofthefire]

Axes aren't usually that hard, I wouldn't worry about it. A bloke I knew years ago always used to chuck his axes in a fire to burn out old handles.

If you really want to re temper it heat up the first 3ish inches till its cherry red then dip just half an inch into oil take it out and quickly run a file over the the side of the cutting edge so its shiny. The heat from the unquenched steel will start to creep back to the edge watch the colour change when its a straw colour at the cutting edge drop the whole axe head in your oil and let it cool off.

 

[Norm]

Thanks guys, appreciate all the help, sounds daft as it's only an old axe but it was given to me by my late father in law and I was kickin myself for being so stupid, glad to know it can be saved and no real harm done.
Norm.