Best way to paint an Axe?

We just recently sharpened all of our axes. The heads are somewhat rusty and all the old paint is coming off. What's the best way to paint them? I was thinking tape off around the blade and use a can of safety red Rust-Oleum spray paint.

Any thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on October 19, 2009 at 10:58pm

Quick, easy. What more could you ask for?

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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on October 21, 2009 at 1:54am

Reg, my sentiments exactly. But then I have very few sworn enemies. Must be because Ive swung that axe a few times before. LOL!

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Permalink Reply by Doug on December 30, 2009 at 1:58am

Sandpaper and elbow grease, maybe work in some paint thinner with a wire brush. Wire wheel or grinder can ruin the edges if you're not careful.

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Permalink Reply by Joseph L. De Laura, jr. on January 14, 2010 at 7:25pm

Paint remover, putty knife, sand paper. A wire wheel will burn the paint onto the axe head.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on January 14, 2010 at 10:20pm

grind them down and coat with a light oil or even wd 40...paint will cause the bit to bite and hold in material when used to cut...also take any lacquer or paint from the handles as well....Paul

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Permalink Reply by Eng Co 4 on January 14, 2010 at 11:53pm

In regards to "painting axes" I think that the NFPA thing
possibly refers to the entire tool (axe AND handle). As far
as treating/painting the HEAD of the ENTIRE TOOL, the
instructions that you were given here are spot-on. As far as
treating/painting the HANDLE of the ENTIRE TOOL, you should
as instructed, scrape all varnish, etc from the handle and THEN
treat it initially by SOAKING it in BOILED LINSEED OIL to make
the handle grain swell and tighten the head to the handle.
You should NEVER SEAL the handle of a WORKING fire service
tool (axe, pike, shovel, etc.) as this will trap moisture inside
the handle and promote ROT from within. PAINTING any handle
with a colored/opaque paint will ALSO do the same thing. There
is much controvers and many opinions about painting the ends
of the handles of tools a color (silver, white, etc) but I was always
told (by those same 100 year old firemen and quite a few boatmen)
that painting the ends also seals IN moisture and rot. But in my
paid as well as volunteer departments we painted the ends about
6 inches up with silver paint. The silver was thin and did not seem
to seal the grain up as we could periodically see the grain open up
and then we would repeat the strip/clean/repaint process again.
Normal monthly PM. Normal routine maintenance after a hard fire
or incident was to wipe the entire tool down with a rag soaked in
linseed oil. This included the head and blade. Worked for me for decades.

Hope this is helpful.

BTW...Beware of those yellow "fibre glass" handles now out there!
Many brands are actually WOOD clad in fibre glass and will rot from
within and fail suddenly without warning! I witnessed two such types
of failures on a fireground. Be sure of your suppliers and materials!
DON'T just buy from the hardware supplier.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on January 16, 2010 at 3:47pm

with you there .....I was in Forestry and did some axe work when I was a lot younger...and thats what we were taught...we actually used the edges of broken glass to shave the varnish off the handles and we weren't allowed to use an axe if there was paint on the head....

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on January 16, 2010 at 7:01pm

The IFSTA guidelines pretty much say it all. We have used linseed oil on the wooden handle (not fiberglass) and do not paint the axe head. WD-40 keeps down any rust and I work at a fire station that overlooks the pacific ocean... we know rust.

The end of the axe head has masking tape applied over the sharpened area. We use a file and gloves to sharpen the axe head. When you use the axe, the masking tape disappears. If you use paint, you cover up any possible damage or warning of failure. Plus I think the axe looks more 'old-school' sans any paint.

CBz

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Permalink Reply by Jason M Haas on January 16, 2010 at 8:04pm

At my volunteer house, we apply Tool Guard weekly to all hand tools. We do not paint any part of the axe. We feel that without paint we are able to discover signs of damage or stress so as to take the tool out of service before a complete failure of it. Tool Guard is a spray can that lubricates and protects hand tools and hydraulic equipment, we swear by it.