Sater Banko Hatchet Restoration

I purchased this head on EBay for about $15 dollars. The head weighs approximately 1 1/4 lb. I figured this would make a nimble hatchet.

I purchased a straight 14" handle from the hardware store. I believe it was a Link brand handle. It was covered in a pretty thick lacquer and I had to rifle through a box to find one with a straight slot (the kerf) in the top as well as good grain orientation. The straight style wouldn't have been my first choice but it was the only handle at the store that looked like it would be a reasonable fit into my very small eye. In the end after a bit of sanding and some linseed oil it feels very functional and I will definitely consider straight handles for tools in this size range.

As it came to me with the old broken handle loosely still lingering in the eye. I ended up digging the old metal wedge out of the old handle and reused it with my new handle.

I soaked the head in a vinegar bath for about 24hrs, and then scrubbed with a wire brush. In this photo you can see some of the old blue paint coming through.

After putting an quick edge on it with the wet grinder.

I chose not to file away the minor mushrooming on the poll. In the future I might consider more aggressive restoration methods but it didn't seem appropriate here.

Thanks for reading!