A Haftectomy

T

trailmaker

Joined
May 15, 2011
Messages
506
I thought I'd post some photos of a recent haft removal, and the tools I found useful. I'm sure there are many better methods and tools for haft removal but this worked for me. I did most of the wood removal with this little Dremel attachment.
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Then I used a knife to get the little ridge of wood right up against the eye where I couldn't reach with the Dremel.
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Eventually I removed enough wood and I was able to slide the head downward, which leaves the top of the handle exposed above the head.
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The next step, which I forgot to photograph, is using a small handsaw to remove the handle wood on either side of the wedge. Once this was done I had just the wedge sticking up out of the top of the handle. I pinched the exposed wedge in a vice and used a plastic mallet to knock the head upwards until the wedge popped out. Initially I tried to simply pull upwards on the handle but in the end the tapping with the hammer is what was needed.
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Once the wedge was removed I was able to knock the handle through from the top. It was still a pretty tight fit because of the metal wedges that had been pounded in from the top of the handle.
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I'm getting more proficient each time I do one of these handle removals. Some are easy and some are messy and sometimes the handle has to be written off.
 
Nice work, Trailmaker!

Coincidentally, I also performed a "haftectomy" today. I hope you don't see this as a hijack, if you do-I'll remove it! Here's what I did:

I put a screw through the side of my garage shelving and into the wedge of the axe. Then yanked on the axe handle until about 1/2 inch of the wedge was sticking out, and I pulled it out in chunks. Only need a new wedge with no damage done to the haft.

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Matt
 
I'm all about sharing info and experience, thanks for your post Matt. I like how your method doesn't damage the haft I'll try that sometime. That could be especially useful if theres no room to slide the head downward on the haft, before the haft starts narrowing.
 
If I had a nice bench vise, like you've got, I probably would have put two screws in the wedge and clamped the screw heads into the vice.

Thanks, Trailmaker.
 
No, unless the original cannot be restored. Only if it is in piss poor shape will I totally re-haft with a new one.
 
trailmaker said:
So what's the easy alternative? I'm pretty lazy so if there's an easier way to remove the haft while keeping it in useable condition I'm all ears.
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I think the alternative is to clean it up while still on the handle...right, Op?
 
M3mphis said:
I think the alternative is to clean it up while still on the handle...right, Op?
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You can do this, but depending on the head condition, sometimes that can be hard and time consuming, plus then sometimes doesn't look right if you have a nice clean axe head on an old used and abused handle. I will post a run down of what I do. I am no expert, but have a pretty good technique down, some will like, some will call me an idiot, and they are probably right.
 
In the first case above, with the two metal wedges, I would of tried this :

I would take an awl and pound a hole on each side of the metal wedge, long ways. Then take the awl, and work it down and under the wedge, and pop it out. I have found this pretty easy and usually work, esp on wedges not properly placed. Or, with the holes on each side, get your needle nose pliers, clamp down, and pull. Sometimes you can work it free. If not, reverse the action, and put the needle nose in the vise, and use the axe to work it free. Depending on how the wedge is in the wood, direction, depth, etc, will depend on if you can do this. Usually u can.

Metal wedges out, now need to get wood wedge out - take a drill and drill bit that is smaller in diameter than the wedge, and make about 6 holes in the wedge. Then you can take a a flat screw driver and with a hammer clean out the middle of the wedge. Then take wooden mallet and drive head off from bottom out.

Usually pretty quick and easy.
 
Makes sense to me. I actually thought about drilling holes in the wedge. I think removing that handle took me barely over 5 minutes, it was pretty fast. It did not have any metal wedges, though.

Matt
 
Operator1975 said:
In the first case above, with the two metal wedges, I would of tried this :

I would take an awl and pound a hole on each side of the metal wedge, long ways. Then take the awl, and work it down and under the wedge, and pop it out. I have found this pretty easy and usually work, esp on wedges not properly placed. Or, with the holes on each side, get your needle nose pliers, clamp down, and pull. Sometimes you can work it free. If not, reverse the action, and put the needle nose in the vise, and use the axe to work it free. Depending on how the wedge is in the wood, direction, depth, etc, will depend on if you can do this. Usually u can.

Metal wedges out, now need to get wood wedge out - take a drill and drill bit that is smaller in diameter than the wedge, and make about 6 holes in the wedge. Then you can take a a flat screw driver and with a hammer clean out the middle of the wedge. Then take wooden mallet and drive head off from bottom out.

Usually pretty quick and easy.
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That sounds like a good idea to use the awl. I never would have thought of that because I'm not familiar with awls and don't own any, I'll pick some up ASAP. I'm not sure how well they would have worked in this situation because the metal wedges had been punched down "below grade". The previous owner must have tried to tighten up the handle at some point by punching the wedges deeper. You can see what I mean in this picture.
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I tried to drill out the wedge once but I made a mess of it and ended up destroying the handle. I might try that method again though because it does sound like it could be less work if done properly.
 
With this most recent pic, I would of took my saw and cut the haft off from the top, and then when I got to the metal wedges, worked around them and then popped them free, then went to work on the wood wedge. Seeing the top was protruded that much out, my need to take your coping saw and make the wedge slice a little longer, as long as the head can sit on the shoulder correctly.
 
The only tricky part of drilling it out (or putting screws in it) is that the wedge is tapered and you could easily get into the handle with your bit.

Earlier this summer we were camping and the head loosened on my GB double. I hammered needle nose pliers onto each side of both of my metal wedges and pulled them out. I then carved up a piece of wood to use as a punch to push the handle out of the head. I went to a big sawed off stump and slammed the axe into it as far as I could. Then I used my "punch" and my hatchet as a hammer to knock out the handle from the top. I had to pull the axe out and re-set it into the stump many times. I kept switching which bit went into the stump because it would eventually bind up because my set up favored one direction of force if that makes sense. I don't know that I could have made this work with a single bit. Anyway, it took a lot of hammering, but I was able to remove the handle. Then I carved a new wedge out of some white pine which is certainly not the best for this, but it has held perfectly ever since. SO - that's my field method!

Matt
 
No doubt you have to be careful with the drill bit and depth. Most wedges, in the grand scheme, are not that deep at all after you get them out. Some are, and those are from the old timers that did it right the first go round.

Also another method I have used is also using the "punch" method as Memphis stated (ifI read hsi correctly). I have an old chisel that is just about as wide as most double bit eyes. I took it to the grinder and made it nice and fat and flat on the end, and can sometimes pound the handle out from the top down - if conditions are right. Of course if you saw the handle off then proceed from the bottom to top, it is usually easy. Once you get the wooden wedge out, you can also use this punch to drive the handle out top to bottom. Careful though not to get too carried away and bust up your handle.

There probably isn't one said method that will work exactly every time. I have found these old rascals have a mind of their own when it comes times to remove head from haft. Some are willing, some want no part. And to me, thats pretty cool. Each one is different. It would be pretty dull if they were all the same.

Happy hafting.
 
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