All heartwood handle

[Agent_H]

Was picking through the wares and took a closer look at this handle.

32" house handle: octagonalized. The grain looks decent with minimal run-out. I believe it's entirely heartwood. Maybe someone can enlighten me as the pros and cons of an all heartwood handle. Kind of pretty without anything done to it. Was thinking of using it but was wondering if there is anything I should know before shaping.

Thinking a nicer head and don't want to marry them together unless it's appropriate- if that makes any sense.

 

[jblyttle]

Take this with a grain of salt, as I am not the most experienced in this area. Others will certainly add their wisdom.

I have seen many handles posted here, and have come to love the look of a handle with heartwood, especially a mix that shows both colors. When oiled and finished, they are beautiful. Also, I have read so many different threads and opinions regarding the preference of sapwood over heartwood in hickory, and my take is that it is similar to the grain orientation theory. That being, prevailing wisdom and tradition says that straight grain and sapwood are preferred, BUT that there is no practical evidence that it makes much real world difference if it is good wood and that it is not misused. So many threads point out that the FSS spec doesn't even mention grain orientation. My belief is that all things being equal you probably want straighter grain, but don't worry about it. I think that the sapwood/heartwood debate is similar. It probably doesn't really matter.

Long way of saying, if you were asking my opinion, I would say hang that baby. If it ever fails, so? You just got the gift of another project. Look back through the many pages of the " what did you hang today" thread and take a look at the many examples of handles with heartwood that were hung by pros and look awesome.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Handles are consumables. While you don't want to have to rehang a head in an unreasonably short span, you already have the handle, it looks nice, and it's not like it takes all that much time and effort to do. As far as the heartwood question goes, that mostly pertains to old growth, which is pretty much all gone so it's not a concern these days. New growth hickory is pretty consistent in strength of sapwood vs. heartwood to the point where studies have found no appreciable difference.

 

[Agent_H]

Forty-Two and JB, I think your two answers have distilled everything I have read on the subject lol. Appreciate both of your responses. This handle was slipped into my order last time and for some reason was feeling hesitant in using it.

Olybears57 posted a picture of his grand-father's Plumb Victory double bit with an all-heartwood handle that I was ogling last night. Thought it was a great combo and am taken with the contrasts. Got me thinking about what to do with a Plumb Victory single bit that keeps looking at me every time I walk into the garage. "Hey, don't skimp on my stick" it seems to say... This might just be my lack of sleep though...

Just was wondering if there is any appreciable difference with exposure to routine moisture (as in regular use and inside/covered storage), tendency for warping, or noticeable softness with a rasp - compared to sapwood. All of this will be answered with use but when I have a serious or casual question this is the best place to ask.

JB - the "what did you hang today" threads are a couple of my favorites. I've read each of the posts, and there are quite a few. I've picked up a lot just from looking at what members have put together and in some cases really reworked to return old tools to something beautiful. A Legitimus Connie with a deep patina might look great on it too :thumbup:

 

[halfaxe]

The USFS did a study many years ago that showed no difference in strength between sapwood and heartwood handles. It is posted in a thread here somewhere. I like all heartwood handles myself. My Gransfors Bruks Scandinavian forest axe has an all heartwood handle.

 

[mako20ft]

The USFS did a study many years ago that showed no difference in strength between sapwood and heartwood handles. It is posted in a thread here somewhere. I like all heartwood handles myself. My Gransfors Bruks Scandinavian forest axe has an all heartwood handle.

I've also read either that same article or a competing version. When I order up from House Megan already knows to hand select Heartwood...no discernible difference in strength and some of the colors are exceptional :thumbup:

 

[Agent_H]

Halfaxe- any pictures handy?

 

[chuxwan]

I believe sapwood tends to absorb and lose moisture faster than heartwood.

 

[300Six]

Nice piece of wood you've got there. If those blems along the butt are not evidence of 'through knots', and there aren't any of these towards the front, then this blank can easily become a 'lifetime' haft. Only thing that distinguishes 'dead' wood (read; heartwood) from 'live' wood (sapwood) is the accumulation of minerals and debris in the cells enough to block the 'active transport' transpiratory mechanism of that particular part of the tree.

 

[Steve Tall]

There is also a mention of sapwood generally having less hidden defects than heartwood.

About the effects of heartwood and sapwood...

"Table 16 gives the results of tests from selected pieces lying side by side in the same tree, and also the average values for heart wood and sapwood in shipments of the commercial hickories without selection. It shows conclusively that the transformation of sapwood into heartwood does not affect either the strength or toughness of the wood. This conclusion is also confirmed by Forest Service Circular 142, which shows that, weight for weight, sound hickory is equally strong regardless of color. Therefore the user of hickory should not discriminate against heartwood in buying stock. It is true however that sapwood usually is more free from latent defects than heartwood."

 

[Agent_H]

This all great information, always appreciate it. Steve, thank you for the resource as well. That is interesting that sapwood harbors fewer hidden defects yet no major differences in strength.

300- it is pretty. It came pretty so I can't take credit for hand picking it. That knot doesn't seem to run through and I'm not seeing any others. Got it fitted to a Plumb Victory 3.5lb single bit. The head is dark with patina. Wrapped the eye portion with light cardboard so I can put a nice edge on it without marring it up. I'm following the oct pattern to thin it out. If anything it feels as resistant to a rasp/round file as most my other handles, new or old.

I'll post a picture of it when closer to finished. Think it will end up a nice axe. I have a plumb double bit on a heartwood handle I'll throw in as well.

Feel free to share pics of your "heartwood" tools - it's Valentine's Day...

 

[cityofthesouth]

This is two pictures of the same handle - full, dark heartwood. I haven't been using it long, but I've beat the piss out of it. So far so good.

heartwoodhandle_beforeafter by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

 

[Agent_H]

COTS- Great, rich tones.

After some trimming my handle some, another knot was revealed. Obvious now and the other side shows a slight wave in the grain.

What Steve posted seems to be verified.

It looked like an extra-dark line of grain until I shaved on it a bit. Not sure how it will affect performance. Longevity for sure if not looked after.

My last House order was placed as 6 handles and I received 9. 3 of them have varying degrees of heartwood. Like to think it was a kind gesture and not human error.

Handles are consumables. While you don't want to have to rehang a head in an unreasonably short span, you already have the handle, it looks nice, and it's not like it takes all that much time and effort to do.

Agreed.

Heartwood: "The dark meat on a Thanksgiving turkey"

Plumb Victory at this stage. It had some nicks in the edge so I'm cleaning it up. Removed the patina but I am going for a usable axe more than something just to look at. Honestly don't need another hung axe but I can think of less constructive things to do with 20min here and there.

 

[olybears57]

Plumb victory rehung on a full heartwood handle. I love heartwood

 

[Agent_H]

Plumb victory rehung on a full heartwood handle. I love heartwood

That's the axe that got me thinking about heartwood. Great looking tool, your grandfather's?

 

[olybears57]

Yes sir. With a new handpicked (requested) heartwood handle from house handle

 

[Agent_H]

Here is how the handle turned out with the Plumb secured to it.

Old Table

Eye/Wedge

Swell

Face

Table 2

Color

I'm pleased with how it turned out.

This is a Plumb 3.2 double bit that has a heartwood handle as well. Haven't touched the edge yet. What pattern would this one be? I want to say swamping or Michigan but it might be something else with the wear pattern throwing me off.

 

[SC T100]

Those turned out great, and I'm a big fan of all heartwood handles. I have a Council Tool straight handle that I believe is all heartwood, and it's by far my favorite handle I have in terms of how it looks. Funny enough, it has a Plumb 3.2 on it as well!

 

[Oxbow]

It is good to know that some of the dogma around hickory handles isn't necessarily so. At least not all of the time.

I am wondering also about the "Tennessee Hickory" thing. Is there any particular reason hickory from TN is better than hickory from NY? I've seen on a database HERE that appears to show that pignut hickory is a better handle wood than other species, and doesn't seem to make my favorite ash out too be all that special. But is the Tennessee thing anything more than good marketing?

 

[Agent_H]

Funny enough, it has a Plumb 3.2 on it as well!

Thank you SC T100 - truck reference? You put some very nice stuff together I've seen here. Any chance for a Plumb picture with the heartwood? Some of the heartwood has colors bordering on "Plumb". :thumbup: