Aluminum wedge

[Frank01]

Hi guys,

Facing a new challenge, 36 years old axe needs to be cleaned but, handle is not too bad....aluminum wedge is on the way....any ideas to remove the wedge without damage the handle?

Thanks in advance
Frank

 

[cityofthesouth]

Aluminum wedge is "in" the way? If that's the case, and it's the typical stepped wedge what I do is take a chisel and try to get a bite in the wedge from one end. By "end" I mean the short edge/side - however you wanna look at it. Sometimes I go from both sides back and forth. I just keep trying to get a bite until I can begin tapping the chisel somewhat upward, lifting the wedge out. It's difficult to describe but it's a pretty effective way to get them out. It seems like you get nowhere at first but the wedge really only has one direction to move - up - and eventually it will. Once you get a good hook in the side of the wedge, it'll really start to lift up.

 

[300Six]

Can you seat the head down any further via tapping the butt on a hard surface, or other means? If you can expose an 1/8" or more of the handle you can carefully whittle or saw away the wood until the wedge is exposed enough to be able to grab it with vice grips.
And of course cityofthesouth's advice is also worthy of giving it a shot.

 

[Lieblad]

I typically drill into the wedge & thread in a machine or sheetmetal screw.
Then pull it out via hammerclaw.

Works on most steel wedges too. But sometimes the wedge is not thick enough to hold a screw whats strong enough to pull upon.

 

[quinton]

I typically drill into the wedge & thread in a machine or sheetmetal screw.
Then pull it out via hammerclaw.

Works on most steel wedges too. But sometimes the wedge is not thick enough to hold a screw whats strong enough to pull upon.

This is by far the best method ever devised to remove, wood and metal wedges.