ax handle

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vikingraider

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Mar 30, 2014
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how do I cure fresh cut black locust for making a handle for a battle ax that I will use in reenactments of viking raids
 
I personally store mine in a cool, dark place. Sometimes I debark it, sometimes I don't. Curing takes a long time, drying not so long.
 
Allow it to dry out (cure) slowly. Some folks paint the ends with wax or paint to impede the differential drying process, some hide the wood away in a dark and constant humidity place and others merely bag the piece of wood in a thin plastic and tie it off for a year or two. The essence of all this is to keep the exterior (sapwood) from drying out faster than the interior (heartwood) of the piece. Patience is a virtue when it comes to curing lumber.
Since you are merely seeking to dry-out a short stick it may be that removing the bark and running it through the microwave or oven (to boil off all the moisture) for a few hours will suffice. Experiment with an expendable piece first, and do treat the ends with something like tinfoil or plastic wrap while you're doing it.
Tinfoil is not an advisable material for use in microwaves, by the way.
 
300Six said:
Allow it to dry out (cure) slowly. Some folks paint the ends with wax or paint to impede the differential drying process
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That's the key. Seal the ends or it will crack badly. Leave the bark on. Give it a year in your dark garage or shed.

Alternately start 2 handles. Finish one now, of green wood and start using it. Seal the ends. Then put another piece of wood away for next year.
 
Maybe off the wall but if you can, cut standing dead that still has bark on. Mother nature cured. Bark still on means it might not be bug ridden quite yet.

I want to experiment with a small "drying box" using incandescent bulbs for low dry heat but have not quite yet. Guess I better hurry before the bulbs are outlawed ;)

Bill
 
lmalterna said:
I want to experiment with a small "drying box" using incandescent bulbs for low dry heat but have not quite yet. Guess I better hurry before the bulbs are outlawed ;)
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Go to the pet store and buy a ceramic reptile warmer. They screw right into a light socket. They come in different wattages, though they will run way more than an incandescent bulb for cost.
 
Skiv said:
Go to the pet store and buy a ceramic reptile warmer. They screw right into a light socket. They come in different wattages, though they will run way more than an incandescent bulb for cost.
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This is a lot of trouble for a mere piece of wood. It is true though that you can't be in a hurry.
Very difficult to impress upon 'the modern generation' that wood has a 'life of it's own' and that there is very little you do can change this.
 
Skiv,
That is a cool idea. I actually have heat emitter left over from my herping days. The idea is to replicate Summer conditions everyday. Not really cook it in the oven and I think the box would provide heat in the 85-90F range with low humidity.

Bill
 
Excellent information. I'm trying to cure a piece of vine maple for a handle experiment and I think I'll try the wax on the ends. Humidity is relatively high in my area year round unless it drops below freezing. My main worry is if it's two damp it'll start to rot. I have a warm, dry attic, a less warm but still pretty dry shop (I manage to keep it around 40% humidity in there) and the rafters of my woodshed as storage options while it cures. Do any of these jump out as excellent/ horrible ideas?
 
Alocksly said:
Excellent information. I'm trying to cure a piece of vine maple for a handle experiment and I think I'll try the wax on the ends. Humidity is relatively high in my area year round unless it drops below freezing. My main worry is if it's two damp it'll start to rot. I have a warm, dry attic, a less warm but still pretty dry shop (I manage to keep it around 40% humidity in there) and the rafters of my woodshed as storage options while it cures. Do any of these jump out as excellent/ horrible ideas?
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Years back Browning Arms was accused of stocking their guns with "saltwood" which caused metals to rust prematurely. Apparently their inventory of walnut was subjected to a curing process that was accelerated by salt which attracts water (ie lowers the humidity). The salt was always kept well separate from the wood but I guess some of it vapourized. There are other less corrosive desiccants available these days.
'Buttering the ends' is common practice in the hardwood industry and likely you'll now notice what looks like paint on the ends of most saw logs and rough sawn boards.
Myself would be tempted to use the oven on low (or put a 100 W bulb in the oven lamp socket) order to achieve that final bit of drying-out. But do wrap some tinfoil tightly on the ends.
 
Alocksly said:
Excellent information. I'm trying to cure a piece of vine maple for a handle experiment and I think I'll try the wax on the ends. Humidity is relatively high in my area year round unless it drops below freezing. My main worry is if it's two damp it'll start to rot. I have a warm, dry attic, a less warm but still pretty dry shop (I manage to keep it around 40% humidity in there) and the rafters of my woodshed as storage options while it cures. Do any of these jump out as excellent/ horrible ideas?
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An attic is likely too hot and dry in the summer. I've use the rafters of my woodshed and had good results. I've also had good results in my unheated garage but I wouldn't put green wood in there during the summer as it gets too hot. But wood placed in the garage in winter was dry enough by summer that the summer heat didn't bother it.
 
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