Axe Handle Making

S

siguy

Joined
Aug 26, 2006
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Posted this in WSS, but I think it belongs here too...


The last couple of days I have been going nuts with axe handles.

Some of you might remember a few months ago I posted up a handle I made from Maple. A few days ago I considered it dry enough, so I finished it out a little, and mounted a nice 3 pound Collins head on it. Then I made a hatchet handle from some nice dead standing Hickory. After that, I have handled an old Norlund head with a Hickory handle, and now an older Craftsman lathing hatchet with Hickory as well.

IMG_5809.jpg


Today I video recorded the making and fitting of the Craftsman head.

Axe Handle Making Video

Alot of my technique and design inspiration comes from this Isien Tyot video (the whole series is great, but I really enjoy watching this guy work!):
Classic Axe Handle Making

Thought some of you guys might find it interesting/helpful ;)

Enjoy!
 
Nice work ! Thanks for taking the time to put this together...
 
Nice work !! I have never tryed as I have found it too much work for my hands(getting carpal tunnel) I used to carve alot in my younger days .I wonder how hard that hickory was the ,hickory I have used was super hard and almost impossible to carve with a knife.What kind of knife was that in the dangler on your waist?
 
Nice video. Thanks for sharing.

thebrain said:
.I wonder how hard that hickory was the ,hickory I have used was super hard and almost impossible to carve with a knife.
Click to expand...

I wondered the same thing. Hickory handles I have worked with (handles I have purchased. I have never made one) are also very hard. I have used a chisel to fit the handles and could make no progress with a knife or other tools.

In "Keeping Warm with an Ax,. A Woodcutter's Manual" the author states that ideally axe handles should be from the outer lighter colored sapwood rather than the heartwood (inner darker) which tends to be more brittle.
 
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Very cool videos! Looks like a friendly cat, too. :D

Reminds me of a few heads I need to rehang sometime soon.
 
This is awesome. I have an axe head, and 2 hatchets I am going to be rehandling. I have not watched this yet, but I am going to enjoy learning, and then doing.
 
Bringing this back up to the top with thanks for your work. I'm re-handling a Collins db axe.
 
Awesome!

Could you please let us know what the axe is you are using to do the work? Looks like a Snow and Neally, but I'd like to know exactly. Same for the knife.

Thanks.
 
:thumbup:Man that was awsome--you truly have a talent--thank you for sharing--:thumbup:
 
The fast motion was way cool!!
You make it lok so easy!!
Keep up the good work :thumbup:

Here is one more for the handle making mix===>
[youtube]PWTErA0ofas[/youtube]
 
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