Axe maul handles

Hold up, aren't we looking at the grain in the images (it appears to be "correctly" oriented)? Or are my eyes deceiving me? It looks like it broke across the grain. Also, is there something dark inside the wood there? The angle of the images makes it hard to see but looks like a dark line at the core of the handle. More pics please! :p
 
Old Axeman said:
And try not to watch Wranglestar.
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FortyTwoBlades said:
This. :D
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NO, this: DO NOT WATCH WRANGLERSTAR!

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Bob
 
Not entirely sure what you're trying to point out but let me rephrase. Apologies to the OP for jacking the photograph.

Arrows point to the dark spots I mentioned.

The groups of lines indicate the growth rings, which suggest to me that the grain runs parallel to the tool head rather than perpendicular (indicated by the arrow at the eye). The point is, if (IF) the grain is oriented in the way I am describing, and the wood had been cut in such a way that run out resulted, that run out would cause a break from the left to the right or right to left as you hold the tool in hand to swing it. This handle is broken front to back / back to front as you hold the tool. Note also that you aren't seeing the banding of end grain up and down the length of the handle, which further indicates that run out is not significant in this particular handle. Yes there is some, but again, it's running the opposite direction of the break. But it's all tough to see exactly. More pics might help.

image_zpsueiluzaz2 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
 
Looking at it a bit more, that maul looks like it might actually be a quarry sledge.
 
cityofthesouth said:
Not entirely sure what you're trying to point out but let me rephrase. Apologies to the OP for jacking the photograph.

Arrows point to the dark spots I mentioned.

The groups of lines indicate the growth rings, which suggest to me that the grain runs parallel to the tool head rather than perpendicular (indicated by the arrow at the eye). The point is, if (IF) the grain is oriented in the way I am describing, and the wood had been cut in such a way that run out resulted, that run out would cause a break from the left to the right or right to left as you hold the tool in hand to swing it. This handle is broken front to back / back to front as you hold the tool. Note also that you aren't seeing the banding of end grain up and down the length of the handle, which further indicates that run out is not significant in this particular handle. Yes there is some, but again, it's running the opposite direction of the break. But it's all tough to see exactly. More pics might help.

image_zpsueiluzaz2 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
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Agreed. Strikes me the handle broke in a plane where it would least be expected to do so. Inconspicuous stress fractures from the parent tree (which became a saw log!) hitting the ground overly hard or falling across something can ultimately manifest themselves like this.
 
I typically don't get into grain orientation type threads,:D but I'm with COTS on this. On examining the the picture I don't see the runout in that orientation. I'd say, after seeing this, that handles are a crap shoot unless you make your own from a riven stave. Like, Roy Underhill said, "riven wood is as strong as it can be", and, hickory is unbelievably strong and resilient. It don't just fail for no reason, and when hickory fails, it don't become two pieces.
 
300Six said:
Agreed. Strikes me the handle broke in a plane where it would least be expected to do so. Inconspicuous stress fractures from the parent tree (which became a saw log!) hitting the ground overly hard or falling across something can ultimately manifest themselves like this.
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Very true, and undoubtedly enhanced by kiln drying.
 
FourtyTwoBlades- Looking at it again,I believe you are correct, it is a stone mason's hammer. It is well worn with very rounded edges. Stone hammers need very sharp edges on the flat face. No wonder I like the shape, I like stone hammers.
 
This afternoon I went to a different hardware and picked up some Australian made handles - a Kruger branded spotted gum handle for the maul -and also a couple of others for a hatchet and an axe. Much superior feel and weight than the broken one. I suspect that the broken one was made of 'American Hickory' in some China factory, and that the American hickory was a 'flavour' or 'style' as opposed to real USA hickory.

Anyways, I cut the broken bit off the maul head and have placed the two parts side by side.



I don't know if it is visible in the picture, but the split runs along the grains which run diagonally across the length of the handle. Poor grain orientation. The wood is also soft and cracks were evident extending from the wedge cuts.
 
Lego said:
. . .
Anyways, I cut the broken bit off the maul head and have placed the two parts side by side.



I don't know if it is visible in the picture, but the split runs along the grains which run diagonally across the length of the handle. Poor grain orientation. . .
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Exactly

Bob
 
Lego said:
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One problem with that handle is it came from slow growing wood. The growth rings are very close together which means there is more summer growth which contains the weaker open porous wood. Ideally there should be about 8 growth rings per inch.
 
I had a axe handle from Bunnings that was labeled hard wood. As per usual it broke and the inside of it looked like fome with tiny holes. I'll get some photos soon.


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