Building a New Half Axe

FrontRanger · Jul 1, 2017

Hi, All. Inactive member, but that's probably about to change! Looking for some guidance. I want to carry a small axe / large hatchet this deer season, able to knock down a small sapling in my line of sight or split a pelvis when field dressing. I've acquired and restored a 20 oz. European axe head that I think would be called Montreal pattern (similar to Hudson Bay), and now need to hang it on a new handle. I'm thinking I want something fairly straight and 18-20 inches long, the end result being sort of a cross between a big tomahawk and smallish boys axe. Don't know if I can buy a ready-made handle or if I should make one, or maybe I'll have no choice. The issue is that the eye is a long oval rather than the standard American teardrop shape, and I'm not finding axe handles carved to that shape, only hammer handles. In many ways I'd rather make a handle from scratch, but even though I'm pretty handy, I've never done anything remotely like that. Thoughts? Warnings? Thanks in advance for the advice! FR

garry3 · Jul 1, 2017

It's hard to say what your options are with out an eye size. Axe eyes are measured from the bottom of the axe. And even with that measurement it could be an odd shape so pictures and a measurement would be best.

Beachlogger · Jul 1, 2017

You might look at a stihl hatchet replacement handle if you have a dealer near by. I've used them a couple of times for an odd eye. I had to do a bit of fitting

jblyttle · Jul 1, 2017

House handle has straight 18" rig builder handles. You will have to confirm that the eye size will work, but 20oz may work.

Square_peg · Jul 2, 2017

Try a "house axe" handle from House Handles. 19" and size to fit a boys axe. It will give you plenty of material to work with.

For your stated purposes any vintage camp axe (hatchet) or boys scout axe will excel. Standard is a 14" handle.

jblyttle · Jul 2, 2017

Square_peg said:
Try a "house axe" handle from House Handles. 19" and size to fit a boys axe. It will give you plenty of material to work with.

For your stated purposes any vintage camp axe (hatchet) or boys scout axe will excel. Standard is a 14" handle.

I've ordered those a couple times, and whatever the site says, those are sized for a full sized head. If going with a curved handle, I would choose the 18" scout handle.

garry3 · Jul 2, 2017

jblyttle said:
I've ordered those a couple times, and whatever the site says, those are sized for a full sized head. If going with a curved handle, I would choose the 18" scout handle.

Those house handles are a full size eye. That is what the vintage Plumb house axes had.
House's rigging handles are terrible in design. The eyes are way small anyway though.

Some of those German hatchets had eyes wider than even a full size eye.

Square_peg · Jul 2, 2017

I've only bought a house axe handle from my local Do It Best. All their house axe handles had boys axe sized eyes like all my house axes. I have 2 Plumbs and an Ideal Ridge.

I just assumed House would make them the correct size. Good to know they don't.

garry3 · Jul 2, 2017

Square_peg said:
I've only bought a house axe handle from my local Do It Best. All their house axe handles had boys axe sized eyes like all my house axes. I have 2 Plumbs and an Ideal Ridge.

I just assumed House would make them the correct size. Good to know they don't.

I think the newer Plumb house axes had the smaller eye. The same as their Hunters hatchets and only went up to 2 1/4lbs as did the Hunters. I believe the older house axes were 2 1/2lbs and maybe went heavier?
Going off memory here so I could always be mistaken.

Square_peg · Jul 2, 2017

Yeah, could be the older ones had larger eyes. Mine are both Permabond. One is a gold foil labeled Dreadnaught with convex cheeks and the other is a Cooper Tools era Plumb with flat cheeks. I don't know about their pre-Permabond house axes.

BG_Farmer · Jul 2, 2017

I've been contemplating a similar axe for some time using a 2# head that is good but on too short a handle, just have a lot of irons in the fire and can't get to it.

Short of making the handle (which is not impossible), I think the best solution I found was miners or short straight SB axe handle with modifications. I was going for a little longer than your 20", though. There is usually an overly large shoulder on most handles anyway and you can take a couple of inches at least off the nominal length.