Can you use a shorter handle on a heavier head

[freyguyproductions]

Hi All,

I just purchased two vintage heads on ebay in hopes of restoring the edge and making a little camp axe for myself. The heads weigh between 2 and 3.5 pounds. Is there any reason why I shouldn't use a 14 inch handle meant for a 1.5 pound axe head on either of these?

For backpacking purposes, a shorter handle would be much more convenient than the 36 inch handles I've seen which are recommended for axe heads between 3 and 5 pounds. A good place to order handles from would also be very appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

 

[foxx]

Are you wanting a one handed axe? I suspect that short of a handle (14") will be akward with two hands, and too heavy for a single hand. Sure, you could use one hand, but for how long? Also, for the weight of 3.5lbs I could bring a smaller hatchet, a folding saw, a machete, and a fixed blade. There's no way I'd ever bring a 3.5lb axe head backpacking, never have, never will.

For backpacking I'd prefer a longer handle with a lighter head, ala tomahawk. Easier to swing, and the speed helps with the chopping. For splitting I'd use wooden wedges when necessary.

House Handles, Tennessee Hickory Products both have quality products.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Long handle and light head is the way to go when you want to cut weight. And a heavy head on a short handle is clumsy and more potentially hazardous to use. Just my opinion.

 

[freyguyproductions]

Thank you for the input guys. I didn't consider the awkwardness of a heavy head on a short handle. Maybe the best thing would be to search for a lighter head and use these ase they were intended.

 

[killa_concept]

If you're looking for a short, concise answer: balance and practicality.

I have a 3.5 lb Bluegrass Jersey on a 30" curved octagonal handle, a 3 lb Keen Kutter Jersey on a 28" straight octagonal and my most extreme weight:handle ratio is probably my 3.5 lb Keen Kutter Michigan on a 28" straight. The 3.5#:28" is slightly head-heavy but still feels and works great. However, that's about as short a handle as I'd go for that weight of head. Anything shorter would not only feel clumsy, but would completely defeat the purpose of having a full-sized axe head - with a shorter handle, you wouldn't be able to implement a proper two handed swing (illustrated below) and would have a tough time efficiently and safely felling/limbing trees (only reason to pack that weight a head over a boy's axe).

IMO, a 28" handle is a perfectly fine length to strap to a pack... even then, if you're not used to working with axes or haven't built up the proper muscles, a 3.5 on a 28" might feel very awkward and heavy.

As for the 2lb head, that's going to be a boy's axe. Ideally a 24-28" handle should be used, but if you're really wanting to keep the length down, you might be able to get away with a 19".. but really, you won't have the handle length to fully make use of the head weight (again: talking about full and proper two-handed swings)

 

[G-pig]

I use a shorter handle for a heavy axe, but a longer handle for a lighter axe. 27"-31" is the sweet spot. 24" would be as short as I'd go save for a hatchet.

 

[Square_peg]

Long handle and light head is the way to go when you want to cut weight. And a heavy head on a short handle is clumsy and more potentially hazardous to use. Just my opinion.

Ditto this.

Put the 2-pound on a 24"-28" handle and love it.

I have a 2-pound house axe on a 19" handle and it's great for splitting kindling but it's a little clunky for chopping.

 

[Coloradoman24]

If you got two axes put one on a short handle and one on a long one. I pack a 4 pound Michigan on a 36 handle all day but that's only because if I am going to bring a chopping tool I bring one that can chop. I have not put the big as an axe on that short of a handle, but I have put a 16 pound selge on a 12" handle and it served its job but like what every one else said hard to use one handed and difficult to use for very long unless you are like Popeye on a couple pots of coffee. But I say go for it and house handles has the best stuff or you local hardware shooght have something

 

[Square_peg]

..... But I say go for it and house handles has the best stuff

Best is a relative term. House has well-shaped handles. But I think Tennessee Hickory has better wood. OK, I guess better is relative, too. TH wood is straighter and more purely made of white hickory with growth rings per inch in the favorable 5 to 20 range.

 

[Coloradoman24]

Best is a relative term. House has well-shaped handles. But I think Tennessee Hickory has better wood. OK, I guess better is relative, too. TH wood is straighter and more purely made of white hickory with growth rings per inch in the favorable 5 to 20 range.

Good point I get a really good choice of house handles here at the local hardware for db and boys axe and really Pulaski handles but for single bits tn has better handles over all, with lass heart wood but I have yet to see heart wood fail and I rehandle about 100 tools a season ( I know the youth are hard on them)

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

There's been lots of discussion on whether or not heartwood affects handle quality. The scientifically based answer has continued to be that it doesn't make a big difference. If anything there's a drumstick company (I forget which one) that actually PREFERS to use heartwood on their premier line.

 

[freyguyproductions]

If you're looking for a short, concise answer: balance and practicality.

I have a 3.5 lb Bluegrass Jersey on a 30" curved octagonal handle, a 3 lb Keen Kutter Jersey on a 28" straight octagonal and my most extreme weight:handle ratio is probably my 3.5 lb Keen Kutter Michigan on a 28" straight. The 3.5#:28" is slightly head-heavy but still feels and works great. However, that's about as short a handle as I'd go for that weight of head. Anything shorter would not only feel clumsy, but would completely defeat the purpose of having a full-sized axe head - with a shorter handle, you wouldn't be able to implement a proper two handed swing (illustrated below) and would have a tough time efficiently and safely felling/limbing trees (only reason to pack that weight a head over a boy's axe).

IMO, a 28" handle is a perfectly fine length to strap to a pack... even then, if you're not used to working with axes or haven't built up the proper muscles, a 3.5 on a 28" might feel very awkward and heavy.

As for the 2lb head, that's going to be a boy's axe. Ideally a 24-28" handle should be used, but if you're really wanting to keep the length down, you might be able to get away with a 19".. but really, you won't have the handle length to fully make use of the head weight (again: talking about full and proper two-handed swings)

Thank you, this is just the kind of information I was looking for. I have been using hand/ edge tools for many years, but had never really put great thought into the relationship between the head weight and the handle length.

 

[Coloradoman24]

There's been lots of discussion on whether or not heartwood affects handle quality. The scientifically based answer has continued to be that it doesn't make a big difference. If anything there's a drumstick company (I forget which one) that actually PREFERS to use heartwood on their premier line.

That's what I was thinking sorry for being off topic

 

[killa_concept]

And just to be be a fact/citation nazi...

". . .nor is the sapwood of hickory intrinsically stronger than the heartwood, as is sometimes claimed in connection with handle stock."

Source: http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fpltn/fpltn-189-1936.pdf

"Over the years a prejudice has developed against the heartwood of hickory. Red hickory (heartwood) is often placed in a lower grade than white hickory (sapwood) simply because of its color. Tests by the Forest Products Laboratory have shown conclusively that red, white, and mixed red-and-white hickory have the same strength characteristics, regardless of color. The negative attitude toward red hickory developed during the days of virgin hickory stands. Under virgin-stand conditions the heartwood was often less dense and not as strong as the sapwood. In the second-growth stands of today this density difference does not exist, and specifications and utilization practices should be adjusted to take this fact into account."

Source: http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/usda/amwood/241hicko.pdf

But if I'm already paying a premium for good grained handles though, might as well get it single-color for the aesthetics... and that color is generally going to be sapwood since that tends to be the larger section of the tree