Choose a curved axe handle

[300Six]

Those Garant, brand Michigan's seem to look a little more Daytonish that far north..

Says 'made in China' in small print on the Garant labels so big print description 'Michigan style' really doesn't do much to boost my confidence anyway.

 

[Square_peg]

Ironwood was even used on the USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine, for propeller shaft bushings!

In his book "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" Alexander Weygers describes making a temporary bearing block for a grinder shaft out of oak. 20 years later he was still using it.

Bore a hole through the block of the shaft diameter. Saw the block in half. Bolt it together around the shaft. The amount of wood taken out by the kerf makes it fit tight. Burn it in and glaze it by running the shaft for a minute. Then open it up and lube the shaft & bearing. Drill an oil port in the top of the block. Voilà! Bearing block!

 

[quinton]

In his book "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" Alexander Weygers describes making a temporary bearing block for a grinder shaft out of oak. 20 years later he was still using it.

Bore a hole through the block of the shaft diameter. Saw the block in half. Bolt it together around the shaft. The amount of wood taken out by the kerf makes it fit tight. Burn it in and glaze it by running the shaft for a minute. Then open it up and lube the shaft & bearing. Drill an oil port in the top of the block. Voilà! Bearing block!

Wood and steel...they just belong together!

 

[quinton]

With American Elm, White Oak and Hop Hornbeam (Ironwood), and to some degree Sugar Maple, I'd not disagree with you on this too much but with White Ash I'd be standing well back from where you were swinging. I have no experience with splitting Hickory for firewood (it's not common around here) but have had lots with the others. Separating Ash along the grain requires almost no effort but trying to coax Ironwood or Elm to split along the grain is a sonuvagun. By my way of thinking this is an excellent indicator of how wood behaves (ie wants to 'stay together') when it is used as an implement handle.

Good, straight grained Hickory splits as easily as most other easy split hardwoods. Splittin' a gnarly, ridge grown Hickory is another story!

 

[droohmakov]

Thanks for the info.

 

[300Six]

In his book "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" Alexander Weygers describes making a temporary bearing block for a grinder shaft out of oak. 20 years later he was still using it.

Bore a hole through the block of the shaft diameter. Saw the block in half. Bolt it together around the shaft. The amount of wood taken out by the kerf makes it fit tight. Burn it in and glaze it by running the shaft for a minute. Then open it up and lube the shaft & bearing. Drill an oil port in the top of the block. Voilà! Bearing block!

The version I'm familiar with is to make a very slightly undersized hole and then split the wood into two halves in order to achieve a perfectly circular joint.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

You're welcome.
I broke plenty enough axes, paddles, and shovels in my younger days, and later on in life tangled with enough contractor implement refurbs, to be able to begin to appreciate the vagaries of wood. At this time you cannot beat properly selected wood for any purpose known to man via similarly inexpensive/convenient substitutes. But wood know-how has fast become a lost art and myself (hey I'm only on the north side of 60 years old) feel only to be a rank amateur in this regard.
For instance, Mill water wheels of old (in my neck of the woods anyway) didn't fare very well over the long run using metal (bronze?) bearings but someone discovered that super-tough Ironwood was OK. Not only were the wood bearings shock-proof and durable but they swelled enough to ensure there was never any play in the mechanisms. Some of these units are still in operation so I'm told. I cannot substantiate any of this but have heard stories, from old factory workers, millwrights and machinists, long and often enough over the past 40 years that I cannot discount them.

Ironwood was even used on the USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine, for propeller shaft bushings!

Lignum vitae, specifically.

 

[upnorth]

It's good to know that I was on the right track with all this haft business. I learn a lot from you folks, and it is appreciated.

 

[300Six]

Lignum vitae, specifically.

Glad to see that folks are willing to invoke latin nomenclature. Lignum vitae ,from central and south America, has always been referred to as Lignum vitae around here, and not ironwood. I dunno about the USS Nautilus ironwood bushings (US Navy isn't known to improvise or go on the cheap) but mill water wheel owners in Upper and Lower Canada would have gone with hard wood that was growing along the nearby river bank, Carpinus caroliniana (Ironwood/Blue Beech/Hornbeam/Musclewood common names) or in the forest, Ostrya virginiana (Ironwood/Hop Hornbeam common names).

 

[300Six]

Sheesh, double tap!

 

[Square_peg]

Yes, there are numerous woods that are referred to as 'ironwood'. We even have a native shrub up here in the NW that is called 'Indian Ironwood'. It's also called meadowsweet ocean spray (holodiscus discolor).

 

[Operator1975]

One of my worker axes has the less desirable pattern and I have used it forever. I have also used them and they have busted, but usually from operator error. So its sort of a crap shoot, not a death sentence.

 

[300Six]

One of my worker axes has the less desirable pattern and I have used it forever. I have also used them and they have busted, but usually from operator error. So its sort of a crap shoot, not a death sentence.

I often got better than expected mileage out of lousy-grain hafts and using an axe to split firewood is pretty much the biggest test for durability. Especially from overstrikes and while prying out stuck blades. We owe it to ourselves to select the best haft possible; often it takes quite a bit of work to fit one properly so there's no merit in starting out with a 'lemon'.

 

[Square_peg]

......often it takes quite a bit of work to fit one properly so there's no merit in starting out with a 'lemon'.

Exactly.

Why not start with the best you can?

No need to replace a functioning handle just because it has poor grain. If & when it fails, then it will time to replace it. But when you have the choice you might as well select the best.

 

[David Martin]

Thanks for taking the time to show us these examples of the good, bad and ugly axe handles. DM

 

[300Six]

Thanks for taking the time to show us these examples of the good, bad and ugly axe handles. DM

You're welcome. It's to every man/woman's advantage to learn as much about the 'how and why' of selecting for optimum properties when it comes to wood products. Also well worth taking a close look at the cause of breakage whenever it does occur. That's how you learn.
Just for curiousity sake I carefully looked over the 2+ dozen intact and old axes that I have kicking around: None of them have serious flaws with regard to grain orientation. This in itself tells you something.