Do you prefer fiberglass, or the classic wooden handle on your axe?

Of course I am going to answer wood - but I have often thought about the fact why someone has not come up with a space age axe handle material for a regular size felling axe, say 31 to 36 inches. Fiskars like, but better. Lighter, stronger. Probably too damn expensive.
 
I think the fiberglass handles do absorb overstrikes better than wood - provided that the fiberglass is overcoated with plastic. I've had fiberglass slivers from damaged hammer handles and I simply wont own a fiberglass handled hammer.

But fiberglass is OK for an axe handle. I still prefer wood for almost every use of the axe. However, a fiberglass handled axe is perfect for supporting an underbucking tool with a crosscut saw. The added flexibility of the fiberglass handle allows you to set the axe higher with a horizontal blow and then bend the handle down to support the crosscut saw. A wood handled axe needs to be set lower with an upswing blow. It's a more awkward swing and there's less spring to the axe.

The other trick to using an underbuck is to grind the edge bevel of your axe concave! Every axe book will tell you that an axe should have a convex grind. And for most work it should because the convex grind releases better - it doesn't stick. But when using an axe to support an underbuck you want it to stick. Hence the concave grind.
 
Square_peg said:
I think the fiberglass handles do absorb overstrikes better than wood - provided that the fiberglass is overcoated with plastic. I've had fiberglass slivers from damaged hammer handles and I simply wont own a fiberglass handled hammer.

But fiberglass is OK for an axe handle. I still prefer wood for almost every use of the axe. However, a fiberglass handled axe is perfect for supporting an underbucking tool with a crosscut saw. The added flexibility of the fiberglass handle allows you to set the axe higher with a horizontal blow and then bend the handle down to support the crosscut saw. A wood handled axe needs to be set lower with an upswing blow. It's a more awkward swing and there's less spring to the axe.

The other trick to using an underbuck is to grind the edge bevel of your axe concave! Every axe book will tell you that an axe should have a convex grind. And for most work it should because the convex grind releases better - it doesn't stick. But when using an axe to support an underbuck you want it to stick. Hence the concave grind.
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Aren't all fiberglass axe handles covered in polypropylene?
 
Many hammer handles weren't. Early axe and pickaxe handles weren't. Seems like a no brainer now but the lesson was learned the hard way. Fiberglass handled tools used to come like this.

6079274745_32ee986cde_z.jpg
 
Square_peg said:
Many hammer handles weren't. Early axe and pickaxe handles weren't. Seems like a no brainer now but the lesson was learned the hard way. Fiberglass handled tools used to come like this.

6079274745_32ee986cde_z.jpg
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.___. Did people have any idea that flesh is basically a magnet for the stuff? I would've stuck with wood for the time being.
 
there are up and down sides to both its just what you prefure. ive seen a wood handle brake and the user get impaled and when wood breaks it getts those jagged edges and when wood gwts old it splenters i have also seen new wood handles break. fibberglass gets the little pices stuck in you hand and i have seen fibberglass handles break and they dont look or get any where as dangeres as wood does when it breaks. most fire units have switched to fibberglass for a great deal of reasons. i like the wood handles its just feels right
 
My 2 cents. Fiberglass handles on sledgehammers are horrible, no shock reduction in my opinion. I would think it would be the same for an axe. I worked with a guy who used an old fiberglass handled hammer and he was always trying to get the splinters out of his hand. I have seen more broken fiberglass handles on shovels than I have ever seen on wooden handled ones. The fiberglass shovel and rake handles have a grip on the end to cover the hollow handle and that always seem to fall or wear off.
 
spike116 said:
My 2 cents. Fiberglass handles on sledgehammers are horrible, no shock reduction in my opinion. I would think it would be the same for an axe. I worked with a guy who used an old fiberglass handled hammer and he was always trying to get the splinters out of his hand. I have seen more broken fiberglass handles on shovels than I have ever seen on wooden handled ones. The fiberglass shovel and rake handles have a grip on the end to cover the hollow handle and that always seem to fall or wear off.
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It seems like a wooden sledgehammer handle would break quicker than fiberglass though. I would imagine the strong vibrations that go through the fibers would splinter it quickly. I honestly can't decide between wood or fiberglass; I've seen guys with fiberglass axe handles that have lasted for a long time even with lots of use, but on the other hand I've also seen the same with wooden ones.
 
Due to a back injury I have a sensitive nervous system. I need a thin wood handle to smooth out vibration. I suppose that one could argue if there was a thinner fiberglass handle I would like it, but I've not seen one. I sharpened a super cheap axe for a neighbor that had a plastic handle, it was squishy on impact, although seemed smooth on my nerves, I hated the feel.
 
Square_peg said:
Many hammer handles weren't. Early axe and pickaxe handles weren't. Seems like a no brainer now but the lesson was learned the hard way. Fiberglass handled tools used to come like this.

6079274745_32ee986cde_z.jpg
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Coninsidense, my Dad and I have a few of this type claw hammer, ( Master Mechanic?) anyhow they are good ole hammer, done a lot with them.

BUT,

WooD is GooD, for mpst pf my hatchets, axes, and mauls I like wood,

but I also have an Estwing or few.

Pat
 
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