Drilling and Pinning Axe Heads

[DancesWithKnives]

I noticed that competition chopping rules (as in the Stihl Series) require that a competitor drill a hole through his/her axe head/handle and install a retainer pin. This seems like a good safety precaution and not all that difficult to do. It might also help extend the life of hard-used or older handles. Does anyone do this with their "user" axes?

Thanks for your experiences.

 

[Eric M Ericson]

nope, just a handle that fits the eye and wedge it tight.

and I'm a third generation hack.

 

[mwkerr]

I can understand the need for a pin on a competition double-bit throwing axe, the head is not fit like on a hawk. The head can't fly from the handle on a thrown hawk, only a poor hit ,on the handle, will dis-lodge a weak fit on a hawk. On a double-bit axe, a loose head can fly off, and if it's loose, brother, you ain't caring for your tools. In the environment of a competition, you have to be concerned for the bystanders and fellow competitors as well as judges/referees. So, the pin is a safety requirement. Loose heads can very easily be tightened by soaking and consequently swelling the wood in the head. Reasonable care should be taken in cleaning and oiling the head to prevent rust. The axe head will also be vulnerable to rust if the soaking is prolonged, so don't stick your favorite axe/hawk in a bucket of water and leave the farm for an extended period. You'll have a tough clean-up job. Mike