Fashioning a Handle (First Attempt WIP)

DarthTaco123

DarthTaco123

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Mar 28, 2013
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I'll keep this short for now. I started making my own haft for an ax without one (go figure Darth!). I started with a section of Maple I had cut down last year that had been seasoning for a while, and this is what I have thus far. Obviously not pretty, but it's on it's way there.
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Not bad. And maple makes a good axe handle. While not as good as hickory it might still last for decades.

I like very a large swell or knob at the end of a handle. It's makes the grip easier and a relaxed grip let's me generate more snap with the wrist.
Personal preference.
 
WIP! Once you overcome the fear of whittling wood for practical purposes the rest is history. Have fun with this. What Square_Peg says is good advice; a swell at the end of the handle is generally a useful tactile feature that reminds you where your hands are and so that nothing slips when you're busting things with it.
 
Almost done! It's been about eleven hours between yesterday and today and it's all coming together. Now I just need to stain the son of a gun, and stain the haft.
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After 12 hours total, she's finally done!
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Don't you love the satisfaction you feel when your axe head slips onto your hand made haft? I know I sure do.
 
I was happy that it didn't all come crashing down when I was cutting the slot for the wedge. Nothing was more satisfying than the first hit with a new handle.
 
I have a four-in-hand and a Sureform (TM) but the former is a little small for anything other than touching up an already made handle for hanging and the latter I've found to be very slow going on hardwoods. I need to get a full size rasp at some point. I still like my pocket plane once I've gotten past the chisel stage, I nearly always end up going too deep with the drawknife.
 
Same here, I'd use my draw knife for VERY fine scraping, but I used it a lot. The Rasp was my primary tool, and it took forever.
 
I picked up a 4.00 flea market cheap spokeshave recently and it has made me realize that I need a quality spokeshave. Much better control than a drawknife in my clumsy hands and better agility than my full size plane.

I have yet to attempt a full custom haft- I have just been thinning and reshaping fat turned hafts. Still clumsy but they work.

Bill
 
The purple one was number 7 for me and I learn something new every time. I still have yet to make a handle that came out perfect (or at least within spitting distance) but I think I'm getting closer.
 
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