Found an old Norlund; can I salvage the handle?

Gryffin

Gryffin

Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Messages
1,500
I stumbled across an old Norlund hatchet at a swap meet recently. Excellent condition, goreous patina, looks like it hadn't been used in about 30 years. Well worth the $8 I spent on it. :D

The only problem is the handle. It's sound (dry and hard as flint, actually), but fits kinda loose in the head. Not in danger of falling of or anything, but it wiggles around a bit.

Looks like it was fitted well originally, with a wooden wedge from front to back and a smaller steel wedge across the middle. Both wedges are tight, like they haven't moved since the Reagan administration. ;)

I'd like to salvage the original handle, if possible. Any suggestions for getting the old wedges out, so I can re-fit it? Is that even feasible, or safe?

Thanks!
 
Do you think you can remove or loosen the wedges with needle nose pliers ? If the head is a bit loose it shouldn,t be that big of a problem . Worse comes to worse you could always fashion a long thin hardwood wedge and put it in with the others .

As for failure of the wood ? I doubt if it would be catastrophic . Take it easy with the head for a while . Chop carefully for the first little while . Make some kindling as opposed to full over the head swings . Gradually move up the intensity and range of motion .

Keep checking the handle while working . The head proabably wouldn,t break off all at once anyway .

There may be others who can suggest how to condition the wood to make it more resilient . I,m not too up on that . Good luck . Sounds like a great find .
 
What Kevin said, but probably the cellular structure of the wood has dried and shrunken over the years. The old common trick was to stick it in a bucket of water and let the wood swell, but that's not good for the wood in the long run. I'm sure somebody else on this forum can suggest some kind of oil to soak it in. You might also make some very thin shims of ash or oak and tap them in around the circumference of the handle and trim them off, before soaking.
 
Heads can be soaked, but this is more of "I need an axe now." type of solution. Drill out the eye and replace the handle. You could try drilling out the wedges themselves and rewedging it, but usually that isn't a good idea because you are trying to force a head to fit where it doesn't want to.

-Cliff
 
Cliff Stamp said:
Heads can be soaked, but this is more of "I need an axe now." type of solution. Drill out the eye and replace the handle. You could try drilling out the wedges themselves and rewedging it, but usually that isn't a good idea because you are trying to force a head to fit where it doesn't want to.
Click to expand...
I wanted to save the original handle mostly out of nostalgia, but also because I can't seem to find replacement handles anywhere around here.

I managed to get the wedges out, and removed the old handle... and it's in worse shape than I thought. Dry-rotted under the head in several places, and as dry as the wood is, I'd sure it would split if I did much to it.

Are hatchet handles pretty standard in dimensions? I'd order on online, but I want to be sure what they sent me will fit!

I've used axes for many years, but never had to replace a handle yet. I had an ancient Sears hatchet that never needed a new handle, but was stolen or lost years ago; an all-steel Estwing; a Vaughan Mini Axe; and now this Norlund. Four axes and twenty years, and I'm still a handle n00b!
 
If you have anything like a farmers flea market in your area they often have handles and such . Farmers themselves may be knowledgable as to where to get ax handles . Proabably at a co-op feed store . Any large hardware store might have some .
I am sure there are better people than I to advise you about on-line and would proabably be able to get the specific handle for your axe . Sometimes it takes a little whittling when picking up one from a local supplier .

Remember to bring both handle and head when you go looking .
 
Kevin the grey said:
If you have anything like a farmers flea market in your area they often have handles and such . Farmers themselves may be knowledgable as to where to get ax handles . Proabably at a co-op feed store . Any large hardware store might have some .
I am sure there are better people than I to advise you about on-line and would proabably be able to get the specific handle for your axe . Sometimes it takes a little whittling when picking up one from a local supplier .
Click to expand...
Farmer's flea market? I live in suburban New Jersey! :D

I do know of a farmer's co-op, abut 40 minutes away. I already tried the big-box hardware stores (Home Despot, Lowe's), as well as my local Ace Hardware, with no luck.

I've been reading that FHWA site linked above; the writer mentions O.P Link as the best place for handles, but as far as I can tell, they don't have a web site. Guess I'll have to just give 'em a call.
 
No handles are not standard in that you can use them all as is, however as long as it is slightly larger than you can just sand it down to make it fit. Most people who sell handles have a good knowledge of axe heads at you can always measure the dimensions of the eye to make sure the handle isn't undersized.

-Cliff
 
40 minutes is a ways to drive . Give them a call if you can . I,m surprised big hardware stores don,t have them . Look around and find an area where people use wood stoves and chop wood . If there are people chopping ,
There are people shopping . L:O:L
 
Cliff Stamp said:
No handles are not standard in that you can use them all as is, however as long as it is slightly larger than you can just sand it down to make it fit.
Click to expand...
And with my luck, the one I order will be too small!

Cliff Stamp said:
Most people who sell handles have a good knowledge of axe heads at you can always measure the dimensions of the eye to make sure the handle isn't undersized.
Click to expand...
Yeah, pretty much what I was thinking.
 
I used a handle for one of my Norlunds from ACE Hardware. It was marked Boy Scout Hatchet.

norlundsnessmucktrio2.JPG


Worked perfectly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top