Grain Run-out?

[Camber]

Hello,

I was wondering if someone could help me to better understand grain run-out. I tried googling it but wasn't finding any of the explanations or pics helpful. Couldn't find any good photos specific to axe handles.

A definition and any pics of it would be really helpful if anyone has the time.

Thank you very much!

 

[CedarEater]

If you look at the edge of a piece of wood you will see darker lines (grain) running parallel to each other kind of like the lanes on a freeway. Now, if the freeway turns or bends and the lanes keep going straight the lanes will run-out off the pavement causing all kinds of problems. Grain run-out can also look like someone painted the lanes on the freeway not parallel to the edges of the pavement, the lanes would start at one edge of the pavement and angle across until they finally ran-out the other edge of the pavement.

You want grain that runs parallel to the length of your haft. Ideally the grain would follow the curves of the haft but you are not likely to find that unless you custom make your haft and select wood that has natural curves in the grain that matches your haft.

Hopes that helps you get the visual of whats going on with grain run-out.

 

[Ernest DuBois]

It is the reason we prefer handles from riven wood stock to handles made in a mechanized mass processed way.
The very best of the former sometimes and with luck attaining the qualitative measure of the latter.

E.DB.

 

[Camber]

If you look at the edge of a piece of wood you will see darker lines (grain) running parallel to each other kind of like the lanes on a freeway. Now, if the freeway turns or bends and the lanes keep going straight the lanes will run-out off the pavement causing all kinds of problems. Grain run-out can also look like someone painted the lanes on the freeway not parallel to the edges of the pavement, the lanes would start at one edge of the pavement and angle across until they finally ran-out the other edge of the pavement.

You want grain that runs parallel to the length of your haft. Ideally the grain would follow the curves of the haft but you are not likely to find that unless you custom make your haft and select wood that has natural curves in the grain that matches your haft.

Hopes that helps you get the visual of whats going on with grain run-out.

That does help quite a bit. Thank you for taking the time to write that out. Just to clarify though the lanes/grain that we are looking at here is what we would see when looking at the side of an axe with the bit facing one side. The freeway would be the haft from head to heel correct?

Thank you again too. I really do appreciate your time.

 

[OutdoorEnvy]

An easy way to do it is to see if you can trace the grain from the end of the handle all the way to the axe head. You always have some grain that is off but you want most of the grains to run from end of handle to head.

If there is a complete run off where you can't trace any grain to the axe head then essentially the piece of wood at the end of the handle you're holding is not the same piece of wood that's connected to the head. Which is why it comes apart.

 

[Camber]

An easy way to do it is to see if you can trace the grain from the end of the handle all the way to the axe head. You always have some grain that is off but you want most of the grains to run from end of handle to head.

If there is a complete run off where you can't trace any grain to the axe head then essentially the piece of wood at the end of the handle you're holding is not the same piece of wood that's connected to the head. Which is why it comes apart.

That helps a lot...thank you!

 

[Steve Tall]

That does help quite a bit. Thank you for taking the time to write that out. Just to clarify though the lanes/grain that we are looking at here is what we would see when looking at the side of an axe with the bit facing one side. The freeway would be the haft from head to heel correct?

Thank you again too. I really do appreciate your time.

I agree that was a good description.

A picture that might be useful:

[from kayarchy site]

The bottom piece of wood has obvious runout. A piece of wood like this, with a rectangular or square cross-section, can have grain runout on any of its four sides (depending on which way the piece of wood is placed/set down. Likewise, if an axe handle had a similar rectangular cross-section, the grain runout (if it exists) could be found on any of the four sides of the handle, depending on how the piece of wood is arranged before the handle is machined.

The actual shape of an axe handle makes this more complicated, with some rounded sides and some sections that swell or bend. Where there is a swell (or, conversely, a necking down) in the handle, there will be some "runout" here, even in a straight-grained piece of wood, so this is generally not a problem.

When looking down an axe handle from knob end toward the head, if the grain is "perfectly aligned" at the knob end, then the runout would tend to show up on the cheek sides of the handle (not the bit or poll sides). The curve at the head end of the handle typically shows some runout, unless the piece of wood naturally has a curved grain here (homemade handles can take advantage of such grain) or unless the grain remains "perfectly aligned" along the whole length of the handle.

The handle is thicker at the head end, so some runout here is not as problematic as it can be at the thinner sections along the length of the handle.

These are my impressions, anyway. Maybe somebody with a better understanding will add some clarifications.

 

[Camber]

I agree that was a good description.

A picture that might be useful:

[from kayarchy site]

The bottom piece of wood has obvious runout. A piece of wood like this, with a rectangular or square cross-section, can have grain runout on any of its four sides (depending on which way the piece of wood is placed/set down. Likewise, if an axe handle had a similar rectangular cross-section, the grain runout (if it exists) could be found on any of the four sides of the handle, depending on how the piece of wood is arranged before the handle is machined.

The actual shape of an axe handle makes this more complicated, with some rounded sides and some sections that swell or bend. Where there is a swell (or, conversely, a necking down) in the handle, there will be some "runout" here, even in a straight-grained piece of wood, so this is generally not a problem.

When looking down an axe handle from knob end toward the head, if the grain is "perfectly aligned" at the knob end, then the runout would tend to show up on the cheek sides of the handle (not the bit or poll sides). The curve at the head end of the handle typically shows some runout, unless the piece of wood naturally has a curved grain here (homemade handles can take advantage of such grain) or unless the grain remains "perfectly aligned" along the whole length of the handle.

The handle is thicker at the head end, so some runout here is not as problematic as it can be at the thinner sections along the length of the handle.

These are my impressions, anyway. Maybe somebody with a better understanding will add some clarifications.

Again, very very helpful. I'm glad I asked, and I really appreciate all the responses. I'm glad you mentioned the swell at the head having some run out because that's what I was struggling with in particular...how would that not have some, unless the grain itself had that natural curve as you mentioned.

 

[halfaxe]

Here are a couple pictures featuring some of that evil heartwood. Follow the growth ring at the edge of the darker heartwood and you see that it runs off the handle. On a curved machine made handle there will always be runout but you should try to get a good percentage that runs all the way from the top to the bottom of the handle.

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Here is one that appears from this side to have very little grain going all the way through from top tp bottom.

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[Camber]

Great pictures! Thank you!