Grain runout

R

RandyBoBandy

Joined
Dec 24, 2020
Messages
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Hello everyone, first timer to the forum here. I’ve been building a collection of GB axes over the last 5 years. I do you use them. So more than others strictly due to uses. My small splitting axe gets used almost daily during burning season as I heat my house with wood. I just received the Scandinavian forest axe as a gift and was wondering how concerned I should be with the grain runout in the handle. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I need to figure out if I’m going to send it back or just start using it. Thanks in advance.

Also, I can’t figure out how to attach a photo.

Edited to add link to photos: https://imgur.com/a/sFFvsfa
 
Last edited:
Hi RandyBoDandy,

Glad to have you on the forum.. To post a picture, you'll need to use an image hosting service then get a link to the jpg file and use the tools menu button at the reply level to either add a url or insert the Pic. I use imgur but there are others.
SwedeFP
 
Merry Christmas everybody. Any one have have any advice on this handle? I’m eager to swing it, however, if the handle is unacceptable I would rather return an unused axe and wait for a replacement. Thanks in advance.
 
We would need to see a shot actually looking down the handle to show the run of the grain. From what I can see in those images, however, it looks like you have dead vertical and perfect grain with as little runout as one could ever reasonably ask for. A practically flawless handle. Shots showing the actual run of the grain down the length could disprove that, but that's what it looks like so far.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
We would need to see a shot actually looking down the handle to show the run of the grain. From what I can see in those images, however, it looks like you have dead vertical and perfect grain with as little runout as one could ever reasonably ask for. A practically flawless handle. Shots showing the actual run of the grain down the length could disprove that, but that's what it looks like so far.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I will get some more pictures posted after the kids go to bed.
 
xXTAyfJ.jpg


So this is the only image where any major grain swerving seems to be happening, but it looks like you still have several rings of grain going end to end. I'd call it that fine, personally. If you ever bust it, just put a new handle on and call it a day.
 
Thank you
FortyTwoBlades said:
xXTAyfJ.jpg


So this is the only image where any major grain swerving seems to be happening, but it looks like you still have several rings of grain going end to end. I'd call it that fine, personally. If you ever bust it, just put a new handle on and call it a day.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your advice. I am going to have to give it some swings tomorrow while gathering firewood.
 
I would not be remotely worried about that handle - expecially on a small axe like that. In general I have very little concern about runnout - and here is why.

about 13 years ago, I rehung my 8lb axe eye splitting maul onto a 36" curved link handle. this was before I knew anything about grain and runout and stuff like that. I liked the way a curved handle felt in the hand and swung for me, so I thought I'd try one on my maul. I ended up really liking it and split over 5 cords of wood every year for about 7 years with it until the handle broke - upon inspection, this handle had the craziest runout in the worst possible location. anyone on this forum would declare that handle unfit for shaving pencils with a 2lb head, yet I split cords and cords of knotty oak with an 8lb maul head on it for years before it broke. it did eventually fail due to the runout, but very few handled impliments get the amount of shock I gave that handle.
 
Fundamentally strong base wood can really compensate heavily for flawed grain. I did destructive testing with this heavily curved handle with bad runout in the neck and it took 42 deliberate overstrikes with a sledgehammer head mounted on it before it finally cracked.

 
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