Haft length question

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Hello all,

So, instead of obsessing over knives I don't really need and spending money I shouldn't really be spending, I picked up a nice old Collins Legitimus CT pattern (thank you Double Ott!) as a project to keep me busy.

After lots of effort I got the old haft removed, and then I ordered a new straight octagonal one from House Handle, which shipped it very quickly. However, I got one a lot shorter than I thought. I measured the original haft and it was 28inches from shaft to end, and so I ordered a 28 inch one from House Handle...however, it's 28 inches overall. I guess I mis-read.

Is this too short to hang the 3.5 pound CT head on? If it is no big deal, but if that length will work fine I'll continue on with the process.

Also, when rasping it down to fit it in the eye, I remove wood evenly (and slowly, checking fit often) from all around eye piece correct?

Thank you
Collin
 
It's much of a personal preference and maybe a safety issue depending on how skilled an axe-handler you are. In general, the longer the handle, the safer the axe will be. For general splitting work, with a full sized axe head - 3.5#s or so, I would go with at a 32-36" handle. I think you'll find you'll be better off with a 36" handle with the Connecticut. You are going to have to do a lot of work to seat the axe lower on the handle (very close to the shoulder) in order to fit that wide CT axe eye.

rasp, trim, spoke-shave off material on the handle to fit. High spots will show up darker when you remove the head. Use an old handle or piece of wood to knock the axe off. Kerf (cut) in the middle should be open. Once trimmed, the axe head should slide on pretty easily. Seat it completely with knocks on the end of the handle. Check out an axe to grind for a good instructional.

100_8098_zps090cf752.jpg
 
Personal preference, and what you are going to use it for. As a swinger of many axes and pulaskis, personally I would like to see a 36 on a full sized CT, but I'm fairly tall. Some shorter people like a shorter handle. You run a risk of short -arming a swing and having the head come around at your legs with too short of a handle IMHO. But for limbing. A shorter handle might be more manageable.
 
As of right now, I have my 3.5ers on 32" hafts. More like 30.5-31" though since you tend to lose 1-2 inches when you cut off excess during hanging. They feel ideal to me. At 5'4", I can't stand the feel of a 3.5 on a 36".. It's alright for splitting, but makes every other task just feel inaccurate, cumbersome and needleslly tiring.

That said, I have some 28" and 30" hafts on the way and will be trying those out. Really wanting to see how a 3.5 jersey feels on a straight octagon 28"...
 
Thank you all for your input. I've been thinking about it all day, and after playing with my Hudson Bay which is on a 28inch haft and about 2 pounds, I don't think I want 3.5 lbs on a 28inch haft.

I'm torn as to what to do now though as I want a straight octagonal handle, and I can't find one in 32inches, which is the length I want for this axe. It was the original length after all...well minus the inch or so that was lost in hafting as killa_concept mentioned.
 
Why not try partially fitting the head on once you get it and checking before you make the call? Actually rasp it down and get the head on minus the wedge and handle it a bit. I also have a GB Scandi forest axe (2lb on 25") as well as a Hults Bruk military axe (2.5lb on 28") and while both feel fine - with the former feeling a tad light - I don't feel a 3.5lb would be too terrible on a 28". Then again, I'm 5'4" and in half decent shape.. A taller individual might find it awkward and a less fit individual might find it too heavy so YMMV. Keep in mind that the racing axes used in competitions are 5-7lbs and hung on 28" (sometimes 32") handles.

If you're dead set on a 32" straight octagon pattern then I'd suggest just ordering a straight 32" from hickory handle store and doing the octagonizing yourself. With a good quality 12" rasp, I was able to octagonize the 28" haft for my 3.5lb GB double bit in around 30 minutes. Could probably do it in around 10 with a belt sander but I don't have one at my disposal and the work was actually enjoyable. Makes the tool that much more mine and it came out quite decently if I do say so myself:
IMG_20130222_072822_zps07b682b9.jpg


Oh and that is a 3.5lb hung on a 28". It is a DB and better balanced than a SB, but still more or less the same. Feels fine to me though and is enough for me to want to try hanging this 3.5lb Jersey Pattern Keen Kutter on a 28" straight octagon. I'll let you know how that goes :thumbup:
 
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If your set on getting a 32" octagon handle, call House Hnadle and ask them to make you one. It can't hurt to try....

HOUSE HANDLE COMPANY

Telephone: 417-847-2726 (800)260-6455

Tom
 
Double Ott said:
If your set on getting a 32" octagon handle, call House Hnadle and ask them to make you one. It can't hurt to try....

HOUSE HANDLE COMPANY

Telephone: 417-847-2726 (800)260-6455

Tom
Click to expand...
I wouldn't recommend that!
I ordered 3 32" curved octangle handles and 1 30" full size eye FIVE WEEKS AGO...I Have talked to them twice, I was very nice about it too BTW... I haven't heard from them again, nor do I have my freakin' handles :mad:
Also...
I was told almost two weeks ago, after I had already called them once, that they would "get them right out to me" BS... :(
 
From my understanding and a look at their product list, they don't make any 32" full-size handles.. it just jumps from 30" to 36" with no intermediate. I'm assuming that if they took your order, they'd be custom making the handles from scratch instead of just selecting from a stockpile and making the necessary adjustments (such as octagonizing). I'm assuming that like most companies that take on custom orders, they give priority to orders that can be filled and shipped out easily with custom orders essentially being separate and done by request date. Perhaps their log there is somewhat backed up?

I personally asked if they offered 30" or 32" straight handles, but all I received was essentially a "no" and whether I wanted a 28" or 36". I ended up just ordering from the catalog with grain requirements and a few out of the batch to be octagonized. That happened on a Saturday and my order got shipped out on Wednesday. Hopefully they get here before the weekend so I can give a review of their quality and maybe hang one of my axe heads.

That said though, 5 weeks is a bit absurd, especially if the communication is lacking. I guess that's what I'll take from House Handles -great if you order from catalog, a bit dodgey with customs :( Sort of why I suggest that Cashmore go with Hickory Handle Store since I know that they do carry 32" curved and straight handles of pretty good quality (if you ask for it). Only issue is that their handles are pretty meaty, so be prepared to do a good bit of work thinning and octagonizing them yourself.
 
killa_concept said:
From my understanding and a look at their product list, they don't make any 32" full-size handles.. it just jumps from 30" to 36" with no intermediate. I'm assuming that if they took your order, they'd be custom making the handles from scratch instead of just selecting from a stockpile and making the necessary adjustments (such as octagonizing). I'm assuming that like most companies that take on custom orders, they give priority to orders that can be filled and shipped out easily with custom orders essentially being separate and done by request date. Perhaps their log there is somewhat backed up?

I personally asked if they offered 30" or 32" straight handles, but all I received was essentially a "no" and whether I wanted a 28" or 36". I ended up just ordering from the catalog with grain requirements and a few out of the batch to be octagonized. That happened on a Saturday and my order got shipped out on Wednesday. Hopefully they get here before the weekend so I can give a review of their quality and maybe hang one of my axe heads.

That said though, 5 weeks is a bit absurd, especially if the communication is lacking. I guess that's what I'll take from House Handles -great if you order from catalog, a bit dodgey with customs :( Sort of why I suggest that Cashmore go with Hickory Handle Store since I know that they do carry 32" curved and straight handles of pretty good quality (if you ask for it). Only issue is that their handles are pretty meaty, so be prepared to do a good bit of work thinning and octagonizing them yourself.
Click to expand...
Yes a 32" handle is a custom order...
That still doesn't change the fact that its been 5 WEEKS and that I was told almost 2 WEEKS ago that they would get them right out to me :(

Also...
The first time I called after patiently waiting a couple of weeks, I was told basically the same thing. There is a thread I started about it.
He did say on the first call that they were a little behind, but he would get then out to me soon.
On the second call I talked to the father, he said that he didn't know why they hadn't been finished already, but they should have been.
Two weeks later I'm still waiting.
If their not at the PO by next week I'm canceling the damn order!
Regardless, I'm taking all my future business elsewhere!
 
bearhunter said:
Yes a 32" handle is a custom order...
That still doesn't change the fact that its been 5 WEEKS and that I was told almost 2 WEEKS ago that they would get them right out to me :(

Also...
The first time I called after patiently waiting a couple of weeks, I was told basically the same thing. There is a thread I started about it.
He did say on the first call that they were a little behind, but he would get then out to me soon.
On the second call I talked to the father, he said that he didn't know why they hadn't been finished already, but they should have been.
Two weeks later I'm still waiting.
If their not at the PO by next week I'm canceling the damn order!
Regardless, I'm taking all my future business elsewhere!
Click to expand...

I feel ya and that's a real shame... not too many good online handle suppliers around so black listing one really dwindles down the options. I guess Hickory Handle Store is still available, but communication was an issue there for me as well. The handle quality is also sort of iffy, especially when it comes to the thickness and amount of thinning required.

Seems to me that the father and son do have some slight communication issues though. I made a slight change to my order a few hours after placing it and never got a reply on whether it would be alright/doable. So I waited a few days then sent another email essentially saying that while I'm in no rush an ETA would be nice - also a last minute addition to my order. His son replied saying it would probably ship early the next week. 3 hours later, I get another email with the invoice saying the order got put together and shipped - including the earlier change and the last second addition.

I hate to infer too much based on so little, but the father strikes me as the non-talkative, nod and get the job done type. Which worked out great for me in my situation but could probably be quite a hassle when it comes to custom orders where communication is paramount
 
killa_concept said:
I guess Hickory Handle Store is still available, but communication was an issue there for me as well. The handle quality is also sort of iffy, especially when it comes to the thickness and amount of thinning required.
Click to expand...

Hickory Handle Store sell Tennessee Hickory products. They're known for being fat. But they're also the best wood I've seen in axe handles.

I don't mind slimming one down so long as I have good material to work with and to make my work worthwhile.
 
Thank you all again for your thoughts. I really did consider putting it on the 28inch haft. I went and swung my Hudson Bay that is that length for a while, and I really feel I wouldn't want more weight on the end of it. The CT also came with a 32inch haft originally, and I messed around with it a bit (took a few chops with it) removing it, and I really liked that length. I want something with more reach in this one.

I did call House Handle and for straight all they offer is 28 or 36...they didn't offer any custom lengths to me. I will keep Hickory Handle Store in mind for the future. For now a blacksmith I've worked with in the past (the one who made my Hudson Bay) is going to make my haft for me.

Thank you again
Collin
 
They didn't "offer" any custom lengths to me either. I emailed them awhile back and they said they'd be happy to make 32" handles for me. Then I finally called and told the lady what I wanted and she said that they would be happy to make them for me.
Just like they don't "offer" hand select, no lacquer and octagon. You have to ask.
 
I guess I should have been clearer...I asked for 32" specifically, saying that I realize it is not offered on the site. The employee I talked to did not know if that was possible, and I got a call back from Chris saying he could only do the straight in 28 or 36. So while they were willing to do it for you, I guess they were not in the mood to do it for me, which is fine considering the issues you are having.

Hand select, no lacquer and octagon are offered on the website. If you go to your cart on the website they are listed there as special request options with corresponding prices...that's the only way I knew you had to ask for no lacquer.
 
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