Handle finishing questions

M

mitch8

Joined
Oct 11, 2010
Messages
180
I've heard that you are supposed to rough the handle of an axe to avoid blistering and add grip. does anyone know if this actually works? and if roughing up the handle does have the claimed benefits how do you rough the handle correctly? should i use a high grit or just a rasp? how do i rough it without the handle splintering up my hands? how should i finish the roughed portion? etc. there might be a helpful video or something out there that i just missed.
Thanks guys
Mitch
 
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Not sure exactly what u are asking here - are u talking about rasping the end of the handle so u can get better purchase or grip to it?
 
wow im sorry, posted it late last night but i did not think than it was THAT late. ill edit the original post.
 
Very funny update once you read the reason for edit part.

This is completely subjective, it depends on what you want. It's also a variable question, that is to say, there is not one answer for every axe use and every axe type.

I'd say for avoiding blisters on your hands in the beginning the most important thing in terms of a finish is to leave the wood unfinished. The wood itself gives the best initial grip. But really the best thing is to get blisters quick, get it over with and your skin used to the action, although stating that will have implications for the proper grip you ought to be using.
But more directly to your question then. I use a blade in shaping a handle and then do not take to much care so there is always inevitable tear-out where the blade cuts against the grain which I see as desirable in part for the reason you bring up. I also make the surface faceted in a random way and then begin using the axe and refine until it feels good. If you have got good wood with minimal grain run-out, splinters will not be a problem.

Here in this picture of an axe with a manufactured handle you can see just about everything I was referring to, tear-out, facets, no finish

E.DB.
 


E.DB.[/QUOTE]

At first I didnt like the look of that finish at all, but it makes more and more sense. I will make my next handle like that.
 
You have to consider I was beginning from the disadvantaged point of a manufactured handle and it works better out of self prepared wood from off the beginning.

E.DB.
 
Nice pictures, Earnest. He's right. The biggest cause of blisters is a hard, smooth finish (ie lacquer) which creates more heat. Start tinkering and see what you like best.
 
Ernest DuBois said:
You have to consider I was beginning from the disadvantaged point of a manufactured handle and it works better out of self prepared wood from off the beginning.

E.DB.
Click to expand...

That rough cut finish ages really nice. What kind of wedge did you use?
 
I had to go back and look that one up. It turns out I wedged this one parallel to the sides with a wedge from pine imported out of north America more that one hundred years ago.

E.DB.
 
I've also got one this way but I wont be doing a square section wedge, I can't imagine it holding in very well.

E.DB.
 
I'd love to get my hands on one of those Finnish axes with the handle socket. Those are awesome.
 
Humm, Sometimes I do find myself on the american continent and when that is the case I definitely go to Idaho.

E.DB.
 
M3mphis said:
I'd love to get my hands on one of those Finnish axes with the handle socket. Those are awesome.
Click to expand...

Agreed! One in used but not terribly abused condition would go rather nicely with my Finnish broad axe.

Hey Ernest, how much do those axe heads typically sell for? (Sorry about the thread hijack)


Well, I suppose I could contribute to the original post. I like my hafts smooth, however, I must admit that I haven't tried doing any hafts like Ernest's and I believe G-pig leaves his a bit more rustic too. I should try that soon and see how I like it. I could always refine it if I don't like the feel.

Anyway, on my single bit I replaced the haft with a 36" store bought hickory haft that needed extensive thinning. Once I got it to where I liked it (thinned, smoothed and sanded) I put multiple coats of BLO on it and found that the haft was a bit slippery for my liking. I had noticed Pegs championing the tung oil on top of BLO method for a grippier finish so I tried that with some tung oil I happened to have kicking around. I put 2 or 3 coats of tung oil on the haft (equal parts tung oil and thinner plus a dash of Jap hardener) and was pleased with the results. It left a matte type finish that was quite a bit grippier and feels real good in my hands.

Another route you can go if your haft is already as thin as you want it but would like to add some grip is friction tape. I made the grip on one of my hewing hatchet hafts a little too thin for my liking so I built up the diameter of the grip with friction tape. It feels much better now and has quite a bit of grip to it. It also has a couple coats of tung oil on top of BLO.

 
What happens to the grip with the tung oil when you start to sweat? And how does it differ from linseed oil when hardened?
 
I'll just but in 'cause I'm here and I imagine CE will get back with his version but the answer is that when they are hardened there wont be a difference in the surface character between tung oil and linseed oil. It's just that linseed oil - the natural kind - takes a long time to get that dry feeling, a long time, and I don't mean just weeks. The tung oil will oxidize at the surface much more quickly and so you wont have that slippery feel for so long.

(Subject to local conditions)

E.DB.

How much do these Finnish axes go for? That first one you have seen I found on the ground. That same day in a shop I was asked to pay 1 euro for such an axe. Ok, that was many years ago and now probably anywhere between 10 to 40 euros.
 
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I've melting in a topcoat of wax(paraffin or microcristaline, not sure what it is) onto my knife handles and liking it in that application. Anyone have any reasons for or against using wax on an axe handle?
 
I have used wax (bees) before. Works decent, not much difference from linseed oil finish. I could not imagine using sap, though. My guess is that it would tear up my hands. Ernest, you sometimes use tar, correct? How does that work?
 
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