Handle Grain Orientation

O

Old Axeman

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Jan 10, 2015
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Proper grain orientation is parallel to the wedge kerf slot which is parallel to the bit of the axe. This is well illustrated in "An Ax To Grind".
I used an axe everyday in the private sector for 25 yrs, then for 18 yrs of 20 yrs of Govt. work with the National Park Service and U S Forest Service. During the 18 yrs of Govt work I was in just about every state including Alaska and Hawaii. At every Ranger Station or Park site I was at I always checked out the axes (a lot of axes!) These were mostly double bit and Pulaski. They were used almost daily by trail crews and fire crews.
95% WITH BROKEN HANDLES HADE GRAIN PERPENDICULAR TO THE BIT OF THE AXE AND GRAIN RUN OUT.
 
I'll buy grain run out, not orientation.. saying horizontal grain is weaker is simply not true!

My grandfather told me to never read a "how to" manual because they were only one persons opinion on a particular subject, but, if you must read one, read as many as you can on the subject and form your own opinion.
 
quinton said:
I'll buy grain run out, not orientation.. saying horizontal grain is weaker is simply not true!

My grandfather told me to never read a "how to" manual because they were only one persons opinion on a particular subject, but, if you must read one, read as many as you can on the subject and form your own opinion.
Click to expand...

Well, I'd say that vertical grain alignment is stronger than horizontal, but the difference is slight enough not to be a big deal for most users. Some folks even prefer horizontal grain alignment because they feel it reduces shock transmission better than vertically aligned grain. Ironically, I just did this video the other day and uploaded a little over an hour ago.

[video=youtube;PyCTEvZ5w5s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyCTEvZ5w5s&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
quinton said:
I'll buy grain run out, not orientation.. saying horizontal grain is weaker is simply not true!

My grandfather told me to never read a "how to" manual because they were only one persons opinion on a particular subject, but, if you must read one, read as many as you can on the subject and form your own opinion.
Click to expand...


How do you avoid grain runout on an axe haft with side-to-side grain.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Well, I'd say that vertical grain alignment is stronger than horizontal, but the difference is slight enough not to be a big deal for most users. Some folks even prefer horizontal grain alignment because they feel it reduces shock transmission better than vertically aligned grain. Ironically, I just did this video the other day and uploaded a little over an hour ago.

[video=youtube;PyCTEvZ5w5s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyCTEvZ5w5s&feature=youtu.be[/video]
Click to expand...

I'll watch the video later, I have a slow connection here..

But, on grain orientation strength; I'll say horizontal grain won't cause ANY handle failures without abuse!.. .ONLY grain run out, light weight, poor quality hickory, or unseen internal damage will cause a handle to fail with use..I will also say, that the handles I make from the trees and staves I select WILL NOT FAIL, with out abuse no matter the grain orientation!
 
So long as overstrikes don't occur you can get by with all sorts of wood not usually considered as worthy for handle material. Birch actually can make a very serviceable handle in a pinch.
 
I totaly understand why people usualy think that vertical grain is stronger, im among them. Why? when you see logs dry and crack, they usualy crack along the growth ring, and delaminate more readily along this line which would most likely mean wood fiber is weaker on that axis..., Now, no need to google search image of checked log to prove me wrong, I know this isnt scientific, its just how i see things.

I totally agree that the no-runouts rule is far more important.

Great video Fortytwo
 
42's axe haft in the video is straight, without shoulders and and a belly. That kind of handle is less affected by grain orientation. But with a normal single-bit axe handle, side-to-side grain orientation will lead to grain runout.

The other problem is that side-to-side grain orientation on hafts makes the haft more vulnerable to cracks caused by metal wedges (wedges driven in without a kerf to seat them).

My experience has been similar to Old Axeman's.
 
Twindog said:
How do you avoid grain runout on an axe haft with side-to-side grain.
Click to expand...

If you are talking about the little bit of run out in the shoulder, I consider it negligible to the life of a handle made from a riven stave. It would be slightly more concern in a VERY curvy handle.
 
On very curvy handles the odds for runout are increased by horizontal grain, but most curved handles are really curved only at the very end, and the bulk of their length is still straight.
 
I've split my own firewood for about 30 years. With straight-grained firewood, it's much easier to split with the grain than against it. It's difficult for me to imagine grain orientation not being a big factor in the strength of a haft.

But there are a lot of factors that go into haft strength. Grain orientation is one, but a big one with normal single-bit hafts.
 
Splitting wood along the grain vs. breaking a piece of wood through percussion/flexion across it are kind of different dynamics.
 
Twindog said:
42's axe haft in the video is straight, without shoulders and and a belly. That kind of handle is less affected by grain orientation. But with a normal single-bit axe handle, side-to-side grain orientation will lead to grain runout.

The other problem is that side-to-side grain orientation on hafts makes the haft more vulnerable to cracks caused by metal wedges (wedges driven in without a kerf to seat them).

My experience has been similar to Old Axeman's.
Click to expand...

You may not have seen these pics of some older axes I have with horizontal grain. They have sure stood up to some abuse over the years.. Some of the failures people have witnessed may just be twist, and run out so bad it looks to be side ways grain. You never know with sawn billets. In a good quality riven helve, there is no run out(other than man made) regardless of grain orientation..



[/QUOTE]
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Splitting wood along the grain vs. breaking a piece of wood through percussion/flexion across it are kind of different dynamics.
Click to expand...


Fair enough. Twisted grain can be incredibly strong. And there are a lot of factors that affect haft strength. But one factor is grain orientation.
 
quinton said:
You may not have seen these pics of some older axes I have with horizontal grain. They have sure stood up to some abuse over the years.. Some of the failures people have witnessed may just be twist, and run out so bad it looks to be side ways grain. You never know with sawn billets. In a good quality riven helve, there is no run out(other than man made) regardless of grain orientation..



Click to expand...
[/QUOTE]

Beautiful axe head. Looks like that haft has stood up to some over-strikes, too.

If an axe is use properly, it well seldom fail. But we often abuse axes, usually unintentionally. Proper grain orientation (and other factors) give us some insurance.
 
havn't had much luck with ash for axe or hammer handles.
it is grainy and so forth.
some guys do fine with ash, not me. i do use it for handles on solid socket garden hoes.
i sometimes use Honey Locust for handle material on small axes.
bizz
 
Remzy said:
I totaly understand why people usualy think that vertical grain is stronger, im among them. Why? when you see logs dry and crack, they usualy crack along the growth ring, and delaminate more readily along this line which would most likely mean wood fiber is weaker on that axis..., Now, no need to google search image of checked log to prove me wrong, I know this isnt scientific, its just how i see things.

I totally agree that the no-runouts rule is far more important.

Great video Fortytwo
Click to expand...
This is what a horizontal hickory failure would look like, if it looks different it was due to runout or unseen internal flaw. Hickory does not delaminate like other wood species.
 
markv said:
havn't had much luck with ash for axe or hammer handles.
it is grainy and so forth.
some guys do fine with ash, not me. i do use it for handles on solid socket garden hoes.
i sometimes use Honey Locust for handle material on small axes.
bizz
Click to expand...
Ash will delaminate when subjected to repeated shock.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Well, I'd say that vertical grain alignment is stronger than horizontal, but the difference is slight enough not to be a big deal for most users. Some folks even prefer horizontal grain alignment because they feel it reduces shock transmission better than vertically aligned grain. Ironically, I just did this video the other day and uploaded a little over an hour ago.

[video=youtube;PyCTEvZ5w5s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyCTEvZ5w5s&feature=youtu.be[/video]
Click to expand...

I had that happen on a sledgehammer once. The grain ran out just shy of the head. Btw, I did not know what grain runout was before this thread. I had heard the term but didn't know what it means.
 
Ash works fine for an axe handle, but it's definitely much more susceptible to delamination than hickory. In Europe, ash and beech are the most commonly used woods for handles, and I find ash to be more springy, which reduces shock transmission to the hands, but you have to be more picky about density and runout on it than beech. Beech, by contrast, takes a beating pretty well, but it passes it along to the hands more in the process.
 
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