Handle inlays?

[KillerGriller]

I have to rehang at lest one axe soon, and have a few others to play with; I was considering cutting out a channel or two lengthways down one of the shafts and filling them with coloured or marbled epoxy. Think of taking a router down the front margin of the shaft, and making a gutter, though i’ll Probably use a chisel or dremel?

Anyway, will the flex of the shaft (when chopping) make something like this stupidly impractical? Even using something flexible like a rubber-like epoxy etc?

 

[Hickory n steel]

I have to rehang at lest one axe soon, and have a few others to play with; I was considering cutting out a channel or two lengthways down one of the shafts and filling them with coloured or marbled epoxy. Think of taking a router down the front margin of the shaft, and making a gutter, though i’ll Probably use a chisel or dremel?

Anyway, will the flex of the shaft (when chopping) make something like this stupidly impractical? Even using something flexible like a rubber-like epoxy etc?

With the way grain of hickory hafts can be a bit unpredictable, I'd think carving a long slot down it could lead to structural issues.
Reuglar epoxy would definitely crack and chip out, and I'm not sure how flexible epoxy would work out.

I would say that while it might look cool, fancy inlays and decorations on your axe haft won't be very practical for a tool you intend to use.

 

[KillerGriller]

Yes, the grain would definitely be a concern which is why I added the dremel option, it’d easier to maintain a straight channel than with a chiseled-out method. Good points, maybe i’ll vett this into a pinstripeing idea instead