Recommendation? Hanging a broad hatchet

[3fifty7]

First hanging project for me, other than hanging a tomahawk head I made onto a tapered handle. I have a broad hatchet head (True Temper Flint Edge TB4F) I’d like to hang. Weight is 3lb 6oz, OAL 7”, cutting edge 5.5”, eye dimensions are 1.9”x.675” with an eye height of 3.1 point to point.




When I got this it was on a mostly broken small machinist hammer style handle.
It may be sacrilege but I don’t want an offset handle. Due to the weight I’m looking at handles maybe 16”-19”. I’m having trouble finding a handle listed for a broad hatchet with these eye dimensions. I’m look at one from:
Beaver Tooth Handle Co 19" Straight / Miners Axe Handle with Boys Eye size 2" x 5/8"

It’s difficult not to post several links to handles I’m looking at but I know it’s against the rules.

What direction should I be looking in?

 

[Square_peg]

That's a beauty. Fine shape. A house axe handle could be shaved down to fit it. The potential drawback to that is that it's a curved handle. I prefer a straight handle on a broad hatchet but your preference may be different.

https://www.househandle.com/products.html#house

Too bad about the small bevel on the back side. It will eventually sharpen out.

 

[Square_peg]

I think you're on the right track with that short miners axe handle. Looks about perfect. You could lower the shoulder a bit to reduce the overall length.

 

[Hickory n steel]

If I'm not mistaken, these carpenters broad hatchets or " bench axes " didn't have offset handles like broad hewing axes.
The miners axe handle would probably be about right.

 

[3fifty7]

Thanks, hopefully I’ll be able to shorten it an inch to an inch and a half.

As far as orientation I believe you can flip this head either way but being right handed when holding it poll towards me and cut edge away I should have the flat to the left, correct?

 

[rjdankert]

FWIW, snip ca 1930s:

Bob

 

[3fifty7]

rjdankert very cool, thanks.

 

[Old Axeman]

357--no offset handle on an American broad hatchet. You are correct on orientation. A right handed person holds the axe only with their right hand and the stick to be hewn with their left hand. So as you said, looking at the poll, the flat side is to the left and the bevel to the right. An easy way to remember this for a broad hatchet is right handed person the bevel is to the right. As SP said, you really need to file (NO GRINDER) the bevel down until you get rid of any back bevel on the flat side that was put there by incorrect sharpening.
The catalog page above (a copy from my original 1925 TT catalog I believe) shows the broad hatchet set up for a left handed person like me. The only reason I believe it, and the flooring hatchet, are shown for a left hander is so all the hatchets are facing the same direction for catalog layout. I have never found a TT broad hatchet that was factory set up for a left hander. I believe that all left handed set ups were rehung by left handers like me. I had to do this with my grandfathers Plumb broad hatchet.

 

[Old Axeman]

I should have added to my post that if you do much broad hatchet work you will find it useful to have both a right bevel hatchet and a left bevel hatchet, no matter which is your dominant hand. This is somewhat like using a adze or a hand gouge, some times you need a outside bevel, some times you need a inside bevel.

 

[3fifty7]

Wow I should’ve read the fine print on shipping, from Beaver Tooth’s FAQ:



Q: How long do you take to ship most items?
Shipping times are running from 55+ days from order date. Some are even longer but that is the exception not the norm.


So I guess this will be a summer project !

 

[catspa]

Wow. You couldn’t quite grow a suitable stem in that timeframe, but it’d allow plenty to cut and carve one…

Parker