Hatchet Handle Gap (I'm a noob)

Realistically if you wanted perfection in both the hang and the axe you would need to be paying probably $400 for that axe. To do a great job of fitting/finisging a haft will take at least a couple hours. Think of the fully burdened labor rate in a first world nation like Sweden. Then add profit.

Try asking COTS how many hours he puts into one of his custom hangs.
 
Square_peg said:
Realistically if you wanted perfection in both the hang and the axe you would need to be paying probably $400 for that axe. To do a great job of fitting/finisging a haft will take at least a couple hours. Think of the fully burdened labor rate in a first world nation like Sweden. Then add profit.

Try asking COTS how many hours he puts into one of his custom hangs.
Click to expand...

Perfection and cutting in the ears and not having gaps like that are two different things. There is a large difference between one of us ordering handles, or picking them off a shelf and someone sitting at a factory with a stack of handles that are made specifically for the axe head they are hanging. I surfed the web looking for pictures of gransfors bruks axes. Particularly the same angle. What I found from the limited pictures I could find is this is not the norm. They do cut the ears in. They do seem to not be haphazardly leaving gaps. And that is a relief. Because the US army issue 4# council tool axes are gapless. You can pick those up for what 40$? Every True American axe at the hardware store is gapless. They go for $20 something. I agree it can be tough, slightly different sizes shapes and handles not being uniform can leave gaps. But not from a company like Gransfors at the pricepoint they sell at. And there is zero excuse for it at all from an axe company really. Especially seing how most axes are hydraulically seated.
 
Is that the first hang of that head?? Is it supposedly off-the-shelf from GB?
 
I have one of those. I have no idea if it has a gap or not. The handle is excellent, the steel is excellent. The handle is 8" long, and this is supposed to be used for carving and limbing, etc. It's not a feeling or splitting tool (by GB's own admission). That head will likely never experience the force required to loosen it. Go use it and don't worry about it. If any maker had to make 100 percent perfect hangs all the time, each axe would definitely be significantly more expensive.

I guess I'm saying this is a non-issue unless the head comes loose.

Have you used it yet?
 
What SC T100 said.

I think the drifting operation went less than perfectly on that axe. I sure wouldn't loose any sleep over it.
 
Square_peg said:
Realistically if you wanted perfection in both the hang and the axe you would need to be paying probably $400 for that axe. To do a great job of fitting/finisging a haft will take at least a couple hours. Think of the fully burdened labor rate in a first world nation like Sweden. Then add profit.

Try asking COTS how many hours he puts into one of his custom hangs.
Click to expand...


Exactly. $150 for a good axe made today is a fair price. It's far from expensive and I have no idea how they make any money at all. There is plenty of room to seat that head further down the handle (and my guess is that it simply didn't get pressed on as far as typical). I am a proponent of holding a company responsible, because I think that is a consumer's responsibility, but this isn't major. Blah blah blah realistic expectations blah blah blah. You guys have heard it all before. Plus, you paid to have it shipped halfway across the world, to someone who marked it up, and then shipped it to you. You probably didn't pay all that much for the axe itself.
 
cityofthesouth said:
Exactly. $150 for a good axe made today is a fair price. It's far from expensive and I have no idea how they make any money at all. There is plenty of room to seat that head further down the handle (and my guess is that it simply didn't get pressed on as far as typical). I am a proponent of holding a company responsible, because I think that is a consumer's responsibility, but this isn't major. Blah blah blah realistic expectations blah blah blah. You guys have heard it all before. Plus, you paid to have it shipped halfway across the world, to someone who marked it up, and then shipped it to you. You probably didn't pay all that much for the axe itself.
Click to expand...

Apt statement. Actual tool without shipping/handling/marketing/distributor and retailer markup is probably about 1/4 of what it sells for. We've (us lucky 'first world' lifestyle denizens) become complacent in our expectations of 'hand built-custom-crafted'. Were a team of human workers to 'quick-paced' (ala Henry Ford's genius) assemble an ordinary car these days it would cost $1/4 million. Precision robots are not yet assembling small production hand tools and the human labour used to do this sort of thing are nowhere near as proud, skilled nor motivated as they once were.
 
Hello everyone. The seller basically said the same thing. Its hand made and should not be a problem with the operation of the hatchet. I have not used it yet. I am really impressed with how sharp it is though. I guess if it really bothers me I can get a new handle. Thanks for all the input everyone.
 
m0rph said:
Hello everyone. The seller basically said the same thing. Its hand made and should not be a problem with the operation of the hatchet. I have not used it yet. I am really impressed with how sharp it is though. I guess if it really bothers me I can get a new handle. Thanks for all the input everyone.
Click to expand...

Or just get a store-bought axe wedge, trim a few small pieces, and tap them into the gap. Use a few thin ones to fill the curvature. Then trim them flush with the head, and the gap will be gone. No biggie...should take 5 minutes. The heads of GBs are hydraulically seated, so it's likely on there very, very tightly. This will just fill the gap and prevent poisture and debris from getting in there (especially if it's kept well oiled).

I have also seen suggestions of melting beeswax into the gap, or using plumber's wax. Any option should work well.
 
I would email gransfors with the picture and ask what they think. Personally is unacceptable for a tier one axe to have that poor of fitmemship.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top