daizee
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2009
- Messages
- 11,115
So the lady needs a wood tool for her metal shop. De-barking some stumps is on the agenda.
Last fall I hung this Hudson Forge half/rigging hatchet on the bottom of an axe handle for practice, but it never spoke to me. In fact, it said "I'm uncomfortable in these clothes." The shape of the head never really appealed to me either, but I though it would be better suited to a longish straight haft. Soo.... she didn't like the one handy.
But this afternoon I stopped at the local Do It Best and found they have a selection of hammer and hatchet handles. Turns out this one was exactly the right size AND type: a 17" rigging hatchet handle.
WOW, what a difference the right haft makes. This thing is COOL now!
After knocking the head on for fit just one time, I trimmed the fitting curl, sanded the varnish around the part that would go into the eye, opened up the taper on the kerf a bit with the bandsaw to fit the wedge for expansion, slopped a little BLO on the handle and wedge, and knocked it home. Then I cut the top with the dull (saved for G10) bandsaw blade, and voila! It chops nicely and is good and tight. Just needs a sheath!
Last fall I hung this Hudson Forge half/rigging hatchet on the bottom of an axe handle for practice, but it never spoke to me. In fact, it said "I'm uncomfortable in these clothes." The shape of the head never really appealed to me either, but I though it would be better suited to a longish straight haft. Soo.... she didn't like the one handy.
But this afternoon I stopped at the local Do It Best and found they have a selection of hammer and hatchet handles. Turns out this one was exactly the right size AND type: a 17" rigging hatchet handle.
WOW, what a difference the right haft makes. This thing is COOL now!
After knocking the head on for fit just one time, I trimmed the fitting curl, sanded the varnish around the part that would go into the eye, opened up the taper on the kerf a bit with the bandsaw to fit the wedge for expansion, slopped a little BLO on the handle and wedge, and knocked it home. Then I cut the top with the dull (saved for G10) bandsaw blade, and voila! It chops nicely and is good and tight. Just needs a sheath!