I'm thinking 19" handle?

S

smith357

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Feb 19, 2005
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I got myself a project, a True Temper Dynamic hatchet that just needed a little TLC. It came with a very nice short thin curved handle that was well bubba'd in, the handle is soaking in oil and will eventually hold a vintage 1.25 Helco.

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So after some cleanup I have a big heavy head that is pushing 2 lbs. My googlefu says it's part of with the Tommy Axe line. I did see a old ad that showed them with fairly long, lightly curved, half octagon handle. Something like that is going to be next to impossible to find. I already have a bunch of shorter hatchets, so I'm thinking a nice 19" long California framing or House Axe handle might fit the bill. Wuddaya think?

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Smith, that Dynamic is sweet.
A regular hatchet handle well work and come in at about 16". A riggers hatchet handle would work also (not from house), but you would need to make the handles eye size smaller. A California framing handle might work if you can find a straight one, a curved hammer handle will probably be curved the wrong way for what you want unless you are mostly going to use the poll.
 
The curved handle is the wrong type for that hatchet. I just rehung my grandfathers old Plumb that my mom or dad had rehandled a few years back with a 14 inch curved Boy Scout type handle (badly, I might add) and used the House model, the 16 inch riggers hatchet handle that they recommend that looks just like the one that jblyttle used on his. Big difference it how it feels, Remember that the hammer poll on these little guys is made to be used a lot more than say the spike on a fire axe, so you are better off with a straight handle like you might find on a good framing hammer.
 
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jdm61 said:
The curved handle is the wrong type for that hatchet. I just rehung my grandfathers old Plumb that my mom or dad had rehandled a few years back with a 14 inch curved Boy Scout type handle (badly, I might add) and used the House model, the 16 inch riggers hatchet handle that they recommend that looks just like the one that jblyttle used on his. Big difference it how it feels, Remember that the hammer poll on these little guys is made to be used a lot more than say the spike on a fire axe, so you are better off with a straight handle like you might find on a good framing hammer.
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garry3 said:
Smith, that Dynamic is sweet.
A regular hatchet handle well work and come in at about 16". A riggers hatchet handle would work also (not from house), but you would need to make the handles eye size smaller. A California framing handle might work if you can find a straight one, a curved hammer handle will probably be curved the wrong way for what you want unless you are mostly going to use the poll.
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After some more research It seems like the curved Cali Framer handles do have a similar amount of curve as the original should have, but the curve is in the wrong direction on them, so it appears a nice long straight handle is what I will need, unless anyone knows a source for an original True Temper Handle for this thing. Thanks for the help, I'll post up pics once I have the handle and get everything all fitted.
 
https://books.google.com/books?id=V...=_z2gVJbQN4nwoASVz4LIBA&sqi=2&ved=0CEIQ6AEwBg

Not sure how to post this link. Popular machanics, june 1941 page 203. A quick google search, shows the Dynamic with a straight handle the Tomahawk and Tommy with a slight curve. Maybe it was offerd in both? Or perhaps it changed with the years. Any way they are a nice set. If I was going to use them I think they would benifit from a longer handle than they came with.

Looking forward to what you decide and how it turns out.
 
I love the 19" handles. The House Cali framer is straight and works for the half hatchets and riggers I've bought. I just picked up some octagonals that I'm really pleased with. If you get the standard house handles they come in oak and have heartwood and flaws. On a full size axe it's a problem but for these it really adds to the look. I think that's probably my favorite axe/hatchet you have right there. I'd have fun with it if nothing else.
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smith357 said:
I got myself a project, a True Temper Dynamic hatchet that just needed a little TLC. It came with a very nice short thin curved handle that was well bubba'd in, the handle is soaking in oil and will eventually hold a vintage 1.25 Helco.

IMG_0002v01.jpg


IMG_0012v01.jpg


So after some cleanup I have a big heavy head that is pushing 2 lbs. My googlefu says it's part of with the Tommy Axe line. I did see a old ad that showed them with fairly long, lightly curved, half octagon handle. Something like that is going to be next to impossible to find. I already have a bunch of shorter hatchets, so I'm thinking a nice 19" long California framing or House Axe handle might fit the bill. Wuddaya think?

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Is it just me or does the dynamic head look like a bull terrier a little bit. I bet George Patton would have wanted one of these hatchets.

smith357 said:
I saw the ad from the same era with the hammer as the centerpiece when I was researching the TT Tomahawk I picked up as this ones mate, I did not notice the handle difference in the Dynamic as it was off to the side and the hammer was front and center. Thank you for your very powerful goggle-fu. :)

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I have a couple of this type of head lying around, and 3-4 NOS 18" framing handles. Time to do another one I think, I'm feeling inspired!
 
Since none of my hatchets have long handles I decided to make one up, picked up an 18" Vaughn and hung the 28oz Dynamic. I hung a the 40+ year old Helko on the handle that originally came on the Dynamic.
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I'll be doing the same thing with a Plumb carpenter's hatchet I have that feels too heavy for the short handle. How do you like the feel of the 18" handle? I think I picked up a 16" handle a while back to use.
 
SC T100 said:
How do you like the feel of the 18" handle? I think I picked up a 16" handle a while back to use.
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I am really liking the long handle, mated with the 28oz head it gets good speed and hits very hard. Generally a hatchet does not work well for cross cuts on the red oak and hickory we have around here, a Tomahawk with it's small edge and high head speed generally works better for me. This one managed to actually make some chips fly and on my half rotted Tomahawk/Hatchet test log, 25 average strokes with the long heavy Dynamic has made the biggest divot in log so far.

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