Marbles Camp Axe Handle Material?

P

patrick_ford

Joined
Jan 5, 2008
Messages
17
I recently got a Marbles Camp Axe from an online dealer and had a quick question. The axe itself is forged in El Salvador and came with a pretty good edge out of the box. The handle is about 16" long and though is thin in places is shaped pretty ergonomically.

My issue is the handle appears to be pine, even the smell. I am not a lumber expert by any means, but I do not feel comfortable using an axe that may be attached to a pine handle.

Can I get some expert advise? Does this appear to be american hickory as advertised or pine as I suspect? I put one of my other tools with a hickory handle next to the axe handle for reference. It has been stained, but it is definitely american hickory.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/OTeddZLlHR4qaTl82
https://photos.app.goo.gl/K9bJejNE16oP4Yam2
https://photos.app.goo.gl/w90fBFgAACiuTb5f2

Thanks,
Patrick
 
Highly unlikely to be a softwood although that one sure has that typical pine look to it. If it doesn't scratch or dimple easily with a fingernail it's hardwood. Second growth Hickory can have this appearance although it's not as common as all light or all dark colouring.
 
patrick_ford said:
My issue is the handle appears to be pine, even the smell.
Click to expand...
I don't remember ever seeing a piece of Hickory that looked like your handle. I went to The Wood Database (http://www.wood-database.com/) for pictures. The ones I found there didn't seem to have grain patterns as distinct as your handle. I'm curious about the pine odor. Has bare wood been exposed? I assume it would have come with a coating like lacquer.


Bob
 
300Six said:
Highly unlikely to be a softwood although that one sure has that typical pine look to it. If it doesn't scratch or dimple easily with a fingernail it's hardwood. Second growth Hickory can have this appearance although it's not as common as all light or all dark colouring.
Click to expand...
Looks like there is just wider early wood than we see most of the time. Can't imagine it wouldn't be a hard wood.

Whats the end grain look like Patrick?
 
I've got a saddle hatchet made by them and the handle on it is most certainly a very tight grained hickory.
I bought it this summer so I doubt they'd have changed to a different type of wood since then. Probably just a strange looking piece of hickory.
 
I guess I will chalk it up to weird grain and see what happens long term. Worst case scenario is I have to replace it. I appreciate the advise gentlemen.
 
patrick_ford said:
The handle comes unsealed, but the lanyard and part of the end of the grip has a lighter tone than the rest.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vi1C4gv5AnrRUo0B3
Click to expand...
Looks to me like you got a nice piece of Hickory. Grain orientation is good and the rings are well separated.
patrick_ford said:
I guess I will chalk it up to weird grain and see what happens long term. Worst case scenario is I have to replace it. I appreciate the advise gentlemen.
Click to expand...
Good grain orientation, no knots and no runout. And it's mere hatchet length. All the best of luck in trying to break it.
 
The pine smell could be from thinning some BLO or other drying with turpentine.

The grain really doesn't look like hickory.
 
Imacasa uses a form of Central American pine for their wooden machete handles (as opposed to walnut on their Condor models) so perhaps you're smelling that since they were made in the same factory? However, the wood doesn't look radically different from that particular pine species, so I can't say for sure based on the look that it isn't. They wouldn't have used a wood other than hickory for the handle, though, unless the contracting client (Blue Ridge) specified it, which would be an odd choice on their part.
 
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