My first handle from a stave

rockman0

rockman0

Gold Member
Joined
May 5, 2013
Messages
3,106
Thanks Quinton, I appreciate your generosity and advice along the way.

Made this one the hard way. No power tools. Hatchets, hand saw, rasps, and sand paper. I drew an outline on the stave from a pattern handle and the rest was by eye.
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Got the bark off, it was on there real tight.
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I cut down about 1.5" in sections and took them off with a hewing hatchet .
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That thinned it down a bit.
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Then roughed it to shape with hatchets.
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The rest of thinning was done with hatchets and finished up with two different rasps.
 
When I got to the fawns foot I decided to do something different. Feels good in hand. If it turns out uncomfortable in use there is plenty of wood to adjust the shape.

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I have big hands so it feels good.
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Here's the hang. Overall length is 36.5". After soaking up lots of BLO the handle weighed 1lb and 5 ounces. The jersey weighed in at exactly 3.5 lbs.
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For those with grain orientation OCD
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Runs straight all the way through.
There is a big difference between air dried hickory and kiln dried. This stave was the hardest piece of wood I've worked. It's a lot of work the way I went about it but I was in no hurry. I enjoyed it and have new found appreciation for life back in the day.
 
Very cool! Thanks for sharing all the pics as well.

That looks terrific, all around!
 
Looks good, rockman!

I'll have more staves dry enough this winter if you happen upon another project that calls for air dried. Thanks for the story and pictures!
 
Well done! Feel free to beat your chest with pride in that accomplishment. In saving $15 over a store bought handle you earned $5000+ worth of knowledge and experience. And you'll probably never break that particular handle in your lifetime.
 
Thanks for all the comments guys, quinton I may get with you early part of next year and work something out for another stave. Im thinking boys axe next time.

You are right 300six, I gained lots of knowledge and expect this one to out last me.
 
rockman0 said:
Thanks for all the comments guys, quinton I may get with you early part of next year and work something out for another stave. Im thinking boys axe next time.

You are right 300six, I gained lots of knowledge and expect this one to out last me.
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I have a good selection drying from a larger tree. The sapwood is thick, and the grain as straight as any I've ever seen. Just let me know..
 
Very nice work! First class!

I don't think the long fawn's foot will be any problem - more likely a plus. It will never draw a blister in the heel of your palm like a clipped fawn's foot. And I like the drop at the eye to better balance the head.

Thoughtfully designed and well executed. Full marks!
 
Thanks everyone for the positive comments. Been raining here since Sunday night. Supposed to quit tomorrow. I'm looking forward to putting it to work early Sunday morning.
 
What hasn't been pointed out about riven staves; seek out as straight a one as you can, because a badly sideways-curved one defeats the whole purpose of the exercise. Unless of course you're carving/shaping a broad axe offset haft.
 
This one looked straight to me but apparently I created a bow in it along the way. With a little advice from Quinton I got it pretty close to perfectly flat.
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it looks very good. I have a hatchet head I need to make a handle for (first attempt didn't go so well), appreciate all the pictures!
 
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