My first handle making thread.

A

Anthony Va.

Joined
Feb 11, 2019
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Hello to you all. I'm very happy to have found this site. I'm kinda new getting into axe and hatchet well, all blades tools. I've been collecting axe heads here and there and I have 5 or 6 nice ones now. I've bought handles for most.
That said, I'm getting this notion to build my own handles. I love making things myself. I want to try to make a 40 inch double bit handle for my sager puget sound first off.
Sorry to be so long winded, but the short of it is that I have read here for a long time now and I see the knowledge you guys possess. Instead of messing up numerous times, I want to try to post my work here as I go and take in any advice and knowledge that I can. I just cut down a good size Hickory tree to use and I'll try to post some pics once I figure out how.
Anyways, I look forward to meeting everyone and picking your brains.
 
I guess my first questions are how should I go about splitting it up and how long will it take for the blanks to dry?
Also, how far should I work my handles down before I start letting them dry?
 
If you have enough time you can leave it halved to dry. But who wants to wait a year!? If you split out your stave just cut it to the general shape and seal the ends. Bring it inside near(not too near) a heat source and that's probably the fastest way short of a kiln. Welcome and great job doing it yourself!
 
Thanks bud! I actually did just draw it down to a rough shape. It's about 1 1/2" thick x 4-6" wide now. It looks really nice but yea I'm not sure how drying it will work out. I'll do what you said though and put it kinda near the fireplace but not very close
 
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Anthony Va. said:
http://imgur.com/a/FmqI6LY
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Anthony Va. said:
I've got a chunk busted out that I think may work. About to try to draw out down some
http://imgur.com/a/jAyq9Cv
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Anthony Va. said:
A few more pics. Done for tonight I guess
http://imgur.com/a/4w9hDDc

I hope the pics are even showing up. My next task will be learning to post pics better lol
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Hosting the pictures is the hard part. I opened your pictureS, right-clicked, hit “copy image address”, came back here, clicked the little photo icon above the text pane, then pasted the image address into the space. I have yet to figure out to do this on my phone - Imgur and Flickr don’t seem to provide a usable link via iOS for this forum (at least I haven't found it)

Your pictures and work are terrific so far and thank you for sharing your progress with us here!

Those are great little saws too. :thumbsup:
 
This is great! You have some wonderful material. And I love your vise.

I'd suggest cutting your logs at least 4" longer than you want your handle. 6" is even better. You're going to get some checking (cracking) as your wood dries, even if you coat the ends which you definitely must do.

I'd also suggest splitting a few staves larger than you think you'll need. That will give you the option to straighten a warped stave.

Air dry it in a cool place out of the sun. The expert on drying hickory is @quinton. His family has been doing it for a long time. He sent me a stave a couple years ago that was immaculate. Whatever he says, do it.
 
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This is the best way to get yourself handled up and you have some nice material and hanging a dubble-bitted is a good way to start too. Don't rush this process by bringing the wood indoors at all. Then the wood looses moisture quickly at its perimeter, the structure constricts and inhibits moisture further in from getting out. This is the built-in self protecting mechanism of the wood to retain moisture during drought periods so it's necessary to avoid activating it. In addition to letting it sit in a dry cool place out of the sun it has to have exposure to wind for carrying off surface moisture. You are dealing with sapwood which is prone to fungus so as moisture rises to the surface it is wicked away in the wind. Nice as the wood appears it is unpredictable and that's why you must leave allowance to get at your final shape. Again it would be a nice dream to think you could take it down to the final stages to speed up the seasoning but what a waste when it warps and twists, (I can already see some torsion in the stem) and bends and cracks more so than you anticipated. Just leave it halved or quartered or what ever you had it for a few years outside and then move it inside for further seasoning, precise times depending on your particular conditions.
 
4w9hDDc
wow thanks everyone for responding with your advice. I'm soaking it all in. I'll sit it on my porch in the shade. I guess maybe I should lay it down? Definitely will seal the ends up and the rest of the log I will just leave quartered. I could already see a small crack on each in just overnight so I'm going to seal the ends as soon as I get in
My vice was made by my great uncle its been in my family for 40 years I guess. I've went through like 4 vice but the stand lives on. It works okay for draw knife but I need a shave horse .may try to make one soon
 
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I think you made the right choice for seasoning these handle blanks. Keep going and collecting so you always have some in your rotation ready to use once these initial blanks are readied, man soon you'll be overrun. For storage, whenever it's practical I choose standing.
 
Yeah. Me too. That's how I recognized it. Great firewood and they do throw a bunch nuts in the good years. I sit on my back porch for squirrel hunting.(:--KV
 
I may try to find some dry wood to use. I know a few people with mills. I'll have to check to see what they have. I would like to find peices big enough to be able to split them out
If not then I may have to continue the thread after they dry and it looks like it may be a while.
 
kvaughn said:
Yeah. Me too. That's how I recognized it. Great firewood and they do throw a bunch nuts in the good years. I sit on my back porch for squirrel hunting.:)--KV
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Yea we have the sour nut Hickory too. I love the shagbark nuts even though they're tough to crack. I almost decided to cut a sour nut instead for the handles but I went ahead with the Shag. I'm not sure which would be best though or if they are mostly similar

What do you guys think is best to seal the ends with? I my have any buckets of paint laying around. I think there may be some solid stain here somewhere. I know I gave some spray cans of paint will they work?
 
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Anthony Va. said:
I may try to find some dry wood to use. I know a few people with mills. I'll have to check to see what they have. I would like to find peices big enough to be able to split them out
If not then I may have to continue the thread after they dry and it looks like it may be a while.
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I am not sure what would be fair rate of exchange (just an idea), maybe try to barter freshly cut for dry hickory.
 
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