Need help hanging a tapered eye hatchet!!

[nooby]

How should I hang this? The bottom of the eye of the hatchet head is bigger than the top. The top of the eye is only about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch wide. Would be a fragile small wedge to make.

 

[Pindvin]

I have a IWW Austrian military pickaxe that has the same kind of eye. Let the handle be wider at the bottom and narrower at the top (try to get the tightest fit u can get, as it goes with a regular axe) then put a small wedge in it. The wedge should be the width of the eye (as in a normal axe). Im not sure how it works but my pickaxe head gets quite a bit stuck in the handle even without putting a wedge in it. I literally have to hammer it out so i guess making such an eye is a good idea.

 

[Alocksly]

This needs to be hung like a hammer. Go down to the hardware store and look at the replacement hammer handles. You might even bring the head down and see if it fits any. This'll give you an idea how you need to shape your handle.

 

[nooby]

What about a metal wedge? Would that be a better idea? By the shape it seems like I need to expand the bottom part of the eye more than the top part where most tapered wedges go. What about a completely straight wedge that goes deep through the eye, then a metal wedge on the top? I was also thinking of drilling a hole in the top of the handle part sticking out. Then putting some sort of bumper / blocker on the end so the head can't come off.

 

[Alocksly]

Metal Vs. wood is mostly a matter of personal preference. I've seen a number of framing hammers and shingling hatchets like you have with a wood wedge and one or two metal cross wedges. A google search for "shingling hatchet replacement handle" will give you a number of options.

And here's a thread to look at.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/722988-Modified-Roofing-hammer

 

[300Six]

Now there's a real challenge! This is a new one of me. My first thought was 'who the h--- designed this? And this is not a no-name implement. Counter-intuitive to have an eye taper in the wrong direction. Ordinary wood handled goodies get a wedge or two at the ends and if this was to be your tact I'd be leaving a goodly and hopefully-swelled 1/4 inch of the handle showing when driving in the wedges just so that the uncompressed wood would assist to retain the head. As an 'outside the box' and practical tinker I wonder if some sort of version of lag bolt or large old-style tapered wood screw and oversize plate covering the eye hole might be prudent insurance against the head flying off once it's on good and tight.
Is there any way to discretely ream/rasp/file the head (even some part of it) so as to be able to make an advantageous wedged flare on the inside? Good luck with this baby!!! Could be some items were destined to be wall hangers right from the very start.