Need help with hanging an axe

[West Šenkovec]

Hi knife bros!

I found an old axe and I bought a new handle for it. I didn't check the measurements beforehand and I wanted to return it but the other ones are the same size and that size is "too small" I can fix the side gaps with a wedge but there's a gap in the front.

Is this handle usable? I was thinking about making a wedge that is thicker in the front to fill the gap and the part that goes into the handle would be normal, ie narrower. I would glue the wedge in and fill any gaps with epoxy. I would also put round metal safety wedges.

The other solution is to put a metal bar in the back of the axe head and bend the metal outwards so it fills the gap and it can't move when wedged in.

Any other suggestions?

I wish they didn't narrow down the handle in the factory because now I can leave it like that and risk the poor fit or take out a lot of material to try to fit it properly.

BTW, the gap on the dies is 5 mm/0.2" and in the front 10mm/0.4"

One more thing, I almost forgot. Is the axe head upsidedown?
I think the flatter side should go up but my grandpa said this is the correct orientation.

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[Old Biker]

Hi knife bros!

I found an old axe and I bought a new handle for it. I didn't check the measurements beforehand and I wanted to return it but the other ones are the same size and that size is "too small"

Is this handle usable?

In my opinion NO! Buy a handle that fits, or make one. Trying to make that undersized handle work is just asking for it to come off in use.

O.B.

 

[rjdankert]

Bob

 

[West Šenkovec]

In my opinion NO! Buy a handle that fits, or make one. Trying to make that undersized handle work is just asking for it to come off in use.

O.B.

That's what I'm thinking but I couldn't find any in bigger size. Even the homemade ones that they sell at the farmers market are too small.

They had China axes in that size at the hardware store for less than what I paid for the handle plus wedges lol

Bob

Thank you!

 

[Backyard]

looks upside down to me

 

[catspa]

I agree with OB, if you cob in a smaller handle you’ll never trust it, and someday it’ll prove itself worthy of your mistrust.

No need to wish and hope that somebody else would make a handle that fits, however. You can make your own. I’ve made a number of handles that, while not being beauty queens, turned out perfectly serviceable. My buddy Rick made one uglier than any of mine, but it fits and balances so well that I always want to use it when I’m over there. It’s on a 2-1/4# limbing axe, a True Temper I think.

Anyway, if we can do it, you can. Choosing the right stave to start with, and getting the grain oriented right will put you ahead of 99% of storebought handles.

Parker

 

[Charlie_K]

Vaughan has an extensive selection of made in the USA hickory handles in stock, from the little 1.25 pound camp axes all the way up to the 3.5 pound felling axes. Prices are reasonable but shipping is a pain unless you're buying multiple. They're bound to have just the size you're looking for, or something you can slim down to fit just fine.

 

[West Šenkovec]

I agree with OB, if you cob in a smaller handle you’ll never trust it, and someday it’ll prove itself worthy of your mistrust.

No need to wish and hope that somebody else would make a handle that fits, however. You can make your own. I’ve made a number of handles that, while not being beauty queens, turned out perfectly serviceable. My buddy Rick made one uglier than any of mine, but it fits and balances so well that I always want to use it when I’m over there. It’s on a 2-1/4# limbing axe, a True Temper I think.

Anyway, if we can do it, you can. Choosing the right stave to start with, and getting the grain oriented right will put you ahead of 99% of storebought handles.

Parker

I know it's not a problem and it would be a nice project for my Grandpa but I can't find good wood. Hardware stores around here have just crappy pine or something soft like that. You know what you have to be picky with the wood grain for a handle so that's an extra obstacle.

Vaughan has an extensive selection of made in the USA hickory handles in stock, from the little 1.25 pound camp axes all the way up to the 3.5 pound felling axes. Prices are reasonable but shipping is a pain unless you're buying multiple. They're bound to have just the size you're looking for, or something you can slim down to fit just fine.

I'm from Europe and I thought about ordering one but most of them don't specify the dimensions so I could spend much more money to end up with the same problem.

 

[rjdankert]

I'm from Europe and I thought about ordering one but most of them don't specify the dimensions so I could spend much more money to end up with the same problem.

American axes generally have smaller eyes than a lot of European styles like yours so presumably no market here for the larger dimensions. Even if you can get a "stick" that will fill your eye from a handle supplier here it will probably take a fair amount of shaping. It might be an option for you, but it will be virtually the same amount of work as making one from scratch plus more expensive.

BTW are you from Šenkovec,?


Bob

 

[Charlie_K]

I'm from Europe and I thought about ordering one but most of them don't specify the dimensions so I could spend much more money to end up with the same problem.

Okay that's good to know. Let me slip over into the metric system for a bit. How that compares to your eye, I don't know.

Well the Vaughan handle #65373 has an eye dimension of approximately 52mm x 21mm. #65512 has an eye dimension of approximately 62mm x 21mm.

 

[tommytman]

Is that a German axe? Finding a USA made handle will prob not work. Will an ox head axe handle work? Oschenkopf axes

 

[Old Biker]

That's what I'm thinking but I couldn't find any in bigger size. Even the homemade ones that they sell at the farmers market are too small.
Thank you!

If there is someone selling homemade ones at the farmers market. You might talk to them and see if they could make you a bigger one that would fit. Or maybe sell you a stave, so that you can make your own. Might be a good idea to take the head along when you talk to them, so they can see what is need to fit.

O.B.

 

[dirc]

it wouldn't be difficult to make a t shaped wedge for that & fill it in all in one piece...
some linseed or tung oil would make it expand & if you taper it well, you'd hardly need glue (though wood glue is still pretty std for them)

using the stave you have is a doable option imho

 

[thebrain]

I have seen a few European sellers on EBay that have what looks like a normally formed axe handle but a large rectangular unshaped top with no cut for a wedge. They are likely a response to this type of axe head with a larger eye than is common on American made axes. They are reasonably priced even with the transatlantic shipping.