Need your opinions on thishaft

[Curt Hal]

So, I got this 3.5 lb Kelly Perfect and it was one of the most bashed up heads I’ve ever worked on. After hours of wire cupping and filing, I decided it could be salvaged. I had a straight, octagonal, 36” House Handle that I wanted to use. I got it nicely fitted, shaped a wedge to fit the tricky eye, tapped it into place then drove it home. For the first (and last) time, I set the base of the handle on a thick piece of quartz I had left over from a Reno. When the wedge was set and I put the axe in the vice to trim the wedge, I noticed a chunk of the knob had broken off. I trimmed the knob to remove the chipped section.
My question is this: is there enough swell to use this axe safely? Can it be used, or would you cut off the handle and hang it again?

 

[Yankee Josh]

View attachment 1072316 View attachment 1072317 So, I got this 3.5 lb Kelly Perfect and it was one of the most bashed up heads I’ve ever worked on. After hours of wire cupping and filing, I decided it could be salvaged. I had a straight, octagonal, 36” House Handle that I wanted to use. I got it nicely fitted, shaped a wedge to fit the tricky eye, tapped it into place then drove it home. For the first (and last) time, I set the base of the handle on a thick piece of quartz I had left over from a Reno. When the wedge was set and I put the axe in the vice to trim the wedge, I noticed a chunk of the knob had broken off. I trimmed the knob to remove the chipped section.
My question is this: is there enough swell to use this axe safely? Can it be used, or would you cut off the handle and hang it again?

Totally depends! If you can hang on to it comfortably than you're all set. I've got some with smaller swells that i can swing comfortably. Perhaps you could taper it down a little thinner just in front as well. That would make it more pronounced. Seems like a nice haft, and a great hang, too bad to throw it away... Nicely done by the way!

 

[muleman77]

I'd use it, for sure. You'll get a feel for it in just a few swings.
Lots of the the fallers axes I've used over the years were a just a cut short handle, no swell at all. A few of the factory Councils Ive got don't really have one either. I prefer a swell, but its not been an issue.

 

[Square_peg]

I don't like it. That lack of swell. But you could salvage it. A wrap of friction tape will keep it in your hand almost as good as a proper swell.

With a good swell you can loosen your grip a bit during the swing. Allowing a little bit of motion within your grip during the swing makes it more efficient. You generate more speed with less effort. Then the grip needs to be tightened before impact.

Friction tape will allow a bit of that loosening of the grip. The octagon shape allows you to more easily register the the axe's position and make necessary adjustments to the swing just before impact.

If it were going to be my main user I'd rehang it. But it can still be a very good user in its current shape if you add some tape.

 

[Trailsawyer]

It would be a shame not to use this haft!
On hafts without enough swell, or on sledge handles, I usually "texture" the last 3 or 4" with a rasp.
This provides a little more, safer grip, especially in wet weather.

 

[A17]

I've seen people put grooves on the butt area of the handle like so:

 

[Old Axeman]

I prefer a swell. That said, very few of the 18 & early 19 century axes I have found, used or seen have swells. They usually do have a gradual taper from the butt to the head, which works somewhat like a swell when in use. For a quick fix the rasp to the last 4" works great. If you really want to add purchase to a nice haft like yours, and you have the tools, try checkering, somewhat like a crude gun stock checkering. Look close at page 12, figure 22 in "An Ax to Grind"

 

[junkenstien]

Can build up a swell.Used wood shavings and wood glue and its held up for a year now.

 

[quinton]

I have a Union Kelly works boy's axe with the original straight handle. It doesn't have a swell either.

 

[Curt Hal]

Thanks. All great advice. Has anyone ever used parachord? I put it on a hatchet handle, but I wonder if it might not be too hard on the hands for a working axe, especially if it’s being used for longer periods of time?

 

[Curt Hal]

I prefer a swell. That said, very few of the 18 & early 19 century axes I have found, used or seen have swells. They usually do have a gradual taper from the butt to the head, which works somewhat like a swell when in use. For a quick fix the rasp to the last 4" works great. If you really want to add purchase to a nice haft like yours, and you have the tools, try checkering, somewhat like a crude gun stock checkering. Look close at page 12, figure 22 in "An Ax to Grind"

 

[Agent_H]

I can’t tell by the picture angle of the middle/ grip if there is more to take off. But maybe you could take it even thinner than you have it now? The lower half teased into at least some semblance of a swell?

This was an attempt to squeeze in a swell on an undersized double bit but is sort of a similar deal to a straight single bit with little to work with:

If you end up pulling the head off, would it make a cool set of small sledge/hammer handles or maybe the whole thing rescaled to boy’s axe proportions?

I bet it works just fine as it is but if you use it and it feels like it could still be pared down in the middle to get a bit more definition at the grip end, why not?

 

[Fmont]

There's nothing for it except to try it and see how you like it. Long sessions might demand more of a swell. And I agree with others who suggest you can take the taper out at the grip and add a smaller, more acute swell. Some of the "Lumberman's" haft patterns have almost no swell, it's all at the bottom. I did my db Flint edge that way and it's been no problem. (Attached pic)

I think a more acute grip end works for keeping the tool in hand in case of a slip, even if it's not hand filling like a nice swell.

Another note: In addition to the other crappy attributes of most modern hafts, they're made from relatively thin stock. Baker seems to get the grain right, but they're thiiiin. Others get the grain wrong and are like clubs. With most there's no meat on the lateral portions of the grip so they can save money on wood using thinner boards. So if you're working a manufactured haft it's good to leave some wiggle room there.

 

[Old Axeman]

Thanks Curt for putting that picture up. I have it on good authority that the exact Tuatahi in the picture will be for sale on ebay in the near future.

 

[Fmont]

Oooo you have some treasuressss.

 

[Old Axeman]

Yes, I started beating the bush for hand tools 60 + years ago. My favorite haunts were old hardware stores that had been in the same location for, sometimes, 100 +/- years. Anybody remember the old hardware stores that had the rolling ladders that went from floor to ceiling? I worked in one during the summer at 14yrs old repairing early chain saws and power mowers. You would not believe the treasures you could find. I found a Beatty & Sons, Penn. pattern, broad axe head that was buried and never sold. That Beatty is not going to be sold soon. I have it hidden from my lovely wife.

 

[A17]

Remember 'em? I live 15 minutes away from one that still uses 2 rolling ladders! It's "The Oldest Hardware Store West of the Mississippi" according to the sign in it's window. It's also the only place that carries a good selection of axe hafts near me.

 

[Curt Hal]

My wife’s grandfather owned a hardware store in Calgary that he started in 1925. Creaky oiled wood floors, galvanized sheet metal bins full nails, screws, bolts and such of all sizes. Wore expanding arm bands on his shirt sleeves. Magical.

 

[Curt Hal]

Thanks Curt for putting that picture up. I have it on good authority that the exact Tuatahi in the picture will be for sale on ebay in the near future.

Oh, get behind me Satan. If I had unlimited funds and confidence that I could survive being a single man, I’d buy the whole collection. Good luck with it. I hope buyers appreciate who they are getting it from. It would be like getting a Hendrix guitar.

 

[Old Axeman]

Only a few this next time up. She is correct that we have reached the stage of life that I need to down size. If I do a few at a time, that I can't really use anymore, she is happy, for a while. No way do I have a use for a Tuatahi racing axe.

Here is a story that is related to this topic: I have a friend in Montana that I used to shoot with in single shot competition (Schuetzen matches).
He also agreed with his wife that he should downsize his collection of single shot rifles. So, when the big gun show was happening in Missoula he would take two soft gun cases out and put old broom sticks or dowels inside and zip them up so they were ridged. As he was going out the door with a gun case in each hand he would say "Your right, I am going to try and sell a couple of rifles at the show" Then at the show he would remove the broom sticks and if he bought a gun he would put it in the case, walk back in the house with only one empty case and tell her that he was only able to sell one gun at the show. And boy was she happy. And he did not loose any guns in his collection and he gained one new one. Then one year he forgot to get rid of the broom sticks in the trunk before he went home and she found them in the trunk and figured out what he was up to.