No Surefire Tight Head Fix

Triquetra

Triquetra

Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
759
A while back I asked for advise on using epoxy or JB weld to secure a tomahawk handle. I gave it a try for a small tomahawk that I was working on for a camp or hiking hawk. Below is a picture of the result. I really haven't even chopped with it much at all and below is the result. I picked it up the other day and noticed that the head was wiggly. I thought the epoxy would secure for life. I'm sure that it was something I did wrong but it wasn't a sure fix.

Looks pretty good here.
DSC02999.jpg


End result.
DSC03000.jpg
 
When I put my heads on I cut small rectangular piece of leather, stretch it as much as possible as I slip the head up the haft. Once the head meets the leather I use a flat head screw driver to push the leather within the eye about half a centimeter and then bang the head on until it goes as far as possible. Once it's in place, I trim the excess leather. So far the results have been excellent, no wiggling, very tight seal!
 
I put an axe wedge in mine. And speaking of leather 'tween the haft and head,
it traditionally was used not only as a head tightener but as a seal for pipe 'hawks....

beard2.jpg
 
'I'ge been considering the wedge method and actually have a handle ready to try. I'm kind of having a hard time picturing the leather method but could probe come up with something. How common is it to use leather and how well does it last?
 
After using swel-lock the last few days changing out old axe handles, I'm firmly convinced that there are a few materials necessary for the job. The first is linseed oil. The second is finishing wax (carnuba/beeswax) and the third is swel-lock. I'd cover the top of the haft with a very light film of swel-lock, cover it with a very light fim of linseed oil, seat the head and then soak the heck out of the top of the axe with linseed oil for a day or two.
I'll note quick that I'd rather have issues securing a tomahawk head than having issues in the field replacing a busted haft because it's glued in the eye of my favorite tool....
 
On some of these Hawk heads, the head may need a little tune up alsoknock out the handle and look / feel in the eye of the head for a burr around the top and bottom edge of the eye. It will make a big difference if you file this out before trying to get a good fit. A round file works good, I use an old chain saw file.. if you got some linseed ooil and had a way to soak the end of the handle in this, like a piece of pvc pipe with a cap gllue on the end, then stand the handle up in this pipe and pour some linseed oil around it. As it soaks up the oil it might swell up some.

Or you could cut down from the top of the handle and glue in a sliver of a wooden wedge, let it dry and then re-fit the head to the new thicker handle.

On tomahawks I use a rubber mallet of a dead blow hammer to up the head on tighter by hitting the handle on the big end with some sharp raps. The enertia will pull the handle on tighter, if a small curl of wood shaves off, remove the head and file this off the try the head on again and you will get finally get to a good tight fit. the handle may loosen if the wood dries out. a good coat of swell lok of a soak in linseed oil keep all the cell stucture in the handle full and that part of the handle won't shrink so fast,
 
I'm new to this Tomahawk sickness. Can someone tell me what Swel-lock is & where can you buy it. TIA.


Jim
 
Biznus said:
I'm new to this Tomahawk sickness. Can someone tell me what Swel-lock is & where can you buy it. TIA.


Jim
Click to expand...


Product that swells wood fibers. For hanging axes, I use it on the wood wedge and in the kerf before setting the wood wedge.

fig057.jpg
image from US forest service "An Axe to Grind"

Previous thread.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/900311-Swel-Lock

Just google swel-lock to see where to buy it (or who has it the cheapest). Or right from the vendor:

http://www.hofcraft.com/behlen-swel-lock.html
 
It's a one time fix, won't evaporate. It's chemically closely related to the propolene glycol that is most automotive antifreeze, only less smelly and maybe less toxic. I forget the exact name of the compound though. Primary use as marketed is to fatten up loose chair legs and other joinery in old furniture.
 
Triquetra said:
'I'ge been considering the wedge method and actually have a handle ready to try. I'm kind of having a hard time picturing the leather method but could probe come up with something. How common is it to use leather and how well does it last?
Click to expand...

Wedge won't work on that handle construction. It is a slip fit. Epoxy likely won't work for long either. The fit of the head to handle is what is important.

You can file the head to make it fit, or shape the handle to get a better fit.

I find on my norse hawk, that if I take the head, and heat it up in the oven to about 250 degrees or so, then take the handle and put it in. Then Bang the to top of the handle with a sledge. The fit will be tight, but after a while with use it will get loose again. (especially if you throw it). Acraglass might work, if used judiciously.

One trick is to get it on there tight and then put a tight wrap underneath the handle.

If your hawk head has a front to back wiggle, it won't stay on permanently no matter how tight you get the head on.
 
You guys are fitting the handle to the head first, right? If you don't, no amount of wedges, glue, swell lock or whatever has much of a chance to make a lasting, secure fit. If you do, you won't need any of that stuff anyway. Almost never is there a good fit between the two out of the box. This holds for traditional axes too BTW.

Wood is a natural material and will move over time. There's no reason to fret because you have have to snug it up occasionally. Traditional axes with wedges have to be re-fit too, always have been. And it has been mentioned already, if you plan on throwing it you want the handle to come loose on a mis-throw or you'll be breaking handles often and who wants that?

Wooden handles need care, wooden arrows need to be straightened, black powder has to be kept dry, rifles re-primed, carbon blades oiled, etc., etc., etc. Welcome to the traditional world.
 
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