NOS "Perfect" axe handle....

[gben]

Hello,

Purchased from the estate of a deceased gentleman. It was stuck in the wall of his garage, I always check nooks and crannies at second-hand sales and there it was. I think the company is still in business, but I am sure this thing was sitting in it's hiding place for many decades, maybe someday I will find the perfect axe head for it:

 

[jblyttle]

Hello,

Purchased from the estate of a deceased gentleman. It was stuck in the wall of his garage, I always check nooks and crannies at second-hand sales and there it was. I think the company is still in business, but I am sure this thing was sitting in it's hiding place for many decades, maybe someday I will find the perfect axe head for it:

That's a nice find. I have a few NOS handles that I have found in the same manner. They are full sized axe/sledge/maul/mattock handles, almost never boy's axe or hatchet. Looking in every corner, and also looking up are things that I learned early on. Usually these handles are better than you can buy today, and usually are $1 or free.

That one looks nice enough to save for a special project.

 

[Steve Tall]

Lucky! With that paper label intact, that's a collector's item for sure.

 

[Square_peg]

Beautiful! It certainly has a very fine shape to it. At the very least it would make a great pattern. You can't buy a haft with such fine shape anymore.

 

[wdmn]

We outta put together a petition signed by all of us here with fine examples like this of (and the double bit handle belknap blugrass handle from your other post) and send it to the remaining handle companies saying; we are your customers, this is what we want!

 

[300Six]

We outta put together a petition signed by all of us here with fine examples like this of (and the double bit handle belknap blugrass handle from your other post) and send it to the remaining handle companies saying; we are your customers, this is what we want!

Can't disagree here.
Once you have a specialized lathe or sticker and a reliable source of 'select-grade' hickory blanks there should be no reason (aside from trying to compete with China or become lowest bidder supply to Walmart etc) for not being able to produce traditional and first class handles. Lots of wealthy, status/fashion conscious and/or naive folks are more than willing to fork over $200 for an unfinished sort-of hand-made European camp axe these days so there should be a half decent market for 'connoisseur' hafts.

 

[Square_peg]

We outta put together a petition signed by all of us here with fine examples like this of (and the double bit handle belknap blugrass handle from your other post) and send it to the remaining handle companies saying; we are your customers, this is what we want!

I'd be happy if they just could make handles with the swell aligned to the eye. Why is that so impossible? Are you listening House Handle?

But you're right, somebody needs to start making proper fawnsfoot hafts again.

 

[halfaxe]

Also to save money they don't need to saw the kerf for the wedge. I'd be more than willing to saw my own kerf if I could get handles like this.

 

[wdmn]

What the heck, sometime over the next few days when I've got the time I'm going to draft up something... it's worth a shot.

I'm thinking something like: start a new thread with a letter as the first post out lining the main grievances, then people sign by posting their name (or handle) as a reply with any specific opinions that are not mentioned in the main post, plus how many handles they've purchased in the last year (or another comparable stat that is most impressive).

 

[garry3]

Also to save money they don't need to saw the kerf for the wedge. I'd be more than willing to saw my own kerf if I could get handles like this.

The kerf is usually off center any way. Most times I am down far enough that I can some what straighten it out.

 

[garry3]

What the heck, sometime over the next few days when I've got the time I'm going to draft up something... it's worth a shot.

I'm thinking something like: start a new thread with a letter as the first post out lining the main grievances, then people sign by posting their name (or handle) as a reply with any specific opinions that are not mentioned in the main post, plus how many handles they've purchased in the last year (or another comparable stat that is most impressive).

Its a pretty good idea in my opinion. I would hope that we could at least get an explanation as to why they don't make them. It involves manufactureing costs no doubt. They probably have to finish them with a sander that takes a little longer. From what I have seen the lathes seem to function pretty much the same, one company mentions Klotz Lathe's, vintage machinery. A pattern is on one side and a stave on the other. It would not surprise me if some of these comany's still had patterns for these vintage handles.
House seems to be willing to cater to us axe geeks so they may well listen. Most of my time in hanging axes is spent on thinning handles and making a fawns foot. So, yes I would be willing to spend a little more if I didn't have to shape so much wood by hand.
Lets pull together and see what happens.

 

[garry3]

gben, that is a beuatiful handle. The problem will be when you go to hang a head on it you will have to remove some of that great patina. Might just be better off keeping it for what it is. Its probably more collectable just as it is. I think it would bring a good price as it sets with nothing to be gained by using it.
Just my take on it.

 

[Steve Tall]

...somebody needs to start making proper fawnsfoot hafts again.

If House Handle won't do it, how about Tennessee Hickory Products? Their site say, "Handles can also be custom manufactured according to the specifications of the customer." How about using those Railroad axe handle specs from Square_peg? A group order (6 each?) to get the required minimum? Shipped 6 to a box to keep the shipping cost down to about $3 per handle?

Note that the specified length is 32":

Here it is with more legible dimensions.

Just thinking out loud...

 

[jblyttle]

Photobucket is being a pain right now and rotate isn't working.

I have many NOS handles, mostly nondescript hardware store stuff but usefull just the same. Nice but not noteworthy. These four are the nicer ones either due to quality of design or condition. The hatchet handle has a rare label but other than that is just a nice handle, the pained hammer handle is cool because it is octagonal, and the mattock handle due to it;s nice original condition. However, the double bit handle is the real winner. It is 32 inches long, the grip is 3/4x1 5/16 inches and the whole thing weighs 18 ounces. Pretty cool. Another design to add to the new custom catalog?

 

[Liberatus1]

I went to five stores yesterday before I found a haft with good grain orientation. The Link hafts at three different stores were all wrong. I asked a manager about them and he said that they "always come in that way". Planned obsolescence gone mad. I found the True Value handles and Home Depot were wrong and then I went to BiMart and every True Value they had was perfect. I swear someone is purposefully doing this. The BiMart handles were half again more than everywhere else! Those True Value handles (ironically not sold at the hardware store by the same name) were dead straight, even the bad ones.

 

[cityofthesouth]

wdmn, sounds like a good idea to me.

gben, good lookin stick, nice find.

 

[wdmn]

Alright, sorry it took me a while.

Steve, that's not a bad idea, but wouldn't they want to ship all to one location?


Here is a draft of the letter that we would send to house and maybe tennessee and whoever else. Please let me know what you think is missing and when we are happy we can start the thread. The first post in the thread can have some pictures including the specs posted above.

Dear reputable handle manufacturer,


Attached is a petition in the form of a forum thread.

The petition clearly, with the aide of visuals, sets out the parameters we desire in our axe handles (we have even included dimensions).

The forum comprises the largest community of axe restorers and users on the Internet.

Collectively we buy a lot of handles each year. Those who have signed the petition have included figures on how many they purchase.

Some will have included specific requests, but this topic has been discussed by us many times and there are general traits that are universally desirable in an axe handle:

- Please do not cut the kerf; ordered handles too often come with poorly cut kerfs, and anyway it is better to fit the head before the kerf is cut. This should reduce your costs.
- The swell should be aligned to the eye.
- Done correctly a faun's foot is a beautiful thing! Done incorrectly it interferes with performance.
- Why so thick? The axe handles of yore – when axes were being used in industry – were slender. Now they are like clubs. We spend hours thinning handles. Using less wood per handle should reduce your costs.
- Grain alignment: we all like the vertical grain to be in line with the bit of the axe, with the grain running all the way through the handle.
- No one who uses or restores axes likes lacquer on their handles. This should reduce your costs.


Thank you for reading our petition,


Sincerely,

Your customers over at Bladeforums.

 

[Skiv]

Here is a draft of the letter that we would send to house and maybe tennessee and whoever else. Please let me know what you think is missing and when we are happy we can start the thread.

I had a chat with Link a while back. Several of their reps all got in the act. They *are* willing to listen, which is good, but the days of Bernie Weisgerber getting custom handles from them are long gone. They no longer are willing (or at least they SAY they are no longer willing) to do special runs of handle patterns in their old catalogues. If you're thinking, "money" then you're right. It's not worth the ultimate price point to create a premium axe handle. I don't think I'd be all that willing to pay $50 for an axe handle when I can bust three handles for that price. (Never know, though. I can spend it if I think it's worth it.) I just make a pass through the local stores every six months or so and high-grade what I can find. I can usually get a fair handle out of the time, then spend the extra money as time spent making that handle what I want.

The other thing the Link distrbutor says is that he gets a truckload, take it or leave it. I do like Link handles but they're clearly not concerned with 100 guys who love axes. They're selling to the guy who wants a handle cheap. (There's another step down on the food chain; the guy who just tosses the busted axe into the bush and goes to buy another whole axe.)

What spins my toque is seeing a $20 handle with the grain orientation freekin' sideways, blems in the wood, and built like a baseball bat. I wouldn't even carry a handle like that behind the seat of the truck for a "convincer."

 

[Square_peg]

I appreciate you taking the time to do this.

One issue I have.

- Why so thick? The axe handles of yore – when axes were being used in industry – were slender. Now they are like clubs. We spend hours thinning handles. Using less wood per handle should reduce your costs.

I don't want them to use less wood per handle. Because I want a large swell. The swell and eye determine the size of stock needed. Some makers used to make hafts out of 5/4 hickory. The narrow swells sucked. So we don't want them to use less wood, we want them to slim the handles better. I'll take 'em fat before I take them with tiny worthless swells.

Until somebody starts making a good haft I'll continue to hand pick the local stock of fat TH hafts and keep my spokeshave sharp.

 

[wdmn]

Alright, thanks Pegs; I will make the change, wait a bit longer for feedback, and then create a thread and see if it goes anywhere. IF the thread is successful, then I'll send the revised letter.