Opinions on hang job.

ttr125mar

ttr125mar

Joined
Jul 22, 2016
Messages
53
Hello, would like to thank this forum and the advice/information available to me. Now I would like some good or bad opinions on my first hang job. Too closed/open. Kerf is straight, but the wedge broke off before it hit the bottom (a little more than 1/4in). Also I couldn't get the head down on the shoulder anymore as the front of the eye starts to 'Y' off into the handle. Anyway anything of good or bad will help me with my next one.







Thanks,
Mario
 
Ashe from being hung high for reasons you mentioned it looks solid o me. You could always rasp the shoulder of the handle down a bit to make the curve to the head a bit less drastic.
 
Yes, the solution is to rasp the wood just below the head into shape that allows the head to sit lower. I would say that it is an open hang, but not grossly. If you feel that it is tight, leave it. If you want to correct it, this can be fixed. You just need to carefully drill or Dremel the wedge out to remove the head and keep working at it. Multiple shapes and coarseness grades of rasps are helpful, but an 8" 4-in-hand is all that you need. A (sharp) wood scraper is handy too.
 
Pretty sure that's a military-issue (Swede or German?) head from the 1940s. And a nice new handle! Now that it's firmly wedged you might as well leave it alone until it works itself loose. Setting it further down on the shoulder (using a rasp) is something I would have done, but so what. What you've got now will do the job perfectly well. Not cutting the haft flush with the eye will enable you to pull the wedge a lot easier when the time comes too.
Go ahead and pat yourself on the shoulder for resurrecting an old tool!
 
Looks like a perfectly fine hang. I wouldn't call it too open or too closed. Looks just about right. The handle grain looks to have a little run out. Watch for that on your next handle purchase. Sitting lower on the shoulder will look nicer but it really doesn't affect performance.

The wedge should never bottom out. The wedge's forward progress should always be stopped by its tightness in the eye. A wedge that bottoms out isn't tight. Stop driving the wedge just short of breaking it if you can. I've broke quite a few. Driving the wedge with a wide flat wooden mallet that applies force equally across the top of the wedge will reduce splitting and breaking of the wedge.
 
Thank you for the advice! Much appreciated. I figure once it comes loose (as this will be a heavy user) I will use the advice and rasp so the head will sit lower.

Yes the head is from an Swedish military axe, metal quality is nice, and just shy of 3lbs. From research the KB may have been forged in Finland and sent to Sweden.

I'm still learning on run out (grain is not straight through the entire length) is what I get from reading. This was a house handle, next time I'll look locally first (but it's pretty slim to nothing here).

Thanks,
Mario
 
Excellent first hang! You are getting good feedback. I dont think the hang is too open/closed. Lower on the shoulder is not just an appearance thing, there are reasons to sometimes have your hands right up next to the head. That hump is uncomfortable then. Easy to correct even after the hang, you dont need to pull the head. Carefully (you dont want to bugger up your rasp on the head) use your rasp to remove the hump, sand, and oil.
 
ttr125mar said:
. . . Too closed/open. . .
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28840537393_73c47b4e24_c.jpg


Bob
 
Not bad! Don't be afraid to remove wood inside the knob to get a nice grip, as is often overlooked. Reference the COTS project thread for how a proper knob/swell should be, and slowly work towards that.
 
Looks like a good hang, might want to sit the head lower next time, but for this one, if it ever get lose, just take it off and lower the head, as for now, if its solid, leave it as is ;)
 
Park Swan said:
Not bad! Don't be afraid to remove wood inside the knob to get a nice grip, as is often overlooked. Reference the COTS project thread for how a proper knob/swell should be, and slowly work towards that.
Click to expand...

Those 'feminine curvy' swells of City Of The South are signatures of his that us mere mortals can only 'attempt' to copy or reproduce.
 
300Six said:
Those 'feminine curvy' swells of City Of The South are signatures of his that us mere mortals can only 'attempt' to copy or reproduce.
Click to expand...

That's why I call him the axe handle god, maybe he should have a Greek type name like hickorise hangorise or something 😁
 
300Six said:
Pretty sure that's a military-issue (Swede or German?) head from the 1940s. And a nice new handle! Now that it's firmly wedged you might as well leave it alone until it works itself loose. Setting it further down on the shoulder (using a rasp) is something I would have done, but so what. What you've got now will do the job perfectly well. Not cutting the haft flush with the eye will enable you to pull the wedge a lot easier when the time comes too.
Go ahead and pat yourself on the shoulder for resurrecting an old tool!
Click to expand...
same here. use it till the head loosens some and go from there.
 
i've made every mistake in the book, crooked,out of line,too far up from the shoulder, thin short wedge. you name it. after you hang a dozen or so axes you'll get the hang of it...
 
Obviously this is a matter of opinion but what's your guys opinions on a single steel wedge in the middle. I seem to find without it the handle works loose Much quicker. What's your guys opinion? Thanks
 
Thank you for all the feedback! I found my rasp, and soon I will be on it. I have to work up some nerve to reshape the handle.
I found the Cots thread, and you guys are correct
Those handles are beyond perfect, and I can only dream of doing something like that.

Trevor51- I have done some searching and found threads all about metal wedges (round, flat, how to use, should you use, etc.) And I find it's personal preference. 50/50. Some guys seem to love them as others seem to hate them. I have never installed one, but have used axes with them installed (head didn't become loose as of yet).
I didn't use on on this head as I didnt need to, the single wedge was plenty for the size of my head.
Others may chime in, who have better advice. But if you search you will find a lot of info on the subject.

Thanks,
Mario
 
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