Opinions requested on handle choices for a roofing hatchet, 3 choices.

jblyttle

jblyttle

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Sep 3, 2014
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So I'm going to play with something else for the moment to refresh the mind after another less than perfect project. I have a VERY clean Germantown roofer hatchet head that I want to put a handle on. I don't have anything initially ideal, but I have three good candidates. I already have a favorite, but would like to hear what others think.

The candidates are:
A new straight rigbuilders handle, currently 18 inches and slightly thicker than I want for this head. It could be shortened a couple of inches and thinned a bit. This would end up being the most traditional handle for a head like this.

A cutoff piece of a full sized handle. The handle profile should fit this eye pretty well with shaping. Currently 19 inches, I would cut 3-4 inches off diagonally from the swell.

An old hatchet handle with a damaged head area. Initially maybe 16 inches long, once the damaged area is removed, what is left is still enough to fill the eye and would end up being a 13 inch hatchet.

 
It would be an easy choice for me. I'd pick handle number 1. Anytime you expect you use both ends of an axe or hatchet you should have a straight haft.
 
I like the idea of recycling your old handles. But those old handles are best saved for garage sale hatchet heads and the like. Or make punches out of them.
 
Square_peg said:
It would be an easy choice for me. I'd pick handle number 1. Anytime you expect you use both ends of an axe or hatchet you should have a straight haft.
Click to expand...

I think that you are right. My fav is the bottom one, lined up it has a cool tomahawk look, and I don't use the hammer much. Also, there isn't enough left on that small one to fill a regular hatchet head eye.

Hmm, do it "right" or try to make a potentially cool mad scientist hybrid....doesn't matter, I can do both as another head like this is about as common as it gets. I will post the results!
 
Straight for me also.
That second handle will mess with the ballance of a hatchet. I would not use it.

The third handle is a beauty and I would find a nice vintage head to pair it with, something with out a hammer poll. I would set it as far back as I could towards the poll on that handle, It could turn out really well. I try to never saw them off, no matter how bad the wood is on top of the head, I usually find sound wood half way down the eye.
 


As luck would have it, I turned up this screwy hatchet today. It's a Stanley head, mounted upside down, and the eye is even slightly smaller than the roofer. Can you say handle transplant?
 
I actually went with the original recommendations, and it turned out perfect. I thought that it may be too big, but it is 17 inches exactly and it is well balanced. I like it.








Handle was sanded, rubbed with steel wool, BLO'd twice and the final finish was a BLO/turp/beeswax mix. Smells tasty!

This is done except for sharpening.
 
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