Paging Dr. Octagon

Well, I still like using a #53 spokeshave. I think they are genius tools. I like farrier's rasps too, although I haven't used one much for making an axe handle. I do usually use a 4-in-hand though. I don't use a drawknife much when making a handle, but I use one a lot when I'm making a handle blank.

For getting facets even it is nice to have oblique light to give a lot of contrasting shadows.
 
Jeru said:
I was thinking the same :)

My favorite rapper of all time :)

http://youtu.be/COeeqAIudhI
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Rap music on an axe forum!?:confused:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUwy-15lFFk

Now that's good if I want to act like I descended from people that survived the last ice age full of giant mega fauna with nothing more than pointed sticks while I grunt under a barbell.

But the wood don't like it.:grumpy:

Shaving wood goes better with this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7WBbWDmbq0

The wood likes this.:)
 
Agent_H said:
Would like some pics of axes/tools with octagonalized handles - old or new - user handy work or prefab :)

Chop on.
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Pic! My only octagon at the moment other than a cheapo hammer. It's a Cayuga head (1928-1952 I believe) on a HH 36" ordered as octagon with no lacquer. I have eased the edges on the ridges a bit, and I still need to thin the shoulders as they are wider than the head. I haven't used it yet since getting it a year or so ago, but I've taken down the formerly obtuse bevels to a much better profile and it's now shaving sharp. It's a small, but compact and heavy head for its size. It had a very narrow eye as well, so that created some challenges when putting it on the new handle. However, I got it hung straight and it feels nice in the hand!

 
Agent_H said:
. . .

Would like some pics of axes/tools with octagonalized handles - old or new - user handy work or prefab :)

. . .
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Here is a meager offering. A small hammer handle I made four years ago out of Black Cherry with hand tools:


The stock was rived from a section of log. I took the next picture today to show the medullary rays and how the Cherry has aged.
 
These two probably went from round to octagon and octagon to round. The octagon is very thin and flat sided but it is not on a user.
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Interesting octagon disappears in pictures except for the painted surface.
 
This is a factory made octagon that has had a whole bunch of wood removed. It is going to stay an octagon.
It's not completed yet(I had to think about it).
The fawns foot I have saved for last. I am going to try to make it a knob ended fawns foot. I think there is enough wood to make a fawns foot and the knob.

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This is going to be a user for me so it is thin.

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I will probable get to this today. I will post an update later.
 
rjdankert said:
All natural aging. Cherry may be my favorite because of the way it develops over time.
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I have not worked with it a lot but when I have I really enjoyed it. I see a hand rived tool handle or two in my near future. I am wondering how my native cherry trees will compare to the commercial available lumber as I type this.
I am thinking some handles on setting tools. And there is always the traditional aqua fortis.
Yep, you inspired to cut down a cherry tree! :)
 
Nice lines on this one SCT100 – Speaking of T100’s, hunting down a new truck has been one of my distractions this week.
garry3 said:
This is a factory made octagon that has had a whole bunch of wood removed. It is going to stay an octagon.
It's not completed yet(I had to think about it).
The fawns foot I have saved for last. I am going to try to make it a knob ended fawns foot. I think there is enough wood to make a fawns foot and the knob.
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Garry this is a really nice looking handle. I can’t remember, you probably mentioned this, but is that one from HH? If so, the “crook” looks fuller than the ones I have received. Looking forward to seeing this one done for sure!
I’ve not been able to spend much time on this one this week but here it is after hanging a no name head on it last night:

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Rounded the corners a bit on the angles. For a 3.5lb+ head it is feeling pretty “agile” I guess the word is?
 
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Agent_H said:
Nice lines on this one SCT100 – Speaking of T100’s, hunting down a new truck has been one of my distractions this week.
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Thanks! And If you want a used truck, a low-mile, well-cared for T100 is a fantastic truck. Good size, cheap to own and operate, and runs forever. Let me know if you pick one up...I'll point you to the best forum for all things T100. ;)
 
This is a hatchet head I just hung I made the handle by hand I used oak.
 
I ended up smoothing the edges a touch with sand paper. Just a little BLO only then Danish Oil/BLO/spirits mix with light sanding between the first 4 coats.

For a lack of a better description, it feels "well-weighted" on the 36" stick.

Swell1

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Swell2

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Shoulder down

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Wedge

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Other side

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Head up

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Enjoyed this one. Maybe the next octagonalized handle will go "smoother".

SC T100 said:
Thanks! And If you want a used truck, a low-mile, well-cared for T100 is a fantastic truck. Good size, cheap to own and operate, and runs forever. Let me know if you pick one up...I'll point you to the best forum for all things T100. ;)
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SCT100 - This followed me home yesterday. Nary a T100 here but this was a close second.

 
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Never thought I would see a Dr Octagon - Dr. Octagonecologyst reference on BF. Great album. I have it on vinyl and was playing it yesterday. Kool Keith is brilliant.

Oh and nice work on the handle.....:D
 
Agent H, its a handle from House Handles. I thinned the back of the forward sweep and the front of the backward sweep to give the handle more shape and curves because guys like curves.

I have had some things come up so I am running behind on shop time and have not gotten to reshaping the swell yet. I think I will start a new thread about turning modern handles into fawns feet. Some are pretty good at it and others are just learning to hang an axe so it might help some.
 
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