Plumb boyscout hatchet any good?

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Loosearrow

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Apr 14, 2008
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Was gifted with a rusty old plumb boyscout hatchet, cracked handle. Sorry no pics. Does any one know if the steel is worth the effort to rehaft? Anyone use one? The boyscout emblem is very small compared to others that I have seen before. Thanks.
 
Is there a company that would have the same style of handle or do I have to go the the hardware store and make one fit. Most of the axe handles I have come across have been junk.
 
The best handles I have found are by O.P.Link. My local Ace Hardware sells them and so does a little mom and pop hardware. They still have their share of junk so I wouldn't mail order one but they have a higher percentage of good ones.
 
bigox said:
The best handles I have found are by O.P.Link. My local Ace Hardware sells them and so does a little mom and pop hardware. They still have their share of junk so I wouldn't mail order one but they have a higher percentage of good ones.
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I guess I will go on the search for the best I can find with the grain just right. I could keep it in the rough. The hatchet has a split in the handle and had some electrical tape wrapped around it. I thought I might do a copper wire wrap around the handle like some old hawks I have seen. Couldn't hurt an attempt. The head was somewhat loose but when I scrubbed it with an SOS pad it tightened back up. Maybe a linseed oil soak would be in order if I was to keep it original.
 
i received a plumb boy scout hatchet as a gift for getting my eagle scout and i just cant bring myself to use it. it seems to be a very good tool but i doubt it will ever see use again. good find loosearrow
 
savageknives said:
i received a plumb boy scout hatchet as a gift for getting my eagle scout and i just cant bring myself to use it. it seems to be a very good tool but i doubt it will ever see use again. good find loosearrow
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Nice gift for such an accomplishment. Never had the opportunity to be a scout. Your achievements will follow you the rest of your life. Have to have a code to live by you know.
 
So many Boy Scout Plumb hand axes were sold that they gave a name to a standard hardware item, the "Scout" replacement handle.
 
i have a plumb that i use alot, i can get it as sharp (and some times sharper) than my Gransfors Bruks. as far as the handle, i would say it would be worth it to shape your own. wont take too much time and that way you can have a perfect fit.
 
BarberFobic1992 said:
i have a plumb that i use alot, i can get it as sharp (and some times sharper) than my Gransfors Bruks. as far as the handle, i would say it would be worth it to shape your own. wont take too much time and that way you can have a perfect fit.
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That't good to hear about the quality of the steel. I have never attempted to shape one from scratch. If I did, I would wish for a piece of curly maple and have a poor man Reeves.
 
Loosearrow said:
That't good to hear about the quality of the steel. I have never attempted to shape one from scratch. If I did, I would wish for a piece of curly maple and have a poor man Reeves.
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Sears and True Value have replacement handles made for your Plumb. In fact, it's hard to get any other kind of repalcement handle.
 
Back in 1994, I sent my old Plumb boy scout hatchet head off to Cooper Tools in Texas, which is the company that makes Plumb now. They sent it back with a new red haft, and didn't charge me anything. The blade showed the scars of decades of use and abuse, and I asked them to leave those alone, just give it a light polish. Kept a sentimental favorite original. Older Plumb hatchets are darn good tools. Cooper's address can be found on Google.
 
I may try that. After going to a number of hardware stores I finally found ONE scout hatchet handle. It was poor quality, had two colors to it. Probably heart wood. The grain was wrong and it was about an inch or two longer than the original. It was very disappointing. Maybe I should wrap some copper wire around the split like I have seen on some old blackpowder rifles.
 
Thomas Linton said:
So many Boy Scout Plumb hand axes were sold that they gave a name to a standard hardware item, the "Scout" replacement handle.
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I gave up finding one that fit my. The wood was always too small for the plumb I had. I have been in the process of making on for about 5 years. Haha. let me know if you find one that fits right.
 
Loosearrow said:
I may try that. After going to a number of hardware stores I finally found ONE scout hatchet handle. It was poor quality, had two colors to it. Probably heart wood. The grain was wrong and it was about an inch or two longer than the original. It was very disappointing. Maybe I should wrap some copper wire around the split like I have seen on some old blackpowder rifles.
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Glue it and put rawhide around it. Mountain man duct tape.
 
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