Questions about hanging a Plumb Cruiser...

N

Nathan Welsh

Joined
Aug 14, 2012
Messages
20
Hey folks, hoping for a bit of advice here. I got a fine Plumb cruiser axe at a flea market. It came hafted on a standard double bit axe handle and my plan was rehang it to the proper size haft. Problem is, I ordered a House Handle cruiser handle and the fit is very odd. It's about right cheek to cheek (I have to whittle it just a bit to get it in, nice and tight. Problem is that it's too short for the eye bit to bit. There's roughly 1/4" of daylight on either side of the handle, and it doesn't taper all that much. I think that if I hang it on this handle it won't shoulder properly. This is my first double bit hang (I've done several single bit hangs of varying types) and I might just be misreading it, but I thought I'd seek some expert advice. I've enclosed pics, though it's kind of tough to see without actually holding the stuff in your hands. Should I just hang it on a standard double bit handle then cut to length and shape, or is this just a normal proportion for a double bit axe? What do you folks think?

Advice is much appreciated.

Nate
http://imgur.com/uKBOuv3
http://imgur.com/LReBeNi
http://imgur.com/IAXnomL
http://imgur.com/7g7FFvs
http://imgur.com/e7w5QOw
http://imgur.com/RLKKMpb
 
I'm no expert, but my first question is what's the weight of the head? Maybe it's a worn down full-size double bit. Hard to see from your photos, but if you put the head as far down on the handle as it will go, the wood should ideally fill the bottom of the eye (if there's enough wood, it can be shaped with a rasp and/or sanded to make it fit well). You can measure the eye and the shoulder of the handle to make sure. If so far so good, then I suggest taking a photo of the resulting gaps at the top of the eye (once the bottom of the eye is filled).
 
You should give it a weigh and see if it is over 2lbs 8oz – if it is then it probably didn’t start as a cruiser.
So just for conversation:

You’re not alone.

Here is a Plumb that I picked up and is worn down really evenly. At first glance I thought it was a cruiser for the same reason you thought that of yours.

WxLMRsW.jpg


I have been stumped right up to putting a handle up to it – more than once actually. That Plumb is so evenly worn that I thought it was a cruiser. In general, cruisers aren’t just shorter bit to bit than full sized heads, they are proportionally smaller, the eye is smaller, their thickness is less, handles are shorter: the tongue smaller.

Here is what I try to remind myself of: Is it already on a 36” handle? Chances are it’s not a cruiser. Does is look like it’s sharpened down to being thick yet overall width look like a cruiser? Most likely it’s a well-used full-size. Is it marked 3.X? Not probably a cruiser.

Here is a no-named red ridged cruiser on the left and that Plumb 3.2 on the right:
pGpXjW1.jpg


I think you could still use yours as a “cruiser” though.

You could even up the grind and get it sharp – from the picture it looks like it still has a good deal of hardened steel at the ends. A couple options you might explore are:

1. You could find an overly thick double bit handle, cut it to length, slim it down up to about 2” of the end and focus on giving it somewhat of a swell.

2. You can get a shorter handle with a full-size tongue.

Here a Flint Edge cruiser sitting on a full-size 30” House Handle.
bzXYnsx.jpg


I haven’t used this handle because the factory flats of the octagonalizing run over each other at the swell and shoulders – what prompted me to just do it myself. There would have to be some tuning to fix the flats and that would remove a lot of wood – enough that it would be proportional to the thickness/size of a cruiser handle but about 2” longer than 28”. That extra length could be taken up sitting the head as low as possible and maybe even trimming the face of the swell up and reshaping it. You could draw it down steep in the shoulders and trim the end and have a handle that is a shade bigger than a cruiser – one to match your proportionally “large” cruiser. A “Bruiser” even. A mid-sized sedan, so to speak.

This is just an idea as well – I have my dentist’s business card in my wallet that I marked the cruiser eye and the full-size eye. Not measured with a tape but laid inside the eye of an actual cruiser head and a full-size one. Eyes do vary a little in size of course. It also isn’t helpful with buying online.
PC5AQUO.jpg


I initially did this “card trick” before heading out to a flea market in Walla Walla – The Love of Junk. The problem was that I marked it on a dollar bill right before leaving - the first one I spent on coffee on the drive.
 
Last edited:
Thanks guys for all your info. I appreciate the time. Worn full size or cruiser, it only cost 5$, so I'm still happy with it. I'll just have to find the right haft for it. When I get it hung I'll submit some pics in case anybody is interested.
 
Nathan Welsh said:
Thanks guys for all your info. I appreciate the time. Worn full size or cruiser, it only cost 5$, so I'm still happy with it. I'll just have to find the right haft for it. When I get it hung I'll submit some pics in case anybody is interested.
Click to expand...

I would get a kick out of seeing what you do with it. Some of the members here like axes :)
 
I will echo the other's sentiment about this being a full size dbl. In itself that is not a serious problem for re-hafting but if the blades are shortened beyond the temper then you won't have much of a 'user' axe. Somebody got his money's worth out of this tool! I'm trying to picture how many 1000s of hours of chopping was involved (and how many sharpenings) to wear out a double bit axe.
 
300Six said:
I will echo the other's sentiment about this being a full size dbl. In itself that is not a serious problem for re-hafting but if the blades are shortened beyond the temper then you won't have much of a 'user' axe. Somebody got his money's worth out of this tool! I'm trying to picture how many 1000s of hours of chopping was involved (and how many sharpenings) to wear out a double bit axe.
Click to expand...

I may have not looked at all of the pictures close enough before I launched into my blah blah blah there - that one side especially might fit exactly what 300six is mentioning.

http://i.imgur.com/LReBeNi.jpg
 
This is an opportunity axe. An opportunity to practice profiling the bit and an opportunity to practice hanging, but without much risk. And it'll still be a useful tool when its done.
 
Welp, I never really doubted it, but you guys were exactly right. I found the business half of a double bit handle lying around (used the other half to handle a froe that I picked up at a garage sale) and it fit like a glove. Think I'm going to get a regular double bit handle and work it down to a cruiser length. I'll show pics when I have it finished. Thanks again!

Now, since I have a cruiser handle laying around I obviously need to get a cruiser head...:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top