Re-hanging advice for a new guy

[Jdl04h]

Hi, new guy here found this forum as I was googling answers to my dilemma hanging a new to me axe head I want to thank you guys in advance for the help. I can tell by the posts I have skimmed in the past two days there are some folks on here with a lot of knowledge and experience, and I hope to learn a thing or two, as I have been bitten by the blade bug. There is Something about old axes...

so I found a council tool jersey axe laying around at the in-laws and it was on its way to getting ruined so I thought I would save it. This one had a nice coat of rust most of the paint was gone on it, and the handle was cracked and falling apart. So I took it home and started the project of making it nice. I soaked it in a vinegar bath over night and gave it a good scrub down with a wire brush. I went to the local big box hardware store and bought a new handle. In hind sight I wish I would have found this forum before starting this project and would have found some good sources for a quality handle. This is where my problems are I believe.

Now to the point. I am somewhat familiar with hanging an axe head. Never done it, but breifly googled it and watched a YouTube video or two . So I started out with a lowes special handle ,mind you they didn't have but a few to choose from. I picked up one of the three and checked the grain and well, they all looked the same and off I went. Now I'm starting to hang this thing and well the axe head is sitting crooked. It is twisting to one side. I don't know if it's the handle that is bad or if this is a common thing that can be corrected. This is where I need some advice, maybe some direction on where to file down some spots. I took the rasp to one side and kind of evened it out and well it did nothing. Also there is a gap on the lower part that I believe I read on here that can be filled with a small piece of wood shaving. I was thinking when I trip the top of the handle I can cut a sliver and fill that gap. Here are some pictures. Thanks guys and I look forward to the feedback.

 

[flexo]

for me from top picture eye is ok... to tell if it is straight hang it loose on some pipe after drawing center line to check how it's going(cutting edge looking to the floor). to me imo you filed from top to bottom,i use to do the opposite i can feel wood grain much better .

you filed too much on one side and twisted a bit,the side with the face without usa markings. don't know if you put it down to shoulder you'd save it.

any dawknife and skills to cure that kink for good at once ?

never mind for the gap, make a wedge eye sized rather than haft sized...

 

[pjwoolw]

Your going to have to fit the handle to the head by whatever means you have at your disposal. A rasp and sand paper is really all you probably need. Do test fits as you go until you get the desired result. The head is going to be more deeply set on the handle regardless. The handle your trying use may become sacrificial. No worries. Happens to everybody once and awhile. If your going to pick a handle at a hardware store take the head with you. Depending on manufacturer of the handle the handles you see in stores are on the lower end of the quality scale. That handle you have now looks like a Tennessee Hickory handle.

 

[flexo]

you have "plenty" of wood left to file it to right shape, just have to use a thicker wedge. rasp the sides first(even draw a line,to center your work) and then front and back.
don't use metal wedge until you are sure it is fitted like it is meant to be.

 

[SC T100]

Welcome to the axe bug! The head should be scuffing the handle where the eye is contacting it as it slides down. Rasp/sand these areas first, and then remove wood wherever is needed to align the head. Sometimes this means removing wood from either side of the rear of the handle to get the head to tilt or twist. As an example, if the head is tilted to your right, you would want to remove material from the upper left and lower right to get the head straight. This can be done for tilting or twisting.

As for the gap...I am guessing you bought a Link handle, and their eyes are "shorter" front to back than others. I re-hafted two Countil Tool heads, but I used Council Tool handles, and they required very little work to get them to fit tightly and correctly.

I'd say you need to remove a good bit of material from the shoulders still to get the head seated lower, and that will allow for plenty of adjustment. Hey, the eye might even be a little off as they sometimes are...you just compensate by working the handle down until it fits right. And just make a few wood shims to fill the gap when you're done. If this handle doesn't work for whatever reason (it needs to feel good as well as fit good), just order a CT handle or one from House Handle and re-try it.

 

[SC T100]

Ohhh...also, as the head seats lower, it will slide back some along the rear shoulder and will help fill that front gap some. You'll just have to remove material from the rear/eye portion of the handle. Links (and most handles) come with lots of wood to be removed...it's no biggie.

 

[300Six]

The eye is much taller than the haft end within the current configuration. Setting the head further back (another inch, 1 1/2" or so) should allow you to rectify that. Take your time with this; first time around always seems to take forever! When it's all done the wedge cut will have to become correspondingly deeper too. Whole works should slide on and off with very little play and should not pinch the wedge cut closed while doing so. As the head begins to fit on you can make cardboard caliper-type templates of width and height of the haft and continue to work back along the wood with chisel/rasp/files until such time that the head is seated precisely where you want it.
Good luck!

 

[Jdl04h]

Thanks guys for the advice. SC- I between the time I posted this went and worked on it some more and came back, I placed an order with CT. The price of a handle from them with shipping isn't too much more than what I paid in the store.

Like PJ said, I think this became my sacrificial handle lol. I pretty much was doing what everyone has said in terms of working the sides then re fitting. It got to a point where the head was sliding on and off with ease. I mean the first test fit the head slid on with out any problems and i think one of the confusing parts was there weren't very many high points leaving marks for me to know where to file. It would kind of slip right on and when I would hang it the only resistance was that on the shoulders.

I was thinking there might be a rule of thumb along the lines of if its twisted one way sand here, kind of what SC was saying. The only thing was like I said the only real solid contact was that on the shoulders.

I think the handle was off to begin with. Plus like i learned today I think i bought a Link handle, so I just went to the source. Thanks again guys I will keep you updated.

 

[SC T100]

Sounds great, and that handle can be used for quite a few other things. It can always be thinned and shortened into a boy's axe, or any handle really. And I think you'll like the CT handle...they feel really nice and fit the CT heads perfectly (as would be expected). Keep us updated! And you're right, the handle may have been off, or just wasn't a good fit to begin with...I think you made the right call.