Rehang: Is it possible to correct a head that is too open?

[1215]

I pulled the head and the haft is pretty good. Grain is near ideal IMO (running in line with blade to poll), there is zero runout and there is about 3/4" of shoulder left to lower the head and properly rehang. Problem is this will be a third hang (second rehang) on this haft and at some point the axe was hung pretty open.

I know I can easily fix the angle and eye edges of the haft but if I do that there will be gaps and spaces inside the eye. Is that going to be a problem? I don't want to throw away the hasp, if at all possible.

Thanks.

 

[BG_Farmer]

Probably not a huge problem, but you could open up the kerf and use a thicker, longer wedge. I like to make the wedge "flat bottomed" in a width equal to the kerf, and longer than the length of the eye and angled/shaped to the eye at both ends, also. I tend to glue the wedge, but I'm not sure that is a good idea, just something I've always done...

 

[1215]

so just align the head by shaping the leading and trailing edges of the eye and then use a big wedge?

 

[BG_Farmer]

so just align the head by shaping the leading and trailing edges of the eye and then use a big wedge?

Pretty much, just drop the head a little so you don't have gaps fore and aft at the bottom of the eye.