Rehanging original handles

[Basket Mfg]

I've reused one original handle. It is quite old but it was easy removing old wood wedge to re-hang.
I've gotten hold of a heavy hatchet on an 18" handle that is beautiful but loose. Original wood wedge with two steel triangle wedges.
I'm sure I can remove wedges yet not sure how to go about the re hang.
There is very little room to work the head down, it's got about 1/8" extra room to move down and that's ok. I see a problem in installing a new wedge as the original steel wedges, when removed, will leave gaps in the tongues of the handle.
I don't use steel wedges on fresh handle hangs but I don't see how I can avoid it on this original handle when re-hung or if it will hold at all.
Ideas? Solutions?

 

[Miller '72]

Custom fit pieces of another wood wedge into those gaps and drive all the wedge material home at the same time.
Carefully but with persuasive force.

 

[Basket Mfg]

So, like a double cross wedge?
Should I extend the gaps down like 3 kerfs?

 

[Miller '72]

Yes similar as cross wedges and yes i cut them to match the main wedge, but careful your not going to damage the tongue in doing so.

Good luck! I do it all the time

 

[Brent Halverson]

Didn't Plumb put some wood cross-wedges in their products back before the 1950s?

 

[Miller '72]

Didn't Plumb put some wood cross-wedges in their products back before the 1950s?

Plumb used a set screw...tighten to expand in the existing wood wedge and tongue.
I do not recall immediately a cross wedge but that said. Some older replacement hafts came from the factory with kerfs cut for cross wedging.

 

[Brent Halverson]

Plumb used a set screw...tighten to expand in the existing wood wedge and tongue.
I do not recall immediately a cross wedge but that said. Some older replacement hafts came from the factory with kerfs cut for cross wedging.

Here is a thread about Plumb products using the wedge-screw. It shows that along with the screw they used multiple small wedges and cross-wedging;

https://bladeforums.com/threads/plumb-screw-wedged-axes-and-hatchets.1320988/

 

[Miller '72]

I dont see the pictures but do you mean metal step wedges crossing the single wood wedge?

 

[Miller '72]

My examples of the Plumb set screw...

Happy & Healthy Trails everyone!

 

[Brent Halverson]

 

[Miller '72]

Nice

Did they do this hatchets and axes as well?

 

[Brent Halverson]

Nice

Did they do this hatchets and axes as well?

I have an old Plumb hatchet that has the wedge screw with multiple wedges and it is an untouched original. I like the screw-wedge plumbs, I have a few hammers and hatchets, including a shingle hatchet with that feature. I have run across no axes with a wedge screw yet in my town, and since I only buy locally and patiently I am not going to hold my breath for one to show up.

 

[Miller '72]

Thanks Brent.

One never knows when, where, who or why.

Merry Christmas

 

[Brent Halverson]

Two old Plumb wedge-screw tools, a hammer and a hatchet. Someone has driven a piece of corrugated metal into the hammer, and the hatchet has lost one of it's wedges, but they do tell a story of what Plumb did back in the day......

 

[Brent Halverson]

Here is another great old Plumb hatchet with multiple wedges and the original wedge screw in the middle;

 

[Miller '72]

I will be on the lookout for one

I just have not come across one yet.

Thanks