Removable axe wedge

3

300Six

Joined
Aug 29, 2013
Messages
5,002
A few months ago on thread "it followed me home" a picture of a vintage axe with a metal exposed-head wedge was posted. There was some puzzlement and debate about these and not long after I discovered that these type of wedges still exist. Here is a shot of a couple from the axe shelf at a Home Hardware store in Cambridge. Ontario. Country of origin and manufacturer cannot be discerned.
The singular advantage of these is that the installed wedge has a flanged head which allows for relatively easy removal.
Very few axe users are purists who deliberately remove a loose handle in order to replace a wood wedge. The majority of folks merely drive in conventional steel wedges or multiple nails/screws and what-have-you until the axe head is usable again. These temporary wedges (that's what I'd like to think they're for) do not relegate an otherwise perfectly good handle to the scrap bin should an urgent or emergency fix have to be done in the field.

 
Found these are made by garant on home hardware website. Interesting history of garant on garants website.
 
I've never seen these for sale anywhere around here. I've removed a couple from old axes. I can see these being handy to have along when cutting out in the woods.
 
I have a couple of axes from the 1950s that have these wedges in them but never gave any of it much thought. Initially figured it was a convenient way to add more inertia weight to the head. I don't swing an axe all that much anymore but I can see keeping one of these wedges handy for the occasion of being far away from home.
Garant, for a long time now, markets gardening tools, shovels, axes, sledges, handles in Canada but I have no idea where their goods come from.
Thanks for the heads up on Garant martemper, I'll have to look all that up.
 
Square_peg said:
That's cool! I WANT!

Anyone know a source for these in the U.S.?
Click to expand...
These items are listed (2 sizes even) on the Garant website. I dunno whether Home Hardware (a uniquely Ontario-based small hardware store chain) who carries them, or Garant who supplies, will ship these to the States. Now should you be passing through Cambridge Ontario and find the Home Hardware store there (on Hwy 8) likely as not there are still some there on the shelf. And while you're there grab a couple of top drawer locally-made axe handles! Haven't come across decent handles in the Ottawa area (300 miles NE of Cambridge) for almost 20 years!
 
Cool that they're still being made, but it'd be perhaps surprisingly difficult to remove the wedge thanks to the pebbly nature of the low quality casting.
 
They where being marketed under that name for a very long time. They are much coarser than the old ones. Needless to say I will have to have some.
 
Opportunity to resurrect a year-old thread.
Snowy day yesterday so the local hardware store was quiet. Perused all the new axes (made in China and in Mexico) and replacement hafts. Pictured are packaged versions of capped metal (aluminum) wedges. Notice the difference in prices despite the items seemingly to be identical. I am of the presumption that if you don't drive these in flush that they are easily removable with a claw hammer or in a vise.
A loose head in the field is bad luck and by temporarily installing one you can safely finish your work and still be able to reuse the haft via a new wood wedge. Metal wedge likely will compress wood fibers somewhat too so that when withdrawn the haft will be that much easier to pull free.

axehafts1008Medium_zps55cdaf36.jpg
 
Still hoping someone decides to resurrect those in the 'States.
 
garry3 said:
It looks like the window cut into them would aid in removal.
Click to expand...

Noticed that too. By my thinking the 'window' is a faux pas for strength, and the wedges should have been made of steel; aluminum is soft/brittle and not forgiving and could break while being pounded in and/or being pried out. Aside from that I sure like the concept.
 
300Six said:
...Pictured are packaged versions of capped metal (aluminum) wedges. Notice the difference in prices despite the items seemingly to be identical...
axehafts1008Medium_zps55cdaf36.jpg
Click to expand...

Both have the same item number on the price label. I'm guessing that the lower cost one is older stock from before the price increase.
 
Steve Tall said:
Both have the same item number on the price label. I'm guessing that the lower cost one is older stock from before the price increase.
Click to expand...

There used to be a hardware store here that never re-priced the old items. It always paid off to look at the back of the stack for the older stock. I bought a hi-lift jack out of a row of them with three different prices.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top