Replacing an axe handle

banana-clip

banana-clip

Joined
Jun 7, 2007
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I'm restoring an axe I found in my back yard and I'm replacing the handle. I bought a hickory handle at the feed n seed store. The handle has the kerf cut and wooden wedge.

I'm not positive which is the top of the axe, because the axe socket on one end is tapered longer than the other end. When I install the handle with the shorter tapered end of the axe on top, the handle fits better at the bottom of the axe head, so I'm guessing that is the top of the axe head.

I guess my question is, do I need to install a steel wedge along with the wooden wedge?

Another question is, the axe handle comes out about 1 1/2" from the top of the axe, so do I cut the excess off then install the wooden wedge then cut the excess wedge or do i install the wooden wedge then cut off the excess handle and wedge?

Thanks
 
The smaller end of the eye is the bottom. When you drive the wedge in it splays the wood to fit the taper from bottom to top. That's why if you fit it good it's not likely to come off, and even if it starts it stops moving quickly because of the taper of the eye and the splay of the handle due to the kerf and wedge.
 
G-pig said:
The smaller end of the eye is the bottom. When you drive the wedge in it splays the wood to fit the taper from bottom to top. That's why if you fit it good it's not likely to come off, and even if it starts it stops moving quickly because of the taper of the eye and the splay of the handle due to the kerf and wedge.
Click to expand...

I guess I had it backwards, it was super hard to install when the smaller end of the eye is at the bottom (I had to hammer it on), but that makes sense....thanks.
 
You might need to remove some wood from the tongue of the handle (part that goes in the head) to get a good fit. Use a wood rasp or a sharp knife.

When you have seated the head on the handle, cut the excess tongue so that about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch is still showing. This excess will spread out (mushroom) over the edge of the axe head and help it stay in place. Place and drive the wood wedge after you've cut the tongue of the handle.

Some people add the metal wedge, some don't. I personally don't on regular axes, as they make replacing the handle much more difficult. When I do add a metal wedge, I usually don't drive the whole thing, but cut off the excess with a fine tooth miter saw.

Page through some of the threads on the forum for detailed axe head hanging instructions with pictures.


John
 
jpeeler said:
You might need to remove some wood from the tongue of the handle (part that goes in the head) to get a good fit. Use a wood rasp or a sharp knife.

When you have seated the head on the handle, cut the excess tongue so that about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch is still showing. This excess will spread out (mushroom) over the edge of the axe head and help it stay in place. Place and drive the wood wedge after you've cut the tongue of the handle.

Some people add the metal wedge, some don't. I personally don't on regular axes, as they make replacing the handle much more difficult. When I do add a metal wedge, I usually don't drive the whole thing, but cut off the excess with a fine tooth miter saw.

Page through some of the threads on the forum for detailed axe head hanging instructions with pictures.


John
Click to expand...

Great advice, thanks John.

Another question is, do most people treat their handles with boiled linseed oil?

I seen a post where a guy cold blued the axe head, anyone have any advice on how to do this?
 
We really need a sticky for this topic. Step by step with pictures or even a video. "An axe to grind" would be a good start.
 
Yes we do.

BC-

What Garry mentions is this video. It's by the Forest Service and does a pretty good job showing the basics. Some things are a little different than what I personally prefer, but it's a good start.

Yes, a good many people use Boiled Linseed Oil (BLO). It's easy to get and feels pretty good in hand. I've also seen tung oil, danish oil, and flat out bare wood used. Try out multiple things and see what you like.

I have no knowledge of how to blue an axe head, though I did see that post. Nice, huh? I guess you'd have to ask that fellow what he used. Always keep in mind the 'natural' aesthetic of an axe head though. You lose something when you turn a 75 year old vintage head into a new looking one with too much "modification". Just a thought.


John
 
I've cold blued a couple of axe heads with pretty good success. I've been using Birchwood Casey gun blueing. What I do is:

1. Clean off all the rust, paint, or whatever I want removed before I blue the head
2. Use a belt sander to get it really clean (careful not to overheat it, I usually dip the head in water often so it's not hot to touch with my bare hand at any point, this is to protect the temper)
3. Further clean the head with denatured alcohol to get off any residual oils that could affect the finish.
4. Dry it off
5. Apply the cold blueing with a wool dauber or rag, I prefer a wool dauber personally. It helps if it's warm (like sat in the sun for a half hour or run under hot tap water for 30 seconds level warm). I've used hot water and then dried it, that worked good. I've had good luck applying it perpendicular to the bit (basically in a back and forth motion to make smooth lines like you're painting). If it's a little warm, it will get dark... Fast. I blue all sides of the head. Top. Bottom. Left. Right. Inside the eye. Wherever.
6. Let it set for 5 minutes or so.
7. Use a really fine grit sand paper (1000 grit ish) or scotch brite pad with some water to take off a little bit of the blue to even it up. Take off as much or little as you want, you get to choose what you want it to look like, I tend to like the look with a little more taken off, then a second application.
8. Repeat steps 4 thru 7 until it looks like you want.
9. Oil the head with whatever oil you prefer (I've been using 3-in-1 with no issues)
10. Rub the oil in with some bees wax to maximize the protective layer (since honestly all my axes are for fun not hard work :/)

Then I hang the axe. Check out the axe to grind video. It's where I learned to hang one. Works good. I don't use the wood swelling stuff personally. I just use boiled linseed oil. If you take your time, you can get it really tight with just a wood wedge. I save the metal wedges in case I need to tighten it up in the future.

Good luck, feel free to ask me any questions and I'll share any of my limited knowledge with you =)

I've posted some pictures of a Collins that I painted, then sanded the paint off the high spots, then blued in the "What did you hang today" thread recently (last weekend).

Jon
 
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Thanks for that great info John and Jon.

That video link you posted was really informative. I'm going to blue the axe that I'm working on now. I will post up some pics when I do get it finished.
 
We all like pictures! No pictures it didn't happen.
Bet she comes out good for you BC.
 
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