Resin filled eyes.

G

Gator39

Joined
May 13, 2017
Messages
72
As a newbie to axes, I always thought if an axe or hatchet had a resin filled eye, it was an indication of a cheapie short cut in new production.
As with all things, I'm learning that may not be the case.
Can the wise elders share their knowledge on this practice?
Timeline.
Companies involved.
Effect on desirability.

Thanks.
 
Plumb started doing it in 1956 under the name 'Permabond'. Modern fiberglass handles are typically installed this way. As you say, most of the new stuff is hardware store trash. The old Plumbs are fantastic.
 
Can't say I have ever seen a perma bonded handle that was loose. Even some that where badly weathered from being left out in the elements.
 
Agent_H said:
...Some of the import Swedish axes had epoxy in the eye as well.
Click to expand...

Hults Bruk had epoxied heads at some point, reportedly called "Agdorfix", and there are some archived Canadian newspapers from the early 1970s that mention Agdorfix, like this Canadian Tire ad from 1972 with a $2.39 hatchet:

"...Forged steel head with permanent-bond 'Agdorfix' wood handle..."

0_0_4100_6377.jpg

The Ottawa Journal, May 31, 1972, page 80


Gransfors Bruk also used epoxy for a while. According to the company history, in 1988 (or thereabouts) Gransfors stopped using "the epoxy adhesive previously used for attaching the handles."
https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/about/the-history-of-the-company/
 
I have a stack of Swedish Army H-Bs what are epoxy fitted.
As stuck in wood & wiggled to remove, notices some looseness one sees at the haft shoulder.
One might think of it as a loose head, But its not coming off... Otherwise perfectly serviceable.
 
Agent_H said:
. . .
Some of the import Swedish axes had epoxy in the eye as well. . .
Click to expand...
I have a Hults Bruk hatchet with epoxy and I've seen pictures of other HBs with epoxy. I've tried to get a date range for those, but so far no luck.

Off topic, but I thought interesting post on a HB with epoxy:

wdmn said:
Used a hammer and a small scrap of hardwood placed alternately on the poll and beard of the head to knock it off the handle:

4u8k6d.jpg


As mentioned by ablenumbersix, the top 1/5 of the eye is epoxy. By hammering on the head I broke the bond between the handle and the epoxy:

2ikz8nr.jpg


The epoxy remained inside of the eye, but in one piece (there was some on the tongue of the handle, but not much):

2n8ofoi.jpg


2d2g2hf.jpg


It was easy to knock the epoxy out of the top of the eye using a bolt as a drift:

33vf8k9.jpg


29mvy36.jpg


Dropped the shoulder extending the tongue. Sanded and oiled the handle. Sharpened the bit. Cut a kerf (as ablenumbersix mentioned there was no kerf and no wedge, just epoxy). Rehanged the head using chair lock on the inside of the kerf and the wedge.

4ujorb.jpg


2vx25x2.jpg


14biauh.jpg


Sharpening is getting better with practice, but maybe you'll notice that the heel and toe of the bit are more acute than the centre of the blade. This despite my efforts to do the opposite. Not sure why this happened.

Hope this proves useful for others wanting to rehang a similar model.

wdmn
Click to expand...


Bob
 
I have a Diamond brand axe, stamped HK behind the eye, that was given to me, handle looked fine, epoxy'd head, sharpened and took about 20 swings into splitting a log, started to feel loose, about 5 more swings and when I pulled the handle up the handle slid clean out of the eye leaving the epoxy and some woodfibres. +1 for traditionally set heads, at least you can see when they need a tap, and can access them to do said tapping.
 
Plumb permabond is some of the toughest stuff out there IMO. Never had one slide off without drilling it into swiss cheese first.
 
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