Saving Old Handles

J

John Frankl

Joined
Oct 16, 2001
Messages
1,917
Thanks to the good advice here, I am in the process of trying to restore/keep a couple of the older handles on my axes as I restore them.

Here are a couple before and after pictures. The only differences are about 2 minutes with an angle grinder on the heads and a single coat of BLO. Boy these old handles really soak it up and come out looking super dark and nice!

Collins Legitimus

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Collins Hudson Bay

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Those look real good! If you ever so slightly warm your handles, they will soak up more and be darker. Nice looking axes overall. Well done!
 
Thanks. For now I am just rubbing the oil in with my hands. That seems to provide warmth and generate some friction.

That said, an old blow dryer or even a heat gun would come in handy for a lot of shop operations during a New England winter, so I may pick one up and use it in the future.
 
Wow! Those came out great. It's amazing how much BLO an old dry handle will with drink up. I've taken to brushing on the first couple coats - it goes on thicker. It makes an old handle both heavier and tougher. You can feel the strength returning to them.

Now if you really wanna show those old handles some love then top the BLO with 3 or 4 coats of tung.
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Good saves, they look very nice. I always try to salvage old handles even if they can't be re-fitted to their original head. Here's a Legitimus Cruiser with a handle that really darkened up with linseed oil.

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Oh boy, I love that big connecticut next to the hudson bay. Is that one next??
you guys may have inspired me to do some axe work tonight.
 
That Connecticut had a pretty banged up handle. The head is the one in the other thread about hanging a head with ridges inside the eye.
 
Although I am still very committed to this project in general, I was unable to save the Collins Legitimus :mad:

I'm going to start a separate thread showing the rehanging.
 
Can't win 'em all. And if you don't push the limits you won't know what is possible. I look forward to your new thread. Your work is always first rate.
 
Wanted to post this. I had this collins Legitimus hung on a 32" racing handle. Didn't get enough wedge in and it came unhung.

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by trimming the bottom of the handle below the eye. and seating the axe head further down with some knocks on the knob end, I was able to saw out the top of the handle and knock out the metal grady wedges. Did some strategic drilling as well between the wedges.

Successfully removed the grady wedges and saved the handle. Hung a Flint edge Connecticut on it.

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Well done, Chris.
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I've got a couple of vintage handles drying in the garage tonight. I'll post pics later.
 
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