Steam straightening warped hafts

C

crbnSteeladdict

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Jul 31, 2017
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I have couple axes with 28" very slim warped handles. What is your opinion of using steam to fix that problem. Is it worth to waste time on trying to bend it to the right position? If it works, does it last? Thanks for sharing your views
 
Steaming, OR slowly heating the haft to a plastic state, then clamping it just beyond perfectly straight will work. Superficial warming won't work, the wood must be heated throughout. I've used a Ready heater with good results. You don't want the wood smoking, or charred, just to hot to handle (no pun intended) then immediately clamp it and let it cool completely before checking for straightness. It's best to set your clamping jig up and give it a test run on the haft before heating.
 
Axe, shovel handles and even rifle stocks gradually develop 'leans' to them from standing less than upright, up this way oftentimes accelerated by proximity to a wood stove. I have tried to develop the patience to straighten things via clamps and such but have never succeeded. It can be done (that much I know) and steaming or soaking the handles beforehand (before overly clamping beyond straight) will help but patience is definitely going to be a virtue. Nothing happens overnight!
 
quinton said:
Steaming, OR slowly heating the haft to a plastic state, then clamping it just beyond perfectly straight will work. Superficial warming won't work, the wood must be heated throughout. I've used a Ready heater with good results. You don't want the wood smoking, or charred, just to hot to handle (no pun intended) then immediately clamp it and let it cool completely before checking for straightness. It's best to set your clamping jig up and give it a test run on the haft before heating.
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One of these days I'm going to try something aggressive like this. My half-hearted attempts have never yielded much.
 
300Six said:
One of these days I'm going to try something aggressive like this. My half-hearted attempts have never yielded much.
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It just takes a little time. When the wood is hot to the touch, it probably isn't heated throughout. When hickory is hot enough to come to a plastic state, it truly acts like warm plastic. When properly heated, the wood will only spring back the least bit.
 
Steaming works. But before you expose the wood to steam give it a couple coats of BLO. You don't want the water to be taken up in the wood, just the heat. I do it on the stove with a wide shallow roasting pan half full of water. I seal it all up with wide heavy duty aluminum foil.

Steaming%20a%20haft.jpg


As Quinton said, clamp it just slightly past straight. It will only spring back a small amount. The first time I did it I bent it too far and had to reheat it bend it back.
 
Square_peg said:
Steaming works. But before you expose the wood to steam give it a couple coats of BLO. You don't want the water to be taken up in the wood, just the heat. I do it on the stove with a wide shallow roasting pan half full of water. I seal it all up with wide heavy duty aluminum foil.

Steaming%20a%20haft.jpg

You made me hungry! What's for dinner? Ripe hickory in BLO glazing, stuffing on the side
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You made me hungry! What's for dinner? Ripe hickory in BLO glazing, stuffing on the side
 
Square_peg said:
Steaming works. But before you expose the wood to steam give it a couple coats of BLO. You don't want the water to be taken up in the wood, just the heat. I do it on the stove with a wide shallow roasting pan half full of water. I seal it all up with wide heavy duty aluminum foil.

As Quinton said, clamp it just slightly past straight. It will only spring back a small amount. The first time I did it I bent it too far and had to reheat it bend it back.
Click to expand...

If my wife caught me with this setup on her stove, I would be on the couch for the rest of the week. I use a similar setup on my barbecue outside.
 
BitingSarcasm said:
If my wife caught me with this setup on her stove, I would be on the couch for the rest of the week. I use a similar setup on my barbecue outside.
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Good advice! "No man's land" is more relevant to the kitchen than it is to the BBq., especially when it doesn't involve cooking. Apologies to the Doughboys and Huns that were battling it out over that very same phrase 100 years ago.
 
I just use the extra corn from my garden and put it in my nutrimill. Makes a fine meal even on the coarse setting. I see you are seiving yours. How do you use the coarse and fine meal?

And apologies to the original poster for going off topic.
 
Square_peg said:
Steaming works. But before you expose the wood to steam give it a couple coats of BLO. You don't want the water to be taken up in the wood, just the heat. I do it on the stove with a wide shallow roasting pan half full of water. I seal it all up with wide heavy duty aluminum foil.

Steaming%20a%20haft.jpg


As Quinton said, clamp it just slightly past straight. It will only spring back a small amount. The first time I did it I bent it too far and had to reheat it bend it back.
Click to expand...
I know some folks give it a coat of grease etc. I don’t worry about it. I have to wonder though if Saran Wrap wouldn’t be a simple fix?
 
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