Swell saver tool. Setting axe heads without destroying handles.

[Yankee Josh]

Well played, makes me wonder if such a thing has ever existed.

I've never seen one! But they did come perfect from the factory so they must've had something... I'l have to rewatch the E&S video but I'm pretty sure he just hit it. In later years I know they had hydraulic presses for that but they still would've needed something to push on the whole swell and not just the tip.

 

[Methuselah]

Thanks!
I'm not sure what you mean? You mean mount it to the wall to have it close at hand when i need it? I could just drill a hole anywhere on it and hang it on a nail I suppose.

In your pic you are holding both tools. I thought, if it was mounted somehow you could lift your axe into position and then hammer on top while putting presure on the axe to keep it where you need it to be.
But, maybe holding both tools works best..idk.
Either it is cool.............

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I've never seen one! But they did come perfect from the factory so they must've had something... I'l have to rewatch the E&S video but I'm pretty sure he just hit it. In later years I know they had hydraulic presses for that but they still would've needed something to push on the whole swell and not just the tip.

In a manufacturing setting one can have the fawnsfoot left unfinished with a squared off end that's sawn off post-assembly. You can typically do that pretty easily with most new handles, as well. It's just when you need to tighten up an old one or re-use an old haft that banging on the end becomes a major issue.

 

[Yankee Josh]

In a manufacturing setting one can have the fawnsfoot left unfinished with a squared off end that's sawn off post-assembly. You can typically do that pretty easily with most new handles, as well. It's just when you need to tighten up an old one or re-use an old haft that banging on the end becomes a major issue.

That's a good point. It's what I do when I make em. My understanding was that handles were usually finished before hanging at the factory. For instance the videos I've seen of GFB and that old E&S video the hafts were finished prior to setting the axe. I just assumed they all fitted finished handles.
So do you think most(or some) had their hafts shipped to them with squared off swells? And then after hanging they cut and sanded them down? I hadn't thought of that. I just figured they had a jig with a board at 90° and another set at 40° or so that the swell fit into and then they'd push the whole lot forward into the head.
I made one change already to the tool. I've thought of several more improvements that I'll try to implement this weekend.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I mean, if I were using a hydraulic press to do the fitting work it'd be a lot easier than having tooling that would have to be switched out depending on what particular handle was being used vs. just cutting the end off and calling it good.

 

[cityofthesouth]

But with his invention 1 tool works with any shape. I know I've seen video here of a manufacturer pressing finished handles on. And, I theorize that what you guys are describing is how the knob end handle came into being - they were hanging unfinished handles and then someone thought hey, this actually looks fine and we can "finish" the handle before hanging it. I think it means that different outfits used different methods, but as much thinking as went into axes you would think there was someone out there thinking about this same issue.

 

[garry3]

I have no issues with the old style handles. They drive just fine for me, but I drive them on with a heavy steel hammer. YMMV

 

[Square_peg]

In a manufacturing setting one can have the fawnsfoot left unfinished with a squared off end that's sawn off post-assembly.

We saw catalog images of such handles in a recent broad axe thread. And my own broad axe came this type of swell.

 

[Fmont]

That is my favorite swell type. I've seen it referred to as a "French Favorite."

 

[Ernest DuBois]

That is my favorite swell type. I've seen it referred to as a "French Favorite."

It's familiar

 

[Downwindtracker2]

I don't know where I saw it, but the haft had an unfinished end, like it came out of the lathe, now I know why.

 

[Liam Ryan]

Both simple and brilliant, nice job.

 

[Yankee Josh]

I thought I'd share this. I don't use this tool very often. This is only the third time in fact. Nothing beats hitting the swell directly. That being said I can still get a really good hang using it. I just wanted to show off the almost un-damaged fawns foot.

I did take a small chip out(damnit) while I was smashing in the wedge;

I had it set on a block but sitting on an old tshirt. I was able to smash the wedge in almost the whole 2-1/2" though.
I made a quick n dirty mask for it last night.

Thanks for checking it out!

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

Beautiful axe, beautiful hang.