Using handle drifts

M

muleman77

Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Messages
512
Just a few pictures of how I remove handles. After trying every way there is, I built these drifts and haven't looked back. For fitting new handles, saving an old handle, resetting one, or just cleaning out an eye.

Sized for hatchet, boys axe, full size single, and pulaski, double bit.
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I upset the hatchet size, and welded heads on the other three
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I was able to remove this nice handle, still tight, off this head in about 30 seconds with a 3 lb hammer, on my leg vise. I didn't have to try and remove the remaining wedge, and it's not damaged other than about the top 1/8 inch.
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This sawn off pulaski was an easy thing as well. Wedge and all.

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Even better yet, if I saw off a head I do it closer. Obviously you can drive them off even easier, out the top.
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Great set of drifts!

I'm surprised you were able to drive a wedged haft out the bottom. Must have been very loose or not had much hourglass shape in the eye. I've cracked an eye just by wedging it so I would be hesitant to try that.
 
Square_peg said:
Great set of drifts!

I'm surprised you were able to drive a wedged haft out the bottom. Must have been very loose or not had much hourglass shape in the eye. I've cracked an eye just by wedging it so I would be hesitant to try that.
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Three things about that may apply.
1 It wasnt clearly loose, but I didnt use it, so it might have worked loose easily.

2 Also the swamper patterns short in the eye so? Less friction maybe.

3 And half the time I get an old swamper its upside down. But this one wasnt.


The pulaski was out in the rain, and tight as could be.

I've never cracked an eye in any way, drifting or wedging. Didn't even think of that, so thanks. Something to know I guess. Especially on a wrought head probly.

I've driven at least 50 pulaski eyes just this way, with no trouble.
 
muleman77 said:
This sawn off pulaski was an easy thing as well. Wedge and all.

DSYH5bd.jpg
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Interesting that recent Councils use an adhesive or a glue. You can see this from the picture of the 2015-dated head. A buddy of mine swears by Weld Bond for that purpose and he insisted we use it after I shaped a new handle for him last summer. I'll say this much; the head slid on much easier (as if it were greased!) and actually seated somewhat further down than it did during 'dry' runs. I'm guessing the premise is; even if there's minor wood shrinkage as long as eye-haft contact remains intact (to ensure the head doesn't loosen even slightly) a hang will endure. Anybody out there ever try PL Premium? It retains some flex when cured and has proven miraculous over the past 30 years for outdoor bonding of metal, wood, stones and pavers that are exposed to frost action. Exterior grade epoxies that were popular before PL hit the market weren't anywhere near as good, and cost a heck of a lot more.
 
Square_peg said:
The one I split was a True Temper broad hatchet. I had a buddy weld it up good as new.
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Ouch, surely that was irritating.

I've welded up several, cracked like you often see at the front of the eye. But I didn't break em' first!
I've got a woodslasher I need to do this on, with about an inch crack.
I'll try and remember to post it.
 
I think a lot of the cracked eyes we see are from ice. I find them with rotten wood which makes a pretty dandy wick. I imagine soaked wood swells when it freezes. Sometimes I find them with no handle left in them. But I've never found a cracked eye with a good handle in it.
 
Square_peg said:
I think a lot of the cracked eyes we see are from ice. I find them with rotten wood which makes a pretty dandy wick. I imagine soaked wood swells when it freezes. Sometimes I find them with no handle left in them. But I've never found a cracked eye with a good handle in it.
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I agree, about all that, and have always thought the same.I used to get scolded when I was a kid if I left an axe to get wet by the chopping block, that being the reason given

"that handle will swell up, and either get loose when it dries, or break something if it freezes"
in dad's voice :)

The only cracked eyes I've seen that were use caused, are after already deforming the eye beating steel with a poll.
 
Square_peg said:
I think a lot of the cracked eyes we see are from ice. I find them with rotten wood which makes a pretty dandy wick. I imagine soaked wood swells when it freezes. Sometimes I find them with no handle left in them. But I've never found a cracked eye with a good handle in it.
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I left an expendable True Temper (no name but has eye ridges) boys axe outside all winter stuck in a tree facing the sun with the eye up to catch rain and snow and all that's happened is the handle is backing out of the head ever so slightly. I'll leave it out there for the summer to 'degrade' the wood some more and we'll see what happens next winter. We did have a few weird days where temps dropped from +8C to -25C (and vice versa) in a matter of 6 hours.
 
muleman77 said:
The only cracked eyes I've seen that were use caused, are after already deforming the eye beating steel with a poll.
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That's very good to know.Coupled with Square_peg's experience,in re to freezing,that right there is extremely valuable info.Thank you both.
(i did break an eye handling once,my own HT mistake,and neither here nor there).

FortyTwoBlades said:
You could probably make a tidy profit making and selling those.
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And of/when you do,something along the lines of this:

may be a nice option...(with some sort of a foot-control arrangement even:)
 
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