Vintage Video: Making An Axe Handle

[untamed]

There are probably a dozen videos out there on making an axe handle from a log, but this one's from the the "old timey" days, which I like. Reminds me of my own grandpa in my younger days.

Notice his deft use of a puuko knife and how the curls just roll off the wood like buttah! I think he also used broken glass at the end to smooth it all out. I remember when I was a kid we used to do that for our woodcraft projects as well as making spinning top toys.

[youtube]_IMe15BBPxg[/youtube]

 

[PB Wilson]

I've seen this before and love the way his hands have such knowledge (through lots and lots of repetition no doubt).

I've always wondered what kind of wood he chose. It appears to be relatively soft but wonder how long it would last. Aspen? Pine/spruce?

I suppose if you have the knowledge and skill, you could always make another, but would a stronger wood be worth the extra time invested in the project?

 

[willseeyalater]

The axe head looked brand new with a label. I wonder if that guy bought them new and then hafted them to resell for a profit.

 

[Humppa]

Impressive -just impressive. Since I make the handles of my axes myself as well - but I never used just a hatchet and a knife... It would definitelly worth trying it.

About the wood that was used, the quality is not the best - but I´d say it´s ashwood. (That´s what I use for my hafts )

The axe head looked brand new with a label. I wonder if that guy bought them new and then hafted them to resell for a profit.

That could be possible, for sure. Just for his own needs in those days they won´t have make a film about rehafting an axe. This kind of craftmanship was much more common in those days. If it would have been like this, that wouldn´t be a problem for me. We all can take our profit today when watching this old man making the haft of an axe with old-timey-tools.

 

[untamed]

see below. . .

 

[untamed]

Impressive -just impressive. Since I make the handles of my axes myself as well - but I never used just a hatchet and a knife... It would definitelly worth trying it.

{snip}

We all can take our profit today when watching this old man making the haft of an axe with old-timey-tools.

Exactly and that's the fascinating bit. I've always appreciated a "master" doing his "craft" so to speak. Today we have all manner of clamps, spoke shaves, draw knives and what not. For him, just those two, with the glass shard as well for finishing/sanding.