Wedges?

fast14riot

fast14riot

Joined
Oct 27, 2010
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Well when at the flea market looking at hatchets and hammers, I began to notice all the variations in handle wedges. Size, orientation, quantity, shape, and I didn't see any discernable pattern of what is used when. So, I ask the expets here, is there any rhyme or reason to this? I have some scraps of steel I could use for the two axes and hammer I have to rehaft. I guess its the overwhelming urge in me to understand everything, but I may be over thinking this. Am I nuts?! I just hate having a loose handles.


-Xander
 
some folks thinks steel wedges are a sin, but I use them. To me the wooden wedge is in line with the blade of the axe, hatchet, hammer, maul, whatever. And then the steel wedge goes in across the wooden wedge, not the same way. This is so the wood spreads the handle in the eye of the axe one way and then the steel spreads it the other. So your handle is tighter in the axe eye.
 
omniviking said:
some folks thinks steel wedges are a sin, but I use them. To me the wooden wedge is in line with the blade of the axe, hatchet, hammer, maul, whatever. And then the steel wedge goes in across the wooden wedge, not the same way. This is so the wood spreads the handle in the eye of the axe one way and then the steel spreads it the other. So your handle is tighter in the axe eye.
Click to expand...

Same way I use em'..
 
If you are making your own, do a little something to make them not wiggle back out. meaning small shoulders or barbs (for lack of the right terms) along the way. Normally wedges are longer then they are wide. I don't think there is a magic dimensional formula. Since you are a thinker you'll be fine.
 
'Viking and 'Tucky - thanx, that's what I was thinking of doing as it seemed the best method. My thinking is to eliminate as much dimensional instability (basically wood) and replace it with more stable material (steel). That being said not all the wood should be removed, it acts as a spring exurting friction against the wedge and inside of the eye.

As to making the wedges I might use some 1080 scraps, but then I thought about some worn out files I have. Just anneal it, cut it, and shape. The teeth would make them damn near impossible to remove without destroying the handle.

I will test a few out on some small sledge and large ball peen hammers I have that need work. Update in the next few days.


-Xander
 
I do not like metal wedges myself - haven't had a lot of luck with them. As it has been said before, if you put in the time and do it right (hanging, that is) you should not need a metal wedge.

I guess my distaste for them comes from a handle I put into a great SB axe head I had, an old Flint Edge that was to be my day in and day out axe. Well it is now and has been, but back to story. When I orginally put in the time to get the handle to fit, it just didn't quite fit right, so I went against myself and put in a metal wedge - and then used the ax for 15 minutes for testing - and the handle split below the axe handle right where the metal wedge was. Lots of variables to this I know - I am pretty sure it boiled down to "operator" error (get it, get it!!?) and then also a crap handle.

So I put in the time and make sure the handle works the way it should with a wooden wedge, and go from there. Just my 2 cents.
 
If you have a decent "old-time" hardware store nearby, metal hammer wedges should sell for less than a buck each, sometimes even in a kit bag with a wooden wedge. Might not be worth the time to make something you can buy cheap, unless you just want an excuse to fire up the forge...
 
Metal wedges are still 25 cents at my local hardware store and the last wooden wedges i got there were given to me by the owner.
 
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