Western US handles?

E

El Quachito

Joined
Jul 30, 2014
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I have been wondering what axe handles were made from traditionally on the west coast or pacific north west. Oak? Ash? Hickory hauled out from back east? You've seen the photos: two guys standing on springboards in the undercut of a large tree with axes slung over their shoulders. But what did they those axes on?
 
Hickory has well above average properties for durability, strength and shock resistance and is very common (in e North America), grows big and straight and is easy to process. Handles made of American hickory set the standard for the entire worldwide implement industry (including hammers, sledges, axes etc in Britain, Scandinavia and Europe) already 125 years ago. Eastern Canada gravitated towards Ash only because there usually is a huge one of these trees at every street corner, bush lot, forest edge and hedgerow but striking-tool-maker purists like Morley Walters insisted on importing hickory for his Canadian axes despite the ease of getting hold of local ash lumber. Notice though that the entire hockey stick industry up until 40 years ago was dominated by Ash, so the stuff can't be all that bad!
 
The best native woods for handles that I've found in NW are Oregon Big Leaf Maple and Garry Oak. They're both poor substitutes for hickory but will make do in a pinch. While not native, black locust is easily found in the NW and makes a serviceable handle.
 
Square_peg said:
The best native woods for handles that I've found in NW are Oregon Big Leaf Maple and Garry Oak. They're both poor substitutes for hickory but will make do in a pinch. While not native, black locust is easily found in the NW and makes a serviceable handle.
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I've seen numerous backyard-made axe handles that were made of Red Oak. If you are a recreational or occasional user many of the common hardwoods (ie boards at the lumber mill or wood supplier) will be plenty adequate for the task at hand. Especially if we're talking short handles for cruisers, boy's axes and hatchets.
 
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