What did you rehang today?

Yes, a ripping hammer. Straight claw and a smooth face. Also common in the 20 oz. weight and I've seen 22 & 24 oz. sizes. A framing hammer typically has a waffle face. Even a 20 oz. rippiing hammer can work as a framing hammer. It's up to the individual. I'm am most comfortable with 24 oz framer but they are common in 28 & 32 oz sizes.
 


Spent some much needed time in the garage/shop today (after being in the hospital with my baby boy for three days). I re-hung these three little hatchets.




I thought I would also share this. Any time I have the chance to use an original handle or a vintage hand I do. I try to keep the character of the handle in tact. I have found with sandpaper you often have to go through several grits to get a nice smooth finish. Not having a scraper I decided to use a box knife blade. You can put a hook on one just like a scraper and use it as such. They can work just holding the blade directly but after a while your thumb will throb. So I cut out a small handle, rounded all the corners with a block plane, then use a thin bladed saw (I use a coping saw) to cut the kerf. If you cut the kerf at an angle it will make it more comfortable to hold during use. It works well and gives good results. Thanks for lookin!
 
It works well. I have made nicer handles but this one ended up getting whittled on with old with a pocket knife so it could be used as a drift in the small roofers hatchet Eye. Also I left out you want to put about a 15° angle from the bottom of the kerf to the start of it with a hand plane. So that you can hold it at the correct angle when scraping. Learned that the hard way
 
Brian Rust said:


Spent some much needed time in the garage/shop today (after being in the hospital with my baby boy for three days). I re-hung these three little hatchets.




I thought I would also share this. Any time I have the chance to use an original handle or a vintage hand I do. I try to keep the character of the handle in tact. I have found with sandpaper you often have to go through several grits to get a nice smooth finish. Not having a scraper I decided to use a box knife blade. You can put a hook on one just like a scraper and use it as such. They can work just holding the blade directly but after a while your thumb will throb. So I cut out a small handle, rounded all the corners with a block plane, then use a thin bladed saw (I use a coping saw) to cut the kerf. If you cut the kerf at an angle it will make it more comfortable to hold during use. It works well and gives good results. Thanks for lookin!
Click to expand...

Good looking hatchet family you have there!

What can you tell about the screwdriver in your scraper picture? It's a beauty as well.
 
I came across this print in an old hotel in The Berkshires not to long ago and was immediately inspired to make or find a straight handled axe.

20180216_115523.jpg


I mean come on!
These guys have it going on...they are inside smoking with their axes, pup and one happy looking lady.
So I thought maybe all I need to do to get my wife to look at me like that again is to get a great axe on a straight haft and start smoking a pipe.
Axe first.

20180216_094244.jpg


20180216_170326.jpg


20180217_064441.jpg


20180217_073037.jpg


20180216_170021.jpg


The handle is a work in progress...it was a 36" Link single bit splitting maul handle.
I cut it down and rehung the head and it sits 27&1/2" in length.
4&1/8lbs total
 
Oh yeah I picked that up not to long ago. It is a full tang with wood scales. I like them a lot. The heads of the handles are usually mushroomed because people would bang on them with metal hammers. The wood scales are a little rough on mine but that tear drop shape feels great in your hand!
 
I love that straight handle! I have been pleased with link handles. I wish their double bit handles had a larger palm swell but they are still good handles. It looks like you drove that wedge home Miller!! It will not need a metal wedge and should not go anywhere for a long while I’m sure!!
 
Brian Rust said:
I love that straight handle! I have been pleased with link handles. I wish their double bit handles had a larger palm swell but they are still good handles. It looks like you drove that wedge home Miller!! It will not need a metal wedge and should not go anywhere for a long while I’m sure!!
Click to expand...

Thanks Brian, the swell I had different aspirations for but I tried to make it comfortable and functional.
I cut the kerf deeper at the final fitting of the head before hanging...That wedge is on the bottom now.
:thumbsup::cool:

Have you looked at the link website?
If you have not, maybe Link offers an option that better fits your needs you can have your local place order.
I did that once now and it's worked out well.
As a matter of fact I was going to look to see if they offered a 30" single bit handle for a full size axe
 
Well I wanted a 28 inch handle for a full size double bit. That sweet spot for a 3-3.5 pound double bit for me is between 28” and 30”. Even though I’m 6’3”. So I talked to the guy at ace hardware and told him what I wanted. He said there was a 28” handle for a “double bit axe” I said it is for a full size double right not a cruiser handle!? He no it is for a full size. I ordered two went in and there were cruiser handles lol. So I got the thickest 37” link handle they had and cut it down and made a new swell. But it turned out good. I always here of people using house handle but our local farm store has some in stock and they are nice and thin with a large swell but all ten of the handles they have are wurpped like crazy. Completely unusable. So I am hesitant to even order the hand picked ones if they will send those out to a store. I just wait until I get lucky.
 
You might have enough wood left in that handle to put a slight curve to it and make a knob end on the handle. If you wanted to even.
 
This isn’t wedged yet but it ready less sharpening (eye cleaned out, handle trued bit to swell, handle grain is appropriate, tongue left a little proud, BLO only/no varnish – you know, the stuff that gets talked about here). I will have to invent a reason to need a Puget Sound now.

The handle is one that has been floating around from shelf, to bucket, to bin for a while, waiting for the right pairing. The head that was on that handle is bumping around The Netherlands now.


Sound.Sager by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr


Sound.Sager by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr


Sound.Sager by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr
 
Agent_H said:
I will have to invent a reason to need a Puget Sound now.
Click to expand...
Oh :eek:, silly me, I didn't know one had to have a reason for a particular axe. Guess I'll have to put my thinking cap on or start getting rid of some stuff.;)


Bob

PS if you invent a reason for a Puget Sound that would work for an old guy with bone spurs in his shoulder in SW Michigan, would you mind sharing? I know of such a person who thinks he would like one. TIA
 


Hung this 3.5 (after fixing some flaws in the head more like 3-3.25) pound WC Kelly Perfect on a 29” handle. I had to take quite a bit of steel off but it turned out good I think. Balance with the handle is great. Will make a great user!

On another note this was my first time to really utilize flapper discs, which compared to filing was great. I Will still finish with file and stone though. It was also my first time to burn a handle. Cosmetically I don’t really like it but after: sanding, burning, sanding, and then rubbing down with steel wool, I will say it is very very smooth! Then it soaked up the oil very well. But I feel like I could accomplish the same with sanding and scraping so who knows if I will try again or not. Thanks for looking!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top