What did you rehang today?

[AaronGP]

I don't mind that the handle darkened and lost the grain contrast. I didn't make it for looks. I just knew it was a tough wood and thought it would make a good tool handle.

Do knife makers have a solution for this? I wouldn't be happy with knife scales that lost the look of the fresh Osage.

If you’re trying to keep wood as preserved and as color-fast as possible I’d do multiple coatings of spar urethane.

 

[AaronGP]

Where do people get their handles from? I'd love to make my own but hickory or a similar wood is hard to come by

I get Tennessee Hickory handles from a local, family-owned hardware store here in Seattle named Hardwick and Sons.

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

I get Tennessee Hickory handles from a local, family-owned hardware store here in Seattle named Hardwick and Sons.

Man, you guys don’t even know!!
Hardwick’s is soo cool! It’s a Seattle icon. Crazy tool selection, cases of old school stuff, GB axes, old tools on the walls, huge hammer selection, like all the cool stuff you can’t find anywhere else. Hard to overstate how cool, really.
...Someday I hope the owner will sell me the stitching saddle hanging on the ceiling above the pulley’s by the knives.

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

 

[AaronGP]

Agreed with everything you said about Hardwicks. Shame you didn't include a picture of their selection of axe handles

 

[Bradenk1987]

That place looks awesome!!

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

Agreed with everything you said about Hardwicks. Shame you didn't include a picture of their selection of axe handles

Totally. Or all the glass cases of tools! Those were just a couple I could pull from the internet.

 

[AaronGP]

Over the course of the last week I've been reading this thread (started with page 1 and I'm up to page 90) and I've absolutely been loving all of the photos and knowledge shared by so many users. Now I've got a question about handles.

I've seen a TON of posts about using House Handles and nearly as many about slimming them down. As noted in my post from earlier today, I recently bought a pair of Tennessee Hickory handles. I've used one of them so far (pictures soon, I promise!) and will be using the other one soon. With regards to the one I've used I didn't feel the need to remove much material from it. The handle, as it came and once the lacquer was sanded off, feels comfortable in my hands, though with this hang only recently done I haven't had a chance to use my new axe yet.

So here's the question: are House Handles notoriously thick and in need of reduction, or do the more-experienced-than-I posters on this thread have a strong preference for slim handles? Thanks!

 

[Square_peg]

Man, you guys don’t even know!!
Hardwick’s is soo cool! It’s a Seattle icon. Crazy tool selection, cases of old school stuff, GB axes, old tools on the walls, huge hammer selection, like all the cool stuff you can’t find anywhere else. Hard to overstate how cool, really.
...Someday I hope the owner will sell me the stitching saddle hanging on the ceiling above the pulley’s by the knives.

Great store!

Sadly, after 87 years in Seattle they are closing up shop and moving to Post Falls. Their piece of land has become too valuable and the hardware store won't support the taxes on the property. Hate to see 'em go.

 

[AaronGP]

Great store!

Sadly, after 87 years in Seattle they are closing up shop and moving to Post Falls. Their piece of land has become too valuable and the hardware store won't support the taxes on the property. Hate to see 'em go.

Really? I hadn't heard that. And by Post Falls, do you mean in Idaho? That'd be a long drive for axe handles and other tools.

 

[Yankee Josh]

So here's the question: are House Handles notoriously thick and in need of reduction, or do the more-experienced-than-I posters on this thread have a strong preference for slim handles? Thanks!

For me a slim haft is preferable for several reasons. First of which is a thinner helve will flex a little and by so doing help alleviate some stress in the eye when the bit inevitably gets stuck. When it flexes it helps pop the bit out with less stress in the eye. Secondly, this may be the same reason they did it, almost invariably older helves were usually quite thin and I like replicating that.
And then lastly a thin haft with a nice wide palm swell is almost effortless to hang on to while swinging. My thoughts on it!

 

[AaronGP]

For me a slim haft is preferable for several reasons. First of which is a thinner helve will flex a little and by so doing help alleviate some stress in the eye when the bit inevitably gets stuck. When it flexes it helps pop the bit out with less stress in the eye. Secondly, this may be the same reason they did it, almost invariably older helves were usually quite thin and I like replicating that.
And then lastly a thin haft with a nice wide palm swell is almost effortless to hang on to while swinging. My thoughts on it!

Thank you for the information. When it comes to thinning the haft, do you do it uniformly or more in one dimension? For instance, if a haft starts out as a 3:2 oval cross section (just to make something up) do you maintain that ratio or are you targeting something else?

 

[Agent_H]

Those are thoughtful questions. I find it depends. If you are looking for overall dimensions of classic axes there are some diagrams floating around the forums. C cityofthesouth , posted this diagram with easier to read dimensions:

Some times the handles you buy aren't really symmetrical. With those handles, I will fit the head without wedging so the bit is in line regardless of the thickness so I have an even blank to work with then go at octagonalizing, thinning, etc. Somehow I get better results if I am taking wood off in equal amounts.

It also depends on the type of axe you are hanging.

 

[AaronGP]

Those are thoughtful questions. I find it depends. If you are looking for overall dimensions of classic axes there are some diagrams floating around the forums. C cityofthesouth , posted this diagram with easier to read dimensions:

Some times the handles you buy aren't really symmetrical. With those handles, I will fit the head without wedging so the bit is in line regardless of the thickness so I have an even blank to work with then go at octagonalizing, thinning, etc. Somehow I get better results if I am taking wood off in equal amounts.

It also depends on the type of axe you are hanging.

Thank you for the diagram and the explanation of your process.

 

[cityofthesouth]

Thank you for the information. When it comes to thinning the haft, do you do it uniformly or more in one dimension? For instance, if a haft starts out as a 3:2 oval cross section (just to make something up) do you maintain that ratio or are you targeting something else?

Thinning a factory handle often involved "fixing" it for me. Like he said, trying to get it more symmetrical, taking out humps and lumps where they don't belong. I never went anywhere NEAR as detailed as the diagram but I recreated it from a historical reference so it's useful in that sense. I just used more approximate numbers and little variations never really made much difference to me as far as how the handle felt in hand.


Side note, I just paid $20 for a 36" Link sledge hammer handle that of course I will be making into 2 hammer handles. $20!!!! is that typical or just my hardware store robbing me? I always used to pay - I don't remember exactly any more - but under $10 for one from House. But the place that carries those didn't have a single one worth taking off the hanger at half the price.

 

[Yankee Josh]

You got very good answers already. My interpretation of your question however leads me to say that I mostly thin the sides down on a thick handle. I usually take a little out of the back(spine) to accentuate the curve and I often deepen the area where my fingers grip and where my thumb rests. I'm working now but I'll post up a few pictures later. As AgentH said, great questions!

 

[Square_peg]

Some times the handles you buy aren't really symmetrical. With those handles, I will fit the head without wedging so the bit is in line regardless of the thickness so I have an even blank to work with then go at octagonalizing, thinning, etc.

This is an important step. It's good to loose-fit the head to the haft before the haft is finish-shaped and even before remedial grinding of the axe. This way each can be directed to fit the other.

Putting a stick in the eye gives you a clear view of the alignment of the eye. Then bit and haft can both be fit to that and to each other. Finishing either piece before first assembly takes away a degree of freedom in designing the final piece.

 

[AaronGP]

Using the posted diagram as a guide, I took some rough measurements of the Tennessee Hickory (36 in.) handle I've recently hung a head on.

It's a bit smaller in some of the dimensions and a bit larger in some others.

 

[AaronGP]

You got very good answers already. My interpretation of your question however leads me to say that I mostly thin the sides down on a thick handle. I usually take a little out of the back(spine) to accentuate the curve and I often deepen the area where my fingers grip and where my thumb rests. I'm working now but I'll post up a few pictures later. As AgentH said, great questions!

That makes a lot of sense, and yes, you interpreted my question as I intended. Thanks!

 

[AaronGP]

Putting a stick in the eye gives you a clear view of the alignment of the eye. Then bit and haft can both be fit to that and to each other. Finishing either piece before first assembly takes away a degree of freedom in designing the final piece.

Are you talking about the alignment of the eye in terms of whether it is centered within the axe head (looking at it from the top), or in terms of whether the eye is angled or straight the the shape of the head (looking at it from the side)?