What did you rehang today?

That's a great looking axe, for sure!!! I love this thread! I have so many head sitting around... I need to get to work on them!
 
VERY nice work Quinton. I predict this axe will very soon be your go to axe for moving wood. Mine TT Jersey has been my go to axe for over 50 years.
Bernie W.
 
Curt Hal- don't think I've seen a "smarter looking" axe. Or a Smart axe at that - very nice!
 
Square_peg said:
Good looking axe with interesting history.

When you're serious about octagonalizing get yourself a Stanley #151 adjustable spokeshave or equivalent.
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Another vote on the spokeshave. Mine has somehow multiplied just sitting in the garage...
 
You nailed it Square Peg, has that cuvy font. Think you pointed that out when I posted just the head last year. Either you or the Google Fu God Mr. Tall.
 
Square_peg said:
Good looking axe with interesting history.

When you're serious about octagonalizing get yourself a Stanley #151 adjustable spokeshave or equivalent.
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More like serious about anything! Really a spoke shave and a low angle block plane are two of my most used tools. I bet I've carved a hundred handles the last few years, some of which were even good (hehe) so I've gotten a good idea of what works and what doesn't!
 
A rasp is the only way I can get a perfect octagonal haft. I get tear out on the curves with a spoke shave. I have found limited use for one on a straight haft.. I just can't justify switching back and forth between rasp and shave when the rasp will remove the material at a faster rate with no danger of tear out..
I'm a trim carpenter by profession, and use a low angle Stanley on a daily basis, and have for 30 years, just can't see how one could be of any benefit on a axe haft?
 
Don't get too aggressive with the spokeshave. Keep it shallow and you should be fine. However if you have a flat sole spokeshave it won't do well on concave portions of a handle. A rasp will do a lot of what you need to do though. More than one way to skin a cat...
 
quinton said:
I'm a trim carpenter by profession, and use a low angle Stanley on a daily basis, and have for 30 years, just can't see how one could be of any benefit on a axe haft?
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When your handle starts out as a quarter of an Ash or hickory round, the plane sees a lot of use if you want the sides of the handle to be straight and true, and not "S" shaped. Obviously the acute curves have to be done with other tools, but the plane still sees tons of use for me.
 
G-pig said:
When your handle starts out as a quarter of an Ash or hickory round, the plane sees a lot of use if you want the sides of the handle to be straight and true . . .
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This makes sense to me. I started one recently but used power tools to square up the blank.

I started with a piece of 8/4 Hickory and marked the cutting lines to orientate the grain for the handle.


I tilted my bandsaw table to match the angle I laid out and ripped the board (I won't rip rough sawn lumber on a tablesaw - that's for the WanglerMan). Then face jointed and planed the piece. This left a piece with a parallelogram cross section. I made it rectangular on the table saw.


Then I cut the profile on the bandsaw. I'm now shaping mostly with a rasp. I have draw knives and spoke shaves, but I don't seem to have the touch to get a smooth surface and end up sanding to remove the facets. The handle seems to get about two hours a month of work, so I might be posting a finished picture in a year or so. :D

I'm pretty sure this has been posted before. This guy really puts me to shame for using power tools.
[video=youtube;_IMe15BBPxg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IMe15BBPxg[/video]

He uses a hatchet and knife (no rasp). It's worth noting that he cuts "downhill" making stopped cuts with both tools.

Good article on spoke shaves here:
https://books.google.com/books?id=r...U#v=onepage&q=wood tearout spokeshave&f=false
 
Thanks for sharing that article. Interesting read. Which of those heads is that handle destined for?
 
rjdankert said:
Then I cut the profile on the bandsaw. I'm now shaping mostly with a rasp. I have draw knives and spoke shaves, but I don't seem to have the touch to get a smooth surface and end up sanding to remove the facets. The handle seems to get about two hours a month of work, so I might be posting a finished picture in a year or so. :D
Click to expand...

It does take something of a "touch" to use draw knives especially. IT's free form, unlike a plane or spoke shave. The only thing regulating the depth of the cut or the angle of the shave is the person doing the work. I do get the same thing as you, in having "peaks and valleys" from those tools, but thats where the spoke shave takes over (along with a caffeinated brain and a discriminating eye) and later the block plane, set fine. That will take off the high spots (as a plane does) and smooth everything out. I can get a damn fine and consistent plane on each side as long as I take my time.
 
G-pig

Thanks for the reply, it's encouraging. I'm not ready to give up on the spokeshaves. Also I have a good variety of planes including a Millers Falls No 56 block plane. It is a low angle model with an adjustable throat and bevel up iron. So far I've only used it on end grain. I'm certainly going to give it a try. :)
 
After recently finding and using an Estwing Fireside Friend and really liking it, I was inspired and thought that I would try to do better with my next maul rehang. The goal was to have something short enough for controlled placement if I wanted to use it as a splitting wedge on big stuff, and long enough for some more forceful strikes to split medium to small stuff. No overhand power strikes for this one, not the intended purpose. I have tested swinging from the shoulder on medium items and can report good results. This is a Stanley 8lb head on a 22" handle. I recommend trying this setup if you have an old maul head laying around. I think that a 6lb head would be ideal but I didn't have one handy. The handle is just a cut down broken sledge handle. I was thinking that the edge angle is just a bit too large, but it seems to work well.



 
You fellas may remember my recent thread asking what to do with a True Temper boys head axe. The consensus was to just hang the damn thing. I finally got my octagonal house handle in the mail and between my lunch break and after work, I have it hanging. I think I did a pretty decent job getting it on there straight and tight. I quite like the octagonal handle as well. One thing you'll notice in the first picture is that my wedge split. I whacked on the portion closest to the poll until it just wouldn't budge but the front portion wanted to go a little deeper. Is there anything wrong with that? I'll get some better pics up when I put a real edge on it and can get it out on a camping trip. Thanks for the advice!


 
That is a handsome axe Volta. Don't know if the wedge splitting is an issue. I've had that happen before and just made sure both halves were knocked in there as far as they would go and I've not had issues with those axes yet. Looks like it is hung well and your House octagonal is clean and sharp.

Did you have to do anything to the handle or did they send it to you about how it appears in the photos? I ask because the crook at the swell looks fuller than mine - maybe they tuned up the equipment.

Great work mating up that Flint Edge with a classy looking handle!
 
volta said:
One thing you'll notice in the first picture is that my wedge split. I whacked on the portion closest to the poll until it just wouldn't budge but the front portion wanted to go a little deeper. Is there anything wrong with that?
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My theory is that the wood is thinner at the front of the eye, and more apt to spread open, but I'm not sure that's right. This is a phenomenon that I encounter with every hang and have actually started making the wedges thicker in the front. But regardless, I would call it normal, and if the wedge wants to keep going, I'm happy with splitting it to let that happen - short of splitting the handle of course.
 
Agent, I didn't do any shaping on this handle. Just a little sanding with a sanding sponge and a couple coats of BLO. So far all the house handles i have gotten have been dry as a bone and soak up the linseed oil like crazy. I love the feel of it.

City, sounds good. I took a lot more care to get this wedge a perfect fit rounding the front and the rear. It is definitely a tight wedge. I'll try widening the front of the wedge on my next hang.
 
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