What to do with axe handles

cooperhill

cooperhill

Joined
Nov 14, 2011
Messages
1,018
Maybe (or maybe not) you're like me and have a few handles laying around waiting to be hafted.

What do you do with them? Wondering I'd folks oil them occasionally with linseed. What is the best way to store these?

Thank.
 
I have mine laid out in my basement, nothin special. I have about 20 extra waiting for their time to get called to duty. I do not do anything with them until go time. Most already have a lacquer coating or something similar, so I dont worry about them too much.
 
I don't have any good spares right now. When I do, I just stick them on the floor in the slot between my work bench and a cabinet. I would think that a decent handle would be dried enough that it wouldn't split or anything just sitting there.

I've wondered before if there is any merit to bringing a handle in to the house for awhile to let it dry to a maximum before oiling it. Would that make sense?
 
I would not oil them as long as they are inside. The oil will polymerize and make it a little harder when you go to hang your axe. It will clog files and sandpaper much faster. Wait to oil until you get it hung and shaped.
 
M3mphis said:
I don't have any good spares right now. When I do, I just stick them on the floor in the slot between my work bench and a cabinet. I would think that a decent handle would be dried enough that it wouldn't split or anything just sitting there.

I've wondered before if there is any merit to bringing a handle in to the house for awhile to let it dry to a maximum before oiling it. Would that make sense?
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It seems like that would be a good idea. I've also heard that hanging a dried out handle will result in a tighter fit once it is exposed to higher humidity. If someone has a very accurate scale and calipers it would interesting to test for changes in weight and expansion.
 
I buy good grain when I see it and let em dry more. Kiln dried wood will dry considerably more in my climate but if you live somehwere humid, it's going to be taking on moisture. Just depends on your climate.

I bought a new Iltis axe years ago and its now so loose the head rattles around on it. Germany must have been humid :)
 
I've got a few I pulled out of heads that are in good shape but were at odd lengths for the weight of the steel they were mounted to. The current plan is to get a few of those Outdoor Dynamics axe/adze heads and turn them into some bushcraft/carving tools.
 
I tried taking them in to dry in the house back when I first started carving handles. They all warped and checked since I do most of the work while the wood is green, so I never tried that again. Yes, that is a big no-no according to the armchair handle carvers to carve and fit them while green. It's never given me any issues though, so I shall continue in the bad practice unless I find a reason to change it up.
 
G-pig said:
I tried taking them in to dry in the house back when I first started carving handles. They all warped and checked since I do most of the work while the wood is green, so I never tried that again. Yes, that is a big no-no according to the armchair handle carvers to carve and fit them while green. It's never given me any issues though, so I shall continue in the bad practice unless I find a reason to change it up.
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I'd like to carve some from "wild wood." Do you oil them up while still green to keep them from cracking???? It's very dry here. Most any green wood that dries quickly seems to check pretty badly.
 
I have never really done anything like that except for painting the ends of the rounds and leaving for a few weeks to get "good enough" I.E. to the point where it wouldn't check really bad. I just keep all my axes in my shop where it is relatively stable (the shop is a super drafty building that is closer to a barn, goes to show how much "stability" they need). Other times the wood doesn't seem to check badly, so I don't even bother painting the ends and leaving, I just go straight to carving and fitting. To fix the problem of shrinkage I leave the wedge about 1/2" proud until a few week later, pound that in as far as it wants to go and then trim it up and its done.
 
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G-pig said:
I have never really done anything like that except for painting the ends of the rounds and leaving for a few weeks to get "good enough" I.E. to the point where it would check really bad. I just keep all my axes in my shop where it is relatively stable (the shop is a super drafty building that is closer to a barn, goes to show how much "stability" they need). Other times the wood doesn't seem to check badly, so I don't even bother painting the ends and leaving, I just go straight to carving and fitting. To fix the problem of shrinkage I leave the wedge about 1/2" proud until a few week later, pound that in as far as it wants to go and then trim it up and its done.
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Good call. Thanks, man.
 
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