When putting on a new handle, how tight is to tight?

C

Crazyotter

Joined
Jun 26, 2010
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Title. I recently hung a axe, and I'm wondering how tight a fit for the axe head to the haft is too tight. I know the one I just put on did not scrape the wood when I put it on (it did the first few times, so I filed the wood more), and it went on half way easily, then the rest of the way I had to encourage it with a 4 pound hammer.

Also, when putting a cross wedge in across the original wooden wedge, is one or two recommended? Ty.
 
I'm not sure there is a 'too tight.' A little encouragement is always necessary for me. I use a 4lb dead blow mallet. I get pretty fastidious about my helve and head joinery so I don't allow for curling wood at all.

There are multiple opinions on secondary wedges. I have them but don't put them in unless the head becomes loose. I've got a baggie full of them, and can remember installing only one in the past few years.
 
I don't have any that are 20 years old to point to as support of my preference, but I want really tight. If I can get it on then it is not too tight. I see some peoples work that looks very loose compared to mine and it appears it holds so perhaps I am wasting time being so certain of tightness. But I'll keep doing it my way.
 
if it's tight enough that you can't get the wood wedge in (the slot has closed), then it's too tight.

metal wedges, well, that's your preference, + or -


-ben
 
If I can use a dead blow hammer on the end of the handle and draw the head on to the handle that is good for me. if I need to use a rasp some and take off a little and then try to put the head on again until i have a 1/8 or 1/4 sticking out past the handle. Ace hard ware has started to carry a wood swelling product from DAP and I put some on the wooden wedge instead of glue. Then I do use a small steel wedge across the slot, always have, just my fetish i guess, to each their own. if the head goes on nice and leave a curl of wood around the bottom edge of the head I just slice it off with a utility knife when done.


Pat
 
Don't ask me. If you look at the axe heads I've rehandled, it looks like a primitive monkey did the work:(
 
Ty for all the replies, I was just wondering. If it was possible to crack the eye of an axe, the one I installed would. :)
 
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