Which Handle would be the better option for my first restoration?

N

N7111

Joined
Nov 7, 2013
Messages
8
Hi, I bought an old Sager Chemical double bit axe head from a knife show, and I was wondering whether a wood handle would be good, or a fiberglass one would be better, for my first restoration.
The fiber glass handle is a yellow Seymour handle I found on Amazon, which the origin says is US.
The wood handle is from Hickory Handle Store, and I was thinking of the 36 inch, and clearly says made in the US.
I was also planning on modifying the handles when I got them, ie. add a brass pommel, cover it with leather or something, wrap paracord on it, etc.

So what are the pros and cons? How easy would it be to replace the handle or fix it if something were to happen, would the epoxy weaken and cause the head coming loose, which is more user friendly, and would it be possible to switch the fiberglass for something else if it doesn't suit me, etc.

Hickory Handle
hickoryhandlestore.com/collections/double-bit-axe-handles/products/36-double-bit-axe-handle-white-hickory

Fiber glass
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I1AWP...pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846

Thanks.
 
You can of course do what you want, but please do not put a Sager Chemical axe head on a fiberglass handle. That head comes from the golden days of axemanship in this country, where hickory was the only true handle material.

For hanging advice, read through topics on this forum or use the search function. Plenty of threads have (recently) answered the questions you have or will have.
 
Alright, thanks.
After thinking it through, wood all the way. It's the better choice for this caliber of axe head and it's history.
 
Last edited:
also, skip the accouterments. a brass pommel and leather/pcord wrapped handles might look fancy on a tomahawk meant to be a conversation piece, but what you have is a real working tool. anything you do to the handle to increase grip will just increase blisters and make your axe difficult to chop with. keep it simple and respectable.
 
To me, the biggest issue would be that with a fiberglass handle someone might mistake if for an import POS and toss it in the salvage pile. What a horrible fate for a Sager.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top