Hand Making Axe Handles

Glad I found this thread. A member over on AS saw my posts about wanting to find some vintage axe heads to play around with hanging, and he sent me 10 axes!! Old Plumb, Kelly, Collins, Craftsman, True Temper/Kelly, Fulton, etc. To say I'm stoked is an under statement.

I have one Kelly woodslasher (I think) that needs hung from the group, and I may redo one or two just to gain the experience.

Looking forward to digging into the content you and others have posted up @XP_Slinger Now to source some handles

 

Very cool that he sent you all those axes. Can’t wait to see how your handles turn out

 

I have to find some first. Want to start with some ash.

 

it’s pretty much indestructible dense but shock absorbent and looks good
Once it’s been oiled

 

It came of a 8 x 4 sheet I usualy skil saw off a a 3” wide peice
And get 1 x 36” 2 x 30” or 3 x 32”

 

that’s a good one too start with

 

yes your right you just gotta be careful what power tools you use
I rough them out with a Dolmar and 1/4 “ carving bar
Then bandsaw and blacksmiths rasp

 

You guys made me do it.
First time.
7:00pm

7:05

7:10
7:30

7:45



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8:00


This started out with an unbreakable fibreglass handle
Now it is ash.

Not fantastic, but not terrible for a first attempt.

I’m in trouble now. A quick look in the toolbox found 2 axe heads and 3 more hammers needing handles.


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Nice tools man

 

Nice job

 

I plan to make a few axe handles. My first attempt at axe handles, I now have 4 hammer handles experience. Those were done in ash from a dry block.

I want to use hickory for the axe handles. I have fresh hickory logs and a couple of 8” cants that I squared up 9 months ago that are now dry (and cracked in several places)

Am I better to cut blanks off the cants (avoiding the splits) or off the fresh logs? Logs were felled a couple of months ago.

Both are knot free and straight.


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Looking good now you got the bug there’s no stopping now

 

Two (edit - 2 quickly grew into 4) questions.
1) I have some dry hickory, and some that is still in log form. What is better to use when making handles. Fully dry to start, or green, then dry after the majority of the shaping is done.
2) I also have ripped some planks of ash and also cherry. I like ash for hammers and shovels. I have a small (2lb?) axe head that I might make a handle for out of cherry. It will never be used for serious chopping. Anyone tried cherry before?
3) For the wooden wedges, I was reading that some people like to coat their wedge in wood glue before inserting in the kerf? Good or bad idea?
4) For Steel wedges, most of my older axes and hammers had flat wedges. Seems like round wedges are now common. Preferences ? Better, worse, or just different? Even needed?

I've made templates of all my favourite handles. I clearly have the bug. Just need to find enough time between cutting and splitting to get the next one roughed out and going.

 

Had some time while I was watching water boil aka making maple syrup so I thought it was time for yet another handle. I don’t have a bench in the sugar house, so first up was somewhere to sit.


Then I ripped some strips of hickory. Very impressed with my new cordless circular. Ripped 3” green hickory without complaint and I made 4 40” cuts on the 4Ah battery and it was not depleted.

A bunch of draw knife work later



The first one ended up with a small knot where I didn’t like it so I made a second. They both still need some smoothing and then drying.


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This is a very good thread. Took a while to get threw it. So did anyone ever make a handle out of Osage Orange.

 

Good work. Nice wee set up.
Decided I'm going to plane my lengths of timber before I make my next one. I had a knot right where I didn't want one on the last one I started, like you did. Because of the rough sawn timber it wasn't until I got to the finishing stage that it showed up

 

This needs a new handle