Axe restoration thread

[svk]

I've had a few where the eye was longer than the handle by a little.

The modern heads I've had to rehang rarely seem to need any work on the handle. Most of the older heads seem to need some material taken off the handle.

 

[Multifaceted]

I guess any kind of rehanging an axe counts as restoration, no matter how old they may be, so I have come up with a couple of questions in that regard.

One is about two Jersey pattern heads that I have. The only marks I have found is 3 1/2 on one side of the poll. The question has to do with the eye being about a quarter to three-eighths of an inch wider than the end of the handle. (The longer direction,) Is it posssible to successfully hang it like that, or do I need to find another handle?

Next question is, do I really need to shave down the handle? I think it seems to be fine the way it is. How would I know if it doesn't "fit" my hands. How much do I need to use an axe to know? I really don't use one much.

Thanks,

Abbott295

Your first question I understand, but a picture would be helpful. If it's wider than the handle, then I am inclined to think that the poll of the axe is also mushroomed out from pounding on it. The axe head is a milder steel (lower carbon content) than the bit and will bend and flex under constant force. I've seen eyes opened up from repeated beating on the back of the poll. You should never do that, but people still do and have for years...

As to shaving the handle down, it serves two purposes: 1.) it can be tailored to your grip, and 2.) a thinner handle will have more flex. Hickory and ash, especially hickory has the perfect balance of strength and elasticity. You want some flex in your axe for shock absorption and for the whipping action used in effective chopping. If you look back in the history books or old logging photos during the time when the axe was used as a primary tool, you would notice how thin and slender the axe handles were. Our forebearers did that for a reason - they used them every day. They had been using axes longer than we haven't. If you're not going to use it much or just plan to hang it on the wall or use as a conversation piece, then sculpting the handle won't matter. However, if you're serious about using an axe, then eventually you'll discover that the thick, club-like handles you find at the hardware store are not what you want to be swinging for hours on end. I'm not a huge guy, but I'm 6'1", 200 lbs and I like my axe handles thin. When I'm swinging and gripping a thick handle and fatigue sets in, it is harder to hold on to and can become a dangerous situation.

Just my $0.02

That being said, the Octagonal one Clarence brought by my house felt REALLY good in my hands. So, maybe there is something to knowing if it fits, Joe.

The octagonal handle is more for purchase (the effectiveness of grip), not so much the thickness. That handle, Joe, I also shaved down a good bit after I got it and rounded the angles.

 

[Bobby Kirbos]

Let it sit in vinegar for about a day and a half and gave it a wet sand, rinse, dry, and douse with some PB brand spray.

The eye is 5/8" x about 2". The only thing close I see on House Handle's site is a "Cruiser axe" handle which is 5/8" x 2 1/4". I guess I'll poke around the hardware stores locally a bit if time ever allows.

View attachment 630798

Check Beaver Tooth
https://beaver-tooth.com/collections/huson-bay-axe-handle

It looks like their "Boys Axe" handles are made for the eye size that you have.

 

[svk]

Found a new handle for the repaired head. I was wrong, this was a boys axe pattern as I originally thought. I will hang it and then do the handle right with BLO next week.

 

[Multifaceted]

Check Beaver Tooth
https://beaver-tooth.com/collections/huson-bay-axe-handle

It looks like their "Boys Axe" handles are made for the eye size that you have.

I've bought from Beaver-Tooth many times, the handles are very good quality, albeit still a little thick - and you'll be waiting at least two weeks to ship...

 

[svk]

Check Beaver Tooth
https://beaver-tooth.com/collections/huson-bay-axe-handle

It looks like their "Boys Axe" handles are made for the eye size that you have.

Looks nice. Ironically I didn't see your post until after I had put up my picture post.

The House Handle boys axe dimensions are only a bit off. Should go on pretty easily.

 

[svk]

The old handle on that axe was split in a weird way. After I got it off I noticed why. Someone had pounded a big lag bolt into it as a wedge! Takes all types lol.

 

[abbott295]

Thanks to all for input. I guess even with saying it was the longer dimension that was off, it wasn't clear enough. Posting pictures is a challenge for me; I have done it a time or two, but don't have any clue now as to how I did it. I am thinking I have to email pictures to myself from either my phone or my computer and then get them from there into here somehow. I will be looking into it. The long dimension of the eye is longer than the end of the handle, not the shorter dimension. One of these heads has been beaten on, but not that badly to have misshapen the eye.

The handle has three dimensions (length, width, and thickness) but the eye only has two, which correspond to width and thickness on the handle, but could be seen as length and width of the eye. Confusion reigns.

 

[Multifaceted]

Thanks to all for input. I guess even with saying it was the longer dimension that was off, it wasn't clear enough. Posting pictures is a challenge for me; I have done it a time or two, but don't have any clue now as to how I did it. I am thinking I have to email pictures to myself from either my phone or my computer and then get them from there into here somehow. I will be looking into it. The long dimension of the eye is longer than the end of the handle, not the shorter dimension. One of these heads has been beaten on, but not that badly to have misshapen the eye.

The handle has three dimensions (length, width, and thickness) but the eye only has two, which correspond to width and thickness on the handle, but could be seen as length and width of the eye. Confusion reigns.

If you can't post pictures, at least give some dimensions - that will help.

 

[kevin j]

If you take the picture on your phone and post the reply here on your phone, it’s easy. Type your response then hit upload a file then grab the picture from your photos folder and post. On my iPhone the pictures are huge and it takes a while I don’t know how to reduce the pictures but adding them to a post is pretty easy.

I am not a Luddite but I’m certainly not very tech savvy if I can do it you can do it

 

[abbott295]

These are not that axe. This is a little hatchet we found a few years ago at a garage/yard/moving and/or estate sale. We have kept it in the kitchen drawer with knives and cleavers. There do not appear to be any markings on it. Hand-made, home-made? It has the nail-puller notch.

And yes, that was pretty simple to include them. Thanks, Kevin.

 

[svk]

View attachment 631266 View attachment 631267 View attachment 631268 View attachment 631270 These are not that axe. This is a little hatchet we found a few years ago at a garage/yard/moving and/or estate sale. We have kept it in the kitchen drawer with knives and cleavers. There do not appear to be any markings on it. Hand-made, home-made? It has the nail-puller notch.

And yes, that was pretty simple to include them. Thanks, Kevin.

I have one very similar or possibly identical to that. Wondering if someone semi mass produced them back in the day?

 

[svk]

Did a little work on the boys axe head before I headed out from the cabin.

Reprofiled the cutting edge to remove some of the very present rounding towards the top edge and took the mushroom out of the poll. Also tried to grind out the pin in the middle of the eye and ended up having to put it on the drill press. They really did a solid job with these pins. Not sure if I'll need to replace this one as the forward ones are very solid as well.

 

[Good Feller]

Speaking of old axes , here's a vid of a real resto , old school .

I wants this guy as my neighbor!

 

[al-k]

I know there not a ax but thought maybe you guys mite like them. The two cleavers were my grandfathers, he always butchered our beef. Don't remember were I got the hatchet.

 

[rarefish383]

Looks like a makers name on the hatchet, but I can't read it. Who made it? Joe.

 

[kevin j]

Steve why remove the pins? I think they look pretty cool as it is. too late now but if the one goes through the handle area you could’ve cut it off on the inside of the eye and just left it on the outside for visual only.

 

[kevin j]

for something I had no prior interest in and just stumbled upon this is becoming a very interesting topic. I have two wooden handled hatchets that I’ve had for 40 years from a garage sale. one we used in the boundary waters camping for years and years. Now kept by the woodstove in case I need a quick split or something. The other is in my chainsaw pack for wedges. I also have a boys axe with about a 24 inch handle that I got on a garage sale. looked a little strange until I realized they installed the head upside down. that one was very poorly done, so I was able to actually Dremel out the wedge, flip the head over and put it back on the same handle. it turned out pretty well. that was several years ago before I even started on any of these sites.

all of them I bought to serve functional purposes. Were not stained, just oiled and natural age. but now that I realize they do look pretty nice so I’m starting to become interested in this. i want to get a couple hatchet sizes to hang for a couple people, just for the memory reasons. Once the spring garage sale season opens up (in, it seems, 6 months away around here) there will be some around.

i’m also doing a little bit with Kydex, holsters, so I made a cover for the ones that I have not intended to be decorative, certainly not period correct, again just totally functional for use as a tool.

I guess with age, less physical ability and less space, I’ve migrated from antique and custom cars to vintage trials motorcycles to vintage chainsaws and vintage sewing machines and vintage axes. not really by intent just what started off as ‘I need this as a tool’ turned into ‘this has some good memories’ and ‘this was built better than what I can buy in the store so I’d rather use this as a tool then a new one‘.

30 yrs ago I made a sheath for the canoe hatchet from 1/8 neoprene sheet rubber. Leather was always wet from rain or humidity, and held moisture agasint the steel. Made many rubber ones after that. Two side layers, and one spacer layer around the edge. Held with binding post screws or rivets. Nylon strap with velcro. The loop on front was to carabiner it to a pack. Kydex is easier to build, lighter, quicker on and off! Sort of like saws with higher rpm, lighter weight, better AV. Technology is good. Nostalgia is good. Different reasons.

These were tools, function over beauty. Now the canoe hatchet hangs by the wood stove, and another one is in my chainsaw pack.

 

[svk]

Steve why remove the pins? I think they look pretty cool as it is. too late now but if the one goes through the handle area you could’ve cut it off on the inside of the eye and just left it on the outside for visual only.

I removed the pin through the eye so I could set a new handle in without having to carve a notch out of it. I was debating putting in a new pin and I am still uncertain about what I want to do.

The three forward pins are necessary to keep the crack at bay. I do not think the one in the eye is necessary and was just placed as insurance. We shall see though.

 

[abbott295]

Here pictures of the axe head and handle I was asking about if this can be successfully hung, or will it always have too much give and be working loose?

Like Kevin j says, I have learned that there is a lot to learn about these things that I didn't even know that I didn't know.