Maul handle replacement question

[olyman]

1. I REFUSE,, to buy any handles, that are ash!!! 2. I ALWAYS buy hickory handles, which aint easy to find. ash, has a tendencie, to rot along a grain line. you wont see it,,and the handle will split with the first hard blow.. been there.........

 

[olyman]

Somebody posted it here a year or two ago. I hvee lots of wooden handle tools and will make a order some day.
The last one I fixed, I used an old timer trick. I heated the maul in the wood stove and burnt the handle in. The handle fits real tight.

and then stick it in a 5 gal pail of light oil. soak it for a few weeks.....then its TIGHT!!!

 

[angelo c]

1. I REFUSE,, to buy any handles, that are ash!!! 2. I ALWAYS buy hickory handles, which aint easy to find. ash, has a tendencie, to rot along a grain line. you wont see it,,and the handle will split with the first hard blow.. been there.........

never heard that one but....in keeping with my sophomoric theme...

nothing beats a good piece of "Ash".....

 

[svk]

"ive had better luck at small local hardware stores for quality handles, TSC, home depot, lowes and the like all have the same garbage"


and honestly it was more expensive then the handle and shipping from the site above.

I was floored to see them for that cheap...around here it is 15-20 bucks for a good one and it still needs shaping....

I've got about a dozen various axe/hammer/maul/sledge/pickaxe/etc/etc heads sitting around that I've collected from various places. I bookmarked that site in case I ever need to resurrect them.

 

[nathon918]

"ive had better luck at small local hardware stores for quality handles, TSC, home depot, lowes and the like all have the same garbage"


and honestly it was more expensive then the handle and shipping from the site above.

do you have an AGWAY where you live? if not than maybe an actual farm/fleet store? they tend to have the best handles since most of the people that shop there actually plan on using those sorts of things more than once. unlike TSC which is for people that really have no reason to go to that sort of store

 

[Eric Modell]

I have a multi purpose vise stand that I clamp my big belt sander in. A course belt shapes a handle quickly. As I mentioned, and am surprised that no one has told me I was a fool, I burned my last one in.

I am new to the technique, but one burns the old handle out in the wood stove. The way it was explained to me was when the old handle burns out the steel is the right temperature.

The axe axe then burns the excess wood leaving a good tight fit. The tool is then quenched in water.

 

[nathon918]

I was floored to see them for that cheap...around here it is 15-20 bucks for a good one and it still needs shaping....

I've got about a dozen various axe/hammer/maul/sledge/pickaxe/etc/etc heads sitting around that I've collected from various places. I bookmarked that site in case I ever need to resurrect them.

do you actually know what youre getting though? yeah the picture look nice but that doesnt man thats what you will be getting...

 

[svk]

The way it was explained to me was when the old handle burns out the steel is the right temperature.

The axe axe then burns the excess wood leaving a good tight fit. The tool is then quenched in water.

Would this affect the metallurgy of the head to a positive or negative degree?

I drill out the eye with my drill press.

 

[svk]

do you actually know what youre getting though? yeah the picture look nice but that doesnt man thats what you will be getting...

Buy one to test them out first.

 

[nathon918]

I have a multi purpose vise stand that I clamp my big belt sander in. A course belt shapes a handle quickly. As I mentioned, and am surprised that no one has told me I was a fool, I burned my last one in.

I am new to the technique, but one burns the old handle out in the wood stove. The way it was explained to me was when the old handle burns out the steel is the right temperature.

The axe axe then burns the excess wood leaving a good tight fit. The tool is then quenched in water.

it is then case hardend and brittle as ****... it will hold an edge better though... until it chips off

 

[Eric Modell]

Would this affect the metallurgy of the head to a positive or negative degree?

I drill out the eye with my drill press.

I and afraid to try with my special tools. A fellow at work told me how his father burns the handles in his special axe. This man goess throu a lot of handles because he splits a lot of wood with his special very sharp axe.

 

[svk]

This man goess throu a lot of handles because he splits a lot of wood with his special very sharp axe.

I'm not sure if sarcasm was intended here?.....

 

[Eric Modell]

it is then case hardend and brittle as ****... it will hold an edge better though... until it chips off

As far as I can tell the tool does not get as hot as one might think. The process is carried out with a cool stove.

 

[Eric Modell]

I'm not sure if sarcasm was intended here?.....

No sarcasm, when I sold wood we shattered several handles a week.

 

[Eric Modell]

and then stick it in a 5 gal pail of light oil. soak it for a few weeks.....then its TIGHT!!!

Will transmission fluid work well.

 

[svk]

No sarcasm, when I sold wood we shattered several handles a week.

OK my apologies. Was going to make a bad joke based off comments from a recent thread...

Carry on, men.

 

[angelo c]

OK my apologies. Was going to make a bad joke based off comments from a recent thread...

Carry on, men.

you can do it....you must resist the urge....don't go there.....
its been a nice friendly thread so far.....



after all its MAUL thread....( not some crazy Finnish chopee axe thingee ... )

 

[Marshy]

I've thrown my maul head in a hot stove overnight to let it burn out. I imagine it could have reached nearly 1000*F and have not had any ill effects from it. I didnt pull it out when it was that hot and quench it though. It air cooled as the fire burned down to the point I needed to fill it back up. I took it out with the poker and thew it in the snow bank so I could handle it. I've never heard about burning a handle in, I might have to try it on the next go-around. It probably helps to have then handle close to size though so you dont burn the entire handle off while trying to get it on... lol I wonder, is there a preferred temperature for this?

 

[olyman]

Will transmission fluid work well.

new I would think would...........

 

[Metals406]

Adding all this heat to a carbon steel, or a carbon steel alloy, will either pull the temper out of the steel, or if quickly cooled above critical (1,400*) -- would cause the tool to be dangerously brittle. Case hardening is a totally different process, and isn't achieved by quenching or heating carbon steel.

If it were kept under 400 F, I imagine the effects of heating would be minimal.
I personally wouldn't try this method, as the steel (usually cast) is of unknown alloy and quality.

The last thing you want is a shattering maul head, sending shrapnel through the air.