Making an ax handle....
#8115943
04/06/24 07:05 PM
04/06/24 07:05 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 22,008 Sandhills Nebraska
Gary Benson
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Someone on here pointed me to Ax Junkies and also House Handles so I been doing some looking. My new wife is a night nurse and tries to sleep in the daytime so I try to stay quiet and out of the house. Cut a piece of wood out of a brush pile, ran it thru the table saw and got a slab of wood and went to town on it. I'm happy with the first attempt.
Life ain't supposed to be easy.
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Re: Making an ax handle....
[Re: Gary Benson]
#8116240
04/07/24 12:02 AM
04/07/24 12:02 AM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 8,326 Manitoba
Northof50
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looks like ash so is that some EAB tunnels? some danish oil would high-lite the wood grain now just dont go to anymore flea markets and stumble on any wanting to go home.
Last edited by Northof50; 04/07/24 01:14 AM. Reason: spoiler alert
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Re: Making an ax handle....
[Re: Gary Benson]
#8116343
04/07/24 06:43 AM
04/07/24 06:43 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 22,008 Sandhills Nebraska
Gary Benson
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It is ash. I laid another handle on the blank and traced it, then cut it with a jigsaw, then worked it with a rasp, then sanded it. It took 3-4 hours.
Last edited by Gary Benson; 04/07/24 06:45 AM.
Life ain't supposed to be easy.
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Re: Making an ax handle....
[Re: Gary Benson]
#8116380
04/07/24 08:18 AM
04/07/24 08:18 AM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,806 Northern lower Michigan
Feedinggrounds
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Home Depot had some good prices on hickory handles, only found 2 with grain going right way and no knots, out of a couple dozen. I have made a few handles from ash, yours looks great!
Last edited by Feedinggrounds; 04/07/24 08:19 AM.
you're only allowed so many sunrises... I aim to see every one of them!
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Re: Making an ax handle....
[Re: KeithC]
#8116446
04/07/24 09:25 AM
04/07/24 09:25 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 22,008 Sandhills Nebraska
Gary Benson
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How long did it take to make the axe handle?
Do you have any pictures of the wedge end of the eye?
What did you use to shape the handle after you cut the blank?
I have a few dozen loose heads, I wouldn't mine hanging.
Keith It's crude. Very crude. I need lots of practice.
Life ain't supposed to be easy.
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Re: Making an ax handle....
[Re: Gary Benson]
#8117187
04/08/24 07:49 AM
04/08/24 07:49 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 22,008 Sandhills Nebraska
Gary Benson
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This is black locust which is the closest thing to Osage orange. It's hard. Do you have Osage available there?
Life ain't supposed to be easy.
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Re: Making an ax handle....
[Re: w side rd 151]
#8117200
04/08/24 08:21 AM
04/08/24 08:21 AM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,576 east central WI
k snow
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Looks like a good result for your first attempt Has any ever tried making one using Osage orange or does anyone have any thoughts on how that type of wood would work for a ax handle Given that Osage is a bit diffuse porous, I would tend to favor hickory or ironwood (hop hornbeam). Osage will make a serviceable handle, no doubt, but just wouldn't be my first choice.
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Re: Making an ax handle....
[Re: k snow]
#8117203
04/08/24 08:26 AM
04/08/24 08:26 AM
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w side rd 151
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Yes Osage is here in some aeras You need to look for it however . I was thinking of how the appearance would look for something you where planning to display I am not expert but I am not certain it would be e best type of wood for a handle for an ax And yes black locust might be a god choice and it could probably be finished in a really nice display
Last edited by w side rd 151; 04/08/24 08:38 AM.
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Re: Making an ax handle....
[Re: Gary Benson]
#8117272
04/08/24 09:16 AM
04/08/24 09:16 AM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 19,084 Green County Wisconsin
GREENCOUNTYPETE
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I have been using BLO boiled linseed oil for years on handles or raw , raw taking a lot longer to dry.
found a guy who was doing his with a mix of BLO and pine tar the stuff you put on hoofs to seal them it might not be exactly 50/50 but you work in pine tar with a stir stick till you have a nice mix store it in a metal can or glass jar set it someplace warm like in the sun or near the wood stove when it is time to apply it gives the wood a nice color
the addition of Pine tar gives the wood better UV resistance keeps it from going grey and works well with the linseed oil
there are thinner pine tars available , than the hoof sealer , but hoof sealer seems the most available.
America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
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Re: Making an ax handle....
[Re: Gary Benson]
#8117333
04/08/24 10:26 AM
04/08/24 10:26 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,649 La Crosse, WI
Macthediver
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That is nice when make things work.
Mac
"Never Forget Which Way Is Up!"
"Never Forget Which Way Is Up"
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Re: Making an ax handle....
[Re: Gary Benson]
#8117340
04/08/24 10:35 AM
04/08/24 10:35 AM
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30-06 Trapper
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sweet. I still have to make one for a axe head I found.
The rifle has no will of its own it may be used for evil but there are more good men than evil men and evil will be corrected by good men with rifles.
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Re: Making an ax handle....
[Re: Gary Benson]
#8117594
04/08/24 05:18 PM
04/08/24 05:18 PM
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GREENCOUNTYPETE
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It's crude. Very crude. I need lots of practice. I like no metal wedges , just the one main wood hang it with a good 1/4 inch past the head , use a hack saw blade to measure that the slot is 2/3 through the head cut it deeper if it isn't get the wood wedge to match the depth of the cut , wood glue the wedge when I drive it sand off the excess leaving about 3/16 -1/4" proud of the head soak that in BLO as it keeps the wood stable and from drying out and shrinking in the head an ideal situation would be to make up a half dozen blanks and stand them in the corner next to the wood stove for a season , they will be all shrunk up by spring.
America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
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