Broken Axe handle & New Axe recommendations

[hossthehermit]

Aggie Bonfire is a 100+ yr old tradition and as such we maintain as much of the old techniques as back in the old army days including axes for felling, wearing old army surplus pots (helmet liners) and stacking the bonfire by hand without the use of machines. It's just one of the Aggie traditions that is hard to understand from the outside looking in.

Makes a lot more sense to me than anything else I ever seen come outta Texass

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

I vote that you find a good hickory handle somewhere (not lowe's or home depot), and learn how to properly set it yourself. There's really nothing like a properly set handle. I've done this myself for a felling axe, and several hammers, and when done right, the tool comes alive in your hands.

Don't be afraid, if you're seeking tradition, do what your forebears would have done.

 

[Lumberzack]

Ash is the handle you want! Hickory will " beat up " your hands. Believe it.

 

[Sierra99]

I vote that you find a good hickory handle somewhere (not lowe's or home depot), and learn how to properly set it yourself. There's really nothing like a properly set handle. ...the tool comes alive in your hands. Don't be afraid, if you're seeking tradition, do what your forebears would have done.

Well said. Take ownership of the axe and fix it. The pride and satisfaction are well worth it, will make it less chinese. A wood handle is much nicer to use than plastic/fiberglass/steel. If you want a better one, that's fine, but fix it first then give it away.

Here's how to set an axe head permanently: remove wedges and head. Glue the splintered piece back on with epoxy or gorilla glue, they both are water proof. Use drawknife or whatever carving implement you have, such as a large, sharp pocket knife, or heavy kitchen knife, and shave handle tenon undersize by about 1/8" with respect to the axe head hole.

Try to match the taper (if any) on the lower half of the drifted hole in the head. Use chalk or pencil marks to help you find the high spots. But remove more wood than you think, we want a loose fit for installing a rubber liner around the wood handle tennon. Shave the shoulder down so that 1/8 to 3/16" of tennon protrudes from axe head when seated.

Then wrap the wood handle tennon with either 1) inner tube rubber, or 2) coat with Sikaflex polyurethane construction adhesive (from HD), and set the head firmly on the shoulder. With Sikaflex, set axe somewhere warm and make sure handle is square to head. Wrap with saran wrap to keep sikaflex from flowing out. Give it a couple days to fully cure. Or a week. Sand/shave off excess Sikaflx, then drive 1 or 2 steel wedges into tennon, and grind off any excess wedge metal.

With innertube rubber, wrap at least 1 revolution, and up to 2 revs, then secure end of ruber with short piece of ductape or electrical tape. Carefully work axe head down over the rubber. This may take a couple of tries to get right. Cut rubber oversize, then trim off excess when the head is seated. Seat head firmly on the shoulder, then drive 1 or 2 steel wedges into the tennon.

The rubber between wood and steel will allow the wood to expand/contract with seasonal humidity changes without crushing wood cells. With properly driven wedges, the head will stay tight for many years, 10 or 20. If a wedge vibrates out, pull it out, put some glue in the hole, then reset the wedge. And the rubber absorbs shock, so its easier on the hands and the handle.

 

[RustyBoltz]

I gotta hand it to TSC. I took that broken axe into them and the old guy behind the counter took one glance at it and said "I've never seen an axe break like that." Walking in, I had prepared myself to defend my story anticipating skepticism about how it had broken but the gentleman told me to see if they had another to replace it and if they didn't (which was the case) they would refund my money. He also added that they really only needed the handle portion to file the defect return with so he refunded my money and let me walk out with the head.
So I'm working on finding a good replacement handle (seems everyone thinks they need to be covered in lacquer ) for the axe and I might eventually buy another - I'm really liking the idea of the Helko Vario 2000 and it's interchangeable heads.

 

[nba123]

axe

I own 2 GB axes and use them all the time mostly to pound felling wedges so mine have 31 in strait handles yes they are costly but quallity is important to me. I oil them and keep leather covers on them when there in the truck. I also own true temper stihl fiskars. The stihl is good but like the fiskars the handle is very short. If this tradition is important to u and it sounds like it is then I would rehandle the axe that you have and save for one that your grandson will be proud of. As far as handles go 8 mi from my house is a handle fac I dont want to say comp name but they make handles for large tool comp. they make wood and fiber handles my friend manages this fac and knows more about wood grain then I will ever learn in my liftime. I get all my maul and axe handles there before they get laquer on them I go down there and we go through them till he finds the right grain and color wood I know a little he knows alot about what it takes. I am not saying they last forever but the ones he pics wont do what you described. If you havent got a handle yet pm me and I will see about going down there and picking you out one next week.

 

[RustyBoltz]

I spoke to House Handles out of Cassville, MO and they said they could pick me out some handles to my liking without lacquer on them. Since I have a couple tools that need new handles (sledge, hatchet, that axe) and they have fairly good pricing and shipping I'm gonna place an order tomorrow and hope for the best. Worst comes to worst, I'll carve on 'em and make some decorative handles - the upperclassmen out at Bonfire carry axe handles for "disciplining" newbies and as a quick measuring & pluming tool.
But if that doesn't turn out well I'll certainly take you up on your offer.

 

[nba123]

I wouldnt want to use a axe handle to disapline someone holding an axe buy the way if you havent handled any thing before read some info on the web about it

 

[veldro]

I recommend the Helko Vario 2000 (2300g). Definitely a well made piece, and gets the job done.

Normally hard to find a retailer in the US, but Helko recently opened a distributor here, Helko North America.

 

[zogger]

Fiskars

Everything I own with a Fiskars brand on it is near top notch. I say near because there are more expensive and probably better tools out there, but for the money...dang close. If you pay three or four times more, do you really get something 3-400% better? Somehow..I doubt that.

And Gerber's edged tools look like Fiskars clones to me. They might be, I do not know, but those are affordable as well. And there's always Estwing. Their tools aren't too shabby and fall into the affordable enough range.

Of course if you want a stand out cool axe that you'll want to keep forever and hand it down..buy a custom made one from a bladesmith someplace. Just go to the next gunshow in your area and you'll see tables with the custom knife and whatnot guys, I'm sure you can order a neat felling axe from one of them, at least the head, then whittle out and finish your own handle. I got no idea what sort of hard springy wood you have in your area, but there has got to be something both pretty in grain and suitable for a handle..