Dutch - Oregon Trail

Kevin- would you be willing to take a couple of photos of your handle? Maybe so I can get a better grasp on how it comes out of the eye asymmetrically?
 
Kevin, I'm a little slow, I read your previous post like four times and laughed each go around lol.

Does that mean you'd say I'm on the right track? :)
 
Kevin Houtzager said:
It does doesn't it? :) Handle looks nice with the oil on it!



Lets start over with the handle: Just make a club in de required shape you want. I say club for a reason, so will come to that eventually. Lay the axe flat side down on a table. Now take said club and whack the shit out of it! Just kidding :D .

Now look at the the club in your hand and place it so that your knuckles are not touching the table. If you feel comfortable with a couple of mill go ahead. It's what I do. If you feel comfortable with an inch or more, go right ahead. It all comes down to your own preference. Most of these blades didn't have a handle when they where sold anyway.

You can now draw the triangle shape on it. If done correctly, your knuckles should not touch the table when you grab hold of the club. If done incorrectly they do. But no worries just yet: I said club didn't I?

Next up is shaping the handle:
If done correctly, take of the topside of the handle to thin it down. Mine is about 3/8 " but thats my preference, so yours can be a lot thicker if you like.
If done incorrectly take material out of the bottom of the handle. That way your knuckles are saved.
Click to expand...

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Appreciate it Kevin.
 
So, the same concept behind this cooper’s axe handle is a starting point that I overlooked. Obviously the eye shapes are different but the flat side towards the blade like you mentioned is similar. I forgot I have a handle started out of maple for another one so I guess I’m making it harder than it might really be...

For some reason it’s a little hard to get a picture that conveys it – kind of needed to hold it in my hand and roll it over to get the idea.

I see why you offered to draw a picture for me…

Coopers handle by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr


Coopers handle by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr


Coopers handle by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr
 
Ok K Kevin Houtzager , that right there is something to bookmark. Somehow I knew you would draft something up ;)

What you did there is an actual guide that anyone can read and understand the whole premise. Not just for these but for any offset. Thank you.

35767160354_924be0d2cc_b.jpg

I did notice the flat straight on the 4th one - that plays back into your mention of reducing the wood initially from that one side when you start shaping? Any reason to have a swell at the end or does it get in the way?
 
Good stuff, guys.

One thing I would add is that with any offset handle you create an off-balance situation that makes the axe want to twist in your hand. You have to apply some amount of constant force to counter that rotation. A round haft will be harder too apply this counter force to. A flatter handle will make it easier to counter the rotational force.
 
Square_peg said:
Good stuff, guys.

One thing I would add is that with any offset handle you create an off-balance situation that makes the axe want to twist in your hand. You have to apply some amount of constant force to counter that rotation. A round haft will be harder too apply this counter force to. A flatter handle will make it easier to counter the rotational force.
Click to expand...
I'm better part of the way through hanging your Plumb rafting head and have been experimenting with an octagon handle (flats) instead of oval. My initial feeling about this was that it's 'an easy way out' but now that it's mostly shaped I love the extra control (I've been field testing it!) and have decided not to round the corners in order to create an oval. Structurally there is more meat in an octagon then there is an oval of same dimensions, too.
 
300Six said:
I'm better part of the way through hanging your Plumb rafting head and have been experimenting with an octagon handle (flats) instead of oval. My initial feeling about this was that it's 'an easy way out' but now that it's mostly shaped I love the extra control (I've been field testing it!) and have decided not to round the corners in order to create an oval. Structurally there is more meat in an octagon then there is an oval of same dimensions, too.
Click to expand...

Didn't want to pry but ever since you mentioned it, I have been wanting to see what you come up with 300six. :thumbsup:

I am a fan of the Octagon as well.
 
Doing great,Agent_H,just to add something here for what it's worth:IF,indeed,a bend is desired,there's not much to it...

Boil that part of the handle for an hour or so...i use my filthy old coffee pot,and then just put up with mildly hickory flavor in my coffee ...it works well 'cos the top can be easily stuffed with rags around the handle,being kinda narrow...(rags concentrate the heat,localising it better).
Then the bend can be accomplished by high-centering at two points with blocks,and pressing the bend down to the surface of a bench with a clamp of any kind...If accomplished while lignin still soft,it'll take a set loosing maybe +/- 5%...(so over-bend slightly...).

I'm with Square_peg,in that it's nice to flatten the section somewhat,which makes bending even easier...Et voila,no runout issues...
 
Off the subject...I'm surprised to hear Yew mentioned as a hafting material....As a conifer,it's density is not all that high....in some applications at least it wouldn't do,the fibers wouldn't take the compression...

I did hope to handle this small carving hatchet that i built with this very special piece of yew...one that my girlfriend has obtained the permission to harvest from one of those 1000+year old yews(not sure which exactly,she lives out West,in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire...)...But,to our shagrin,the most ignorant and evil Homeland Security character,insisted that if admitted it'll Propagate(!),(the moron...it's been deader than any piece of any crappy Chinese chair for longer than the ... anyway,a long time),and my poor sweetheart was too tired after a long flight to argue with that Neanderthal....So this ancient and noble branch ended up most ignominiously in a trash can....(along with yet another treasured chunk of Old World wood,a nice big piece of Blackthorn...barbarous...idiotic....:(

Worry,just excersising my Constitutional Right to Bitch....:)
 
Jake Pogg! Thank you for the advice on the handle. As far as bending it, there are some factors swirling around in my mind. (which doesn't mean they are reality based by any means ;))

First, this one seems on the lighter side without the overall blade depth of say Kevin's for example and much thinner than the other beast I have here for comparison. That makes me wonder what tasks it is designed to excel at. Definitely not a "hatchet size" but it doesn't seem like one of the big boys that are out there that I see in pictures and videos

I just watched a modern Latvian hewing video and at about 2:00 you see the goose wing he is swinging to use - mine looks about half the size in overall mass. I might be mistaken or it's perspective but right around that same mark I see him pushing one to trim the log and for some reason that one looks smaller - maybe someone else could watch it and tell me. I am running with one eye until I get into dr this morning. Arg matey!

Second, the blank I cut out is actually quite thick so I might have some leeway with putting a bit of offset curve into it just through shaping and still pretty much follow the grain. So, your recommendation of steam/boil would be after the handle is fitted and shaped, correct? I am going to use that method for sure on a large DR Barton hewing axe that needs a handle.

Yeah, Customs is a buggar. If they confiscated something replaceable it's frustrating. When they take and THROW AWAY something like the wood you found it seems ridiculous and personal.

I have a similar and probably quite funny story coming back from South Afrika in 1991 but let's say they were willing to let a kid get on a plane with a carry-on that consisted of an artillery ammo can with a bottle of brandy smuggled into it but handcrafted wooden chess pieces got their dander up. My dad still got the brandy but they got some official in to scare me about bringing wooden items into the country.

Kevin, I do have plans for the yew :)
 
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