Stave to handle to axe

rockman0

Gold Member
Joined
May 5, 2013
Messages
2,958
My 2nd using no power tools. Debarked with a hewing hatchet, Shaped with a hatchet, 3 rasps, large, medium, small, sandpaper and a hand saw. Actually 2 saws, mitre saw to cut the kerf and that wraps up the tools used. Hickory stave from the holler in KY, grown, harvested and riven by master carpenter Quinton. He is a stand up guy if there ever was one and best I can tell from past pictures a pretty good griller of pork.

Head is a 2.5 lb Plumb national pattern. Handle is 34" from the end of my unconventional swell but as held in hand it's 32". A 28" haft on a boys axe is just too short for a 6'5" guy with big hands and i really love the feel of this handle.

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Thanks for the compliments guys!
It's just an exercise in days gone by axe hanging and shaping to your preferences. I have a hickory tree in my front yard that has my attention but the wife isn't on board yet...
 
Fantastic work Rockman0! I like the way the swell came out. I prefer a little backsweep on the back of the handle to support your hand. I'm sure it makes for a fantastic chopper. I need to make another handle myself. I've just been too busy lately for much time in the shop.
 
i like to use big limbs when i make handles, which is convenient because they're everywhere here. when ever a big red oak goes down i go steal a chunk of a thick limb.
sure it weighs 120 pounds for a 3 foot by 8 inch diameter section but its the tightest grain, most dense part of the tree. i split it in quarters so i can get good grain orientation. then i hew it with the adze and so on and so forth we've all made a "log handle", we know what happens.

sure red oak isnt as hard but this specific cut is just as tough. especially when it's dry.
The only thing i dont like about it is if it gets wet at all the entire handle turns black for some reason thats not mildew
 
nice job man. KY hickory will do the trick. we have some good hickory here in Mudzoory but the bugs love it and we have to get it hung pretty quick or it goes to holes.
thanks again for posting.

buzz
 
nice job man. KY hickory will do the trick. we have some good hickory here in Mudzoory but the bugs love it and we have to get it hung pretty quick or it goes to holes.
thanks again for posting.

buzz
Thanks buzz! There's no shortage of bugs down here in AR either, this piece laid out in my storage building awhile before I knocked the bark off but that was during the winter which isn't very cold compared to states north of here.

i like to use big limbs when i make handles, which is convenient because they're everywhere here. when ever a big red oak goes down i go steal a chunk of a thick limb.
sure it weighs 120 pounds for a 3 foot by 8 inch diameter section but its the tightest grain, most dense part of the tree. i split it in quarters so i can get good grain orientation. then i hew it with the adze and so on and so forth we've all made a "log handle", we know what happens.

sure red oak isnt as hard but this specific cut is just as tough. especially when it's dry.
The only thing i dont like about it is if it gets wet at all the entire handle turns black for some reason thats not mildew

I've never tried using a big limb but if it's working for you might as well stick with it !
 
nice job man. KY hickory will do the trick. we have some good hickory here in Mudzoory but the bugs love it and we have to get it hung pretty quick or it goes to holes.
thanks again for posting.

buzz
I keep my staves stored in a closed greenhouse all year long. It's just to hot in there for beetles during their mating/boring stage. I've never had any damage to my staves over the years.
 
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