The Mini Hatchet

markv · Sep 8, 2016

rockman0 said:
Finished this pair recently. A friend at work saw my straight handle mini craftsman and fell in love when I showed him how it sliced credit card receipts like butter. He is a big deer hunter and wanted one for his back pack. The longer one is a gift to him. He makes good shine so I'll get plenty of it in return. :thumbup:
I cut a 16" handle off a hatchet that I was displeased with the hang I did. It was one of my earlier hangs. Finished out at 13.25" overall. Feels great in hand. I tried it out yesteady and really like the length better than a 12". I did something a little different by putting a palm swell in near the fawns foot. Feels good.
Threw in a few wip pics.

this deserves a repeat. great work saving an old handle and then gifting a fine tool to a friend.

buzz

rockman0 · Oct 13, 2016

Hacked,
One popped up on eBay, nice one too

Hacked · Oct 14, 2016

rockman0 said:
Hacked,
One popped up on eBay, nice one too

Thanks, it's in my watch list. It's probably too nice, I'm guessing that it's going to go for more than I care to spend. We will see though. The good news is that they don't seem to be as rare as I initially thought. They tend to pop up from time to time.

rockman0 · Oct 15, 2016

They do pop up occasionally, I really like the challenge of fitting a handle to the tiny eye, took me a couple of times to get the first one to an acceptable fit. I'll buy another some day just for the fun of fitting a new handle.

Square_peg · Oct 16, 2016

I won that auction. Looks to be in terrific shape.

Hickory n steel · Oct 16, 2016

Square_peg said:
I won that auction. Looks to be in terrific shape.

At least it went to a fellow member so we can see it hung 😁

Square_peg · Oct 16, 2016

It doesn't need re-hung.

Hickory n steel · Oct 16, 2016

Square_peg said:
It doesn't need re-hung.

Well that's even better 👍

Hacked · Oct 16, 2016

Square_peg said:
I won that auction. Looks to be in terrific shape.

Congratulations, it didn't go for as much as I would have expected. Saddly it got out of my price range for the moment rather quickly still. Of course that is only because I have a Gransfors Bruk in route currently

. Bad timing on my part as I missed this and a Marbles #10 camp axe. The good news is a really want another that needs a new handle or at least one that I won't feel bad about removing the handle from. That one seems to be in very good condition. Do you plan to use it?

Square_peg · Oct 16, 2016

Hacked said:
Do you plan to use it?

Not sure. I'll have to have a look at it. I'll probably oil the leather and keep it as is. I have other minis for users.

Square_peg · Oct 19, 2016

Here's that Craftsman mini alongside two current Vaughans for scale. The head is about the same size as the new Vaughan - likely the same weight. But the haft is much more diminutive. It's tiny and very well formed. I've half a mind to give it to my grandson when he's of age. The other half says to keep this nice and give him a new Vaughan mini. This is uncommon and in great condition. I should probably keep it as is.

Love that high center line.

rockman0 · Oct 19, 2016

That is a nice one, it's got more original paint than my first one had and it's got less now since I made it a user. I love the high center line on the square polls!

Hickory n steel · Oct 19, 2016

Square_peg said:
Here's that Craftsman mini alongside two current Vaughans for scale. The head is about the same size as the new Vaughan - likely the same weight. But the haft is much more diminutive. It's tiny and very well formed. I've half a mind to give it to my grandson when he's of age. The other half says to keep this nice and give him a new Vaughan mini. This is uncommon and in great condition. I should probably keep it as is.

Love that high center line.

I'd keep that old craftsman / Vaughan and just overhaul the new Vaughan one for him.
I think he'd love it much more if " grandpa made it " , if you make a better handle and sheath with you name on it then you will have pretty much made it so he won't be wrong when he tells his friends " my grandpa made it for me " 😉

Hacked · Oct 21, 2016

The Square poll Craftsman and the current Vaughan Sportsman's Axe both have 8oz heads. I own both and have rehandled both so I weighed the heads when I had the chance.

The only real problem with the current Vaughan is that they need quite a bit of work to get a good bevel on the bit, and they tend to have crooked eyes. For all the work on my own after the final hang I noticed that it was still a couple of degrees off true :grumpy: I'll just have to fix it the next go around.

Hacked · Oct 21, 2016

rockman0 said:
Nice work on those handles Hacked, I like the fawns foot on those, I've seen those BRKT mods come up for sale occasionally on eBay, lots more than I'm willing to pay. I can see the difference in the enlarged eye, looks like a worthwhile improvement.

Its about time for a square poll to pop up on eBay, it's been several months since I've seen one on there and I watch daily. I've got 2, straight handle and a curved handle so I'm good with that pair, next one that is in good shape comes up I'll let you know.

I've got my eye out for a double oval craftsman hatchet that's not badly mushroomed. I've got the wave stamp and single oval so wanting the double oval now.

Rockman0,

I just saw a double oval come up in a Facebook group I'm in.

rockman0 · Oct 21, 2016

Hacked said:
Rockman0,

I just saw a double oval come up in a Facebook group I'm in.

Appreciate the heads up, I'm not on Facebook, I'm in no rush, one will pop up on eBay, thanks Hacked!

1215 · Oct 22, 2016

Thinking about attempting this. What do I need to do? Can anyone post some full shots of similar? Am I doing a curve or straight haft? Octa or hex? How thick? My grandfather-in-law (tool & die maker) had a bunch of really cool hammers (that look like custom hunks of metal he attached handles to) that are all kinds of non-traditional shapes. How do I get some inspiration to make this happen?

EDIT: yes I've scrolled through this thread several times and looked at all the photos. looking for something that would be accurate/period correct (how it came when new).

Hickory n steel · Oct 22, 2016

1215 said:
Thinking about attempting this. What do I need to do? Can anyone post some full shots of similar? Am I doing a curve or straight haft? Octa or hex? How thick? My grandfather-in-law (tool & die maker) had a bunch of really cool hammers (that look like custom hunks of metal he attached handles to) that are all kinds of non-traditional shapes. How do I get some inspiration to make this happen?

EDIT: yes I've scrolled through this thread several times and looked at all the photos. looking for something that would be accurate/period correct (how it came when new).

Just wire wheel the rust off, then I'd say the handle is all up to you.
To stick along the lines of original I'd say a straight haft ( octagonal would look real nice ) is what they came with.

1215 · Oct 22, 2016

Hickory n steel said:
Just wire wheel the rust off, then I'd say the handle is all up to you.
To stick along the lines of original I'd say a straight haft ( octagonal would look real nice ) is what they came with.

Any idea on taper or diameter?

Hickory n steel · Oct 23, 2016

1215 said:
Any idea on taper or diameter?

I'd say the general dimensions are Probably about the same as the handle on that Vaughan oyster hatchet in square pegs post , a 12oz claw hammer, maybe even a a ball peen handle . ( lots of makers and no actual standard for handle size / shape ). Just take the head to the hardware and figure out which one has the potential to fit , other than that I'd just climbed it down to the dimensions that feel best in hand. As long as you stick with a common hammer handle shape it should end up fairly original looking.

I Hope it turns out nice and am looking forward to the results, that's a cool little tool there and I imagine it would be perfect for carving wedges or other small tasks👍