Balancing points

Curt Hal

Curt Hal

Joined
Jul 8, 2014
Messages
558
I’m interested in how to determine a good balancing point when refurbishing axes. Where on the haft is the optimal balance point? How do you determine where the balance point should be? Do axes with different purposes have different balancing points? Interested in your ideas.
 
I actually have no idea what the correct answer is. I'm hoping that the true experts chime in. My guess would be where the hand would grip if carrying one handed. Usually right under the head. That seems correct to me.
 
Kevin Houtzager said:
I would say none: It isn't a knife or a sword. An axe isn't something that is fairly balanced, as it always going to be top heavy. It's the way it works best on wood. On a fighting axe it would be the lighter the better, but still all the weights needs to be centered on the axehead side. So balance wise, if you could even call it that: Just below the head or halfway on the head ideally, as that means the handle is as light as can be. But thats just theory, and I wouldn't focus on balance, but getting the best haft possible in the way that it feel in your hands....
Click to expand...

I agree with this.

I don't pay any attention to a specific balance point, but I do like the handle to not be super heavy. I have an old 3.75 lb McKinnon head with a 29.5" handle that only weighs 14 oz and it swings beautifully.
 
I agree with everything said so far with the exception of a carving axe. I've been watching spoon and bowl carving videos lately on youyube. It seems to me that, when the carver chokes way up on the handle, the center of balance might make a difference . I don't really know as I'm not that talented! T-A
 
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I have a 2lb broad hatchet on a 14ish inch handle that feels lighter than a 1-1.5lb broad hatchet on a 18 inch handle if both are held at the end of the handle so yes, balance points matter but only noticeably so on short hafts in my tiny amount of experience.
 
Whenever this topic comes up I am always reminded of dog head hammers. The balance of a striking tool is the ability to hit what you are striking with out side to side wobble, or square. Probably not the best way to articulate that and not everyone will agree, including some tool manufactures. But that is what balance is to me.
 
I think the closer the balance point is to the head the better off you are. It's about momentum and power at the head. Weight at the swell end just slows you down. A handle with zero weight is theoretically best. Exceptions exist for short handled carving axes.

Where balance can make a difference is along a different axis - the balance between the bit and the poll. We've had some lengthy analyses and discussion about this. When the axis you control the axe by and the axe's rotational axis coincide then the axe is easiest to control giving greater accuracy with less effort. Several of us have used different terms to designate these axes (axis plural).

It's a subtle advantage but it's there. Dudley Cook is his famous 'The Ax Book' erred terribly on this point.

Link,
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/no-unnecessary-weight-in-the-poll.1437543/page-4
and further down this gem:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/no-unnecessary-weight-in-the-poll.1437543/page-4#post-16577039
but read the whole thread if you're really interested in balance issues.
 
Square_peg said:
I think the closer the balance point is to the head the better off you are. It's about momentum and power at the head. Weight at the swell end just slows you down. A handle with zero weight is theoretically best. Exceptions exist for short handled carving axes.

Where balance can make a difference is along a different axis - the balance between the bit and the poll. We've had some lengthy analyses and discussion about this. When the axis you control the axe by and the axe's rotational axis coincide then the axe is easiest to control giving greater accuracy with less effort. Several of us have used different terms to designate these axes (axis plural).

It's a subtle advantage but it's there. Dudley Cook is his famous 'The Ax Book' erred terribly on this point.

Link,
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/no-unnecessary-weight-in-the-poll.1437543/page-4
and further down this gem:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/no-unnecessary-weight-in-the-poll.1437543/page-4#post-16577039
but read the whole thread if you're really interested in balance issues.
Click to expand...
Yep, Dudley full of poo.
 
garry3 said:
Whenever this topic comes up I am always reminded of dog head hammers. The balance of a striking tool is the ability to hit what you are striking with out side to side wobble, or square. Probably not the best way to articulate that and not everyone will agree, including some tool manufactures. But that is what balance is to me.
Click to expand...

Garry, I thought that was well-articulated with the dog head hammer example.
00831-E1-B-39-A5-4-FBE-BD3-C-DFD7412-FCA21.jpg

Closed hang in this case maybe keeps the side to side movement down?
 
Agent_H said:
Garry, I thought that was well-articulated with the dog head hammer example.
00831-E1-B-39-A5-4-FBE-BD3-C-DFD7412-FCA21.jpg

Closed hang in this case maybe keeps the side to side movement down?
Click to expand...
I would think that would be all about what Old axeman might call angle presentation.

We have seen some examples here lately of a cobblers hammer that was really closed also. Working over the edge of an anvil is one of the places such a hang might be advantages.
 
Maybe I should have called it angle of contact instead of angle of presentation. Years ago I thought angle of presentation made me sound smarter. While balance is important, the angle of presentation is more important to me. This all relates to the task you are trying to preform with the axe. You can adjust to the balance, but not so to the angle of presentation that the size and shape of the haft dictate.
Now, don't get me started on the angle of presentation with adzes.
 
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