Carving a handle question.

[Shotgun]

My dad just cut a maple tree down and I was thinking that maybe this would be a good time to attempt and axe handle. I had a question on the drying of it and when to carve it. Should I carve it while green or should I wait until it dries out? How long should you leave it to dry? I don't have any axes that need a haft at the moment but I've been meaning to try out my eco hawk on a haft for a while and...why not?

 

[omniviking]

roughing it out to a close size while green would be easier then finish it on down when it has cured.

you can use seasoned wood but it would be hard to carve it out. You might need some power tool for dry wood. there are some helpful vids on da U*toob might ought to check out a few.

 

[Ookami]

Sealing the end grain with wax will prevent cracks. Splitting the logs once will let them dry faster, and don't remove the bark.

Normally, proper drying takes years under standard conditions, that's why wood mills have special rooms that have climate control for accelerated drying.

Omniviking is right, though. For carving half-dried wood is much easier to handle. On the other hand, you can't carve axe handles too much, anyway, unless you want to compromise their safety. Also, when your fancily carved handle was too moist still, it might crack after you have invested time and effort into carving.

All in all, I'd let the wood dry properly, make the handle, and then carve whatever pattern into the dry wood.


Ookami

 

[Dusty One]

The standard for air drying hardwood is one year for each inch of thickness. That is stacked with spacers for good air circulation.

 

[bodgermike]

Here in NS, we don't have hickory. Ash is the wood of choice. Rock (sugar) maple also makes a really tough handle. I always carve when green and hang the head after it dries. All the cutting down and carving will relieve the stresses of different parts of the wood drying at different speeds that result in checking. Also, a handle is thin enough to dry in a few days. Just leave it somewhere in the sun, or under your car seat for a few days where the heat can get at it. Don't lean it against anything or it might warp. Ageing it for months isn't really necessary. Scrape it with broken glass to smooth out the tool marks, and sand as desired. Wedge with really dry wood: oak is good.

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

I'm in the process of finishing an osage handle, it is very dry and very hard. I could not cut most of it as it would catch and chip out, so much of what I did was scraping of the head and handle. As it is for a 10" hewing axe head I did a lot of scraping, but I've had many things crack when using not dried wood and I would not want to put that much work into anything and chance it splitting when close to being done. I have "Alberta Ironwood" (a really tough willow that grows locally, not a real ironwood) that I have harvested years ago in preparation of when I might need it as it has shown to be great for smaller handles (I've not tried it on big axes yet, but works wonders with hammers).

If you have no pending projects I would just save the wood and let it dry out until something calls to you for it.

P.S. something to watch for that I've read and heard is to make sure it is not branch wood as the top and bottom are under different compression stresses, this has actually happened when I tried to hang a billhook.

 

[Loosearrow]

Here in NS, we don't have hickory. Ash is the wood of choice. Rock (sugar) maple also makes a really tough handle. I always carve when green and hang the head after it dries. All the cutting down and carving will relieve the stresses of different parts of the wood drying at different speeds that result in checking. Also, a handle is thin enough to dry in a few days. Just leave it somewhere in the sun, or under your car seat for a few days where the heat can get at it. Don't lean it against anything or it might warp. Ageing it for months isn't really necessary. Scrape it with broken glass to smooth out the tool marks, and sand as desired. Wedge with really dry wood: oak is good.

Lots of good info here.

 

[John Frankl]

Thanks to all, and especially Bodgermike and Loosearrow. I say this because there is no hickory here in Korea, but there is plenty of ash. That's my only real choice, and it's what all the locals use for hammer/axe handles. Glad to hear it's used elsewhere as well.