First Hatchet Handle

E

ekill13

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Jul 1, 2017
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I found a couple of old hatchet head of my Grandfather's, and I would like to make handles for them. I would like to turn one into a kind of camp axe while having the other be a true hatchet. I've never tried to make a handle before, so I'm looking for some advice. I have some experience woodworking and I have an idea for a basic shapes, but I am trying to decide on types of wood and the best tools to use. I know that hickory is the go-to for axe handles, but I'd like something a little more unique and decorative. There is a store in my area that sells a lot of 2x2 and 3x3 blanks, and I was planning on getting one of them so that I would mainly just have to shape it not cut it to size. The woods I've seen on their website that I think would work are Black Palm, Padauk, and Osage Orange. I'd appreciate any input on types of wood. As far as the best tools for the job, I'm torn between a spokeshave and a rasp. Thanks in advance for the advice!
 
Congrats on the effort. Of those I would use the osage, but they are going to be on the pricey side. For a first effort, which won't go as well as you want, why not pick up a piece of oak firewood? As for rasp vs spokeshave, why not both?
 
I've read some things that say that the tannin in oak can cause the metal of the head to become discolored. If you have experience with it and that isn't really a problem, that would be a good option. I am also considering maple, ash, or cherry as it would be on the cheaper side.
 
Some of the exotic woods are too hard and heavy, and likely too pricey as well. For a hatchet you can get away with almost any hardwood because the stresses are low compared to that of an axe handle. For a first time effort a nice stick of Black Cherry ought to do the trick. This material should be affordable, carves well because it's relatively soft, doesn't readily chip or splinter and will look like a million bucks once it's aged for a few years. Cut out the profile with a jig saw, band saw or coping saw and shape it with a good rasp and then graduate over to various sandpapers to smooth it out.
 
Also, what would you recommend for finish? Boiled linseed oil, tung oil, Danish oil, etc.?
 
Blo. I would go with second the oak advice. If you for some reason have to choose between a spokeshave and a rasp, get the rasp. I am sure you have plenty of bladed objects to "whittle down" your handle.
 
300Six said:
Some of the exotic woods are too hard and heavy, and likely too pricey as well. For a hatchet you can get away with almost any hardwood because the stresses are low compared to that of an axe handle. For a first time effort a nice stick of Black Cherry ought to do the trick. This material should be affordable, carves well because it's relatively soft, doesn't readily chip or splinter and will look like a million bucks once it's aged for a few years. Cut out the profile with a jig saw, band saw or coping saw and shape it with a good rasp and then graduate over to various sandpapers to smooth it out.
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This is good advice. For a hatchet you don't need the very toughest wood - hickory. Cherry or other fruit wood is a fine choice. Elm, Oak, Ash, Maple or Locust would also be excellent.

ekill said:
Also, what would you recommend for finish? Boiled linseed oil, tung oil, Danish oil, etc.?
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I like to give it a few coats or BLO thinned with mineral spirits for maximum penetration. Then after that I'll use tung oil (wiping varnish) to build a finish.
 
Thanks for all the responses! I went to Lowe's to see what, if anything, I could find there, and I ended up deciding to get an axe handle that I'm going to turn into two hatchet handles. It will save me some shaping, and it was the cheapest option I could find. I'll post a photo when I'm finished.
 
Birch, beech, osage, black lost, all make great hatchet handles. A handle was cheaper than a small board?
 
In my area there's no where easy to get small boards that aren't just pressure treated pine. The one store that sells hardwoods is pretty expensive. It was cheaper to get an axe handle than to buy a 2x2x24 piece of ash or cherry, which are the cheapest that store offers.
 
A 4 in hand is extremely useful for this, and I think that if I had a spokeshave, then most of what I'd need to do making a handle could be done with just these 2 tools.
 
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