Hatchet handle wood

AntCaps

AntCaps

Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
924
Hey guys,
I've got a Hults Bruk terpintine pattern hatchet head comming in and I was wondering if there are any fancy woods that would be good as a handle. I know the standard is hickory or ash but I have some nice maple on hand. I'm not dead set on the maple tho there is a place near by that has an amazing selection so if there's something nice that would work let me know.
 
Hatchet handles endure much less functional stresses than an ax handle so you can safely 'go to town' on making one out of whatever pleases you. Maple ought to be lovely! Carefully check to see that the grain doesn't unduly 'run out' along the length (the grain should go the full distance) before you start carving. A 'wonderfully-figured' piece of wood is not likely to be very strong nor durable.
 
The grain on the maple I've got is crazy straight. I figured that the smaller amount of stress and leverage would allow for some leeway in the wood selection I just like getting other opinions by people with more experience than myself.
 
I think you should do it. I think you should share your progress too. Do you know what kind of maple it is?

When you say HB "Turpentine" do you mean one of the older hatchets with the pointed ears and kind of elongated looking bits? (I don't know what the pattern is called) How much does it weigh you think?
 
I'll try and include a picture but It has rounded ears it's not quite 2 pounds.
It's almost a dead ringer for the gransfors wilderness hatchet.
 

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Oh and I'm not 100 percent sure about the type of maple it's either sugar maple or soft maple, I can't dent it with the fingernail test but from what I've read that doesn't mean much with maple.
Apparently even soft maple can be fairly hard.
 
AntCaps said:
Oh and I'm not 100 percent sure about the type of maple it's either sugar maple or soft maple, I can't dent it with the fingernail test but from what I've read that doesn't mean much with maple.
Apparently even soft maple can be fairly hard.
Click to expand...
If you calculate the density (l x w x h) using the weight of it to compare with known tables you can figure it out. Soft maple density is in the order of 32-38 lb cu foot whereas hard maple is 45-50 lb cu ft. Specialty wood shops rarely market anything but hard maple so the chances are good that's what you've got. Sugar Maple (called Rock Maple in the US) is currently being used to make professional baseball bats so the strength and durability is definitely there.
 
That sounds like a fun project.

Since the GB wildlife hatchet is about 13.5" and the head is 1lb, yours is a little different at 2lbs.

Maybe lengthen the handle to be in proportion? 16-18"+ maybe?

I've thought of putting a 1.5lb head on a modified 19" House Axe handle - just made me think of the weight difference between your head and the one you mentioned.
House axe to hatchet by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr
 
I'll probably make the handle somewhere between 16 and 18 inches long. I know it's not the same but I swing a 28 ounce framing hammer everyday and it's around 16 long so I might stick to that. The piece if maple I have is around 20 inches long so that's the max.
 
Once it arrives I'll trace it onto some poster board and see what I come up with. I don't want it too long I need something one handed even if it's a little heavy.
 
Ok so the head finally came in and after a couple attempts I came up with a pattern i like. It's not traditional but I think it will be very useable.

My picture isn't working I'll try a different way
 
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