Making of an axe handle

jus3475 · Dec 17, 2014

So i'm 15 years old and I made my first axe handle, I did made a hammer handle a couple days ago, so I made a video on the making of my axe handle and i'd like some feedback of more advanced hafts makers and I'd like to know what I was doing wrong, the tools I should consider buying to get the job a bit easier and faster as I actually made maybe 70% of it with a 1'' chisel :S, So here is the video (you can also subscribe to my channel if you feel like it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESPSfUSEwpU
Thanks a lot !!

cityofthesouth · Dec 17, 2014

My belt sander and I have been good friends for some time now and I have been going backwards to hand tools. So, I only know that things like a spoke shave and a rasp are on the list of must haves for this sort of work - I don't have any useful experience to share but the mail man is bringing me one of each soon

. What I do know though, is I would get a way to clamp that beast down so you can really get to work on it. In the video you had a board for a stop which was a good idea for sure, but the table was scootin around on ya. When I've done some hatchet carving and watched others carve without a clamp, they will press the wood against something like a stump, with the other end held in their body/chest, putting pressure on it by leaning into it. I think rather than splitting the log into 4, I probably would have just tried to get a single, wider board off the "outside". All the same, looks to me like you ended up with a serviceable product. Some kind of little hatchet would probably speed up bulk removal for you too. I also know there are a number of youtube videos out there well worth watching on the subject. I was searching on this forum just last night on a similar topic and came across a few nice threads on handle making, plus there is one running right now, so that's a good place to start.

I never get tired of this video. Skip to 12:50. He may be using green wood, and more than likely not Hickory, so he makes it look easy. Still, some of the techniques are useful and at the very least, fun to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s6fG10mrSM

quinton · Dec 17, 2014

A shaving horse is an invaluable asset to the haft crafter..

jus3475 · Dec 17, 2014

Well, thanks alot for your replies! I did consider buying a draw knife or spokeshave but I dont really know which one would be the most versatile and useful for other tasks as well. I do have a 4in1 wood rasp and it did helped out ! I would have for sure used a hatchet but lost it a week ago... Clamping would also help... And for the log, I totally agree that I should have kept it in larger boards, this is probably something I will do next time !
Thanks for your time! And i'll defenitly check out that video !!

cityofthesouth · Dec 18, 2014

jus3475 said:
Well, thanks alot for your replies! I did consider buying a draw knife or spokeshave but I dont really know which one would be the most versatile and useful for other tasks as well. I do have a 4in1 wood rasp and it did helped out ! I would have for sure used a hatchet but lost it a week ago... Clamping would also help... And for the log, I totally agree that I should have kept it in larger boards, this is probably something I will do next time !
Thanks for your time! And i'll defenitly check out that video !!

Having used my draw knife some, I want to say that I would probably choose the spoke shave instead. I made the handle in the image below like you did, but I roughed it with an axe then sort of cleaned it up with the draw knife. I felt that I could have probably done just as well with the axe, or even a knife (and I noticed you have one that should work) but I had nothing to really refine it. I think that's where the spoke shave comes in. I have used broken glass a number of times (like the old timer in that video) and it does a nice job of finishing it off. There are specific tools for that sort of thing - cabinet scrapers - and I recently inherited a couple things called "flute scrapers" that work pretty nicely.

plumb_duluth_rightside by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

Anyway, sounds like you know the direction you need to go. Best of luck and we want to see pictures!

ETA: I only gave about $15.00 or $20.00 for the draw knife and I believe it is in great condition. I also only gave about $15.00 for the old spoke shave that is coming to me, so it's not like you have to spend a fortune.

jus3475 · Dec 18, 2014

Great thanks for the info ! I'll probably buy a spokeshave and drawknife with my future christmas money

, but where did you get such a deal ?! These are some photos of the axe:

cityofthesouth · Dec 19, 2014

jus3475 said:
but where did you get such a deal ?!

evilbay of course. While I was shopping it looked to me like there were lots of both to be had. At least I didn't have to spend a bunch of time losing auctions to get one, and when I feel like my time is more valuable than saving $3.00, I just check the "buy it now" box and see what it looks like.

flexo · Dec 22, 2014

i make all my hafts myself. i use a saw, a hatchet,a drawknife with much curve in the handle than the one shown by cots, and a carving knife, a cabinet maker scraper,and sand paper or worn file...
and blo
the longer the haft the harder is to have it straight!
the drawknife tends to follow wood grain flaws or deep hidden knots.

markv · Dec 22, 2014

cityofthesouth said:
Having used my draw knife some, I want to say that I would probably choose the spoke shave instead. I made the handle in the image below like you did, but I roughed it with an axe then sort of cleaned it up with the draw knife. I felt that I could have probably done just as well with the axe, or even a knife (and I noticed you have one that should work) but I had nothing to really refine it. I think that's where the spoke shave comes in. I have used broken glass a number of times (like the old timer in that video) and it does a nice job of finishing it off. There are specific tools for that sort of thing - cabinet scrapers - and I recently inherited a couple things called "flute scrapers" that work pretty nicely.

plumb_duluth_rightside by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

Anyway, sounds like you know the direction you need to go. Best of luck and we want to see pictures!

ETA: I only gave about $15.00 or $20.00 for the draw knife and I believe it is in great condition. I also only gave about $15.00 for the old spoke shave that is coming to me, so it's not like you have to spend a fortune.

Beautiful handle. Better than anything made when I started making handles. A shaving horse is handy along with a drawknife. There is a vid on YouTube of an older gentleman carving an axe handle with a pocket or straight knife and hatchet.

Buzz

markv · Dec 22, 2014

Yes, broken glass works very well to scrape down the handle for finishing smoothness

Jaysalpha1 · Jan 1, 2015

[video=youtube_share;egTDnbJl7fw]http://youtu.be/egTDnbJl7fw[/video]
I recently started making my own handles and was starting to get discouraged until I made a very rustic shave horse, now it has become a lot easier and enjoyable. Here is a time laps video of one that I completed based on a carving hatchet pattern.

jus3475 · Jan 3, 2015

Thank you for all the replies! I did watched your video jaysalpha and it was really interesting ! Thanks for sharing! I also recently bought an 8'' pexto drawknife and a Stanley No.51 spokeshave ! Can't wait for the mail man!