Please help with stubborn ring/round metal wedge

S

Shamshir

Joined
Mar 19, 2015
Messages
22
Hi,

This is my first attempt at improving the hang of an axe. My hults bruk axe had a loose handle, so I took it apart, seated the head further, made a new oak wedge and re-used the extracted ring/round metal wedge to lock everything in.

Trouble is, I cannot pound the wedge back in all the way. I'm not sure if things are too tight in there and there is no room for further compression, or if I'm just not whacking it hard enough? I hold the axe straight up with the knob on some 2x4s on the ground and have hit it with both a hammer and a sledge hammer. I'm also scared that at some point I'm going to fracture the handle.

Have a look at the pictures please. Has this ever happened to anyone? Should I just saw off the excess?

Thank you for your attention,
Shahriar.

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Well... I've only installed one barrel wedge and it split the handle.

Your wedge will likely do the same to that handle. Chances are that your new wedge would have shored up the head if done right. But being as it came with one and there was already marks from it on either side of the wedge I can see how it would make sense to get it back in there.
The wedge looks like it was cut around the top edge? It also looks to be a bit bigger around the rim - from hammer striking? Unless it's just the picture I would say that even if you get it back in there some more, that it may not ever seat flush.

Some options?
1. Vise it and carefully cut the top of the barrel wedge off evenly, clean the metal up with a file then maybe sandpaper, and then try to seat it a touch more so it runs flush to the top of the tongue.
2. Pull it out, re-wedge it with a new Oak wedge (without the barrel wedge), and then fill the gaps with sawdust/BLO until it isn't as noticeable.

That is frustrating for sure - maybe someone has a better idea.
*Your wedge to handle grain orientation looks good.
 
I think you're right, it's in about as tight as you want. Somethings probly going to break, since there's a ways to go on it. I'd cut it off hit it a couple more whacks, and grind or file it flush if needed. It won't do any damage that way, or leave a mess to clean up.
 
Thanks.

Agent H, you hit the wedge on the head with many points; like why I opted to add the barrel wedge back in there, the cause of the mushrooming, how the mushrooming will get in the way of seating it flush, etc.. Good eye.

Yeah. Between Agent H's and muleman's advice, I'm going to keep it there and cut the excess off.

Cheers.
 
Boy that's one thick-walled cone wedge! Patience ought to be a virtue here. The axe will perform perfectly well 'as is' so maybe you want to wait until late winter next (when humidity is lowest and shrinkage highest) after it's also had a few good workouts before trying to seat the wedge some more. Then you can grind or saw off the remainder.
 
300Six, too bad I am not patient. I cut it this morning! I like your spirit though, that's pretty crafty, having a wedge ready in the eye to tighten it during the hang's first winter. I'm also upset I missed the dry season here in Toronto by only 2 weeks.
 
Shamshir said:
300Six, too bad I am not patient. I cut it this morning! I like your spirit though, that's pretty crafty, having a wedge ready in the eye to tighten it during the hang's first winter. I'm also upset I missed the dry season here in Toronto by only 2 weeks.
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Handles loosen over time, largely due to shrinkage. I've got an original 65 year old Plumb that was nice and tight up until this particularly dry winter. And I'd never used it. Via placing it head first on a forced air vent for a month it further loosened enough for me to be able to pull the handle, wedge and all. Last summer I hung a Plumb rafting head on a modified maul handle. About 2 weeks after the initial fitting I didn't have any trouble driving the wedge in another 1/4 inch and at the end of January this year (we're talking Ottawa, Ontario) tapped it in another 1/8". It's not a bad idea to leave a fresh wedge proud of the handle (and fit the handle proud of the head) for a few months at very least.
Mind you your re-hang used the original already-gradually-shrunk handle so it's mostly a question now how prone to shrinkage/compression the new wood wedge is.
 
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