Re-handling an Estwing hatchet

T

Trout Tamer

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A month ago, I was digging through my brother's tool box when I came across a rust-covered relic. Upon closer inspection, I discovered it to be the very same Estwing hatchet that we'd taken on family camping trips when I was but a youth! The hatchet looked about 100 years old, replete with a thick coat of rust and rotten, gapped leather washers for a handle. I decided to bring that hatchet home with me; and here it's sat! :o
My question is - do any of y'all know how to re-handle a stacked-leather-washer hatchet haft? I've never done such a job before. I'm looking forward to it, but I'd prefer to go in armed with some prior knowledge. Any advice?
 
Generally, squares of fiber and leather are trimmed roughly to shape(iit helps to use older pieces of the handle as a guide) . Then segments of your handle are glued and stacked, these segments are then compacted in a vise, some folks use a jig/clamp made up of a couple boards and a long screw. After a few dry fits, once you have a roughly good appoximation of your finished handle all the segments are glued up and compacted for the last time.

The handle is then finely fitted, and filed and sanded to shape. It's then sealed. fitting the butt cap on the Estwing might be tough, I've only re-handled stuff with screw down butt caps

The best tip I can give you is to work slowly and work in small segments of -3-5 washers each, and make a lot of dry fits.

:).
 
Trout Tamer said:
A month ago, I was digging through my brother's tool box when I came across a rust-covered relic. Upon closer inspection, I discovered it to be the very same Estwing hatchet that we'd taken on family camping trips when I was but a youth! The hatchet looked about 100 years old, replete with a thick coat of rust and rotten, gapped leather washers for a handle. I decided to bring that hatchet home with me; and here it's sat! :o
My question is - do any of y'all know how to re-handle a stacked-leather-washer hatchet haft? I've never done such a job before. I'm looking forward to it, but I'd prefer to go in armed with some prior knowledge. Any advice?
Click to expand...

We manufacture Estwings #3 leather washer for the hammer....not sure if it will work for the hatchet...Estwing uses about 10 different size washers....Will Estwing sell you the washers?
Rich
www.twinleather.com
 
I agree, the hard part will be deciding how to compress the washers when they are on the handle. The factory method (at least on the newer ones) has a steel plate held by peened over studs, which I assume are welded to the handle. I have been trying to resolve this issue to repair my own Estwing and haven't yet. I asked Estwing for a picture of the tang sans handle but they have not responded at all. Once you get the washers off, I would appreciate it if you would post a picture if possible. Thanks and good luck.
 
Thanks for all of the replies!

akennedy73, that's a handy tutorial. I'm hoping they also have leathr washers that'll fit the hatchet.

bob bowie, good call on doing many dry fits before unleashing the glue!

richm0nd, I don't know if Estwing will sell me the washers, but that's a good lead. Thanks, also, for the link to your own site.

Blue Sky, my hatchet also has the peened butt cap. Once I tear off the old washers, I'll take a gander at the buttcap and scan it for you. If worse comes to worse, I reckon a hacksaw will take the buttcap right off. Replacing it may be a bit trickier, though... this should be fun :thumbup:

I'll keep y'all updated as I progress on this task.
 
It doesn't show the entire tang without the washers, but this image from a page on Estwing's website might useful.

002.gif
 
spunkyruss said:
It doesn't show the entire tang without the washers, but this image from a page on Estwing's website might useful.

002.gif
Click to expand...

Well that's interesting, don't know how I missed it before. Looks like a pair of holes drilled through the end cap either side of the I-beam would allow you to inject glue/epoxy up inside the handle to lock down the washers... Might be worth a try before tearing the whole thing apart, mine are not all that loose yet.

Thank you! :thumbup:
 
I was in the same situation with an Estwing and wrapped a really nice handle with 550 parachute cord. Good grip and easy on your hands. Also a great way to carry that ever handy and indipensable chute cord. Look on the Wilderness and Survival link for some wrapping tips. Mine lives in my BOB now.---"If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room"--KV
 
Mick57 said:
I had the same thought when I was reading this thread....go with a different handle altogether. Yours came out great......nice job! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Thanks! You could wrap it with cord with no problems. That is some of the toughest steel I've ever tried to work with. I had to use a die grinder to cut holes for the pins. For the price, I'm kind of surprised that more folks don't mod them out. :p
 
c.m. arrington said:
Thanks! You could wrap it with cord with no problems. That is some of the toughest steel I've ever tried to work with. I had to use a die grinder to cut holes for the pins. For the price, I'm kind of surprised that more folks don't mod them out. :p
Click to expand...
i agree with you. the tangs can be shortened ,drilled for slabs, handled with stag, wood and any other combo to look and work great as custom jobs. i re-handled a couple of old Estwings reusing some of the original leather and some nice walnut. next time i will use some stag and will probably shorten the tang a few inches. that is super.
thanks again for the photos. excellent
buzz
 
I'm the one that was emailing you about the tw-k14 washers Richmond. I apologize if I came off as rude. I just really wanna get this thing fixed.

Ad CM Arrington, that link no longer works.
 
I haven't done an Estwing but I've worked on an old Schrade leather handle. Schrade's leather washers are not glued. On this knife they had become loose over time and I had to make one leather washer to tighten it up.

Rather than using a washer and peening the tang down to hold the leather in place, Schrade finishes with a brass end cap and simply threads the end of the tang and employs a Chicago screw cap (post screw cap) to compress and retain the leather washers. It's nice and neat and fully serviceable.

If I were to do an Estwing I'd just thread the tang.
 
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