Rehandling Axes and Hatchets in a Pinch

Triquetra

Triquetra

Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
759
I was wondering how easy it would be and how to rehandle an axe or hatchet in the wilderness. When debating tomahawks vs hatchets or axes, you hear that tomahawks are carried because of the ease or rehandling them in the wild. For a lot of wood cutting others say that you need to carry an axe or hatchet designed for cutting wood. I’ve been reading some things lately where people have referenced rehandling the axe or hatchet in a pinch but how is it done and how do you get a tight fit if you don’t have one of those metal wedges to hammer into the eye? I like my tomahawks for nostalgia but am looking in to some of the better brand hatchets for practicality which I guess is what really matters when out in the wild.
 
I reckon any improvised axe handle is going to be fairly primitive. If I had to make a handle in the bush I'd probably carve a wooden wedge, and then use some cordage to lash the head to the handle for some extra security. Never done it before myself though, Id be pretty interested to hear from someone who has.
 
Putting the handle on is the easy part in my mind. The real question is how to get the old broken handle out of the eye. Never tried it though.
 
Getting the old handle out of the eye is hard withous a hammer and a metal wedge. If you manage to remove it in the woods you can put the new handle and add a few thin wooden wedges around it for a tight fit.Soaking it in water also helps for a while ;)
 
Shotgun said:
Putting the handle on is the easy part in my mind. The real question is how to get the old broken handle out of the eye. Never tried it though.
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Could you burn it out? It might be tricky, but you could probably get a slow burning ember (like with a bowl), or maybe a relatively cool burning fire that wouldn't mess with the heat treatment. I know it's risky, but there could be situations in which the risk is warranted.

If you had a narrow enough metal object, you could chip out the old bits using it like a chisel with a rock or a baton for the pounding. Maybe a file or a large nail or a tent peg?


I've never tried it, either... just thinking out loud.
 
Setting the head and broken handle in a fire or bed of coals will work, just make sure its not too hot, and I have seem pictures of them with sand or dirt covering most of the thin face to insulate it. As for the handle once you get the shape you want and the top to fit in the head, use your survival saw, if you had one, to cut a vertical line down the middle of the part that fits in the head. Turning it upside down and hitting the bottom of the handle with a rock will force the handle further into the head. Then cut some wedges out of the hardest wood around and pound them into the slot that is now protruding from the top of the head. Give it a soak and should be good to go!
 
I've heard before of burying the bit in the soil to keep it cool, with the eye sticking up out of the dirt. Then, build a small fire around the eye to burn out the remainder of the handle. I've never tries this, but it seems like it might work.
 
Shotgun said:
Putting the handle on is the easy part in my mind. The real question is how to get the old broken handle out of the eye. Never tried it though.
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I had a axe handle break on a two week hunting trip, at night I would sit by the fire and carve the new handle out of Rimu(an nz hard wood) I got it done on the 4th day all that was left to do was carve out the neck part that goes threw the eye, So I got the head of the axe with the peice through the eye and started to try and remove it.

What an absolute bastard to remove, I tried bashing it, chipping it out with a carving knife, burning it, and smashing it some more, I couldnt get it out and eventually gave up.

when I got home I put the head in the vice and got the wood out by smashing with a steel chisel, it turned out that it had been glued in place with some sort of expoxy type stuff, what an absolute mission it turned into

the moral of the story is figure out how the manufacturer of your axe attaches the handle through the eye, if its wedged on bashing it out on a small stump smaller than the diameter of the eye may be the way to go, if its epoxyed in give up untill you get home.

I would love to hear from anyone who has a few tricks up there sleeve for this
 
My guess would be burning the hanlde out would be the way to go. I agree that burying the bit in the soil would keep it cooler and allow you to slowly burn the handle out without hurting the temper.

Here is a video I recently found of Ray Mears carving a handle and re-handling an axe.
 
If you happen to have a Break at the eye, and have a small saw (SAK, Leatherman, folding wood saw) cut the handle clean up to the head...at tight as you can...(for an epoxy fastened head, I would use fire..although, I wouldnt suggest this otherwise, due to the Heat Treat risk)..then cut around and around the bottom of the eye, removing a little at a time..your knife tip will suffer a bit, so be careful.
Then after you have removed enough, using a carved piece of hard wood (dry would be best) that just fits in the eye, tap the remaining wood out the top. IF you have a leatherman, you MIGHT be able to remove the pot metal wedge with some carving and patience, but I dont know.
Basically, whenever I rehandle an axe..I mess around with getting the old handle out different way..sometimes its an easy task, sometimes...not so much.
As for making a handle, with some practice..you can carve one quite easily. Our own Siguy posted a video some time ago..I believe he finish his in about 45 minutes.
 
gunknifenut said:
If you happen to have a Break at the eye, and have a small saw (SAK, Leatherman, folding wood saw) cut the handle clean up to the head...at tight as you can...(for an epoxy fastened head, I would use fire..although, I wouldnt suggest this otherwise, due to the Heat Treat risk)..then cut around and around the bottom of the eye, removing a little at a time..your knife tip will suffer a bit, so be careful.
Then after you have removed enough, using a carved piece of hard wood (dry would be best) that just fits in the eye, tap the remaining wood out the top. IF you have a leatherman, you MIGHT be able to remove the pot metal wedge with some carving and patience, but I dont know.
Basically, whenever I rehandle an axe..I mess around with getting the old handle out different way..sometimes its an easy task, sometimes...not so much.
As for making a handle, with some practice..you can carve one quite easily. Our own Siguy posted a video some time ago..I believe he finish his in about 45 minutes.
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cheers for that, good to know
 
Yeah good point I ruined the temper on an axe trying to get a broken handle out in a fire. I guess you sink the blade in the dirt to insulate the blade and try. I was young and just tossed the hole thing in the fire/coals and it just charred the out side of the wood. The last time I used a vice, mallet and a piece of rebar to knock it out from below I wonder if a small coal could burn it out if you kept it burning a few hours then make a wooden mallet and banged it out.

I think a green wood handle made with some maple would be fine for short turn use. There are better woods to use just around my swamp maple would be my choice.


Sounds like a challenge... Go to the flee market get an old axe head and make a handle. I think I'll make a crooked knife then an axe handle with the crooked knife.
 
I've re handled a couple of axe in the past, but always at home using real tools.
One thing that might work on the fly is using the awl on a Victorinox farmer to drill out the handle hole by hole, never done this though, wouldn't want to either.
 
Hawkings said:
I've re handled a couple of axe in the past, but always at home using real tools.
One thing that might work on the fly is using the awl on a Victorinox farmer to drill out the handle hole by hole, never done this though, wouldn't want to either.
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that is a bloody good idea, this thread is making me want to break an axe handle and have another go at rehandling it
 
In the summers, I buy a lot of Axes at yard sales and Flea Markets..basically, I used to buy every one I came accross, now, I am pretty picky. I rehandled quite a few..and it although I am no expert, I have learned what makes a good axe head...and a good handle.
I am going camping in 2 weeks with TonyM, Marcelo, Leinenkugel and MAYBE Rescue Riley!! I have some hatchet heads..maybe I will bring one to handle in the bush. Although the eye's are clear, I will still have to carve a handle.
Maybe, I will have to remember to bring one. That would be a fun carving project!
 
*looks over to the broken handle on his bench and wonders if he should even reply.

Funny enough I just made a handle and it broke right away. Thats the price for not paying attention because the desire for curly maple takes over.

The tools I use are the same simple tools that are often filtered into the pack.
The chances of having all of them are 0. I might have a file, but not a pattern maker's rasp. I have thought about it but never carry a drill bit or gimlet.

The helving vids say you cannot knock the handle out from top to bottom. You certainly can by removing the wedge. _what the gimlet is for. It's just easier to drive the sawn off handle from the bottom. One vid shows a very nice manufactured swage. The same is easily whittled from suitable wood. with a rock hammer or baton you can drive the handle out.

If it is still stuck,, assuming you have such time, soak the head in water allow it to swell. use fire to dry the wood without overheating the edge. Should be more loose; easier to drive handle out.

If you have no saw you could burn the handle without the head in the fire close enough to the eye to drive it through with your wood swedge.

You have no saw to rip the tenon for its wedge. Okay, continue fitting the helve to the eye. Hopefully you are skilled enough to make it tight. you may back the handle out with your swage at anytime to work the wood without damaging your knife edge on the axe lug. Continue until the helve protrudes above the eye a little. Add a few drops of water to the end grain, let it soak in briefly to soften the tips of the fibers. Hopefully you have a rock, smooth river stone is better- A bit gently, carefully "peen" the end grain until you're done;)

Even though there is all caution and warning against it...if the helve is fitted with full contact friction fit ( as much as possible) the head is unlikely to fly off by surprise if you watch for it slipping. Most axes I have seen have very little taper in the eye-it does not take much for the wedge to work afterall.

So if you can get it really tight the axe can perform more than adequately in the short term with no wedge(s). An emergency could be so great that even fitting a tomahawk handle is impossible. It all depends on the details of your circumstance whether there is time to make an axe handle. There is nothing mysterious about it
 
bladz said:
My guess would be burning the hanlde out would be the way to go. I agree that burying the bit in the soil would keep it cooler and allow you to slowly burn the handle out without hurting the temper.

Here is a video I recently found of Ray Mears carving a handle and re-handling an axe.
Click to expand...

That video was great. That's what I was looking for. It makes more sense now and that little curved knife looks handy. Wouldn't be hard to throw one in a pack. I really like that little axe too. Does anyone know what one it is?
 
Out in the woods it would be a real pain. In the shop, cut the handle close to the bit. Take your dremel with a router bit and go to town. It eats it out in about 20 minutes. Epoxy or not. Then use a sanding barrel to finish the clean up. The dremel makes a huge difference. Pounding them out can be a pain. Burning them out, I don't consider an option. The temper won't survive..
 
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