Axe handles, size is important !?!?!?

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Citizen H
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Location: S.E. England

Axe handles, size is important !?!?!?

Post by Citizen H »

Following on from one of my old posts in regards to Axe recommendations and due to certain financial matters going on in my world rather than buy a new Axe I thought Id restore a very old pack Axe that I once used,

some of its history, weve known one another for 36 odd years, it was owned by a pathfinders club I belong to and wasn't in bad shape, I recall that after all the abuse that it received its head broke off during one camp and was relegated to a storage cupboard in the Pathfinders Hut.

34 years later I happen to be passing and the hut and noted it was due for demolition, I couldn't help but revisit and check out the inside which was now derelict with part of the roof caved in and the placed being trashed I didn't expect to find anything. I looked in the store cupboard and kicking around the floor was the axe head.

I took it out of sentimental value and thought I could use it as a wedge, as previously mentioned moneys tight and I could use an Axe about the place,

so heres the dilemma is there a Axe head size / weight to handle length ratio? It weighs a 0.44kgs so light enough to use as a pack axe, I thinking something between 14" - 16" allowing for 2" to be slotted into the head.

has anyone got any guidance or useful advice on the matter.

photos of the Axe attached, I've sympathetically cleaned it and carefully filed of the mushroom edges on the head, apart from a re handle and putting an edge on it I wont be doing any thing else to it.


Following on

***Common sense prevails and I decide to make a template handle out of a lump of old Pallet wood to gauge the size from there on, currently the full length is 17" so I will be going with around a 16", again being sensible about things I'm going to shop around and see if I can get someone experienced to put the head on for me (offers welcome) as it looks way easier than it actually is and I'm limited by the tools I have. many thanks for you comments and guidance "Citizen "H" out.....
Attachments
AH.jpg
AXE 1.jpg
AXE 3.jpg
Last edited by Citizen H on Thu Nov 09, 2017 1:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Im just hoping for the best and preparing for the worse.

Citizen "H"
featherstick
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Re: Axe handles, size is important !?!?!?

Post by featherstick »

Nice clean-up.

Size does matter - I have inherited a very nice axe, razor sharp, but the handle is too short for my taste. I don't know how you would go about sizing a handle though. British Blades probably has a few axe geeks who could tell you.
pseudonym
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Re: Axe handles, size is important !?!?!?

Post by pseudonym »

Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.
grenfell
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Re: Axe handles, size is important !?!?!?

Post by grenfell »

I don't think I've ever actually measured a handle that I've put on an axe. It's more about it "feeling right" and can vary from person to person and from tool to tool. I've just measured my axe I use for shaping and general work , a single handed sandvik , and I have 11 1/2 " sticking out the back of the head. I have similar other axes whose handles must be about that length too. On the other hand I have an adze whose handle is barely 6" long but it's easy and comfortable to use at least to me.
Not axes but it reminds me of an incident many moons ago. I was at the time using a wooden handle claw hammer and made the mistake of loaning it to someone who promptly broke it off just under the head. Now a joiner without a hammer is like a duck without a quack so I quickly remounted the head on the broken shaft giving me a shorter hammer which would do for the time being and I'd do it properly in due course which seemed to drag out to a couple of years at least :oops:
Couldn't help but notice in that last link that the guy using what looks like a side axe seems to be holding it close to the head rather than anywhere near the length of the handle :)
ForgeCorvus
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Re: Axe handles, size is important !?!?!?

Post by ForgeCorvus »

H: You've got a nice old 1lb Kent hatchet head and I'm very glad it didn't become a wedge.
My local ironmongers (they call themselves a "Builder's supply" but I know they're lying :lol: ) stocks Ash handles and I'm pretty sure they have 'deer's foot'* hatchet handles around a 'cubit' size (16 to 18 inches), they will also order stuff if they don't hold any in stock.


*Like this
Image


You don't need much in the way of tools really, and I think I posted a 'How-To' on here.

However, if you post me the head and cover the cost of the wood and return I'll fit it for you.... That sound good to you?
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Citizen H
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Location: S.E. England

Re: Axe handles, size is important !?!?!?

Post by Citizen H »

ForgeCorvus wrote:H: You've got a nice old 1lb Kent hatchet head and I'm very glad it didn't become a wedge.
My local ironmongers (they call themselves a "Builder's supply" but I know they're lying :lol: ) stocks Ash handles and I'm pretty sure they have 'deer's foot'* hatchet handles around a 'cubit' size (16 to 18 inches), they will also order stuff if they don't hold any in stock.


*Like this
Image


You don't need much in the way of tools really, and I think I posted a 'How-To' on here.

However, if you post me the head and cover the cost of the wood and return I'll fit it for you.... That sound good to you?
Hello ForgeCorvus,

As way of update, I was picking the brains of a local garden centre owner who's farther as it turns out restores tools for a pension boost, long story short he's going to look at for me in the new year and yes quite right as he referred to it as a "Kent Hammer hatchet" Many thanks for the kind offer and I will show and tell once done, Cheers for now "H"
Im just hoping for the best and preparing for the worse.

Citizen "H"