Handle for Hatchet Help

timk · April 27, 2016, 03:52:38 PM

I'm new to axe's and wanted to fix this one up and put a handle on it. I found Tennessee Hickory online, are they any good? Hatchet head weighs 1.2 pounds. Dimensions are 4.5 inches long, 2" wide at base, and 2.75" wide at blade. Tennessee Hickory is showing either model numbers 10114 or 10115 for this hatchet. Any other good sources for handles? I have no idea how expensive Tennessee Hickory is. Anyone on these boards make them for sale? Thanks.

Chuck White · April 28, 2016, 06:59:17 AM

If you live near an Amish community, they have people who do things like make tool handles, leatherwork, building, etc.

Contact them, usually they're priced reasonably.

bluthum · April 28, 2016, 08:37:58 AM

If it were me I would go to my local farm store or the mom and pop building supply with hatchet head in hand and select a handle in person. You can inspect the handle for straight grain and lack of heartwood. This is a rare case in wood where heartwood or tight growth rings are a negative. There are lots of options on length and several on shape of both the handle the part that fits in the eye. Expect to have to do a bit of hand work to get a good fit.
I would expect to pay about $6-8.

isawlogs · April 28, 2016, 09:00:12 AM

Get a board and make one to your liking! ;)

timk · April 29, 2016, 09:41:27 AM

Managed to find a nice one at Ace Hardware for about 6 bucks. It came with the wood wedge however I also purchased a small metal wedge that I've seen people hammer in last. Should hatchets this small have one? I already have it so can easily use it...but is it even needed?

Jim_Rogers · April 29, 2016, 09:55:47 AM

After you custom fit your handle to the head, you drive in the wooden wedge to spread the handle so that the head won't fly off. Then you put in the metal wedge at an angle to the wooden wedge. The metal wedge is suppose to have some barbs on it to prevent it from coming out. And it's suppose to hold the wooden wedge in. If I understand it correctly.

Jim Rogers

Skip · April 29, 2016, 10:09:30 AM

Try househandle.com

bluthum · April 29, 2016, 11:57:27 AM

Jim Rogers gave a nice quick summary of install. The metal wedge with barbs is called a Grady wedge. Sometimes you'll find tubular wedges, I like them better but don't know what they are called and find them hard to locate.

timk · April 29, 2016, 01:01:39 PM

Thanks guys

goose63 · April 29, 2016, 04:55:21 PM

When you are done with the wedge's soak it in a bucket ow water for a day or two that will swell up the wood and make it tigtht

Corley5 · April 29, 2016, 04:58:04 PM

After you get the handle installed drill a 1/4" hole through the head and handle for a bolt and nut ;)

Jim_Rogers · April 29, 2016, 05:48:40 PM

Goose:
I'm sorry but I must totally disagree with soaking it in water. If the head is to tight or just right and you soak it in water it will swell up. this swelling up may crack or break the fibers at the head, and weaken the head wood area. Then the head will be loose when it dries out.

If you trim with a spoke shave or draw knife the handle correctly and it fits good then there is no need to soak it. Use your wedges, both wood and metal.

Jim Rogers

Glenn · April 29, 2016, 09:30:34 PM

I agree that a well fit handle will be tight if its done right but many times handles will dry out over time and the handle will get loose. I remember seeing scalers leaving their hatchets in puddles to tighten up at lunch time but it would get loose again in a couple of days. If your handle is a bit loose leave it in some old antifreeze over night and your handle will be tight for a long time after !! I would not put a bolt in it - i understand the thinking but i just don't like messing up a good head !!

isawlogs · April 29, 2016, 11:17:57 PM

If the head does come loose after a while, take the wedge out and put in a new one. After that you won't need to worry about the head coming loose. I make and put a dozen handles & axes together over each winter, I only use a hardwood wedge , never use no steel wedge to wedge the wedge......

Don't put the head in water to tighten it up, if its loose its the wedge thats not seated correctly. :P

Glenn · April 30, 2016, 07:46:20 AM

Isawlogs - how do you manage to get the old wedge out without damaging the handle itself??

isawlogs · April 30, 2016, 07:56:22 AM

I have a small chisel for that, I tap into the wedge, pry it out. Once the wedge out I take the head off with a punch, then clean out any left over wedge, put back together and reinstall a new wedge.

Magicman · April 30, 2016, 08:26:20 AM

Soaking an old loose axe head might buy you some time, but as Jim stated, not a new one.

timk · June 02, 2016, 04:04:57 PM

Got the handle attached and figured I'd show some pics. For my first time I think I did ok. Could have been better in a few areas but overall I think ok. Had to pull out the wedge after pounding it in to make some more tweaks. The saw kerf came slightly off center from ACE hardware so I was stuck with that. Also I've been reading up on the Forestry Service document "An ax to grind" and it gave some good information on hanging. It recommended not driving a metal wedge so I did not do that. isawlogs (marcel?) mentioned this as well. Here's the link for that article: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/recreational_trails/publications/fs_publications/99232823/page11.cfm#hang

Now I just have to sharpen and make a leather sheath. I have some leather scraps that should work and will be purchasing some leather rivets.

goose63 · June 02, 2016, 05:02:42 PM

Tandy Leather is where i get my leather riverts.
If you just need a few let me know i will send you some 8)

isawlogs · June 02, 2016, 06:37:37 PM

I have seen many types of rivets... but never have seen a leather rivet.. Can you put a picture of them or give me a link to what they look like.... :P

goose63 · June 02, 2016, 08:05:06 PM

iaswlogs this it

The washer is smaller than the shaft you drive the washer on with a hollow tool then use a snipper to cut off the extra and then round it off.

Tandy Leather.com has all the leather and the stuff to go wiht it hope this helps ya out

isawlogs · June 02, 2016, 10:38:46 PM

:

Harness rivets.. man, I have two or three boxes full of those. Sometimes the translation gets in my way :D :D :D

Merçi! :P

WmFritz · June 03, 2016, 08:04:22 AM

I would imagine an old Ironworker would have 2-3 boxes of every kind of rivet made.

Your English is better then many people I know whose only language is English, Marcel . ;D
(Myself included).

timk · June 03, 2016, 09:04:35 AM

Quote from: goose63 on June 02, 2016, 05:02:42 PM
Tandy Leather is where i get my leather riverts.
If you just need a few let me know i will send you some 8)

Was looking at these sets which should get me started. One of them by the company you mention actually.

http://www.amazon.com/Tandy-Leather-Factory-Easy--Rivets/dp/B00AQ7DR0M/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1464958929&sr=1-1&keywords=rivets

and this for the snaps

http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Hodge-1100-Snap-Fastener/dp/B00004Y698?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=A19NVE4G6SOT2C

Any good ways to punch holes through leather without the special tool? I read a drill bit works but not very clean. An awl too but that doesn't really remove material. Also would those copper rivets be better for the sheath than what comes with that tandy starter pack? Thanks.

Chop Shop · June 03, 2016, 11:36:04 AM

An Ax to Grind is an awesome source for REAL info.

Thank you for NOT putting a metal wedge in there. Handle wood should always be sawn and then the gap spread with a wood wedge.

Hammering in a metal wedge into solid wood (not into a kerf cut) will SPLIT the handle and it will eventually show the crack under the head and down the handle.

NO soaking in water. It will dry out and be in worse shape than before. Soak in OIL.

No lacquer or clear on handles, sand clean and OIL.

I have a couple hundred axes and take wood handled tool care seriously