I bought what I think is a hewing axe today. It's in fine shape and marked Underhill. I'd like advise on replacing the handle and making sure I have it set up correctly.
I've never owned or used one, so I'd appreciate any help. I'm right handed.
Try these guys
http://stores.ebay.com/Hillbilly-Handle-Store_W0QQssPageNameZl2QQtZkm
Thanks for the tip.
The head on my axe is smaller than a typical broad axe and it has a shorter handle on it now that doesn't appear to be correct. I'll try the longer handle and go from there.
Rob,
Don't be too quick to discount the short handle. A hewing Axe is a Carving tool of sorts and used with the log at knee to waist height. Unless you are going to be standing on the log as you hew it from under your feet, you will not need a long handle. :)
Tom,
That's what I thought from my research but I can't find much information that doesn't lump the hewing axe in with the use of a broad ax.
If anyone can send me in the right direction I'd appreciate it.
Would a short handle be offset also? This is a great tool and I want to put it back to use for it's intended purpose.
Foxfire 1
Amazon has the foxfire books,a nd they are available used. there is a whole section on cabin building and the tools used. They hewing axe gets a decent descriptionin there as well. I have the book and will see if I can get you some details for tomorrow. As I can recall (I may be thinking of a different axe), it has a short handle and is curved in two directions, back and to one side, for your wrist and to keep you from busting your knuckles.
Doc
I found an article on Google that claims a hewing ax is 10 or 12 lbs and a bench Axe is in the 5 Pound range. I never heard of a bench Axe but the guy said it is not for hewing logs. I have a hewing hatchet and use it for logs when I need fine tuning. I found a hewing Axe head with my metal detector years ago that was in the 10 pound class. I guess I just never thought about there being two different kinds of hewing axes.
Most that I've seen have short handles and are used in a jabbing/slicing fashion to carve away the wood between the clefts made with a felling Axe. Then deftly a person can use them to almost shave the surface smooth.
Here is a picture of one being used at a show that Jeff and I went to after the last Pig roast. It was at a park where they had a water driven sawmill.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/Hewing.jpg)
I got busy working on my other house last night and forgot to look up that handle info.
Will have to remember tonight.....
Doc