Handle for Hatchet Help

[Czech_Made]

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

Amen!  I strip the clear from axe handles if I have to use one from the store, still much prefer to make my own.

[goose63]

timk a good leather punch is best and the copper rivet's are better 8) 

Igst my rivet's from Tandy if you need some pm me your snail mail and will send you some

[timk]

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

For anyone interested I also found the video on youtube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22tBYD-HMtA

[Bark Beetle]

There is a tandy leather in springfield mo right next to a jerky store....  :D

[SteamET]

Check House Handle Company:  https://www.househandle.com/

Hickory handles.  I have bought octagonal for a hatchet, plain for a broad hatchet, broad axe, felling axe and ball peen hammer handles. 

SteamET

[Chuck White]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, SteamET.

[rick carpenter]

I was able to re-use the original handles on a Plumb double bit axe and a TG hatchet to re-handle them. I drilled a hole in the original hatchet wedge and threaded in a small screw to extract it but couldn't do the same with the axe. I soaked the handle heads in boiled linseed oil after fitting them, put the bits on, then pounded in new wood wedges and soaked them in BLO some more. I didn't have room for a metal wedge in the axe so I figure I don't need it. I put in a metal wedge in the hatchet. I'll re-soak in BLO every now and then. Some recommend using wood glue on the wedges but I can't see how that is a good idea.

As far as rivets go, wranglerstar who makes a lot of chainsaw/etc youtube videos uses roll pins in axeroons and hookaroons.

[sandsawmill14]

my dixie hooks have the roll pins in the too

[isawlogs]

 One needs the roll pin in competition axes. Other then that  there is no need for the roll pin. As far as the steel wedge goes, there is no good reason to use them.

[grouch]

Soaking a handle to tighten it just ruins the handle. That flat on the end of a good handle (avoid the decorative doe-foot things) is for squarely slamming on something solid to drive the head on by its own mass. That will mark the handle for any trimming needed by spokeshave or scraper for the initial fit. Once a handle adjusts to the environment its to be used in, you can do the final fitting.

Don't need any blister-making slick varnish or polyurethane on a handle, either. Scrape the thing with a safety razor or bit of broken glass until it feels right in your hand.

[DelawhereJoe]

I've used an old broken youth axe handle to rehandle a hudson bay axe, it was broken off at the bottom of the head. It worked great, I took a lap wheel in my angle grinder to fast sand it down checking now and then so i didn't take to much off. The handle ended up being 26" the perfect size for it....untill I broke the handle in half.