Hello,

I just recently acquired a broad axe for hewing. It is missing the handle though. I thought that this could be a great opportunity to learn how to make my own. The only problem is that my research is drawing blanks. Could anyone point me in the right direction? I am looking for info on an angled/offset handle. The type common on hewing axes so you don't hit your knuckles while chopping.

Cheers,

Tim

Most any type of wood should suffice, within reason. Root stock has worked for me in the past, or a really ugly stick of fire wood. Rived if possible or chopped to follow the natural flow. Building up forms and gluing or steaming, seem like extra steps to the same outcome, to me. Axe handle stock is something I try to keep a look out for, so when I need one it is readily available. It is like brace stock, we should always have some on hand, or at least it is a good idea.

A shaving horse (simply built), draw knife, spoke shave and perhaps a wood rasp, pencil to draw lines and another axe to assist in the shaping.

Hello,

There are so many variations of broadaxe that if you give a bit more specific description on the one you have that would make it easier to give some pointed feed back. A lot of times the socket or eye itself is angled and so coming straight off of that will give you knuckle clearance.

I can say it's going to take a fair bit of effort so using the driest wood you have will pay off in the end, I have mine roughed out in form and then dried inside for at least two years. It's just another way of saying don't rush it.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

Ok, here is a couple of pictures of the axe.

Well Tim I hope someone knowledgeable pipes in here, you have provided the image of an axe that I am not so familiar with. Have you maybe perused the timber guild forum itself? Maybe there is something here right under our noses that would be practical.

Look, make a pattern of the handle you want and with that pattern in hand go out to the woods looking for a piece that matches. The right piece would not only have the form of the pattern but will be substabtial enough that you can get the handle out of it without including any of the sap wood, (unless you find a hickory wood handle), or pith. For a hewing axe strength is less critical than that there is no spot on the handle where the grain runs out the edge which will fray and give you splinters.

The bad news is you are going to have to rough out the handle, coat the end grain with paraffin, find a dark, shaded place outside not overly dry and let it season for a year, bring it inside and season it further for another two years and then fit it to your axe head.

This is my favorite time of year to fit axe handles as it can be a relatively dry season. Conversely, it is my least favorite time of year to use an axe for the same reason.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

If it is needed soon, fix the new handle to the axe a go to work. But be prepared to have to readjust it after it dries a spell. I have one axe with a conical threaded wedge which allows easy extraction of the wedging system. If it is not needed directly, by all means dry it slowly, three years should do it good. I sealed the ends of two new handles and stuck them in the car for part of the day, didn't see any noticeable or negative checking happening, I have not set them to their heads, yet. Nice to have handles on hand.

I have another axe with the big wooden wedge still hanging out, just in case I need to remove it. It has been that way for a few years.