Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Axe handle question #23330 04/13/10 11:41 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 603
brad_bb Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 603
I finally picked up a throwing axe. A used gransfors on ebay. It's in good condition, but the handle seems a bit dry. It has a couple very small checks, and the surface is not totally smooth. Seems like it's been sitting around for quite some time. I'm afraid of getting a sliver while throwing. So I want to sand down the handle. The question is, what if anything should I put on the handle? I know a lot of people leave a regular axe handle bare sanded, getting the new urethane finish off, so you don't get a blister(handle will slide in hand). I'm just wondering if I should put oil on the throwing handle or anything else?
I'm trying to get a tree service down the road to cut a 10 inch thick slice off a 36 inch dia oak chunk sitting in their firewood pile. What is reasonable to pay for them to make the one saw cut and sell me the cookie? There is no sawing or log industry here as we don't have many sawable trees, so most ends up firewood. It's mostly all yard trees too. Thanks.

Last edited by brad_bb; 04/13/10 11:42 PM.
Re: Axe handle question [Re: brad_bb] #23336 04/14/10 03:24 AM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 108
Craig Roost Offline
Member
Offline
Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 108
Brad,

I have a few sugar maple slabs you can pick from. If you come up north for my next barn raisng in early May, you can stop by and take your pick for free!!

Rooster


Yah-fur-sur, You-betcha, Don't-cha-know!
Re: Axe handle question [Re: Craig Roost] #23355 04/16/10 08:14 AM
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 142
Z
Zach LaPerriere Offline
Member
Offline
Member
Z
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 142
Hey Brad,

I have a couple of Grunsfors, but not the throwing axe. If I remember right, the handles are boiled in linseed oil at the factory. If you put linseed on, I'd cut it with some turps.

Re: Axe handle question [Re: Zach LaPerriere] #23365 04/17/10 12:56 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 603
brad_bb Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 603
Thanks, I'll give it a try. Brad

Re: Axe handle question [Re: brad_bb] #23380 04/19/10 02:33 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 603
brad_bb Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 603
Well I sanded it down and put a couple coats of 1 part boiled linseed oil to 2 parts mineral spirits (the can said to either use miner spirits or Turpentine, and I already had mineral spirits on hand. The finish looks really nice, though it's still drying. Do you think I should rub any paste wax on it after dry? Or would that make it too slick? I'm rather new to finishing and haven't used wax before.

Re: Axe handle question [Re: brad_bb] #23381 04/19/10 04:11 AM
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 142
Z
Zach LaPerriere Offline
Member
Offline
Member
Z
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 142
Hey Brad,

I'm really not an expert on this, the closest I came to axe throwing was when a maul head flew off while I was chopping wood. But I would think wax might make it too sticky, rather than slick. If it was me, I'd try it for a while as is.

Re: Axe handle question [Re: Zach LaPerriere] #23440 04/23/10 11:03 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 603
brad_bb Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 603
Ok, today I finally got a hold of a guy in two towns away (35-40 minute drive on the highway) who has a stationary band mill. Incidentally, he is the only person that I've found with a band mill within 2 hours of me. Anyway, I talked with him about making a target and he told me that he has thrown the ax a bit in the past too. I told him I was looking for oak, but he recommended I use a soft wood, like cottonwood or soft maple, both of which are common around here and the only trees that readily grow to 3ft+ diameter. I had thought that someone recommended oak to me at one time, but now I'm thinking maybe the cottonwood would be fine to try? We also discussed thickness and he recommended 10 inches for the softwoods.

My axe handle turned out great. It was my first time using Boiled Linseed Oil. The feel is good.
I was also doing two shovel handles too. I had stained them, and then applied the BLO. After two days they were still tacky. Then someone told me that I should have wiped off the excess BLO about a half hour after applying it. I tried rubbing the handles with mineral spirits and letting them dry another 2 days to no avail, still tacky. So tonight I said the heck with it and scuffed the tacky BLO with a scotchbrite pad(equal to 400 grit), and layed 1 coat of polyurethane on. Tomorrow I'll add a second. That's how I've finished garden tool handles in the past. The BLO worked on the ax handle, maybe because it's a different wood? Or maybe it absorbed it better?

Re: Axe handle question [Re: brad_bb] #23446 04/24/10 11:22 AM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,685
J
Jim Rogers Online Confused
Member
Online Confused
Member
J
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,685
An old time painter once told me that before metal ladders they always used BLO and turp cut 50/50 to preserve their wooden ladders.
I have recommended this to many who buy planks from me for their backhoe trailers. Many have used this and it seems to work for them.

If you read a can of Linseed oil it will say "stays tacky" but I thought that was only non-boiled (raw) linseed oil...


Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Re: Axe handle question [Re: Jim Rogers] #23449 04/24/10 01:59 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 603
brad_bb Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 603
How does it hold up in the sunlight? I'm imagining that it will face and crack in time, needing reapplication? I've also got an old long wooden farm extension ladder, I can sand it down and use BLO.

Re: Axe handle question [Re: brad_bb] #23452 04/24/10 07:18 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,882
T
TIMBEAL Offline
Member
Offline
Member
T
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,882
10-W30, I hear is good for just about every thing, recycle it after it comes out of the car by applying to ladders, shovel blades and handles. I like my axe handle raw, it will oil up naturally.

Tim

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Jim Rogers, mdfinc 

Newest Members
HFT, Wrongthinker, kaymaxi, RLTJohn, fendrishi
5134 Registered Users
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3
(Release build 20190728)
PHP: 5.4.45 Page Time: 0.100s Queries: 17 (0.031s) Memory: 3.2165 MB (Peak: 3.3984 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2024-03-29 09:10:33 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS