Ax or Axe -- need some handle help, please!

Hi Guys.
I'm replacing the handle on this ax. I've got two questions:
1) Which way should the blade be oriented? With the long edge upwards, like this:

Or downwards like this:


2) Which way to hold the handle. The grip feels most natural holding it like this: but the narrow end of the peg/shaft at top is pointing backwards.



Holding it the other way feels weird and unnatural, but the narrow end of the peg/shaft is facing forwards, fits into the ax head correctly.



Help!

The "long" edge of the blade should point down. The handle should be such that the angle of the butt runs up away from you. Your first handle picture.

3rd from last picture with cutting edge down.

Dusty

Here is a photo of a new axe

Ok, like this - with the handle butt angle facing the front and the long edge of the blade turned downwards.
But, I think I have a bad handle - look at the top - the shape doesn't match the head socket. arrrggghhh...

(Thanks Steve, Dusty, JGayman)

Don't axe me, I dunno.

Second photo for the head and fourth photo for handle.

I should have said second and fourth photos from top.

I'm glad someone asked how to ascertain accurate axis orientation on an ax!

Do the handles need fitted or are they standardized? I've got a few heads lying around from axes the kids have taught themselves on.


Last one I did got a 7/8" piece of pipe pounded in and welded on, still works great!

WI Dan: Sure does look like you got a bad handle, as the end does appear to be pointed the wrong way. It wouldn't be from the Land of Almost Right, would it? I've seen it before on a hatchet handle, but it was also in a dollar-store box of handles that were obvious "seconds" so I wasn't terribly surprised. Bought a bunch of them at a buck apiece (most were correctly made, just with small knots or other surface defects that I wasn't too concerned about), fitted them to old heads I had around and handed them out to friends for camping, boating, kindling splitting, and all the uses that a cheap hatchet come in so handy for. Link below is a good reference--look for the section entitled "getting the hang of it" (to "hang" an ax is to put a handle on it) but the whole thing makes for good reading if you're serious about using and caring for an ax. Depending on what you've got to work with, you MAY be able to get this handle to work--there may be enough wood to reshape the end properly and still get a good fit. When you're done, DO NOT soak it in water or antifreeze--it's a sure mark of a lazy workman and is a sure way to make the handle looser than ever once the water dries out, in addition to rotting and degrading the wood.
An Ax To Grind USFS publication

Yep, you have a bad handle. Take it back.

KEH

WI dan,

1-800 ask me!

I hear this advertised often on radio. I am contemplating ax, axe, or ask. I guess it depends on the person speaking.

D.

Meant in jest.

Tim - thanks for your response. Now I know a new word: "HANG" an ax! -preciate your help.

I got the handle from Two Buck Chuck at the Flea Market. I assumed they were all wood defects, never thought to check the business end for alignment... I've got some chisels, I'll try re-shaping, but don't want to eat away too much material an make for a dangerous tool.

Agreed on re-shaping the handle--you want to make sure you've got full contact with the head. If you've got 15 minutes to spare, the video below is a companion to the link I posted. The first 15 minutes cover hanging a head, with the rest dedicated to sharpening and using an ax. Good info, with a lot of years of actual ax use behind it, as it's put out by the USFS, who, even today, use axes a lot for trail maintenance and other tasks in wilderness areas where power tools aren't allowed. Were it my handle, I'd use a wood rasp for re-shaping the handle--you're going to be mostly working across the grain on a tight, constantly-changing radius and unless you're pretty handy with a chisel that's difficult to do.
An ax to grind video

I think you have a collectors item there.

Yep, mis-manufactured handle. If there is not enough meat to hang it backwards it should make good kindling.

Really?!? Can I sell it for millions?!? lol

That makes sense Tim. I'll watch the video later. Thank you for the suggestions!