Dummy Needs Help Again

Allan in NE · Dec 30, 2009

Hey Guys,

I need to hang a double-bit axe handle. Don't want the thing flying off someday and killing a critter.

Seems to me that I read on here a while back that someone had made a video on how to "Do It Right".

Was that one of you guys here?

Thanks,

Allan

Anonymous-0 · Dec 30, 2009

Where do you want to hang it (vehicle or stationary wall?) ?

I got tired of these nifty little spring hooks letting go of stuff, and have started using pieces of fire hose as a kind of sheath (length depending on what I'm hanging.

Dave

Nebraska Cowman · Dec 30, 2009

Allen, Have you ever killed a cow with a hammer? You have to hit them real hard. With at least a 4 pound hammer. An Axe flying off the handle ain't gonna hurt them. Use a wooden wedge and then a couple of metal wedges set crosswise at 45 degree angle. That swells the end of the handle larger than the hole in the Axe and it can't possibly pull back through. And once you start chopping ice the water will swell the wood making it even tighter. Just don't chop a hole in the side of the tank.

Allan in NE · Dec 30, 2009

LOL! Hi Dave,

Let me go about this at a different angle. I need to replace the handle of my axe.

I use the darned thing to bust ice in the winter on my cattle tanks and am just plain lost without it.

I know there is a 'proper procedure' for this task.

Allan

Allan in NE · Dec 30, 2009

Yep, I know.

But isn't there something about seating the bottom of the head?

Kinda remember that you drive the head clear to the 'shoulder' and then take it off again to whittle a "seat" down at that buldge?

Thanks Pard. Still snowed in down there?

Allan

glennster · Dec 30, 2009

ahhh.....what you need is the practical axe manual, a guide to axes. here ya go!!!!!
chop here

Nebraska Cowman · Dec 30, 2009

I never heard of that one. But I never had trouble with one coming loose. Axe handles are pretty easy to hold. What I have trouble with is the small diameter handles on 2 - 4 pound hammers.
Yeah, we got a little snow, 3 or 4 feet of wind and now it's just winter. The trees are covered with hoar frost this morning.

Allan in NE · Dec 30, 2009

Hey!!

That's it!!

Thanks Pard,

Allan

ChrisinMO · Dec 30, 2009

We use one of those mauls with the head welded to the handle. It's heavier, the handle won't rot and the freezing getting in the between the head and the handle won't do any harm. We had been using a sledge hammer with a fiberglass handle, but the water seeped into the head and when it froze started messing up the fiberglass.

Just an idea.

Christopher

glennster · Dec 30, 2009

heres one i found on you-tube. guy carves a handle out of a block of wood. amazing the skill this old rascal has.
carve here

Anonymous-0 · Dec 30, 2009

(quoted from post at 06:25:20 12/30/09) LOL! Hi Dave,

Let me go about this at a different angle. I need to replace the handle of my axe.

I use the darned thing to bust ice in the winter on my cattle tanks and am just plain lost without it.

I know there is a 'proper procedure' for this task.

Allan

I can be a little thick headed sometimes :roll:

greenbeanman in Kansas · Dec 30, 2009

Water swells the wood to make it even tighter.

That is a theory which works well until the handle dries back out. Since the swelled fiber can not expand against the steel the fibers crush and when dry again the head will be loose. Since the fibers have been actually crushed they will not expand in water again.

So goes that theory.

I'd be tempted to just go buy a $25 axe with fiberglass handle and be done with it. Some of the ones in certain stores look pretty good while others wouldn't be worth bringing home.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 30, 2009

I remember reading to use anti freeze to soak them in to swell the handle after installing instead of water. Theory is that the anti freeze won't dry out and shrink like the water treatment does.

GordoSD · Dec 30, 2009

Get modern and install a Ritchie Omnifont, or other heated fountain. You're not dumb, just born 50 years too late

Gordo

ericlb · Dec 30, 2009

wow good article, i have to admit i been doing it wrong for 40 years, now im interested in doing it right just to see the difference in performance

inkspot · Dec 30, 2009

Allen there is a place called tips from the crew then go to hanging an ax. more snow here in lincoln today. ever ttry one of those charcoal heaters that sit in your tank assuming there is no electricy where your tank is/keep cool

olgentdc · Dec 30, 2009

Everyone OUGHT to have a good ax , You may consider getting yourseolf a Koenders Windmill. thats what keeps the ice off of my Cattle drinking Water,. Preetty Neat and Nice to LOOK at TOOO ..

Jeff B. · Dec 30, 2009

In 1975 I was 20, and worked the railroad with an old-timer that was about to retire. He showed me how to mount handles in sledge hammers & spike mauls. First, he would whittle the handle down until the head would seat firmly all the way around about 1/2" or so above the bulge. Then he would saw off the excess above and drive the long wooden wedge in tight and put one or two small steel wedges crosswise to that. They always held well, and I still do the occasional splitting maul handle the same way.

flying belgian · Dec 30, 2009

I always soaked in oil. Same theory.

keh · Dec 30, 2009

Allan,

You probably have already put the handle on by now, but let me emphasize some points. The ax head has the hole tapered. The small end must be put on first, then when driven to depth the wedge is used to spread the split handle at the wider end so it will resist flying off better.

Daddy would do the final smoothing of the handle with a piece of broken glass. Being impatient I often use an ordinary rock grinder. The best thing to quickly trim the ax handle is a stationary 6 inch belt sander.

One of the web pages listed advised against using epoxy glue, which I agree with, since it would be quite difficult to remove the handle when replacing it again. However, I have use Gorilla glue in the old handle on a pitch fork and a hoe when they became loose. If I have to replace them again I guess I'll have to use the side grinder.

KEH

JDB · Dec 30, 2009

The boss is more worried about you flying off the handle so you better get a grip! LOL

Fred Martin · Dec 30, 2009

Right about the wedges...a long wooden one down through the middle and a couple of metal ones cross ways toward each end.
The best thing to soak a loose handle in is glycerin...but, if you walk in a drug store and ask for it, that druggist may give you a good lookin over and ask you what you want that for. I think it's an ingredient for bomb making or such. It used to be good for rubbing on your old windshield wiper blades to re-vitalize the rubber...but they're probably made of synthetic rubber today, might not work. Somebody try it if you have some and report back to us. Wouldn't it be nice to get a year or two out of wiper blades today? ohfred

Lee in Iowa · Dec 30, 2009

I don't think anybody else mentioned this maybe its common knowledge. My Dad always said the best way to seat a wood handle good and tight was to fit it on as good as you could and then tap carefully on the other end with a hammer, a rubber mallet would be best I suppose to draw it on. It seems to work really good.

barn E · Dec 30, 2009

My son is about 300 lbs. and loses ax head bout every time he cuts wood. I am ready to weld a head on to a steel handle. Would the welding weaken the axe? Fibreglas is no better.

bc · Dec 31, 2009

I've always learned to pound the end of the handle end of an axe or hammer on the concrete floor with the head up in the air. The weight of the axe or hammer head just keeps driving it further down. If you still need a wedge or have a slot for one, then wedge it.

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