UK Axe Handles

[Relkin]

I need support on finding axe handles in the uk. Everything I find is crap. I’ve thought about carving my own but would prefer a easy option.

TIA

Edited January 10, 2023 by Relkin

[Husqvarna King]

13 minutes ago, Relkin said:

I need support on finding axe handles in the uk. Everything I find is crap. I’ve thought about carving my own but would prefer a easy option.

TIA

Not sure which part of the UK you are in, but Ernest Doe sell a selection of ash handles to fit different size heads. I have fitted a few from there now. 

[Stere]

What is crap about the bought ones?

 

I tried making some but found it tricky to get  ash logs to cleave along grain in a  straight line often seems to curve or be wavy. I think  a tree from a properly managed ash  plantation might have straighter grain.

 

Hickory according to wood database is slighly more elastic which seems to be one of the desired wood properties for impact tool handles.

 

Plenty of 36" hickory ones about for £20 each might be better quality than the cheapest ash ones?

 

Elastic Modulus: 2,160,000 lb_f/in² (14.90 GPa)

 

Shagbark Hickory | The Wood Database (Hardwood)

WWW.WOOD-DATABASE.COM

 

Elastic Modulus: 1,785,000 lb_f/in² (12.31 GPa)

 

European Ash | The Wood Database (Hardwood)

WWW.WOOD-DATABASE.COM

 

 

 

Ash will probably be in short supply soon due to ash die back. Japanese use oak for axe handles but maybe we should be planting some hickory in the UK? 😏

 

Another tradition species apparently is osage orange for tomahawks

Edited January 10, 2023 by Stere

[Fel]

Have a look at the KnivesandTools

website. You’ll have to do a bit of searching around on the website (keyword search works best) but they have axe handles on there.

 

I purchased a Splitting Axe from there. I think they ship from the Netherlands, but had no issues with ordering and shipping, turnaround was pretty quick.

 

knivesandtools.co.uk

[openspaceman]

11 minutes ago, Stere said:

What is crap about the bought ones?

 

I tried making some but found it tricky to get  ash logs to cleave along grain in a  straight line often seems to curve or be wavy. I think  a tree from a properly managed ash  plantation might have straighter grain.

I thought that was a benefit as you can move the handle to a point where it matches the grain.

11 minutes ago, Stere said:

 

Hickory according to wood database is slighly more elastic which seem to be one of the desired wood properties for impact tool handles.

 

Plenty of 36" hickory ones about for £20 eachmight be better quality than the cheapest ash ones?

 

Elastic Modulus: 2,160,000 lb_f/in² (14.90 GPa)

 

Shagbark Hickory | The Wood Database (Hardwood)

WWW.WOOD-DATABASE.COM

 

Elastic Modulus: 1,785,000 lb_f/in² (12.31 GPa)

 

European Ash | The Wood Database (Hardwood)

WWW.WOOD-DATABASE.COM

 

 

Holly is useful for small handles but it has half the modulus of hickory, most axe handles in shops seem to be imported hickory. Beech is up there with hickory for elasticity  and is the preferred wood for pick axe handles but not used for axes.

11 minutes ago, Stere said:

 

Ash will probably be in short supply soon due to ash die back. Japanese use oak for axe handles but maybe we should be planting some hickory? 😏

 

Yes the worry is that ash from diseased trees will have hidden loss of strength and will be used...

[Stere]

Some fancy pricey ones here:

 

Replacement Handles For Sale | Woodsmith

WWW.WOODSMITH.CO.UK

 

Nice range of sizes in length a thickness

 

Quote

I thought that was a benefit as you can move the handle to a point where it matches the grain.

 

 

.I thought you needed the grain to follow the handle fairly well if you shape against the grain to much makes it weaker.

 

 

Broken a few new bought  handles and noticed the  grain alignment was poor   like it this pic:

 

 

 

 

 

If buying one in a hardware store at least you can look at them and a try choose a  better one. But the ones in the local store if I recall correctly looked poor i think for the above issues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[openspaceman]

11 hours ago, Stere said:

thought you needed the grain to follow the handle fairly well if you shape against the grain to much makes it weaker.

Exactly that so you match the curve of the handle against the nearest curve on your cleft bit of ash and then shape it with a draw knife (or in my case a billhook held in both hands)

[Stere]

The  handle  I attempted   developed  a slight curve in both axis of direction which I thought wouldn't matter much as it was only very slight but it turned out it was actually   annoyingly noticable (in a bad way) when used.

 

Its  seems it  needed to be 100% straight on the sideways axis otherwise its not good. 😏

 

 

 

 

[Dan Maynard]

My dad's sledgehammer always had a slight curve to the handle, I could use it comfortably one way up but not the other way. Axe would be annoying as it doesn't work so well upside down.

[Relkin]

On 10/01/2023 at 23:16, Stere said:

Some fancy pricey ones here:

 

Replacement Handles For Sale | Woodsmith

WWW.WOODSMITH.CO.UK

 

Nice range of sizes in length a thickness

 

 

 

.I thought you needed the grain to follow the handle fairly well if you shape against the grain to much makes it weaker.

 

 

Broken a few new bought  handles and noticed the  grain alignment was poor   like it this pic:

 

 

 

 

 

If buying one in a hardware store at least you can look at them and a try choose a  better one. But the ones in the local store if I recall correctly looked poor i think for the above issues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks just the link I was looking for. I will try these out.

thanks for everyone’s input. I headed my first axe today with a ash handle. Found out that ash is quite soft compared to the hickory and made a mess of the handle on splitting logs. Cleaned it up and added cord,glue+tape to toughen the are. All learning curves for the noob like myself.