Cobbs
Member
- Messages
- 46
Hi,
New to the forum, but just had to reply to this one.
One of the strings to my cash bow is re-handling and sharpening tools for the local hardware shop, something I've been doing for a long time and I long ago lost count of all the sledges I've done.
Do not add water to the mix! A properly seasoned ash or hickory handle, either of which is available "off the shelf" will do the job nicely, just make sure it's a tight fit before you wedge it. These days I generally use a flap disc in an angle grinder to take off the excess. There should be one hardwood wedge running the length of the eye and a steel wedge running across. If you have a circular wedge available, use that instead of the flat steel wedge - it'll do a much better job, by spreading the wood in all directions.
Swelling the wood with water to correct a badly fitting handle is a classic mistake. As stated earlier in the thread, in the long run it leads to an ever looser fit - far better to fit another wedge.
New to the forum, but just had to reply to this one.
One of the strings to my cash bow is re-handling and sharpening tools for the local hardware shop, something I've been doing for a long time and I long ago lost count of all the sledges I've done.
Do not add water to the mix! A properly seasoned ash or hickory handle, either of which is available "off the shelf" will do the job nicely, just make sure it's a tight fit before you wedge it. These days I generally use a flap disc in an angle grinder to take off the excess. There should be one hardwood wedge running the length of the eye and a steel wedge running across. If you have a circular wedge available, use that instead of the flat steel wedge - it'll do a much better job, by spreading the wood in all directions.
Swelling the wood with water to correct a badly fitting handle is a classic mistake. As stated earlier in the thread, in the long run it leads to an ever looser fit - far better to fit another wedge.