Axes and handles

[outofthefire]

Presumably to knock the hoops down with?

Could be, but we also make coopers hammers and hoop drivers, the hoop driver surprised me the most because i'd have thought that would have been curved.

 

[pedrobedro]

I replaced the fibre glass shafts on our mauls with bits of pipe off forestry machines. Was concerned that you might get more vibration in your hands but it’s fine.

My £10 maul cracked the cutting edge so I cut it off straight down the front and reground the profile and it now works 100% better. Where it used to stick and lift the wood it now pulls out for the next strike. I always worked on the Ouija board principle when hitting the wood, more luck than judgement If it ever breaks it will get some pipe welded in and a piece of rubber hose for a handle cover but now I have a hydraulic splitter it doesn't see much action.

 

[Mick Annick]

Could be, but we also make coopers hammers and hoop drivers, the hoop driver surprised me the most because i'd have thought that would have been curved.


View attachment 262339 View attachment 262340

Now you mention it I can recall seeing the tool at the bottom, not seen the hammers though

 

[Memmeddu]

Sorry, you know as much as I do.

There might be a video somewhere showing them being made...

I'll have a look anyway.

I miss the part where once fitted on the handle and driven into the head it will not expand or Allow the handle to expand into the head so I can't understand how the fit those reinforcement collars on the handle .
Because it has to be inside the tools head to be some kind of useful.
And that's for everything .
Axes ,pickaxes,hammers, sledgehammers etc .

 

[Memmeddu]

The sleeve slides on first then the head is fitted then the wedges stop it all coming off.

Sleeve on the head first?
Or on the handle first?

 

[Screwdriver]

Sleeve on the head first?
Or on the handle first?

I'll fetch mine out of the shed and see if I can tell. One assumes the collar is fitted to the shaft then the head is driven over it. Don't know how far up the handle it goes, don't recall seeing it poking out of the top!

 

[Migmac]

This a felling/snedding axe, 1960/70 era. It's only 70cm total length. It was my wife's grandfathers, he was a very small man. 4 foot something

 

[Memmeddu]

So what I've managed to do today.
I've removed the axe head from the old handle.
Fitted a pickaxe handle which shouldn't never come loose alone

Driven it with an hammer till it got stuck , after that propane torch heated till straw came out and driven the axe head other 25mm .
Quenched and I think that once fitted the wedges and oiled with boiled linseed oil it will never come apart .
The eye has 20x45mm , I've fitted the the handle till where it was 28x50mm .
Helped by the wood and from the expansion of the cause the heat applied I'm pretty confident that it will never become loose.
Not sure if I'll be able to drive the wedges in to it .
Started to shape the handle to a slightly s curve .
But just slightly it's practically straight but just little bit easier to handle .
Tomorrow I'll be hopefully able to upload images since today I forgot to make some

 

[pedrobedro]

Not sure if I'll be able to drive the wedges in to it .

I cut a slot in mine with a tenon saw before I fit the head then drive the wooden wedge into the slot and a metal cleat in the other direction to hold it in place.

 

[Memmeddu]

I cut a slot in mine with a tenon saw before I fit the head then drive the wooden wedge into the slot and a metal cleat in the other direction to hold it in place.

I rely on the heat/press fit
A single wedge should be able fine , double better

 

[magnet]

In Russia and maybe other places they put in the regular wedge slot then two more at 90 degrees to it and drive in 7 small wedges that spread the shaft in all directions. I have used this method and it makes for a secure fitment.Also in lieu of a metal wedge to hold the wooden wedge in i tap a small fencing staple in its neat and does the job well.

 

[Screwdriver]

I rely on the heat/press fit
A single wedge should be able fine , double better

I would be wary of using such a process at such a critical junction. The science is not exactly definite on the subject though I'm sure if done properly it must work but get it slightly wrong and it will weaken the wood.

"The ignition temperature of wood is affected by how long itis exposed to heat. Woodusually ignites at 250 – 300 C. After ignition, the wood begins to carbonise at a rate of 0.8 mm per minute."

Yellow tempering oxidation colours occurs between 210-250C. "The thermal softening of dry wood begins at a temperature of about 180 C ... Then the lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose in the wood begin to disintegrate."

Sources:
https://www.woodproducts.fi/content/wood-a-material-4
https://www.westyorkssteel.com/technical-information/steel-heat-treatment/tempering-temperatures/

It's probably a "well known" process I was previously unaware of for heat shrinking steel to wood (!) but it looks a bit fraught to me.

 

[Memmeddu]

I would be wary of using such a process at such a critical junction. The science is not exactly definite on the subject though I'm sure if done properly it must work but get it slightly wrong and it will weaken the wood.

"The ignition temperature of wood is affected by how long itis exposed to heat. Woodusually ignites at 250 – 300 C. After ignition, the wood begins to carbonise at a rate of 0.8 mm per minute."

Yellow tempering oxidation colours occurs between 210-250C. "The thermal softening of dry wood begins at a temperature of about 180 C ... Then the lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose in the wood begin to disintegrate."

Sources:
https://www.woodproducts.fi/content/wood-a-material-4
https://www.westyorkssteel.com/technical-information/steel-heat-treatment/tempering-temperatures/

It's probably a "well known" process I was previously unaware of for heat shrinking steel to wood (!) but it looks a bit fraught to me.

It didn't smoke and the wood was clean under it just little bit brownish
I think that it should not being affected by the heat or at least not too much

 

[Moose McAlpine]

Also got a log splitter that you hammer in....whats that called? its sort of star shaped

Splitting wedge or grenade.

 

[BarrieJ]

This a felling/snedding axe, 1960/70 era. It's only 70cm total length. It was my wife's grandfathers, he was a very small man. 4 foot something

View attachment 262350

View attachment 262351

It would be interesting to know whether your wife's grandfather's axe has a history previous to him, the profile of the head is almost identical to a collier's or miner's axe by Elwell or Cornelius Whitehouse of Cannock. Known as a 'Ty Gwyn' in Welsh (white house). I believe Whitehouse registered the design. The poll on a miner's axe generally more pronounced than yours though.
Was the gentleman a resident of Kintyre; I believe the area has a history of coal mining stretching back to the late 15th century, is it not the Machrihanish coalfield?.

The top of the axe being straight allowed it to be used close to the roof when setting timbers. The handle or 'leg' being generally shortened to give the axe an overall length of 24" which allowed it to be used in confined spaces and also a useful measure as rails underground were set 2ft apart (leastways that was the case in the South Wales coalfields). The hole in the handle allowed the tool to have an iron bar slid through it locking it together with the miner's pick and shovel.
This dates from the time when colliers purchased their own tools and thus prevented other workers from 'borrowing' them.

It gave rise to the expression once often heard in mining communities: "The tools are on the bar", meaning their working lives were finished and if the male members of my family were anything to go by, generally their health too.

Total weight varied between 6lb to 8lb and they became redundant when timber pit props were replaced with hydraulic from the 1950's onwards.

I have both my grandfather's, who started underground in about 1880 and my father's who started in the same pit in 1917. The larger poll can be seen in the example below.

 

[Migmac]

It would be interesting to know whether your wife's grandfather's axe has a history previous to him, the profile of the head is almost identical to a collier's or miner's axe by Elwell or Cornelius Whitehouse of Cannock. Known as a 'Ty Gwyn' in Welsh (white house). I believe Whitehouse registered the design. The poll on a miner's axe generally more pronounced than yours though.
Was the gentleman a resident of Kintyre; I believe the area has a history of coal mining stretching back to the late 15th century, is it not the Machrihanish coalfield?.

The top of the axe being straight allowed it to be used close to the roof when setting timbers. The handle or 'leg' being generally shortened to give the axe an overall length of 24" which allowed it to be used in confined spaces and also a useful measure as rails underground were set 2ft apart (leastways that was the case in the South Wales coalfields). The hole in the handle allowed the tool to have an iron bar slid through it locking it together with the miner's pick and shovel.
This dates from the time when colliers purchased their own tools and thus prevented other workers from 'borrowing' them.

It gave rise to the expression once often heard in mining communities: "The tools are on the bar", meaning their working lives were finished and if the male members of my family were anything to go by, generally their health too.

Total weight varied between 6lb to 8lb and they became redundant when timber pit props were replaced with hydraulic from the 1950's onwards.

I have both my grandfather's, who started underground in about 1880 and my father's who started in the same pit in 1917. The larger poll can be seen in the example below.

View attachment 262615

I’m pretty sure it was new when it was issued to him. I have a heavier one in the same design. Yours is slightly different from mine, mine don’t have the bit that looks like it’s there to hammer on.Both came from the wife’s grandfather, who got them from the Forestry Commission. Can’t find out for definite as he died in 2000.

There is a mining history here but GF lived and work in Dumfriesshire. The mine head is at Machrihanish but the mines I believe go in all directions. All flooded now or full of concrete. There was a railway from Machrihanish to Campbeltown to move the coal to the port.

 

[Memmeddu]

So yesterday evening I've completed the handle ,still have to apply boiled linseed oil because It's not available right now or at least not boiled one is available but I think to remember that there's something wrong with it.
Compled to shape the handle ,put 2 wedges in the handle ,I have to punch them down other 2 or 3 mm (now flush with the wood)
As said before the head is heat and press fitted then quenched so it's pretty tight .
Applying oil on the handle it will expand more.
The handle is made out of dried beech tree wood .
Shaped using an utility knife ,then used 80 grit sandpaper to remove imperfections and finally used 220 grit sandpaper to smooth out everything.
I'll use 400 or even 800 grit sandpaper prior to apply boiled linseed oil.
I have to sharpen the edge , and cold blue the head .
The handle is straight but it has a slight S shape just for aesthetical purpose .
It's born as pickaxe handle so I can say to be happy with the result.
It's roughly 50cm long.
Edit forgot to upload images

 

[DennisCA]

Looks good!

I would personally leave the head alone, or paint it using a spray can, that will give better rust protection than cold blue.

I don't bother sanding the shaft too fine, it grips better if you leave it at 240 or so. Though the old timers who made commercial shafts by hand (early 20th century) would use a piece of broken glass as a scraper for a final finish.

You can see the procedure here

 

[Memmeddu]

Just applied linseed oil .
Heated the handle with an air gun , and used a brush to apply the oil till it wouldn't take other then rubbed using gloves .
It's becoming pretty nice to see .
Now being not boiled or polymer linseed oil but just natural linseed oil,I don't know when reapply it .
Boiled linseed oil should be applied
Once a day for a week, once a week for a month,once a month for a year ,once a year every year .
Now I've read that linseed oil should cure in 2 weeks?
I don't know how to proceed now

 

[DennisCA]

Sounds to me like it's basically finished, you can take it as far as you like though, but I would probably let it dry and then maybe apply a little oil every year or so (honestly though I don't even do that). I do use boiled linseed oil because it cures quicker. Regular linseed oil penetrates deeper however.