My father's axe

[Burnham]

I've been having some discomfort splitting firewood with my old reliable 6 pound maul, since my arthritis is buggering my hands and wrists up pretty much all the time now.

In an effort to find a more comfortable time of splitting, I dug out the axe I inherited from my father when he passed in 2002. I haven't used it hardly at all since then. I know he had it when I was young, no older than 6 or so, but he may have owned it well before that, easily. So it's in the range of 70 years old. Original handle. Plumb brand, 3-and-a-half-pound head. Rockaway pattern.

Which begs a question. @stikine will know I'm sure, but others surely could as well...how are axe handles measured for length? Include the portion within the head eye, or only the exposed portion of handle from the bottom of the head to the end? This one is 35 inches total, or about 31 inches not counting the head eye.

Anyway, it was rusty and the handle needed sanding. The handle is bunged up some at the head. Slight mushrooming of the poll, but that smoothed off OK. Overall, it is good. Here's a few pictures.

Oh, and it is much easier on my hands to use. Lighter, and maybe better balanced, and perhaps the handle absorbs shock better.

 

[lxskllr]

Purty! If I had to guess, I'd expect the measurement to from the bottom of the head to the end of the handle, but I don't know what the official standard is. I don't have any new handles here to check.

edit:
If that doesn't work for you, you might want to try something like the fiskars X25. Splits nice, and has a plastic handle that doesn't feel horrible. It's a different plastic than the ones that are filled. It's hollow, and has a nice slip to the surface, not tacky like the filled handles are. No blisters, and good shock absorption. I still prefer wood, but the fiskars is acceptable, and durable.

 

[Burnham]

I coulda/shoulda asked google first . It says from the top of the head to the end of the handle. So, 35 inches on this axe.

 

[Bermy]

Nice axe...beautiful chair!

 

[BlackSmith]

Good on you for hanging onto it. I have my grandfather’s double bit around here somewhere. I like touching things my father and grandfather used. My great grandfather’s blacksmith vice is here too.

 

[stikine]

Nice ax B. For most users the ideal handle length (for chopping) is measured by placing the end of the handle in your underarm and the tips of your fingers should just touch the base of the ax head.

I think there is a picture in One moving part ax manual.

 

[Burnham]

I'll look, and I think I recall that from One Moving Part. Great book, btw. That's how I was able to identify the pattern.

 

[lxskllr]

I've looked at the pattern charts, and some of them look virtually identical. It's like they gave every subtle change it's own name. I still don't know what my work axe is. I gave up trying to figure it out.

 

[stikine]

Post up a picture John.

 

[flushcut]

Very nice ax!

 

[lxskllr]

I think this is the best pic I have of it...




I dug it out of the ground ~20 years ago. Can't find any markings on it. Note, the blade has been reprofiled from scraping pavement. It's straighter than as-shipped I'm sure. Found in MD.

 

[Burnham]

Looks like a Rockaway. Some have pointed lugs, according to this...

Rockaway

An often misidentified pattern

www.exploringaxehistory.com

Yours is not quite pointed, but not rounded either.

Could be a Jersey too, I guess.

 

[lxskllr]

I could buy that. I'm looking at the One Moving Part page, and it seems to be pretty close. I think I've seen more thorough lists though, but I'm not sure where. It might be on my computer somewhere, or one of my computers anyway. I'll have to poke around.

 

[davidwyby]

@Burnham PM me your shipping address, I have something that I don’t have a use for, but methinks you do.

 

[Burnham]

Uh oh...dare I ask?

I can just see a hydraulic splitter showing up, postage due .

But I'll bite, see your inbox, David.

 

[Burnham]

Nice ax B. For most users the ideal handle length (for chopping) is measured by placing the end of the handle in your underarm and the tips of your fingers should just touch the base of the ax head.

I think there is a picture in One moving part ax manual.

I looked at the recommended lengths, how to measure for a proper body fit for chopping. This handle is at least 4 inches too long for me, by those standards. My father was about my size, though somewhat more heavily built in the chest and shoulders. So it would have been long for him, too.

@stikine Would splitting and chopping require a different length for best fit for purpose, do you think? Though as I say that, it wouldn't make much sense to have an axe that was good for one and worthless for the other.

 

[davidwyby]

I am 6’ and do not care for less than 34-36”. You want to keep the handle parallel with the ground so that in case of a miss, you don’t catch it in the leg. I think I have read with a longer handle, place the round on the ground, and with a shorter handle, place it up on another round.

I don’t care to lift the honkers I split, and prefer to have a little more distance/swing to build momentum, so they stay on the ground.

 

[stikine]

The reason for a shorter handle has a lot to do with accuracy. Much harder to be accurate with a handle that's too long. I'm 6 feet and a 32 feels perfect for me and meets the arm length rule for me. Chopping wise.

I could see splitting might be a bit different and maybe a longer handle could be more comfortable? I don't split much with axes.

 

[Burnham]

Thanks, both of you.

 

[Burnham]

At 5'8", I need something more like 30" or 31" perhaps. I may check out handles from the outfit @stikine has posted a link to in another thread. Or I may just muddle on with the original handle...it is older than me, so it must be somewhat experienced .

Welcome to House Handle Company

www.househandle.com

 

[lxskllr]

No cops are gonna showup if you use an 'unapproved' handle. You might find you like something different than standard. I use short handled tools for just about everything, most extreme being my splitting maul. It's about 18" total length. I wouldn't mind a couple extra inches, but it's fine. You gain accuracy while losing power. I like it cause I can swing it one handed without choking up, which I really hate. Means I can easily hold a wedge while driving it. Pretty much have to set the wood on a round, but I prefer that anyway. Harder surface that doesn't rob power from the swing, and no axe blades in the dirt when using axes.

 

[davidwyby]

The length might increase velocity/energy with the lighter head…if it feels wobbly and inaccurate, it’s too long.

 

[davidwyby]

This head style is probably the ticket for a light splitter. I like these guys, have bought a few axes from them.

Muller Dynam-Ax Splitting Axe - Wisemen Trading and Supply

Made in Austria for true quality The cushioned head of the axe not only reduces user fatigue but also converts more of the impact energy into splitting

wisementrading.com

 

[stikine]

At 5'8", I need something more like 30" or 31" perhaps. I may check out handles from the outfit @stikine has posted a link to in another thread. Or I may just muddle on with the original handle...it is older than me, so it must be somewhat experienced .

Welcome to House Handle Company

www.househandle.com

Ask for the "hand picked" option... it's worth the minor added cost because the grain orientation will be right and there shouldn't be a lot of grain run out.

 

[Cobleskill]

I would like to try one of those. I use a Fiskars that is a similar style and works pretty good. I like the blade getting thick quickly. The Fiskars does get stuck on tough ones. It starts off thin. If they don't split in two or three cracks it gets tossed for the log splitter.