How to make a STRAIGHT axe handle...a few of the secrets

The East Coast Lumberjack works best listening to old 80's rock & roll music and this week he shares a few secrets about how he makes his handles straight and true. He also shares another trick to getting your wedge curf parallel with the handle sides.

[@tome.joyner887]

Lots of secrets came out today! Thanks Rod!

[@bsenalaska]

Premium handles Sir!👏🏻👏🏻

[@bsenalaska]

Great craftsmanship

[@CampfireKodiak]

I definitely prefer a straight handle. More accurate for me. How did I just now discover your channel? Subscribed!

[@eastcoastlumberjack]

Appreciate that Kodiak. Look forward to having you here. Hope this stuff is helpful

[@MattKeevil]

I have some bow saw blades and I can't believe I never thought of using them to draw the lines! Great tip!

[@scottlindblom8480]

Some really useful tips here. I make most of mine with fro, draw knife, spoke shave to rasp and finally a palm sander or scraper. I now know why I struggled using my buddies band saw. He is always on me to use the power tools as I am worn out. The band saw saved me many hours but is/was so iffy and tedious, now I know why. The bolt twists as I am running it down because the ends or bearing surfaces that contact the saw table are not true. I use almost exclusively Osage orange as its so very hard it wants to bind or burn even with low tooth count brand new blades. I only make stuff for myself and give some away or trade for vintage Scandinavian or German heads. I fit my heads and then cut my kerf so that is not a thing I need to worry about, but if and when I do I will remember this tip for stating all 3 cuts on the eye side. I like this.

[@eastcoastlumberjack]

Hey Scott - have you ever visited the website "the wood database"? (www.wood-database.com/worlds-strongest-woods/) Very cool site and tons of wood info in one place. Your Osaga orange rates behind Pignut hickory in strength, but ahead of shagbark and a few others. I must say I was surprised at how far down the list our favourite "strong" woods were.....but the ones at the top I have never heard of. Many were species from the tropics or overseas, and surprisingly Eucalyptus was ahead of both of our favouites. Glad you like the video.

[@scottlindblom8480]

I have checked that out many times, I happened on Osage looking at that website for local suitable wood. Most of the Hickory around here is too large for me to handle as I am a hobby handle maker, that said I found that Bois de arc or Osage had all the properties I was looking for for the same reason it makes what many consider to be the finest self bow wood. Super hard on the late wood ring I believe, the dark yellow rings. I only consider that a real benefit in that the leading edges of the steel dont sent the surface much during levering creating a hollow or running start to further loosen the head. Osage is about 100 percent rot proof. Meaning I can leave it in the mud and rain and the head will see more deterioration than the wood, poplar wedge not withstanding. I now used eastern red Cedar for that. Third ,it is very flexible. In my opinion it is very attractive.Not that a lumberjack such as yourself would care but being a closed grain wood I have polished it to 10K looks like glass and makes laquer thinner bead up let alone blo or wax.would make your;e new water stone work to bit a mark on it. Here is the rub, You, scratch that I cant read the bark enough to know if its where I should be splitting it to avoid knots and such. Not a viable choice for large operations but for a guy with wedges, fro, draw knife, spoke shaves and a rasp or 30 it works out. @@eastcoastlumberjack

[@scottlindblom8480]

Oh yea it glows green under a flouresent light along with Black Locust I made a few from that. @@eastcoastlumberjack

[@scottlindblom8480]

Eucalyptus likes to explode if it cracks under load at least the long leaf stuff growing in Southern California.I do have some different gum handles, , beef wood from some Aussie axe collectors and its seems pretty good but heavy like osage. @@eastcoastlumberjack

[@eastcoastlumberjack]

@@scottlindblom8480 wow! It sounds like incredible wood. Hope you find a piece to mail this way before long. Can't wait to try it and put it in one of my "keeper" axes.

[@KevinsDisobedience]

Good to see you posting again.

[@eastcoastlumberjack]

Gotta subscribe....I've just missed a week or two and have been posting about weekly for a year or so. That's the plan....lots of good stuff coming

[@slayerguitar]

Good stuff rod!

[@NorAlb_Chainsaw_Carver]

Love it! Great info man!

[@timclements2473]

Great nformation

[@oxteamster_axeman]

I've never seen a detailed conversation regarding depth of wedge (which you mention here) but also wedge type and installation in general. You seem like your attention to detail might make a good video on wedges and wedge installation.

[@eastcoastlumberjack]

....I'll add it to the list! Good idea

[@seriksson9721]

Thanks.

[@johngeddes7894]

Grain direction for my handles is annular rings parallel to axe head; and whether its a splitting maul, a sledge hammer, or an axe, I really only ever use a straight handle. Left hand is anchored down low, and the right hand slides down as the head goes toward the work piece., being right handed and everything.

[@eastcoastlumberjack]

I'm right handed....but its my left hand that slides......

[@cellerfeller1474]

If you are carving by hand with a drawknife the secret to a straight handle is this. I went to the old fellow who was teaching me and showed him my handle but he pointed out that the nub didn't line up with the lay of the eye. He said," Young feller yer tryin to make her all in one go and you can't do it. You carved out yer eye first - git her nice, flip the junk and carve out your nub - check her from time to time to make sure she lines up with eye. When you got her just haul the center out. You do up the ends right and the center will take care of herself." That was it - he went back to work and ignored me. I went him home and the gates of heaven opened! Yahoo that was the trick. Now you know . . .

[@jons2447]

Hello, Rod; "THANK YOU!" for sharing some of your 'secret sauce' for axe handles! BTW, when I make a handle I make sure the wedge cut is ALWAYS longer than the wedge. I saw a guy not cut the wedge slot & his wedge was longer than the slot. So that didn't work too good. I want to try a round wooden wedge, it might be the best, I don't know. If you know about it, please post it here. Also, I see your ash handles $10 less than hickory. Is hickory that much better? I think I want a straight, a Hetherington, & a broad axe handle. Can guesstimate how long it take you to ship 'em? Have a GREAT day, Neighbor! PS Hey, you can dance but I didn't hear music! Can you sing AND make axe handles, too? You're always welcome down here, 43 mi north of Florida, singing, dancing on just goofing around.

[@eastcoastlumberjack]

Agree on the slot Jon. On the handle pricing - quite simply hickory cost more than ash to secure. It doesn't grow here in Canada and I must travel a few days in the USA to secure it. Plus it costs more by mfbm. I can play guitar, and might try playing a song or two down the road....

[@jons2447]

@@eastcoastlumberjack Thank you, Rod!

[@mildmanneredmercifulmouse1839]

You Sir, are a TERRIFIC Grandpa !

[@eastcoastlumberjack]

Thanks MM. I try

[@Joey-L]

More dancing intro's please