Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
A little OT - Loose Axe Head
Joe in a Cleveland suburb
I remember this being talked about here at WC some years back, but using Google search on WC, I can't find any threads...
The head on my trusty old Boy Scout hatchet is starting to come loose. What are some simple methods to tighten it back up without ruining it?
Are those little metal wedge things the accepted way?
Thanks!
Ax head theory
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
Someplace published pictures to illustrate this effect some years past.
Starting with a perfectly fitted ax head, or anything with an "eye", the wood may find itself in a damp environment and swell. Swelling may be sufficient to crush the wood cells, for example foolishly putting ax in bucket of water to swell it tight, temporarily! When the wood dries out at some time in the future the crushed cells will not re-expand to fill the eye and the head will become loose.
I have used axes most of my life, being given one by my grandfather at age 9. I initially fit with a wood wedge. Then if it loosens to where a tap on the handle does not tighten it permanently, drive in a steel wedge flush with wood end. If it loosens again drive in the steel wedge some more.
For some things I seal the end grain of the wedge with epoxy to retard moisture take up and loss.
Second Bill's comments....
John in NM
I'll just add a couple more points.
It looks like the manufacturer used a large metal wedge (many did), so I doubt the little metal ones will help much. I usually rehandle axes when the head gets loose and go with a wood wedge that is as thin as possible. I don't like the poplar wedges that come with a typical handle, so I usually make new ones out of something tougher - the wedge should stay in one piece and poplar tends to split.
Re: A little OT - Loose Axe Head
Ralph Lipeles
First, remove all of the old wedge. This will allow the handle to be removed for a good inspection. If it is good, make a new wedge. Then put the handle and wedge on a heated surface for a day or 2 to dry the wood prior to reassembling. I put them on the sheet metal cover of my oil borner. Now, with the parts good and dry, reassemble and trim off the part of the wedge that sticks out past the handle. That should do the job. If the handle was only a little bit loose you might try Chairlock. It's a liquid made for furniture repairs. It expands the wood fibers. Chairlock is sold at many hardware stores and also on line.
Step 1
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
Whack the end of the handle to set the head. If it stays tight....done. If not then wedge.
Question
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
How do you remove the wooden wedge from an ax eye?
Re: A little OT - Loose Axe Head
DocJim
Is that a metal wedge or a wooden wedge already in the head? There was an episode I just watch on "How It's Made" on the Science channel. It showed a smith making a hand sledge. When he attached the handle and drove in the wedge he followed it with a round wedge that put pressure in all directions. If your wedge is wood a round wedge might well tighten it up.
I like round wedges...
John in NM
I've never seen them for sale in the US (heard they were more of a European thing), but the tools I've had that came with them lasted really well so I tend to think they are a good idea.
I once made a new handle for a tiny hammer that my mother had as a child. The eye was so small and with little taper that I didn't trust a cut and a wedge. Made a round one out of a Swagelok compression sleeve for 1/4" tubing - Their fittings are unlike the double sided compression sleeves you get at the hardware store, the sleeve has a steeper angle and only tapers one direction.
Re: A little OT - Loose Axe Head
Jack Guzman from Maine
Simple fix. Hold the handle in the normal position and hit the part under your hand on a solid object,like a bench top,hard. Then using a blunt metal object drive that wedge in deeper. Should do the trick.
Re: Question
Ralph Lipeles
It usually takes me a while and needs patience. I poke at it with a round pin punch. The punches I use are 3/32" and 1/8". I also use a piece of flat stock 1/16" and 3/32" by 3/4" by about 6" long. I sometimes have to split the wedge with an Exacto knife. I poke at the wedge or wedge pieces, left and right, until it/they are loose enough to grab with the Exacto knife or long nose pliers and pull it/them out.