My primitive axe

[Sam Salvati]

Forged this up today, Saw Ed's and HAD to try it (thanks Ed!). Salvaged a small hickory axe handle I had laying around, blade is 5160. The handle was drilled with a small pilot hole, then the tang was burned in about 75%, then it was Ht'd and all, then I bent the tang with a slight curve and wedged it all the way in. SOLID, and it get's better with every hit, no glue or pins or anything. Cut through a 7" pine tree no problem.

[Chad J]

Thats awesome Sam! That is definitely a unique design. Chad

[jake pogrebinsky]

Hey,that's pretty cool!Never woulda thunk that it'd hang in there,that a way!(I'd still be tempted to ferrulise it somehow-above,below,both-just a narrow band or two.Either that,or handle with a knobkerrie-like rootball grained handle,terminating in a burl...).
Neat job!

[Sam Salvati]

Thanks Chad! I was pleasantly surprised by how well it works too.

Jake, It is wedged in two ways, wedged itself with the taper of the tang, and wedged in that the hole was burnt straight, but the tang has a slight crown to it. Also it is just a plain press fit, I only burned the tang in with 1/2" left until it hit the shoulders, let it wedge itself right up to the shoulders as I chopped the first couple of times. The soot left in the hole I think helps, don't ask me why though hehe. I thought maybe a back cap, which the tang would stick through and then I would peen it over like a buttcap, but as the tang would wedge itself through bit by bit it would come loose or I would have to keep peening it. I know that alot of handles are made this way in the south Asian countries, tang just burned in and left press fitted and they hold up for years. If I were to sell one, I'd definitely go for a bigger knob on top and a bit of epoxy.

[Angus]

Well that is a really nice design, this way sure cures the problem of keeping the head of the axe on handle. Very nice.....

[Bentiron1946]

Nice looking axe, that should do for an adze or grub hoe, very versatile tool.

[Sam Salvati]

Thanks guys!

Angus, so far so good, going to oil the handle tomorrow but it's still tight as it was day one.

Jerry, I read the African dudes who make this style, make them so they can be taken out of the handle and turned 90 degrees to be used as both an axe and an adze/hoe.

[Ed Steinkirchner]

very nice Sam! that is the next evolution of that simple design of mine. and the next that i make will be similar to that, not identicle, but similar. i know what you mean about the soloidness of the attachment, but if you have the wrong taper on the tang, or a loose fit, the blade goes flyin into the woods on the upswing and you need to go through the black raspberry bushes to get it back.(just trust me on this one) mine was made at a demonstration so not very ornate or complex, more a proof of concept thing. again, very nice, and i am honored someone liked it enough to take it further.

Ed Steinkirchner