Handle question

[CrowleysGhost]

Before I asked my question I'll let you know about my blacksmithing I'm doing it all old school as possible Bellows ran by foot pedal, wood and black coal for fuel. And starting with iron ore and turning it to Steel by adding my own carbon. And what I've been blacksmithing is a bearded axe with the size and weight of a maul. Now you know my metal working I need some advice on wood for handle.  I know everyone seems to think hickory is best.  I know of bitternut Hickory and Shaggy Bark Hickory both grow within my area but I've also heard of a more dense wood I also grows in my area I use it as my wood fuel Osage orange also referred to as hedge. Now the question is which Hickory would be better or the Osage orange be better? Or a combination of the two I know how to laminate wood and can make a Osage orange / Hickory laminated wood could I get some suggestions or insight from some more experienced blacksmiths who dabble with making handles?

[Glenn]

Does it have to be wood native to your area?

And where is your area of the world?

[George N. M.]

Welcome aboard from 7500' in SE Wyoming.  Glad to have you.

If you add your general location to your profile we will be able to give you better replies.  Many answers have a geographic element to them.  This is a world wide forum and we don't know if you are in ARkasas, Lapland, or Tasman ia.  (Probably cetral USA because of the osage orange reference.

You want a tough wood for a handle and both hickory and osage orange are good choices.  Some folk do have an allergy to osage orang sap.  So, use only well seasoned and dried wood.  I think hickory is more attractive but that is only my personal preference.  Osage orang will lose its yellow/orange color over time because of exposure to UV light.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Jason L]

That's quite an undertaking! I hope pictures are soon to come of the finished product! Hickory is kind of the default when it comes to handle materials these days. It's strong and good looking, just make sure the grain is good and straight. Nothing messes up a good looking handle like being broken due to poor grain orientation.  Whatever you use, make sure it's not green or it will warp and/or split. I think the standard drying time was one year per inch of thickness at one time but I can't remember exactly. I know that  someone else here  has better, or at least more accurate information than me but maybe I'm in the ballpark here.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Welcome from the Ozark mountains. From your log on, I figure you may be in Arkansas around Crowley's Ridge. I have made some hammer handles from well seasoned Osage Orange, but never a long handle for an axe, due to all the native Osage Orange around here is rather narley with knot's. It's hard to find long pieces with straight grain.

[Jobtiel1]

Osage Orange is a very good wood for an axe handle. Since you are making a splitter I would prefer it over hickory due to higher elasticity and shock absorption. Hickory is a good wood but if you use it make sure you thin it properly to really benefit from it's strength and not shock your wrists to death, commercial handles are way too thick. My favorite is ash due to it's availability in Europe, and due to it's lower hardness you can have slightly thicker handles and still have great elasticity and schock absorption. Another great option is Robinia pseudoacasia but I can't get my hands on it.

All in all make sure you have a handle that will absorb the shock from the impact and not have your wrists absorb it. Thin it.

~Jobtiel

[ThomasPowers]

Coal started to be used by blacksmiths in the high to late medieval period according to Gies & Gies in "Cathedral Forge and Waterwheel"  so using plain charcoal will buy you close to 2000 years more "traditional".

In general any wood good for making self bows will make good handles.