The Home Machinist!

Not sure what "I don't think so" applies to, but expanding the wood in both directions is part of getting a fit that doesn't move. Analyze the hole made for a handle and see that it's larger at the openings on both ends, tapered towards a point somewhere near center. That means you must have some slop at the outer end once the handle is installed. Expanding the wood (with a wedge) tightens the fit. It need not be steel, but a cross wedge goes a long ways towards ensuring the head doesn't move by expanding the wood in the second axis.

Can you achieve the same results without the wedge? Possibly, but using a hydrocarbon to expand the wood adequately is questionable in my mind. If you've done any wood working, you realize that water swells wood grain nicely, but oil based finishes do not. While you may gain some expansion, it won't rival that of water, so it makes more sense to rely on wedges, properly installed, than to soak the head in oil in the hopes that it will replace proper workmanship.

To quote Patio, "that's the world according to Harold."

H

Now, Harold. How would you feel if I let the axe guy tell me you were wrong about machining?

SteveHGraham wrote: ↑Tue Sep 18, 2018 3:10 pm Now, Harold. How would you feel if I let the axe guy tell me you were wrong about machining?

"that's the world according to Harold."

H

He lives up your way. I think you need to settle this with your fists.

Sounds like You both are"chips off the old (same) block."

I soaked the axe head in RV antifreeze for around an hour and a half. I may hit it with pure dipropylene glycol when my bottle arrives.

Later this week I'll find a small live oak that needs killing, and we'll see if the axe goes ballistic.

I have been reading about round wedges. They look like a better idea than flat ones. I don't think a round wedge would be as inclined to make a handle split.

Today I obliterated a small tree that annoyed me. I'm happy to report that the axe head didn't fly off or move around on the handle.

Cutting trees with an axe is horrible, isn't it? I may start cutting several every week just for the exercise. I hate live oaks, so I am planning to kill every small one on the farm.

So....
Did I miss the discussion as to why you are not using a chain saw to eliminate the oaks?
~RN

A hill guy came to town and wanted a new fangled chain saw. He heard they would cut trees faster than any axe. So the guy at the store sold him a small chain saw and the guy appeared the next day, very unhappy. He claimed the saw did no better than the axe, and he could not get it to produce more cut trees than before.

By the way, what is the rope for?? (BBBbbrrrrunnn!)

I use chainsaws all the time, unfortunately.

I also wanted an axe. I needed something to break up a chemically treated stump, and I figured there had to be jobs a person needs an axe for. It seemed weird to have acreage, trees, and no axe.

First I got a maul to break up a chemically treated stump, and then I decided to get a couple of felling axes. Whether the axes will get any use, I cannot say.

I use Hults Bruk Dave Canterbury Axe. It's realy good axe for home and camping. It was created by the famous, experienced blacksmith Cartenbury. His axe design is wisely based on the traditional pattern that was popular throughout the 19th century and used by professional woodmen. Dave a well-known also as an outdoor, wilderness and survival skills instructor. So, he tried to make the axe not too heavy, good for hobby use. You can read about there prons and cons here https://bestoutdooritems.com/best-felling-axe/
Of course everybody need to do his choise, but i think it's perfect axe.
You can choise your axe after watching this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgejAfJvcT0

If it's a rotten stump....who cares...any axe will do....but I say, forget the axe....and burn it out