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Hafting an Axe: DIY (2020)

33 points by 1PlayerOne 4y ago

Waterluvian 4y ago
If this fascinates you, be sure to check out this video on making a celt axe using low tech methods. https://youtu.be/BN-34JfUrHY https://youtu.be/BN-34JfUrHY This entire channel is fascinating and strives to be very “authentic” about doing everything without turning off the camera and cheating.
- 1PlayerOne 4y ago
  There are so many old American made axes for people who are interested that there is really no need to go low tech. You can pick up axes or axe head for cheap at yard sales or estate sales, follow the instruction in the article to make an axe that rivals what you can get on Amazon.
  - lostlogin 4y ago
    I had an axe lose its head mid swing once. It was a long and terrifying flight. It flew a very long way but luckily missed everything that matters. This guide would have been very helpful for fixing it.
    - Waterluvian 4y ago
      To be fair it’s not trying to be a guide. It’s more of a “let’s explore historical technology for education and fun.” I love the series of his videos where he harvests and smelts iron. All using things he finds or builds in the forest.
inamberclad 4y ago
I definitely recommend old USFS videos on axe work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22tBYD-HMtA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22tBYD-HMtA
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
crdrost 4y ago
Re-hafting various hammers and axes with ash wood is one of Eoin Reardon's favorite things to do on his TikTok and YouTube, see e.g. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipHiPNA8rsA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipHiPNA8rsA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3z6AjHOO58 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3z6AjHOO58 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOadiyVyL2M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOadiyVyL2M Apparently ash has some very nice elasticity/damping properties, making it very nice to use the resulting implements? Always a nice meditative watch.
- Someone 4y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraxinus_excelsior#Uses https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraxinus_excelsior#Uses: “The resilience and rapid growth made it an important resource for smallholders and farmers. It was probably the most versatile wood in the countryside with wide-ranging uses. Until World War II, the trees were often coppiced on a 10-year cycle to provide a sustainable source of timber for fuel and poles for building and woodworking. […] Ash timber is hard, tough and very hard-wearing, with a coarse, open grain and a density of 710 kg/m3. It lacks oak's natural resistance to decay, and is not as suitable for posts buried in the ground. Because of its high flexibility, shock resistance, and resistance to splitting, ash wood is the traditional material for bows, tool handles, especially for hammers and axes, tennis rackets, and snooker cue sticks, and it was extensively used in the construction of early aircraft” I guess ash trees growing easily and producing timber that can be used in all kinds of way also is the reason Yggdrasil (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yggdrasil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yggdrasil) is an ash tree.
- bschwarz 4y ago
  The wood of ash branches in particular is especially nice for this purpose. Hornbeam as well!

33 points by 1PlayerOne 4y ago

If this fascinates you, be sure to check out this video on making a celt axe using low tech methods. https://youtu.be/BN-34JfUrHY https://youtu.be/BN-34JfUrHY This entire channel is fascinating and strives to be very “authentic” about doing everything without turning off the camera and cheating.

1PlayerOne 4y ago
There are so many old American made axes for people who are interested that there is really no need to go low tech. You can pick up axes or axe head for cheap at yard sales or estate sales, follow the instruction in the article to make an axe that rivals what you can get on Amazon.
- lostlogin 4y ago
  I had an axe lose its head mid swing once. It was a long and terrifying flight. It flew a very long way but luckily missed everything that matters. This guide would have been very helpful for fixing it.
  - Waterluvian 4y ago
    To be fair it’s not trying to be a guide. It’s more of a “let’s explore historical technology for education and fun.” I love the series of his videos where he harvests and smelts iron. All using things he finds or builds in the forest.

inamberclad 4y ago

I definitely recommend old USFS videos on axe work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22tBYD-HMtA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22tBYD-HMtA

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

crdrost 4y ago

Re-hafting various hammers and axes with ash wood is one of Eoin Reardon's favorite things to do on his TikTok and YouTube, see e.g. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipHiPNA8rsA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipHiPNA8rsA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3z6AjHOO58 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3z6AjHOO58 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOadiyVyL2M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOadiyVyL2M Apparently ash has some very nice elasticity/damping properties, making it very nice to use the resulting implements? Always a nice meditative watch.

Someone 4y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraxinus_excelsior#Uses https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraxinus_excelsior#Uses: “The resilience and rapid growth made it an important resource for smallholders and farmers. It was probably the most versatile wood in the countryside with wide-ranging uses. Until World War II, the trees were often coppiced on a 10-year cycle to provide a sustainable source of timber for fuel and poles for building and woodworking. […] Ash timber is hard, tough and very hard-wearing, with a coarse, open grain and a density of 710 kg/m3. It lacks oak's natural resistance to decay, and is not as suitable for posts buried in the ground. Because of its high flexibility, shock resistance, and resistance to splitting, ash wood is the traditional material for bows, tool handles, especially for hammers and axes, tennis rackets, and snooker cue sticks, and it was extensively used in the construction of early aircraft” I guess ash trees growing easily and producing timber that can be used in all kinds of way also is the reason Yggdrasil (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yggdrasil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yggdrasil) is an ash tree.
bschwarz 4y ago
The wood of ash branches in particular is especially nice for this purpose. Hornbeam as well!