You should know, there's viewers out here that appreciate your tool collection greatly. I very much respect your efforts to hand this knowledge down. Fewer and fewer of us have these skill sets now and sharing that is something valuable. Thank you for your service.
You're one of the best teachers there is man! I've commented on other wood workers pages and they are super rude and expect me to know everything. I appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos to show us youngsters and inexperienced people how to do the job traditionally and correctly. Thank you.
If you study the three pins on the metal wedge, you can see that they are chisel ground alternating ways! They will bend out into the wood when you pound it in! I love them! Have used a lot of them here in Norway :)
@@fergusslater3739 Google SFIX hammer wedge. In swedish it is skaftkil. Here is an instruction picture, almost as shown here. The instruction suggests wood-glue for the wedge. www.hakma.se/outdoor/yxor/skaft/smedbergs-skaftkil-stift-smedbergs-55-cm.html
Nobody can beat the Scandinavians when it comes to the craftsmanship used in woodworking tools. The Canadians aren’t bad but they’re still young, relatively speaking.
This is without a doubt one of the most informative and enjoyable videos I’ve ever watched. It is brilliant on every level and is worthy of an award! To paraphrase “If I can replicate this with my log splitter - I’ll be barking like six puppies!” If only everyone took so much interest and pride in their work. Thank you!
I really appreciate your level of craftsmanship and knowledge. I followed my grandpa around in his shop and learned as much as I could from him but he was a very quiet man. You’ve got a great knack for explaining the small details. Thanks!
You nailed it on how to handle an axe head. So many "experts" have no idea what they are talking about. IF you take the time to watch the REAL experts who make them from businesses that have been around for over 100+ years, they do what you did. Awesome demo.
Hi Cody, I started watching your videos to learn to hang an axe. In particular, the Small Forest Axe. I have to say that my experience putting on the new handle was exactly the same. It came perfect from the factory, no adjustments needed. Gransfors Burks is an excellent company. I have had my Small Forest Axe going on 10 years and almost never go in to the woods without it. On a different note I wanted to thank you for the hard work you put into your channel. Wranglerstar is the first channel I have subscribed too and now commented on. I find the content truly inspiring. Thanks, Matt
I got my first Gransfors axe yesterday, a Scandinavian Forest. Thanks to your videos, I'm confident that I'll be able to care for it well. So sad to see the old handle on your Small Forest go, but I hope that this new one lasts just as long. Thank you, Cody!
I recently re-handled a Gransfors mini belt hatchet with the same results. The hatchet was only a few years old but the handle got loose. I purchased a replacement handle and it fit perfectly with no rasping or trimming necessary. The only difference with the mini is neither the factory handle nor the replacement handle had a metal wedge. Instead of BLO, I used a product called Swel-Lok. I did use linseed oil mixed with gum turpentine on the rest of the handle. This little hatchet doesn't get a lot of use, but so far it appears to be holding up well. Thanks for your videos!
Well your the very 1st to show how to draw the head onto the handle correctly. There is no other way to do this properly. I've been doing this way for well over 45 yrs. IT WORKS. Thanks for a great video.
And you know that axe sees hard use. It is his favorite and he uses it constantly unlike my fiberglass handled Home Depot special which which hangs on the wall 99.999% of its life.
Tenspeed TheBikeHanger axes only see hard use if you treat them badly, for example, wranglestar treated that axe good, and look at how long it lasted, i dont know about the home depot axe, ive never ever been to home depot , but my sledgehammer and my splitting maul, and they are both fiberglass, and they work perfectly
Duarte Monteiro I sense a language barrier. Hard use is not abuse, it simply means the tool sees a lot of use. It was not a criticism on how Cody treats his tools, it simply means he uses the tool. As for the rest of my post, I was just being a bit facetious, I am not criticizing fiberglass handled tools either, I was just trying to point to the amusing irony of one man that uses an axe nearly every day and another that might use it once in two years. I'm sorry you read so much into my post, it really wasn't intended to argue a point or offend anyone.
Thanks for the wealth of knowledge you are so kindly sharing! I have only found your channel this month and have already absorbed an enormous amount of useful information! I recently received my first quality swedish hatchet and have already applied your sharpening tips and handle preparation tips to remove any factory inconsistencies (which were almost non-existent in this case thankfully) and about to begin oiling to preserve the handle for a lifetime of work. Your videos are almost like a form of meditation! Very calm and my mind is expanded at the end of each one :) Thank you
I just put a new handle on my splitting maul using your techniques in this video...worked great and I am very happy with the results! Thanks for these instructional videos. Mike
I am impressed with these axes from this manufacturer. I rescued a Gransfors axe head from a life of abuse that I found on craigs list. It was obviously abused and the original handle gone. Mine was an AS stamped head. I ordered a new handle from manufacturer and repaired the damage as best as I could. The poll was badly damaged from steel on steel impacts. I filed most of the damage out and trued it back up. It is now a wonderful tool that I am proud to own. They do make outstanding products. I will be passing on to somebody for many more years of service. Treating the hickory handle with boiled linseed oil is essential imo.... makes all the difference on wood handles.
I'm so glad that I stumbled onto your channel. I'm a bit addicted to restoring old tools atm & enjoy building on my skills of using hand tools over power tools where I can. Find these sorts of videos very satisfying & therapeutic. Greetings from Australia 👍
I, too, am enjoying restoration of old tools. It's therapeutic. I hail from a poor farming family in eastern Missouri. We wasted not one thing. We are the original recyclers. My neighbors are landscapers. They toss away quality rakes and shovels and hoes. I dig them out and give these tools a new life. It is so much fun. The older stuff is really good steel.
Thank you @Wranglerstar for the meaningful, non clickbait title! I respect either way, but just letting you know you have subscribers that find this extremely refreshing!
WranglerStar, Thank you very much for these two videos. I know you have previously done videos on putting on new handles, but I learn something new every time. When I was much younger my father was stationed in Japan and we had a folding saw much like the smaller one you have and you are so right, those things are incredible. We had it for years and took it out when we went camping with the Boy Scouts (back when they were still Scouts and teaching useful skills). It never failed us. He may still have it.
Very glad to have seen this I’m a blacksmith and hanging a axe for someone and they wanted me to put a little touch on it I’m gonna throw blacksmith stain on the custom wooden handle maybe put that deer string under the head to protect for overbite but just found the cherry on top I think I’ll go make one of those metal wedges just gonna make it a tad bit smaller so less chance of cracking
My grandfather left me an ax and 2 American made knives. and I'm keeping it as a very valuable keepsake. I once heard him say that white ash is an optimal choice for the handle of an ax. my grandpa is gone...i always keep it and will restore it someday. thanks for your good video, your tutorial, very good inspirational video
It is always a soothing time for me when I watch and listen to you working in your shop. Thank you for all the great info. I just rehung a Hults Bruks 2 1/4lbs head that I paid $2 for at a garage sale. I could not have done it with out your videos
Sir, I wanted to thank you for the help through your channel. Watching this and some of your other videos I have been able to successfully handle my own ax, using only hand tools.
Thanks to your videos, I was able to rebuild an Old Plumb "Destroyer" axe that belonged to my father. New handle, metal guard below the head and a handmade sheath. Still hard a work today!
Using the Boiled linseed oil is a great idea, as the expansion will take a bit of time to fully occur, so once you have seated the wedge it will continue to expand make the handle tighter and more secure on the axe head than any glue or epoxy every would!, great video and I always learn something new watching your videos :)
Thanks for making this video. I have been doing it all wrong this whole time but, now I know the right way. It will come in handy when it's time to put a handle on the war hammer I'm forging. Great video my good man!
Oh Cody! Thank you,the wood shop looks so good & every time I see the Gransfors Bruk Axes....... Man, I really am impressed! I bought the Fiskars Hatchet & regret it every day!
I just want to thank you for sharing your vast knowledge of fixing things. You have really helped me out over the years. Thank you from David Hoover ,Chattanooga, TN.
You videos are great, very relaxing, they are like ASMR and I have to watch them twice because I listened to the story in the background and didn't watch your labor.
Cody, This video came just in time for me. I am in the process of making handles to rehang all my great uncle's Stanley hatchets and Swedish axes. Always good to watch the job you do on tool handles. Thanks for sharing as always, Brad
Such a satisfying video to watch! Most people would've lost my attention in the first couple minutes. The way you explained everything and show your gratification along the way keeps things very interesting. Thanks for all the great content Cody!
Thanks for a very good axe lesson. It make me more safe when i am going to do that next time. Wish you and your family a nice week. Best wishes from Norway
I rent when you had your auntine axe broke. That was very surprising from such an expensive axe. Great video. I hope I don't have to replace the handle one granfors Burk axe anytime soon. But now I know what to do. Thanks
This was very very helpful, being that I soon will be hanging a handle on my axe head, it’s old I have no idea who made it, I wound it in a creek with a metal wedge in it and I finally decided to take a bench grinder to start cleaning it up, and finish grinding down the mushroomed back on it, I used it for a wedge a little bit last winter, handy splitting wood with my dad’s bad axe, and I am now going to finally get what will be a good handle and hang it, I thank you again for your knowledge
With just a little freshening of the steel surfaces, most would assume that you had purchased a brand new axe. They would also be flabbergasted to learn that you would be starting the second 12 year stint with the tool. Times like this teach you the wisdom of buying the highest quality you can afford when buying tools; especially when their use is providing for the family.
Thanks so much for showing me how to properly do this job. I've hung 3 handles this year on axes that might have just gone to waste. It's a great feeling to restore a tool back to a working condition.
I bought a cheap HF Japanese saw and liked it. Showed it to my Dad, explained that it cut on the pull instead of the push. I let him borrow it to try it, I thought. Actually, I gave it to him... it turned out! He loved it more, and was actually a carpenter. When he passed, I gave it to another carpenter in the family.
From the Gransfor website... The Swedish style wedge is not very common but this type can save you a lot of troubles from changing your axe handle from time to time. They are metal wedges with a 3-prong comb-like style so when you insert them into the wood its teeth separately goes deep apart and that gives the best hold on the wood’s fiber.
Thanks for letting us know! You could have kept that a secret between you him and God but you gave us a little factoid that makes me love this guy even more. Glad he helped you out now go help someone else in return.
Hey Cody, I have the large Gransfors forest axe. It is the only axe I ever carry in the bush. I love axes too! I'm putting my money aside for the large Gransfors splitting maul. They go for about $200 Canadian. Nothing better... Gransfors is number 1....Keep up the great vids!! Love the show! Jay...Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Hey Cody love your videos been subscribed for 4 years. Just wanna say I find your videos almost meditating and just a real joy to watch! So thank you and keep it going
I'm not a craftsman or artisan. My father is a carpenter and I am engineer (aircraft industry) byt I love the passion you talk about the hand tools and envy you that simple "crafting" life. I miss the times I worked with my father in joinery, making stuff from wood and the smell of wood mmm. I subscribed you couple of weeks ago because it reminds me of my teenage years. I'm Polish but I don't live in my father's country - I'm in UK so greetings from UK and partially from Poland. Keep doing what you love and share your passion with us on UA-cam! 🇬🇧🇵🇱👍🏻✌🏻️
I'AM working on a carpenters hatchet now and the hickory is some of the hardest I have come across in years, its taking twice the time to shape and it is trying my patience you were very lucky on yours. GOOD JOB
Logger from most northwest part of Wa state. You taught me this yrs ago and I researched how they did it when the axe was you're saw and you nailed it. To my surprise nobody knows this here where there is still oldgrowth being cut. Even my 73 yr old boss that's been falling since 15 and still does it on the side doesn't know. They all mash the handle in, cut it flush and leave it in the weather. They're wedge pounding axes break all the time. You can hear the cussing in woods lol. Thanks. PS The old way for boots is 50/50 neatsfoot oil and beeswax for the rainforest.
I bought my Grandpa a small Ponderosa Pine for Father's Day one year and when he planted it he told me the same thing about watering it as you said for the Boiled Linseed Oil on the handle. He had a small "portable sawmill" that he operated with two pairs of Morgan Horse during WWII and I find it very interesting that, in his case anyway, he would use the same pattern of caring for the trees that he used on his equipment that he used to fell them.
The design of the wedge is actually brilliant. The "claw" is like that so that the wedge dont slide to one side when you drive it down. It will go down straight every time.
Recently, I made a mallet by cladding it with copper. The thick walled copper fit so tight, it took about an hour to get the copper pressed down over the apple wood, even with a kerf for a shim. Rather than a shim far wider than the kerf, like the one in this video, I cut one close, then sanded it down to just a bit bigger than the kerf. My hope was, the shim would go further down into the kerf and hold even better. Like you, I am a HUGE fan of hardening oils on my wood handle heads, for the reasons you stated.
Nice job. I was going to ask if you sharpened your hand saws yourself, but you answered it. Thanks!!!! I sharpen my saws also. My Dad was visiting me one time, and he wanted to use one of my saws. When he got done he looked hard at it and started to say something. I beat him to it and said, "I know, You are going to have to teach me how to sharpen saws". He said, "I have been trying to for 50 years!!!!!". So I got busy and taught myself how!! Glad I did.
Haha, this is why I watch you..."I'll use the curly oak here...hope this is project is worthy..." your great! That surprised me that thing fit almost perfectly with no work at all. I will one day buy one of these, you've shown me that they are just the best money can buy really...all the 'reviews' I've watched on all different axes, this is the best one yet...cheers mate
I've never heard you mention this Cody, having watched earlier handle hanging videos where you used boiled linseed oil, but I'm taught that boiled linseed oil as opposed to raw oil actually hardens trough an exothermic reaction (that's why rags soaked in boiled linseed oil can self ignite), so I take it that the BLO not only swells the wood fibers and acts as a lubricant when driving the wedge in, but also acts as a glue when it sets.
I have watched you for years. I finally realized I never subscribed so I did today. Sorry. You are a good craftsman. You love tools. You enjoy hardworking stuff. You sure your aren’t my brother? Cheers!
I'm late to the video but I had to re handle a historical Reproduction Dane Axe and I used this video as reference and couldn't be happier with the finish. Great work
To drive out the broken handle > Use a socket extension. On the package that the fiberglass handle came in. Use the bag that it came with to holds the glue, and putty in. To pour it in and mix it up. Drive the handle into the maul as far as it can go. Be sure you got plenty of putty to put around under the maul head and handle. OR IT WILL LEAK! AND BECOME A MESS! Once mix and pour, let it set for 24 hours. Then it ready to used > I love it! Can grip it better with less sock on my hands and arms. Don't even worry about it breaking
Look into another finish old timers used. It was a mix of pine tar, boiled linseed oil and turpentine. It was used on military gun stocks with excellent results. I've been experimenting with it on a potting bench that sees a lot of weather in the northwest.
Oh what a beauty! As if they knew what they were doing when shaping the handle... :D You did a good job on this, explaining the steps and reasons for important details making this a very good instructional video. Sadly they don't make factory handles to my Billnäs axes any longer so I'll have to carve my own.
i just can't believe how much the gransfors bruk small forest axe costs $209.10 over here in Britain it only costs about £70 and that in dollars is only $87.57 however no matter what the price is its an amazing tool which every woods man or bushcraft enthusiast or any one who loves being outside should own GREAT VIDEO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
My Grandfather was a Master Carpenter in the UK and he taught me from a young age how to look after his tools and he rehandled axes etc exactly the same way, it looks upside down to a layman but its one of the tells if someone has had an apprenticeship. My grandfather used to take on journeyman and he asked to see their tools, if the chisels weren't sharp as hell, he send them away....He was a man who believed in standards, being tidy, holding yourself as a craftsman, tools maintained to high level, clean, sharp and where necessary oiled.
That's the nice thing about GB replacement handles. They are a direct fit. No messing around. The downside is they're expensive. The factory installed ones are press fit on.
Several different techniques from your other video from 5 years ago, going with oil instead of glue, 1 wedge instead of two, etc. Will assume this is the new and improved method ? I like it, thanks Cody
reason for the excess at the head of the axe , is so that if the tip ever got dry enough ( and after alot of use ) the mushroom top sides will keep the axe head from flying off. as like some of the axes that i have seen , to where there is no mushroom at the top ( flush or under flush ) , after about a year the axe head flies off... = danger for anyone on the other side of the axe head. the metal wedge is to secure the wooden wedge from slipping out . . swells both the wood ( the handle head, and the wooden insert ) . plus reason for the 3 legs is to ensure the metal grips the wood from all 4 sides and keeps from splitting in one direction as from a solid metal wedge would. some use a metal ring, but i like the 3 leg metal wedge better. awsome video !!
GET YOUR GRANSFORS BRUK SMALL FOREST AXE HERE goo.gl/W2oB7W
A LESS EXPENSIVE OPTION THAT IS ALSO EXCELLENT goo.gl/BA0Zui
Wranglerstar hey bro make a video called how to make/handle for a fiskars axe (LoL)
Wranglerstar you make handle, but is lincy oil beater becouc i use wood glou
love your videos, I'm your subscriber from the 2013
The Husqvarna axe range is made in Sweden at Holt Bruk, still I think.
Cody, could you check with mfg. on the chiseled wedge? I think folks would like to know the reasoning. Very good video!
plus.google.com/u/0/102812269665445017559 Would you recommend the Husqvarna Carpenter's Axe as a similar sized alternative to the GB Small Forest Axe?
You should know, there's viewers out here that appreciate your tool collection greatly.
I very much respect your efforts to hand this knowledge down. Fewer and fewer of us have these skill sets now and sharing that is something valuable. Thank you for your service.
You're one of the best teachers there is man! I've commented on other wood workers pages and they are super rude and expect me to know everything. I appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos to show us youngsters and inexperienced people how to do the job traditionally and correctly. Thank you.
If you study the three pins on the metal wedge, you can see that they are chisel ground alternating ways! They will bend out into the wood when you pound it in! I love them! Have used a lot of them here in Norway :)
Håkon Andrè Landsverk what are they called ???
@@fergusslater3739 Google SFIX hammer wedge. In swedish it is skaftkil.
Here is an instruction picture, almost as shown here. The instruction suggests wood-glue for the wedge.
www.hakma.se/outdoor/yxor/skaft/smedbergs-skaftkil-stift-smedbergs-55-cm.html
i just put a new handle on a norwegian mustad axe from the 50s, that had the same ones too
Nobody can beat the Scandinavians when it comes to the craftsmanship used in woodworking tools. The Canadians aren’t bad but they’re still young, relatively speaking.
That was the most satisfying handleling of an axe, ever.
Strangely satisfying...
This is without a doubt one of the most informative and enjoyable videos I’ve ever watched.
It is brilliant on every level and is worthy of an award!
To paraphrase “If I can replicate this with my log splitter - I’ll be barking like six puppies!”
If only everyone took so much interest and pride in their work.
Thank you!
It is most gratifying to watch a man who appreciates and cares properly for good quality tools. 🤠
I really appreciate your level of craftsmanship and knowledge. I followed my grandpa around in his shop and learned as much as I could from him but he was a very quiet man. You’ve got a great knack for explaining the small details. Thanks!
You nailed it on how to handle an axe head. So many "experts" have no idea what they are talking about. IF you take the time to watch the REAL experts who make them from businesses that have been around for over 100+ years, they do what you did. Awesome demo.
Hi Cody, I started watching your videos to learn to hang an axe. In particular, the Small Forest Axe. I have to say that my experience putting on the new handle was exactly the same. It came perfect from the factory, no adjustments needed. Gransfors Burks is an excellent company. I have had my Small Forest Axe going on 10 years and almost never go in to the woods without it.
On a different note I wanted to thank you for the hard work you put into your channel. Wranglerstar is the first channel I have subscribed too and now commented on. I find the content truly inspiring.
Thanks,
Matt
Probably just one more hit.... 20 to 30 more hits later: maybe just one, two more hits...
Right, because it always works the first time every time for you.
I got my first Gransfors axe yesterday, a Scandinavian Forest. Thanks to your videos, I'm confident that I'll be able to care for it well. So sad to see the old handle on your Small Forest go, but I hope that this new one lasts just as long. Thank you, Cody!
These axe videos never get old!
I recently re-handled a Gransfors mini belt hatchet with the same results. The hatchet was only a few years old but the handle got loose. I purchased a replacement handle and it fit perfectly with no rasping or trimming necessary. The only difference with the mini is neither the factory handle nor the replacement handle had a metal wedge. Instead of BLO, I used a product called Swel-Lok. I did use linseed oil mixed with gum turpentine on the rest of the handle. This little hatchet doesn't get a lot of use, but so far it appears to be holding up well. Thanks for your videos!
Well your the very 1st to show how to draw the head onto the handle correctly. There is no other way to do this properly.
I've been doing this way for well over 45 yrs. IT WORKS.
Thanks for a great video.
Dang man you set that axe so magnificently not a single crack in the wood made me smile like perfect skill level achieved !!!
Sittingin front of the fireplace, watching a Wranglerstar video. My day just turned into a nice day!!
I am always surprised how well that Pull Saw does.
A lot of guys use those types of saws for guitar work, prefect for cutting fret slots.
I used your technique to handle a small hatchet I found. It worked great! I feel like a true homesteaders. Thanks for making this video series!
It Lasted 12 years without needing a new handle, wow now thats quality
And you know that axe sees hard use. It is his favorite and he uses it constantly unlike my fiberglass handled Home Depot special which which hangs on the wall 99.999% of its life.
Tenspeed TheBikeHanger axes only see hard use if you treat them badly, for example, wranglestar treated that axe good, and look at how long it lasted, i dont know about the home depot axe, ive never ever been to home depot , but my sledgehammer and my splitting maul, and they are both fiberglass, and they work perfectly
Duarte Monteiro
I sense a language barrier. Hard use is not abuse, it simply means the tool sees a lot of use. It was not a criticism on how Cody treats his tools, it simply means he uses the tool. As for the rest of my post, I was just being a bit facetious, I am not criticizing fiberglass handled tools either, I was just trying to point to the amusing irony of one man that uses an axe nearly every day and another that might use it once in two years. I'm sorry you read so much into my post, it really wasn't intended to argue a point or offend anyone.
you did not offend me dont worry
and you will pay for it to!!!
Thanks for the wealth of knowledge you are so kindly sharing! I have only found your channel this month and have already absorbed an enormous amount of useful information! I recently received my first quality swedish hatchet and have already applied your sharpening tips and handle preparation tips to remove any factory inconsistencies (which were almost non-existent in this case thankfully) and about to begin oiling to preserve the handle for a lifetime of work. Your videos are almost like a form of meditation! Very calm and my mind is expanded at the end of each one :) Thank you
Thank you. These 2 videos have been very enlightening, 51yrs old and I have gained a great deal from you.
I just put a new handle on my splitting maul using your techniques in this video...worked great and I am very happy with the results! Thanks for these instructional videos. Mike
I am impressed with these axes from this manufacturer. I rescued a Gransfors axe head from a life of abuse that I found on craigs list. It was obviously abused and the original handle gone. Mine was an AS stamped head. I ordered a new handle from manufacturer and repaired the damage as best as I could. The poll was badly damaged from steel on steel impacts. I filed most of the damage out and trued it back up. It is now a wonderful tool that I am proud to own. They do make outstanding products. I will be passing on to somebody for many more years of service.
Treating the hickory handle with boiled linseed oil is essential imo.... makes all the difference on wood handles.
I'm so glad that I stumbled onto your channel. I'm a bit addicted to restoring old tools atm & enjoy building on my skills of using hand tools over power tools where I can. Find these sorts of videos very satisfying & therapeutic. Greetings from Australia 👍
I, too, am enjoying restoration of old tools. It's therapeutic. I hail from a poor farming family in eastern Missouri. We wasted not one thing. We are the original recyclers.
My neighbors are landscapers. They toss away quality rakes and shovels and hoes. I dig them out and give these tools a new life. It is so much fun. The older stuff is really good steel.
Thank you @Wranglerstar for the meaningful, non clickbait title! I respect either way, but just letting you know you have subscribers that find this extremely refreshing!
WranglerStar, Thank you very much for these two videos. I know you have previously done videos on putting on new handles, but I learn something new every time.
When I was much younger my father was stationed in Japan and we had a folding saw much like the smaller one you have and you are so right, those things are incredible. We had it for years and took it out when we went camping with the Boy Scouts (back when they were still Scouts and teaching useful skills). It never failed us. He may still have it.
Very glad to have seen this I’m a blacksmith and hanging a axe for someone and they wanted me to put a little touch on it I’m gonna throw blacksmith stain on the custom wooden handle maybe put that deer string under the head to protect for overbite but just found the cherry on top I think I’ll go make one of those metal wedges just gonna make it a tad bit smaller so less chance of cracking
I appreciate a guy who can take satisfaction from a thing as relatively minor as hafting an axe properly. As always, a pleasure.
My grandfather left me an ax and 2 American made knives. and I'm keeping it as a very valuable keepsake. I once heard him say that white ash is an optimal choice for the handle of an ax. my grandpa is gone...i always keep it and will restore it someday. thanks for your good video, your tutorial, very good inspirational video
It is always a soothing time for me when I watch and listen to you working in your shop. Thank you for all the great info. I just rehung a Hults Bruks 2 1/4lbs head that I paid $2 for at a garage sale. I could not have done it with out your videos
instead of hammering the handle of the axe. I use gravity too. by popping the handle on a hard surface or the ground. it works great.
Sir, I wanted to thank you for the help through your channel. Watching this and some of your other videos I have been able to successfully handle my own ax, using only hand tools.
Thanks to your videos, I was able to rebuild an Old Plumb "Destroyer" axe that belonged to my father. New handle, metal guard below the head and a handmade sheath. Still hard a work today!
Using the Boiled linseed oil is a great idea, as the expansion will take a bit of time to fully occur, so once you have seated the wedge it will continue to expand make the handle tighter and more secure on the axe head than any glue or epoxy every would!, great video and I always learn something new watching your videos :)
I dont know why I like watching you hang axes so much but I could watch these back to back to back. great entertainment.
Use wood glue for the wedge. Then soak the axe in half and half boiled linseed oil and turpentine.
I think ax and forestry videos might be my favorite. But I also really like Carpentry. So ax handles are just the greatest.
Thanks for making this video. I have been doing it all wrong this whole time but, now I know the right way. It will come in handy when it's time to put a handle on the war hammer I'm forging. Great video my good man!
Thanks for doing these videos I just finished re-handling my Dads beloved pick, couldn't have turned out any better.
Oh Cody!
Thank you,the wood shop looks so good & every time I see the Gransfors Bruk Axes....... Man, I really am impressed! I bought the Fiskars Hatchet & regret it every day!
I just want to thank you for sharing your vast knowledge of fixing things. You have really helped me out over the years. Thank you from David Hoover ,Chattanooga, TN.
You videos are great, very relaxing, they are like ASMR and I have to watch them twice because I listened to the story in the background and didn't watch your labor.
Not anymore 😂😂
Cody,
This video came just in time for me. I am in the process of making handles to rehang all my great uncle's Stanley hatchets and Swedish axes. Always good to watch the job you do on tool handles. Thanks for sharing as always,
Brad
Such a satisfying video to watch!
Most people would've lost my attention in the first couple minutes. The way you explained everything and show your gratification along the way keeps things very interesting. Thanks for all the great content Cody!
Thanks for a very good axe lesson. It make me more safe when i am going to do that next time. Wish you and your family a nice week. Best wishes from Norway
I rent when you had your auntine axe broke. That was very surprising from such an expensive axe. Great video. I hope I don't have to replace the handle one granfors Burk axe anytime soon. But now I know what to do. Thanks
This was very very helpful, being that I soon will be hanging a handle on my axe head, it’s old I have no idea who made it, I wound it in a creek with a metal wedge in it and I finally decided to take a bench grinder to start cleaning it up, and finish grinding down the mushroomed back on it, I used it for a wedge a little bit last winter, handy splitting wood with my dad’s bad axe, and I am now going to finally get what will be a good handle and hang it, I thank you again for your knowledge
Lol this is the second video of you handling an ax and in both of them the wedges are immaculate
I watched this when I was 16, now I'm rewatching this because I actually need to wedge an axe now.
This is probably the greatest axe handling video you can watch
Love the old adages of tried & true methods.
I hope i never stop learning.
Thank you
With just a little freshening of the steel surfaces, most would assume that you had purchased a brand new axe. They would also be flabbergasted to learn that you would be starting the second 12 year stint with the tool. Times like this teach you the wisdom of buying the highest quality you can afford when buying tools; especially when their use is providing for the family.
Thanks so much for showing me how to properly do this job. I've hung 3 handles this year on axes that might have just gone to waste. It's a great feeling to restore a tool back to a working condition.
I bought a cheap HF Japanese saw and liked it. Showed it to my Dad, explained that it cut on the pull instead of the push. I let him borrow it to try it, I thought.
Actually, I gave it to him... it turned out! He loved it more, and was actually a carpenter. When he passed, I gave it to another carpenter in the family.
I have seen most, if not all of your axe videos. Still get excited when I see you have posted a new one!
From the Gransfor website...
The Swedish style wedge is not very common but this type can save you a lot of troubles from changing your axe handle from time to time.
They are metal wedges with a 3-prong comb-like style so when you insert them into the wood its teeth separately goes deep apart and that gives the best hold on the wood’s fiber.
Wranglerstar is a great guy I pm him and he gave me his number and he talked me through on how to hang a axe handle a couple of years ago
Thanks for letting us know! You could have kept that a secret between you him and God but you gave us a little factoid that makes me love this guy even more. Glad he helped you out now go help someone else in return.
As Cody always says,iron sharpens iron,so too one man sharpens another.Thats pretty cool.
I'm gonna have to buy these axes. I'm in love. thanks again Cody for a great video
Hey Cody, I have the large Gransfors forest axe. It is the only axe I ever carry in the bush. I love axes too! I'm putting my money aside for the large Gransfors splitting maul. They go for about $200 Canadian. Nothing better... Gransfors is number 1....Keep up the great vids!! Love the show! Jay...Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Hey Cody love your videos been subscribed for 4 years. Just wanna say I find your videos almost meditating and just a real joy to watch! So thank you and keep it going
I'm not a craftsman or artisan. My father is a carpenter and I am engineer (aircraft industry) byt I love the passion you talk about the hand tools and envy you that simple "crafting" life. I miss the times I worked with my father in joinery, making stuff from wood and the smell of wood mmm. I subscribed you couple of weeks ago because it reminds me of my teenage years. I'm Polish but I don't live in my father's country - I'm in UK so greetings from UK and partially from Poland. Keep doing what you love and share your passion with us on UA-cam! 🇬🇧🇵🇱👍🏻✌🏻️
thank you for changing the approach to the titles for this series. It has the benefit of creating a resource with ease of future reference.
Just me or am i getting bob ross vibes from this guy, the calm tone but informative about whats happening
I'AM working on a carpenters hatchet now and the hickory is some of the hardest I have come across in years, its taking twice the time to shape and it is trying my patience you were very lucky on yours. GOOD JOB
Logger from most northwest part of Wa state. You taught me this yrs ago and I researched how they did it when the axe was you're saw and you nailed it. To my surprise nobody knows this here where there is still oldgrowth being cut. Even my 73 yr old boss that's been falling since 15 and still does it on the side doesn't know. They all mash the handle in, cut it flush and leave it in the weather. They're wedge pounding axes break all the time. You can hear the cussing in woods lol. Thanks. PS The old way for boots is 50/50 neatsfoot oil and beeswax for the rainforest.
I bought my Grandpa a small Ponderosa Pine for Father's Day one year and when he planted it he told me the same thing about watering it as you said for the Boiled Linseed Oil on the handle. He had a small "portable sawmill" that he operated with two pairs of Morgan Horse during WWII and I find it very interesting that, in his case anyway, he would use the same pattern of caring for the trees that he used on his equipment that he used to fell them.
The design of the wedge is actually brilliant. The "claw" is like that so that the wedge dont slide to one side when you drive it down. It will go down straight every time.
Rule of thumb on wedge is 2/3rds the height of axe head!
This video inspired me to refinish and handle an old axe head that belonged to my Great Great Uncle. Thank you for the inspiration!
Recently, I made a mallet by cladding it with copper. The thick walled copper fit so tight, it took about an hour to get the copper pressed down over the apple wood, even with a kerf for a shim.
Rather than a shim far wider than the kerf, like the one in this video, I cut one close, then sanded it down to just a bit bigger than the kerf. My hope was, the shim would go further down into the kerf and hold even better.
Like you, I am a HUGE fan of hardening oils on my wood handle heads, for the reasons you stated.
Just finished the first part; was very anxious to watch part two then i saw it was uploaded 11 seconds ago hahah Im an happy subscriber.
Nice job. I was going to ask if you sharpened your hand saws yourself, but you answered it. Thanks!!!! I sharpen my saws also. My Dad was visiting me one time, and he wanted to use one of my saws. When he got done he looked hard at it and started to say something. I beat him to it and said, "I know, You are going to have to teach me how to sharpen saws". He said, "I have been trying to for 50 years!!!!!". So I got busy and taught myself how!! Glad I did.
Wonderfully done... I almost look forward to putting a new handle on mine in hopefully a decade or so!
Haha, this is why I watch you..."I'll use the curly oak here...hope this is project is worthy..." your great! That surprised me that thing fit almost perfectly with no work at all. I will one day buy one of these, you've shown me that they are just the best money can buy really...all the 'reviews' I've watched on all different axes, this is the best one yet...cheers mate
I've never heard you mention this Cody, having watched earlier handle hanging videos where you used boiled linseed oil, but I'm taught that boiled linseed oil as opposed to raw oil actually hardens trough an exothermic reaction (that's why rags soaked in boiled linseed oil can self ignite), so I take it that the BLO not only swells the wood fibers and acts as a lubricant when driving the wedge in, but also acts as a glue when it sets.
Oh boy I indeed love when its written in Part 1 , 2 , 3 etc.
Makes some sort of order , no mess.
I have watched you for years. I finally realized I never subscribed so I did today. Sorry.
You are a good craftsman. You love tools. You enjoy hardworking stuff. You sure your aren’t my brother?
Cheers!
I'm late to the video but I had to re handle a historical Reproduction Dane Axe and I used this video as reference and couldn't be happier with the finish. Great work
"Purring like six cats." I usually recognize your "sayings", "proverbs", etc., but this is a new one for me.
Love the small forest axe bought one last year. my brother used it also and was very happy with it.
Cody,, thank you for another fine axe video and Gransfors Bruk is excellent!
What a work of art! Thank you for this beautiful video.
To drive out the broken handle > Use a socket extension. On the package that the fiberglass handle came in. Use the bag that it came with to holds the glue, and putty in. To pour it in and mix it up. Drive the handle into the maul as far as it can go. Be sure you got plenty of putty to put around under the maul head and handle. OR IT WILL LEAK! AND BECOME A MESS! Once mix and pour, let it set for 24 hours. Then it ready to used > I love it! Can grip it better with less sock on my hands and arms. Don't even worry about it breaking
Awesome. The Small Forest Axe is my favorite too.
Thank you. Very informative.
Excellent video and content, and a thumbs up for the descriptive and appropriate title! Good work!
great video. and thanks for using normal video titles again!
Benjamin Hippler, this is such an enjoyable video. Why poke a sleeping dog???
Fantastic filming with the lighter shop!
Look into another finish old timers used. It was a mix of pine tar, boiled linseed oil and turpentine. It was used on military gun stocks with excellent results. I've been experimenting with it on a potting bench that sees a lot of weather in the northwest.
Genuinely used this as a guide while making my own customised axe out Australian Jarrah, well done.
Hanging the head trips me out every time though
Oh what a beauty! As if they knew what they were doing when shaping the handle... :D
You did a good job on this, explaining the steps and reasons for important details making this a very good instructional video.
Sadly they don't make factory handles to my Billnäs axes any longer so I'll have to carve my own.
i just can't believe how much the gransfors bruk small forest axe costs $209.10 over here in Britain it only costs about £70 and that in dollars is only $87.57 however no matter what the price is its an amazing tool which every woods man or bushcraft enthusiast or any one who loves being outside should own
GREAT VIDEO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
$130 at LL Bean. Who's getting the markup?
Geoff McKinlay makes me think who's getting the rest of that money as well
My Grandfather was a Master Carpenter in the UK and he taught me from a young age how to look after his tools and he rehandled axes etc exactly the same way, it looks upside down to a layman but its one of the tells if someone has had an apprenticeship. My grandfather used to take on journeyman and he asked to see their tools, if the chisels weren't sharp as hell, he send them away....He was a man who believed in standards, being tidy, holding yourself as a craftsman, tools maintained to high level, clean, sharp and where necessary oiled.
Awesome video. Really wanted to see before/after pics though. Still great
Great vid again! I love watching you work with axes. I love my stihl chainsaw but there is something about an axe that is truly enjoyable .
That's the nice thing about GB replacement handles. They are a direct fit. No messing around. The downside is they're expensive.
The factory installed ones are press fit on.
Several different techniques from your other video from 5 years ago, going with oil instead of glue, 1 wedge instead of two, etc. Will assume this is the new and improved method ? I like it, thanks Cody
@wranglerstar, your video inspired me to purchase my first Gransfors Bruk hand axe. Hope to use it for many years and pass it down.
reason for the excess at the head of the axe , is so that if the tip ever got dry enough ( and after alot of use ) the mushroom top sides will keep the axe head from flying off. as like some of the axes that i have seen , to where there is no mushroom
at the top ( flush or under flush ) , after about a year the axe head flies off... = danger for anyone on the other side of the axe head.
the metal wedge is to secure the wooden wedge from slipping out . . swells both the wood ( the handle head, and the wooden insert ) . plus reason for the 3 legs is to ensure the metal grips the wood from all 4 sides and keeps from splitting in one direction
as from a solid metal wedge would. some use a metal ring, but i like the 3 leg metal wedge better.
awsome video !!