How to make an ax with your own hands, which will be useful for cutting meat carcasses, chopping firewood and when performing various construction work.
Its design consists of three parts:
Blade
ax handle
wedge
BLADE
When purchasing a blade, first of all pay attention to:
1.
The quality of the metal from which it is made (it is best if you find a stamp on it confirming compliance with the requirements of the state standard).
2.
Weight (depends on the type of work performed, the heavier the blade, the greater the impact force - best option 700…1600 (g)).
3.
Blade shape (depends on the type of work performed: straight - carpentry and carpentry; rounded - for splitting and chopping wood and universal).
4.
Angle of sharpening of the blade (depends on the type of work performed: razor - carpentry and carpentry; oval - for splitting and chopping wood; straight - universal).
AX
We looked at how to make an ax handle for an ax earlier on the pages of our website.
WEDGE
It is made of durable, well-dried wood (plank thickness 5...10 (mm)).
A– depth of cut
S– kerf thickness
IN– cutting width
Reference:
The cut in the ax handle is made to ⅔ of the depth of the blade eye.
Before assembly, dry the wedge and ax handle.
How to make an ax with your own hands and assembly procedure:
1.
It is necessary to adjust the ax handle to the eye of the ax blade.
2.
After adjustment, lubricate with glue all contact surfaces of the axe, eyelet and wedge.
3.
Insert the ax handle into the eye.
4.
Place the ax handle on a hard surface in a vertical position.
5.
If necessary, widen the cut groove using a chisel.
6.
Place the wedge in the groove of the ax handle and drive it in with a hammer.
7.
Carefully cut off the part of the ax with the wedge that protrudes beyond the eye (cut parallel to the plane of the eye).
8.
Set the ax aside for a few days until the glue has completely dried.
9.
We carry out the final finishing of the ax along the hand.
10.
Let's soak the ax handle with antiseptic.
11.
Let's sharpen the blade.
Additionally:
You can make a cover for the ax blade, which must be put on after each use of the tool.
drill through hole at the end of the ax for hanging it on the wall during storage
We hope that the information received on how to make an ax with your own hands will help you, if necessary, use it.
An ax is one of the tools you need to have on the farm. Of course, you can buy it in a store, but if you want to have a reliable and convenient thing, it is better to make a tool yourself. The article will talk about how to make an ax handle at home with your own skillful hands and correctly attach the metal blade.
How to select and prepare wood
An ax handle is the handle of a working tool. Labor productivity completely depends on how easy it is to work with it. Therefore, a regular straight stick will not work in this case. A real ax handle is a curved beam with an oval cross-section and straight sections. The tail part should be widened and bent downwards.
Only with this option the hand of the person performing the work will be able to reliably hold the tool without experiencing fatigue for a long time.
The following types of wood are best suited for making an ax:
- maple;
- birch;
- acacia;
- ash.
Wood should be harvested in the fall. Birch is perfect for carpentry tools, while maple is more often used for camping tools. His impact strength less than that of birch. The ideal option is considered to be very durable and rarely changes shape. It is better to make an ax handle from a section of wood located near the root, and the workpiece should be 15 cm wider and longer than the future product.
Attention! Before the prepared beams are used to make an ax handle, they must be dried in a dry place for at least a year, dark place, for example, in the attic.
How to make an ax - 50 photos and tips on creation depending on its purpose
This is necessary so that when finished, the handle does not shrink and start to dangle in the eyelet.
Fresh wood can only be used if the ax handle breaks, as a temporary option that needs to be replaced quickly.
How to make an ax handle
In order to make an ax handle you will need:
- wooden blank;
- hacksaw;
- chisel;
- pencil;
- file;
- hammer.
The manufacturing process itself takes place in the following order:
Attention! You need to make the ax handle so that the cross-section is oval. In this case, it will be possible to hold it without particularly straining your hand and make very accurate blows.
Impregnation of the ax handle and ax attachment
The upper part of the finished handle must be impregnated with a water-repellent composition. There are two options:
- drying oil;
- linseed oil;
- ski resin.
Lubricate the wood with the chosen product and leave it until it dries. The treatment is repeated several more times until the fat is absorbed. Ski resin can penetrate deeper layers of the workpiece, but it is difficult to find in stores. Therefore, the first two options are often used.
Advice. You can add a bright dye to the impregnation agent. This way it will be difficult to lose the finished tool.
The ax attachment to the handle is done as follows:
Watching videos and photographs will help you better understand the manufacturing technique. Making an ax handle with your own hands is more difficult than buying it ready-made. However, if you have the desire and some skills, it is quite possible to get a high-quality tool.
How to make an ax handle: video
How to make an ax from hardboard
First, we need to get a detailed image of the future craft. A side view is required. Try to find an image of the highest quality possible.
Then we print the image in life size and transfer it to hardboard.
We cut out the part (a jigsaw will help you here).
How to make a high-quality ax handle with your own hands: manufacturing rules
I used thick hardboard (2 cm), but you can also glue several layers of thin hardboard to achieve the required thickness. 
Now let's deal with the protruding parts. We cut our pattern into separate pieces, which will later protrude. 
We transfer it to hardboard, cut it out, and glue it on top of the main structure.
At this point, after you have glued all the pieces, you should end up with something similar to the photo above.
Now it's time for a file and sandpaper. Use them to smooth out edges, remove rough edges, and add texture to future crafting. Process until it begins to seem that the ax is not assembled from a bunch of layers, but has a monolithic smooth structure. 
Then it's time for engraving. To do this, draw a pattern on the surface of the ax, and then, carefully, using chisels, cut out the pattern.
Now, the ax is almost ready. Fill all unwanted depressions and uneven areas. When the putty is dry, prime the ax. After the primer has dried, it is ready for painting.
Which, in fact, is what you will do at the last stage. As a result, you will end up with excellent quality craft.
That's all, good luck in your crafting,
your editors.
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Taiga ax
What should a real one be like? taiga ax, and what types of axes are not suitable for long trips to the taiga?
HOW TO MAKE AN AX SHARP AND COMFORTABLE
We will try to sort out these questions with you in this article. I can’t say that I’m such an experienced taiga hiker, but I still have some knowledge and experience. I can’t say that I was directly using various tools, but I had to work. There is no one universal tool, which would be suitable for any work. Of course, with an ordinary Soviet-style carpenter's ax you can perform any miracles if you get used to holding it in your hand, but I think each of you will agree with the thesis that it is quite inconvenient to perform certain work with an unsuitable ax. It’s not for nothing that our fathers and grandfathers came up with different shapes to this most important assistant of ours.
Any professional carpenter has at his disposal several types of axes for different types works So the taiga ax can only be of one declared shape with plus or minus minor changes. By the way, for example, it will be quite difficult for you to chop wood with a battle axe, and a cleaver exists only for chopping wood, so the shape is very important.
First, you need to figure out what the taiga ax is for and why is it called that? Many of those reading this article (I’m sure) have never seen or held anything else except the classic Russian carpenter’s axe. However, those people who are interested in this issue, who often visit field conditions, prefer correct tool and equipment for the taiga.
A taiga ax is necessary for a person in the field conditions of the taiga forest. This is the ax that a commercial hunter, huntsman, forester, tourist, geologist, surveyor or any other person who often visits the taiga takes with him as part of his equipment. It is necessary for all forest work that a person can do in the taiga. As a rule, a person will not need to prepare firewood for the winter and split large logs in the field, so a heavy cleaver is clearly not needed in the taiga. Most likely, people will not cut carved details of platbands and all kinds of wood products in the field, since they usually go to the taiga for someone else.
Here is a list of things that a taiga does in the field:
- cutting down trees for some needs, be it sanitary felling of forests or felling trees for harvesting for logs or firewood (a saw is most often used for firewood, not an ax);
- rough work with fallen logs: removing branches, bark, cutting a groove for building a winter hut, etc.;
- production of bags, self-catchers;
- production of huts, screens, floorings;
- rough splitting of the log along its fibers (for better effect, use wedges and a wooden mallet);
- working with firewood.
Simply put, from the above it is clear that an ax in the taiga is necessary for rough work with wood, preparing firewood for a fire, setting up a bivouac for spending the night in the forest, various household needs, felling upright living trees for making a future log house for the taiga winter hut.
The forest is a place where man is not in charge - and even animals are not in charge there.
In the forest, the main things are the trees. The forest is a forest because it is filled various trees, which means that when you come there, you need to have the appropriate tool to use these trees for their intended purpose. A beaver can gnaw a tree with its teeth, but a person is forced to have a suitable axe, saw and knife - the main tools of a taiga dweller.
What qualities should a taiga ax have?
It should be relatively light for one simple reason - you will have to carry it a lot of time and kilometers on your back, and it is also much better to swing a lighter ax than a heavy sledgehammer. The main weight should lie in the metal part, that is, in its head. Figure 1 shows its parts:
Rice. 1. Parts of the taiga ax
Toporische a taiga ax should be much longer than a carpenter's ax handle. This is due to the better swing for hitting the tree. The long ax allows you to make the best blow. In my opinion, the optimal length of the ax is about 50 cm, or even more. The ax handle should not be heavy, and all the weight should be concentrated on the head, otherwise you will not achieve the desired result from your specimen - and you will only end up wearing yourself out there in the taiga.
If we compare heads two types, then an obvious difference immediately catches the eye: in taiga head the top of the blade is missing. Some people saw off a piece of this part from a simple carpenter's axe, turning it into a taiga axe. (See Figure 2).
Blade for a carpenter's ax it should be straight, and for a taiga ax it should be rounded (see Fig. 3). This is determined by the type of work that the taiga does in the forest.
Rice. 2. The head of a taiga ax against the background of a carpenter’s
Rice. 3. Blade of a taiga ax.
Goatee allows you to firmly fix the ax handle with the head.
Butt can be used as a hammer for any purpose.
Often a commercial hunter who, for example, intends to repair his winter quarters in the summer, does not take a heavy extra hammer with him into the taiga, but uses a butt as it.
Eye serves to place the head on the ax handle. Then it gets hammered into the ax handle wooden wedge so that the head sits tightly on it.
Fungus protects hands from slipping and fixes them on the ax handle.
Rice. 4. Wedge
Rice. 5. Driving the wedge into the ax handle
In Figure 4 we see three options. In numbers 1 a metal wedge is indicated, which is driven in last. This is the control wedge. Under the number 2 - ax handle. Under 3 number - a wooden wedge that is driven into a special hole in the ax handle so that the ax handle does not begin to crack. Many people hammer the wedge directly between the fibers, but this risks cracking the ax handle. Therefore, it is recommended to cut a small recess into which to then hammer a wooden wedge. It is better to place the wedge on glue, for example, epoxy. In numbers 4 the ax head is shown, mounted on the ax handle.
The metal wedge is driven in at the very end, note that it is driven diagonally to the main wooden wedge. You can also hammer it in at a 90 degree angle. Instead of a metal wedge, you can use a wooden one, preferably one made of a harder type of wood. Figure 5 shows the same process, but without the control second wedge. 1 - ax handle, 2 - notch, cut for a wedge, 3 - head, 4 - wedge
Taiga ax in its habitat
in business
Grigory Sokolov about his assistant
On domestic market it is extremely difficult to find a high-quality ax that will serve you faithfully long years until you lose it in the forest or it gets stolen from you. Axes Russian production these days, as a rule, very Bad quality. The ax handles do not fit the head and almost always start to slip off. The blade of the head is overheated almost to the point of cast iron, and at the first frost the blade crumbles, or a large piece simply breaks off from it, after which the tool becomes completely unusable. You always need to modify such axes yourself to turn them into something tolerable. They are cheap, but change very often.
The Soviet production of the times of Stalin gave good quality axes, but those grandfather’s axes can’t be found now; now such examples from the 50s are sold on the Internet for 3 to 5 thousand rubles. The steel used for them was, as a rule, grade U7. In our garages, if we come across an axe, it will most likely be a production one from the 80s, that is, a “perestroika axe,” and at that time, as we know, production was in decline. However, examples from the Brezhnev era (70s), which are not as rare as Stalin’s ones, are of fairly good quality. Therefore, purchase good tool Available only from foreign companies, or ordered from a blacksmith. A blacksmith's ax will be quite expensive, so it's only for everyone. A working ax can now be purchased from foreign companies: Gransfors Bruks, Husquarna, Fiskars, Hultafors. Domestic serial manufacturers cannot yet boast of such quality tools.
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They say that good ax can do much more for its owner than a knife. Especially when it comes to survival. And this may well be true.
A Brief History of the Ax
The ax is one of the most ancient tools of mankind. Its history probably begins from the time of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden (about 6,000 years ago). Well, according to the story about monkeys, it is already more than 35 thousand years old. In any case, the first ax is officially considered to be a chopping axe, representing a stick with a pointed stone tied to the end. With which, according to many historians, cute humanoid orangutans ran. Later, ground, drilled, copper, bronze and iron axes began to appear.
The ax is very important and beautiful cutting tool humanity
So, an ax is a tool that consists of a blade and a handle mounted perpendicularly. Among people, this tool has the widest distribution: it can be a bladed weapon, used for rough or skillful woodworking. Throughout the history of mankind, the material of the blade and ax handle, their attachment method and use cases – constantly changed and supplemented. In fact, the ax has always been an important and indispensable tool for humans.
The variety of axes is so great that there is no point in describing everything. By changing the shape of the blade and the ax and their dimensions, you can create any options, depending on the required functions and customer requirements. At first they were made in very small forges, and with the advent of industrialism and a significant increase in demand, mass production of axes appeared.
Main types of axes
It should be mentioned that axes are divided into three main types:
- combat;
- universal;
- workers.
They also have six main blade shapes:
- wide;
- average;
- narrow;
- with a protruding posterior beard;
- with a hammer (impact back);
- double-sided (an ax with two opposite blades).
Splitting ax
There are small cleavers for holding with one hand, and large ones. These are very heavy axes with a shifted center of gravity and special blade shape.
The wedge-shaped blade easily and quickly enters the wood, and the wide part easily splits the log into pieces. This ax has another type - the sledgehammer ax, which is designed for splitting rough, knotty wood. Using a hammer-shaped butt, you can easily drive wedges into the deck.
It is best to chop frozen logs.
Hit the middle of the block if there are a lot of knots.
Craft Cleaver
Special ax for artistic treatment wood Him rounded wide blade with notch at the base and chamfered on the right or left side (used as a support for carving).
There are also axes with a one-sided sharpening of the blade and a handle curved to the side for neat cutting of logs and planks.
How to make an ax: the whole process from cutting out the ax handle to sharpening the blade
When cutting a log, place your hands close to each other. Working hand should be placed in front, and the thumb should be located on the top of the ax.
Carpenter's ax
It has a straight handle and a wide blade with a straight, thin cutting edge. The main purpose is the ability to make a smooth chopped surface. It should cut, not split, wood.
Another feature of it is the notch (sinuses) at the base of the head. The carpenter can easily take the ax at the very base of the blade, for stable and precise cutting of wood. And the straight ax handle allows you to hold the ax in any plane and at different angles. This ax is good for processing dry wood. The most important thing in a carpenter's ax is the sharpness of the blade!
Lumberjack ax
It has a long handle and a blade with a rounded edge. The blows of such an ax are powerful, and the blade will not get stuck in the tree trunk. They are ideal for cutting down even resinous trees. It handles branches easily.
Hunting ax
A special blade shape with rounded edges, a special spine for skinning, and an almost flat handle.
With such an ax good for chopping both wood and meat.
We remind you that you can buy a good fiskars ax in our online store by clicking on the link
Tourist ax
Small version hunting ax with a small butt. Chops, stabs and easily fits in a backpack. What else does a scout or tourist need on exciting trips?
When cutting branches, it is better to perform a longitudinal blow from the root to the top of the tree.
Finally, watch the video about how to chop wood “the Canadian way”:
How to make an ax handle at home
Many people have all the tools and materials at hand to make necessary tools themselves, but not everyone does it. Some people simply don’t dare because they think it’s difficult, others don’t know where to start. I want to show you that this is not at all difficult and almost anyone can do it.
We will need: a small block of wood, a hacksaw knife, a pencil, and a hammer. You can take a block of wood instead of a block. Split in half and remove the bark. The wood must be well dried, since poorly dried wood can simply crack. Good stuff birch is used, as it increases the force of impact, it has good viscosity and the hands are less tired from work. In addition, birch is well processed, so it is the most popular material for ax handles. One of the disadvantages of birch is that it quickly rots when exposed to water, so if you need a camp hatchet, it is better to use ash and maple. These are the kind of bars that are perfect for you.
Let's move on to action. First, you need to draw the outlines of the future ax handle on the block; you need it to fit comfortably in your hand and be suitable for the type of work for which you need it. The easiest way is to take another ax and copy its shape, the main thing is that you feel comfortable working with this ax. A carpenter usually does everything by eye and spends very little time on it, but this requires practice and cannot be done without it. And so we drew the outlines.
Now we need to process the block according to the drawing. To do this, you need to file a little on both sides, and then cut it all off with a knife or chisel; this should be done very carefully so as not to cut off anything unnecessary.
Place the knife in place and slowly tap it with a hammer. You need to cut strictly according to the shape of your future ax handle.
If you did everything correctly, then you should have an almost finished product. Now this workpiece needs to be planed with a knife.
It is important that the ax handle is oval and not round, since you will hold the round one with tension and, because of this, the accuracy of the blow will decrease.
When you plant an ax, the wood in the area of the ax is slightly crushed by impacts. You need to do this carefully, as you can ruin the finished ax handle. To prevent splitting, it is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the lower end of the ax when attaching it. Therefore, it is better to leave an allowance for this. The fit can be considered complete if the end of the ax extends about 8 mm beyond the eye. Then the surface of the ax is sanded with sandpaper.
Impregnation of the ax handle with a special compound
Then comes the next operation - impregnation of the front half of the ax with some kind of waterproof compound. This could be drying oil or ski resin.
DIY ax
Ski resin provides a more reliable and deep impregnation, but it may not be suitable due to the fact that the smell will transfer for a long time from ax to hands, this is not exactly suitable for a hunter.
Now we have reached the wedge. To do this, you need a well-dried board, so that the thickness is at least 10 mm, and preferably from the same hardwood or, better yet, a harder wood. It is better to make the width of the wedge 1...2 mm greater than the height of the eye, and the length such that it exceeds the width by at least 4 times. When the wedge is ready, the ax is finally placed on the impregnated ax handle, and the cut gap, if it is closed at the entrance, is slightly widened using a chisel.
It is important to lubricate the wedge with any glue before driving it in; it is better not to use rubber-based glue, this is not suitable. To prevent the lubricated wedge from creeping back out during driving, its lead-in part, approximately 10 mm, is not lubricated with glue. When driving a wedge, the ax must be placed vertically on the anvil. This anvil stop works well to prevent the ax head from slipping when you hit the wedge.
Final part
Now take a good look at the ax you made with your own hands. If you notice some shortcomings, you better correct them. Remove any remaining seam allowance and give the final shape to the ax shank. Sand the curved parts with a rasp or sandpaper. This is what the finished ax looks like.
And most importantly, you will be pleased to work with it, because you made it with your own hands. Now you can only improve your skills and practice, and I wish you good luck and always follow safety precautions, because no matter what, health comes first.
Axes have been known to mankind since ancient times. This is one of the most useful inventions of mankind. The invention is very simple and functional. However, in Rus', since ancient times, axes have been divided into several types, each for a specific type of work. The size of the ax and the size of the ax handle became the main difference between the axes.
I hope this article will help you understand what a proper ax handle is. It examines the shape of the ax handle and provides drawings of the ax handle. After reading this article, you will be able to make an ax handle with your own hands.
Currently, axes are used in everyday life for cleaning garden plots, minor carpentry work and chopping firewood. There is an ax for every task, so it’s important to know correct sizes axe.
In logging operations, axes are used for cutting trees before felling, cutting branches from fallen trees, debarking logs (if there is no special tools), splitting and hewing of wood. Accordingly, they are called lumberjacks, loppers, splitting axes, and cleaver axes.
Let's look at the structure of the axe; it consists of the ax itself and a handle called the ax handle. Drawing, the right ax shown below.
It has a blade, a blade and a butt. The front corner of the blade is called the toe, the back corner is called the heel, the line running from the corner of the toe to the base of the butt is the toe line; the line coming from the corner of the heel is the heel line; the side surfaces of the canvas - cheeks.
The material for the manufacture of axes is high-quality medium-alloy tool steel that has undergone heat treatment.
Now let's look at the shape of the correct ax in the drawing. In it, as shown in the drawing above, there are fastening, middle, gripping parts and a tail.
The wood for the ax handle is birch, ash, maple, hornbeam, old rowan, beech, and apple tree. You should not make an ax handle out of poor material for safety reasons.
The dimensions of the ax handle depend on the type of axe. For work that requires special impact force, you need an ax with the shape of an elongated ax as in the drawing. For clean, precise work that does not require great impact force, axes are made with a short ax shape. For logging axes, you need to use the correct ax handles with a length of 700 - 900 mm, for lopping axes 600 - 800 mm, but the ax handle for a splitting ax has dimensions of 750 - 930 mm. The shortest length is about 500 mm - they have axes for hewing.
The middle and gripping parts of the ax are given a slightly curved shape and their surface is carefully processed as shown in the drawing. The tail is made wider. The fastening part fits tightly to the hole in the butt. The angle of the attachment must correspond to the type of axe: for a lumberjack 86 - 88°, for a lopping ax 70 - 80°, for a splitting ax 80 - 90°.
The axis of the correct ax and the line of the blade are located in the same plane. After attaching the blade, the ax handle is wedged by driving two wedges.
The impact force applied when working with an ax also determines the shape of the ax itself. Thus, a logging ax, used for cutting trunks and cutting thick branches on large trees, must penetrate the wood as deeply as possible, not get stuck in it, produce large chips, i.e. it requires special impact force. In accordance with this, its wedge-shaped shape is convex as in the drawing, the line of the blade is curved.
Below are examples of modern axes.
A delimbing ax is used mainly for cutting branches and sometimes for cutting thin trees when sawing. When delimbing, less impact force is required, but a higher frequency of work is required, therefore the blade of the delimbing ax is long, as shown in the drawing.
Nowadays, few such axes are produced; all that I managed to find is given below.
The cleaver is used for splitting - splitting wood, so its blade shape is short, wedge-shaped, heavy, with thick cheeks, with a sharpening angle of about 35 degrees.
Axes for riveting and similar work have a wide blade with one-sided sharpening as in the drawing below.
It's no secret that an ax is an indispensable carpentry tool. In addition, the ax is especially useful in the household: from chopping wood to home repairs.
This article examines issues related to the manufacture of a taiga-type axe, because finding such a useful tool on the market is quite difficult, and it will cost a lot. The article provides additional helpful information, which will tell you which ax is best to choose for certain needs.
What should a taiga ax be like?
Such an ax, thanks to its special parameters, which are radically different from the characteristics and sizes of “classic” axes, is an indispensable assistant when performing many tasks, such as:
- Tree cutting. Whether it’s carpentry work or simply preparing firewood for the winter, a taiga ax will help you complete the task quickly and efficiently;
- Rough processing of logs – removal of branches, other similar work;
- A tool as a way of “survival” - any catalog of axes will confirm the statement that the taiga ax is ideal for hunting, preparing bags and traps;
- Creation of a hut and flooring, construction wooden house as soon as possible;
- Preparation of firewood.
In cases where the work requires special precision, the best option is a forged ax with a long blade. Cutting down trees with such an ax is not very effective, but accuracy plays an important role.
Distinctive features of the taiga type ax
Most people do not see the difference between a taiga and an ordinary ax at all. So what are the differences between these two types of axes?
- The length of the roundness of the blade means that the taiga ax is lighter in weight;
- Long beard - additional protection from deformation and breaking. Typically absorbs up to 60% of impact force;
- Special sharpening - allows you to use the ax as a standard cleaver, when choosing the right blow. In this case, the leading edge of the blade is twice as wide as the rear. The edge of a regular ax has the same thickness;
- A special angle of inclination of the ax reduces hand fatigue and increases the overall efficiency during work.
Making a taiga ax head
It is worth purchasing an ordinary carpenter's ax, the head of which will weigh 1400-1500 grams.
From the front we cut off the protrusion of the blade flush with the butt. We form the roundness of the back of the blade - the grinder will help us with this. It is necessary to cut off all the metal so that there are no corners left.
We move on to the inside of the blade - carefully cut out a semicircle, which is necessary for a more comfortable grip. In addition, this manipulation can significantly reduce the weight of the head. To further reduce the weight and increase the maneuverability of the ax, it is necessary to saw off the upper corners of the butt.
Sharpening is done using an emery machine. For best result a large circle with medium grain is installed. In addition, sharpening should be done on both sides.
Making an ax handle for a taiga ax
It is worth noting that choosing the right wood is the key to success in making a high-quality taiga ax. Ideal options will become maple and ash. Simpler options are birch and pine. The latter is perfectly polished and sharpened, but is extremely unreliable due to its fragility.
Below are the instructions:
Selection of lumps - without knots or defects. Processing and drying - the tree is cleared of bark and split in the middle. Wood should be dried at +25°, with a humidity level of 15%. Aging lasts two months.
Creating a mold - we will need a hatchet or a large knife to remove the main wood. In addition, do not forget about a chisel and a small hammer - these tools will be needed for smaller jobs.
How to mount an ax? You should use gauze and epoxy resin. After three days, the taiga ax will be ready for use.
The last step is sanding and varnishing. The ax will become not only useful, but also beautiful, like in the photo from the advertising catalogue!
Photos of do-it-yourself axes
“Come on, give me back my stone axe” - there is probably no person in our country who has not heard this song. Yes, the first axes were made of stone. But this time passed many thousands of years ago, and now they use quality wood and steel.
During the development of civilization, many varieties of this tool have appeared (construction, throwing, etc.) which have not yet lost their relevance. Moreover, on the market you can find many varieties of this product, which is designed to solve certain tasks, for example, which stand in front of a hunter or tourist.
Classification of axes
In practice, many types of axes are used, which are designed for working with wood. Conventionally, they can be divided into three types:
- cleavers;
- for logging;
- construction or universal.
Accordingly, there are various designs, designed to solve certain problems, for example, a firefighter is equipped with a pick, with which you can pull beams and other structures away from the source of fire.
In addition to this classification, we can offer another one - according to the size of the blade, or more precisely, according to the size of the butt:
- wide;
- average;
- narrow.
The first ones are used in logging, the second ones solve many problems in construction and in everyday life, and the third ones have found their application in carpentry. These tools are also distinguished by the length of the ax handle. That is, the larger it is, the stronger the swing and, accordingly, the blow. There is a difference between the width and shape of the blade. That is, if the tool has a direct sharpening, then it is intended for chopping blows. If the cutting part has a curved sharpening, then it can both chop and cut.
Steel, wood, polymer materials. But as experience shows, nothing better than a wooden (birch) handle has yet been invented. Other materials do not always cope with vibration damping.
The list of existing and widely used tools can be listed for quite a long time, the following can be mentioned:
- Tourist, it has small overall and weight characteristics, its weight is just over half a kilogram, and its length is 350 mm. With its help you can prepare dead wood, perform simple work, for example, to put together a ladder or a raft.
- Hunting. It is used for cutting dead wood and butchering harvested carcasses.
- Scandinavian. This tool is intended for professional woodcutters. It weighs 1.2 kg, with a length of 640 mm.
- Cleaver-sledgehammer. Its use allows you to split any log.
GOST 18578-89 normalizes the main dimensions of the product, maximum tolerances, and roughness parameters of the cutting part. According to the requirements of this document, each product must be marked. This GOST defines the procedure for acceptance and shipment of finished products to the consumer.
Download GOST 18578-89
Work on cutting out an ax handle
This tool is used in almost any household. It is in demand for housework, construction and many other tasks. But, you need to understand that not all tools of this type that are in use have decent reliability. And therefore, some craftsmen make an ax handle with their own hands.
Making an ax is a very responsible task. The comfort of performing work, and most importantly the safety of the worker and the people around him, depends on the parameters of this part.
A stick with a section of a certain shape is far from the best option. When using such a handle, a person quickly gets tired, and work can become unsafe. Therefore, a curved handle with an oval cross-section is used for the tool. The tail part must be widened and bent down. Such an ax handle holds it securely in the hand, even when delivering a sharp blow.
The process of making an ax looks like this:
Material selection
The following grades of wood are used for the handle:
- birch;
- maple and some others.
In order for this detail to turn out High Quality, wood must be harvested before frost. After the workpieces are ready, they need to be dried. They should lie in a ventilated area for about a year. But, some craftsmen claim that the drying period should be about 5 years. In fairness, it must be said that in emergency You can also use an undried workpiece, but this is a temporary option; the handle will quickly wear out.
Cutting out the template
To obtain an ax of the required size, you must use a template made from cardboard. As a sample, to obtain it, you can use the tool that is convenient to work with. That is, you need to put it on a sheet thick cardboard and trace it with a pencil.
By the way, the size of the ax can be determined based on the height and physique of the person who will work with it.
Making a blank
A block is hewn out from a block that has been dried. Work must be carried out along the fibers. The size of the bar must be 100 mm larger than the size finished product. The size of the part where it will be installed, and the blade itself should be 2 - 3 mm larger than the size of the eye.
The template prepared in advance must be laid on the surface of the block. At the same time, leave allowances for processing. From the front its size is 10 mm, in the tail it is 90 mm. This allowance is necessary so that the handle does not crack when pulled onto the ax itself. Upon completion of work, this allowance is removed.
Hewing out an ax
To bring the part to the required dimensions, two cuts must be made in the upper and lower parts of the workpiece, but their depth should not reach the contour of 2 mm. Excess material can be removed using a chisel. After this, using a file with a large notch, the corners, transitions and other surfaces of the handle are leveled. Abrasive sandpaper is used to finish the surface.
Impregnation with waterproof compound
To increase the resistance of the handle to moisture, special compounds are used. But it is permissible to use drying oil or linseed oil. The handle is covered with this liquid until it stops being absorbed into it.
The handle for the tool should not slip in the hand and therefore, it is not recommended to cover it with any paint and varnish materials or use some kind of pads.
By the way, it wouldn’t hurt to add a coloring pigment to the waterproof coating, for example, orange color. Then the tool with a bright handle will not disappear on the site.
When choosing a piercing part, you must definitely find out what steel it is cast from. Our country has adopted GOST 18578-89. It defines the grades of steel from which it is permissible to make the blade parts of an ax. These are steels - 8ХФ, 9ХФ, 9ХС, ХВГ, У7А, У8, У8А, У8Га, У9, У9А and many others similar in properties to the named grades.
Landing the ax on the handle
Fitting the blade onto the finished handle should be done using markings. To do this, draw a sketch of the eyelet on the upper end. Then you need to mark the length of the piercing part on it. And after that you can begin installing the blade on the handle.
After choosing a tool, the owner is faced with a new task - how to sharpen it. Yes, the manufacturer supplies this tool in a ready-made condition. But sooner or later, the sharpening done in the factory workshops will become dull and the need for independent editing will arise. Practice shows that it is better to spend some time on editing it than to do the work with a blunt instrument. It is advisable to perform turning of a product using a template. It is made independently. To do this you will need a small piece of tin. After choosing the sharpening angle, you need to mark it on the sheet metal and cut out the angle. After this, attach the template to the blade. The angle of deviation from the required one will be immediately visible. Using a marker, mark the cutting edge accordingly.
When sharpening, the master must consider the following factors:
Characteristics of the wood he will have to work with. What kind of work will have to be done, harvesting lumber is one thing, cutting out locks on logs installed in a log house is another. Of course, the material from which the blade is made must also be taken into account.
How to make a battle ax
Not all axes can be purchased in the store; for example, it is impossible to buy a battle axe. And therefore, if you want to get such a product, it’s easier to make an ax with your own hands.
As a basis, you can take an ordinary construction tool, see Fig. 2., and make a combat blade from it.
It has certain disadvantages:
- It has an irrational form.
- It has excess mass, which will interfere with manipulations during the battle.
Viking battle ax
It should also be noted that the upper ledge will create difficulties during chopping and striking. That is, it gives the ax an unnecessary torque directed counterclockwise, thus causing increased wear on the ax handle. It won't hurt to grind off the protrusion located below. In addition, straight sharpening is not entirely suitable for a battle axe.
How to make an ax from wood
How to make an ax from wood? To do this, you need to prepare a wedge-shaped blank from which you will need to make a blade. On the surface of the workpiece, you need to draw the outline of the future toy with a marker. Excess material can be removed using an abrasive sharpener.
At the next stage, on the end surface of the workpiece it is necessary to mark the outline of the hole for the ax handle. The technology for obtaining the handle is described above, but it is necessary to correct the dimensions.
Bringing the blade and handle to the required shape can be done using a sharpener or file. Through quite a short time the children's ax will be ready.
What product does a hunter who spends a lot of time in conditions need? wildlife how it can be done. Yes, no one argues, in specialized stores you can buy a product for every taste. But not all of them meet the needs of hunters.
In order to make the cutting part of a product for hunting, you need to use a solid piece of metal. But somehow it’s more common to hold an ax with a wooden handle. For the manufacture of the blade, grade 1040 steel is used, this is a structural alloy steel, the Russian equivalent is 40G.
You can make the cutting part by ordering it from the village smithy. The master is able to forge the necessary blank for the blade. He is also able to make and install a steel handle. If such a handle does not suit you, then you can install a wooden one. When making it, you need to take into account some simple rules:
The handle cannot be varnished - the hand will slip.
When choosing its shape, it is necessary to take into account the width of the grip of the palm; it is necessary to make stops that will allow you to hold the ax in your hand.
How to make a taiga ax
Before you make a taiga axe, you need to understand how it differs from a traditional one? It has a different blade shape and ax handle parameters. That is, you can take an ordinary ax as a basis. Change the shape of its sharpening, remove excess material in the upper part, by analogy with the combat one.
You can use an angle grinder to remove excess material.
The ax handle can be made from birch. To secure it more securely in the blade, you can wrap a bandage impregnated with epoxy resin around its end. It makes sense to soak the handle itself with linseed oil.
