An Ax to Grind: A Practical Ax Manual

Getting the Hang of It, continued

Figure 51--Since you've cut off the excess portion
of the new handle, the wedge kerf slot is too
shallow and must be deepened. Use a hand saw to
cut the saw kerf deeper for the wood wedge. The
cut should be approximately two-thirds the
depth of the ax eye.

Figure 52--Time for the final fit. Drive the
head on by striking the bottom of the handle.
You can often tell when the head will move
no farther by the solid sound of the strike.

Figure 53--This handle is properly mounted on the
shoulder. Compare this photo with the untrimmed
handles in Figure 39 to see how low on the shoulder
this ax head is mounted. There is no excess
shoulder, and the handle is ready to be wedged.

Figure 54--With a coping saw, cut the protruding
handle flush with the ax head.

Figure 55--The fitted handle is ready for wedging.
Use a correctly sized wooden wedge, usually made
of well-seasoned yellow poplar or other hardwood.
Avoid plastic or steel wedges.

Figure 56--Sometimes the wedge is too thick for the saw
kerf and ax eye. If so, thin the wedge out a little
bit so that it can be driven almost full length.

Figure 57--Before inserting the wedge in the handle,
apply a coat of Swel-Lock to the inside kerf cut and
the new wooden wedge. Swel-Lock is a product that swells
wood. It is not a glue or an adhesive; rather, it penetrates
and expands wood fibers to keep the new handle tight.