I am looking for tips on how to protect the wood handles on splitting axes. I seem to make plenty of mis-hits that result in the handle smashing into the round and taking a few splinters off the handle. Sometimes even with a good hit the wood splits unevenly and the handle catches one side or the other on the way through. I generally aim for the far side of the round and try to follow through more or less straight down. The next handle i buy will be fiberglass, but i would like the ones i have now to last as long as possible.
Looking for tips to protect wood handles on splitting ax
- Thread starter ramonbow
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
Hard rubber handle protectors are commonly available. Just a tube-shaped thing that slides up the handle to just beneath the head. Pretty much anywhere axes/mauls are sold. Some folks have fashioned their own, in fact there was a recent thread about that here. I'll do a search or two and see if I can find it. Rick
LLigetfa
Minister of Fire
Or buy an axe with an essentially unbreakable handle that needs no protection. But...to protect the wooden handles on axes/mauls you don't want to replace, I can't think of a simpler way than to find the hard rubber deals. Rick
This is the kind of thing I'm talking about:
http://www.awesometools.com/handlesaver.asp
This is the kind of thing I'm talking about:
http://www.awesometools.com/handlesaver.asp
-take an old apple juice tin or big soup can and cut it to fit around like a sheath and duct tape the hell outta it.
TreePapa
Minister of Fire
atvdave said:
Didn't work for my handles. The sledge hammer handle was beat to splinters at the top and the ax handle was starting to show problems. I bought the rubber handle savers through ace hardware
(http://www.acehardware.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=handle saver&origkw=handle saver&sr=1)
'cuz they ship to the local store. The thing cost $5.00 + tax. I've had the one on the ax for some months, works like a charm.
I can't find my sledge hammer head, so I haven't replaced the handle so I don't know how that works but I s'pect about the same as the ax handle saver. Even so, I'll be buying a FG handled sledge hammer soon. But I'll hold on to the handle saver in case I find a wood handled sledge or maul at a yard sale.
Peace,
- Sequoia
Just have an extra on hand, when you see it needs replaced, put the new one on.
And without sounding too harsh, practice you aim.
Growing up, when I got tired of splitting and my dad said I had another cord to chop, a couple of mis hits and no more chopping until he bought a new handle. Then he started to keep the spare. He told me 20 years later, he knew I was doing it on purpose.
And without sounding too harsh, practice you aim.
Growing up, when I got tired of splitting and my dad said I had another cord to chop, a couple of mis hits and no more chopping until he bought a new handle. Then he started to keep the spare. He told me 20 years later, he knew I was doing it on purpose.
burntime
New Member
Hang it in the garage and use the splitter 
I have a chopper 1 with the little levers. Its 25 years old and still going with a composite handle of some sort...
I have a chopper 1 with the little levers. Its 25 years old and still going with a composite handle of some sort...Something my dad did to a nice 8 lb splitting maul was wrap it with electric fence wire from the bottom of the maul head out about 5 inches. Real tight. Then wrap it with the sh*t load of duct tape. I inherited the maul after dad passed away and have use it on about 25 cords over the last six years and it is still running strong. I retape the duct tape occassionally. I don't know what I would do if I lost that maul. Get a splitter, maybe
Bahahahaha Tony
Bahahahaha TonyGive it up and buy a plastic "unbreakable" one. You can still break it but it'll last longer than 10 wooden handles.
- Status
