Metal Wedge For Axe Handle? The 165 New Answer

One of the most basic yet sophisticated of our product lines is the Steel Wedge. Once a fabricator or assembler recognizes the need for a custom-sized wedge, shortcuts are few and the quantity required rarely justifies the creation of reusable, hard tools. (We have 15 stock sizes – to view them click here)

The easiest method is to cut a square or rectangular block of flat iron and then cut at an angle from one edge to the opposite edge. This will create two rough but sometimes useable wedges. There are three problems this method can cause;

– The saw used often “wanders” due to the uneven pressure in the steel block. This creates a wedge with uneven surfaces.

– Once the angle cut is made, the angle is relieved and the wedge can bend upwards.

– In some cases the above issues may be an acceptable compromise, but even then the cost of manufacturing these steel wedges can be prohibitive.

Like all steel processing, the manufacture of steel wedges benefits greatly from the right equipment. The photo below shows a recent steel wedge project that requires 260 pieces measuring 4″ wide x 1-1/2″ high x 12″ long in A-36 grade steel. That’s a lot of cutting.

Using the correct saw blade and cutting techniques, these wedges were cut to size and required very little sanding and resurfacing. The opposite of this situation is shown below, where the shape of the wedge required a completely different manufacturing process.

Known at The Steel Supply Company as the “Russian Wedge”, the steel wedge shown above is unique in two respects. The most obvious is the “knock-out block” at the big end. The user in this case was an oilfield drilling company operating in central Russia. They needed a wedge that could be removed very quickly, hence the knockout block that extended at the top.

The second thing to note in this case is that the customer required a steep incline. This limits the mechanical force that the wedge will develop. Measured at the small end, this wedge angle is 14°. This is steeper than the typical steel wedge. A rough guideline for lifting capacity is:

Length divided by height = mechanical advantage

8″ length / 2″ height = 4

4 is the number of times the impact force is multiplied when it becomes the lift force.

Typically, made-to-order steel wedges have an angle of inclination between 5° and 10°. These generate a lifting force in the range of 8 times the impact force. Of course, we manufacture the wedge with any angle specified by the fabricator or fitter.

Another option for steel wedges are “adjustment” or “alignment” holes. (photo below)

The holes allow this customer to ensure the wedges stay where they are intended. In this particular case, a shoring project, it was important that the wedges did not move until the structure was able to support itself. In many cases, access to holes like these was restricted by the surfaces that the wedge separated. These holes were intentionally spaced so that no matter how far the wedge was driven, one hole or the other was accessible.

Hardness is another factor to consider with steel wedges. While it strengthens the wedge and provides additional durability, it can also embrittle the wedge. With a strong impact, steel chips can loosen and cause eye injuries.

Caution: Goggles should be a given when riding a wedge, regardless of hardness.

Ultimately, making wedges is time consuming and expensive, but by using equipment capable of making multiple wedges at once, costs can be controlled. Proper milling and grinding techniques can limit deflection and warping, and tempering can harden the steel to create a durable and effective wedge.

About me:

I’m an amateur ax restorer, collector and outdoorsman. And I learn what makes a great ax by testing them against each other in the field.

Hammer Wedges are designed to be used in conjunction with the correct wooden handle when replacing damaged handles on hammers and other striking tools.

The kit includes eight malleable steel hammer wedges and four wooden wedges that when installed correctly provide a secure attachment of a hammer head to a wooden handle.

Note Hammer Wedges are NOT for use with fiberglass replacement handles.

Kit consists of:

2 steel wedges: 11mm length x 8mm diameter (size 1)

1 wooden wedge: 18 x 25 mm

Suitable for head weights from 4oz to 1lb

2 steel wedges: 13mm length x 10mm diameter (size 2)

1 wooden wedge: 25 x 35 mm

Suitable for head weights from 1lb to 2.5lbs

2 steel wedges: 13mm length x 10mm diameter (size 2)

1 wooden wedge: 30 x 30 mm

Suitable for head weights from 3 to 7 pounds

2 steel wedges: 23mm length x 15mm diameter (size 4)

1 wooden wedge: 30 x 40 mm

Suitable for ax heads

See the top 10 questions

Simple Machines: Facts

Once upon a time there was a person who had to move something heavy. He or she took a long stick and stuck it under the edge of the heavy object and then pushed the other end of the stick. And the first simple machine was invented. Simple machines are just that. The simplest way to use something to do something faster or better. A tool. They were the first to be created and we still use them today. There are 6 basic simple machines; the lever, the wheel and axle, the inclined plane, the wedge, the pulley and the screw. Several of these simple machines are related to each other. But each has a specific purpose in the world of work. But what is work? Work is the amount of energy required to move an object. The further you move it, the more work is required. Work is measured in Newtons. More on that later. First, let’s look at each of the 6 simple machines in detail.

The Lever The lever is a long tool like a pole or stick that is placed under an object to lift it. The lever is more efficient when combined with a pivot point. The fulcrum is another object, perhaps a rock, used to brace under the long tool. This gives the long bar something to push down against. The position of the fulcrum will help determine how well the lever will work. The closer the pivot is to the object being lifted, the easier it is for the person to lift the object. The longer the lever, the higher the object can be lifted. Do the math – it really depends on the distance between the object, the fulcrum and the lever. Levers are all around us. Some examples of levers include: doorknobs, hammer claws (used to remove nails), pry bars, light switches, bottle openers, and hinges.

The Wheel and the Axle The wheel has always been considered an important invention in human history. But it really wouldn’t work as well as it does if it wasn’t for the Axis. An axle is a rod or rod centered in the wheel that allows the wheel to rotate around it. The wheel then spins in a balanced circle to be used as a mode of transportation on a bicycle or to turn the hands of a clock. Gears are a form of wheel and axle. Wheels are found where things go in circles, like an electric fan, a motor, a revolving door, a carousel, and any wheel – on a car, on your skateboard, or on a bicycle.

The inclined plane The inclined plane is simply a ramp. One end is higher than the other end. This allows things to go from a low point to a high point. Or the other way around. It takes the same amount of work but less force to move an object up a ramp than to move it vertically. Gravity makes it easier to move an object down a ramp than up that ramp. Ramps are used in skateboard parks, wheelchair ramps, and for loading and unloading heavy equipment in the back of trucks. But a modified version of a ramp can also be found in stairs, escalators, ladders, sidewalks, and even slides used to drop your mail into the mailbox.

The Wedge Some people may see the wedge as just one incline, when in fact there are two inclines. However, using a wedge is actually something else. The wedge is used to separate an object apart. This is needed to cut, tear, or break something in two. A wedge can also be used to hold things together or to secure things from movement. Some examples of wedges used for severing can be a shovel, knife, axe, pickaxe, saw, needle, scissors, or an ice pick. But wedges can also hold things together, as in the case of a staple, pin, thumbtack, nail, doorstop, or washer.

The Pulley The pulley is actually a version of a wheel and axle combined with a rope, chain, or other cord to move something up and down or back and forth. The pulley can be combined with other pulleys to reduce the amount of labor required to lift or lower large amounts of weight. It can also make moving something like a flag on the pole convenient from the ground. It changes the direction of the force necessary to do the work. I pull down the rope but the flag goes up. Rollers are used in blinds and curtains to move them up and down or back and forth. Pulleys are also used on ships to hoist and lower sails, in industry to lift and lower heavy cargo, or on cranes to move construction machinery. Elevators also use rollers to move the car up and down from floor to floor.

The screw The screw is actually a twisted inclined plane. It allows movement from a lower position to a higher position, but at the same time moves it in a circle. As a result, it takes up less horizontal space. In some cases, a screw can also serve to hold things together. Some examples of using a screw are in a jar lid, a drill, a bolt, a lightbulb, faucets, bottle caps, and ballpoint pens. Spiral staircases are also a form of a screw. Another use of the screw is in a device known as a screw pump. A giant helix shape is lowered into the water and turning the helix moves the water up the twisted shaft and lifts it to where it is needed. Screw pumps are widely used in agricultural facilities such as farms and for irrigation.

Measuring work Work is the amount of energy required to move an object. A person can press against a wall until they sweat. But if they didn’t move the wall – even a little bit – they didn’t do anything. But at the same time, if you move the computer mouse even part of an inch, you’ve done a job. Working in a scientific sense. Don’t try to convince your parents or teachers that you’ve done a lot of work by playing video games. work can be measured. It is measured by the distance a force moves an object. Sir Isaac Newton was a very famous scientist who had a wonderful understanding of the relationship between force and motion. For this reason, the measure is called a Newton. It is abbreviated with a capital N. The term joule is often used to measure work in newtons per meter. If it takes 1 newton to move an object 1 meter, that’s equivalent to 1 joule. There are special tools for measuring the force required to move an object. These are called force gauges. They use a spring and hook to determine how much pull it takes to push an object up an incline. Really very easy to use.

Compound machines Simple machines can be combined to form compound machines. Many of our everyday tools and objects that we use are truly compound machines. Scissors are a good example. The edge of the blades are wedges. However, the blades are combined with a lever to allow the two blades to come together for cutting. A lawn mower combines wedges (the blades) with a wheel and axle that rotates the blades in a circle. But there is more. The motor probably works in combination with several simple machines, and the handle that you use to push the lawnmower around the garden is a kind of lever. So even something complicated can be broken down into the simplest of machines. Look around – can you figure out what simple machines make up a can opener, the hand-cranked pencil sharpener, the ice dispenser in the fridge, or the stapler? But be careful. In our modern times, many things rely on electronics and light waves to function and are not made of simple machines. But even then, you might be surprised. The turntable in your microwave oven consists of a wheel and an axle. The lid of the laptop is connected to the base by a hinge or lever. Simple machines may be simple – but they are simply everywhere.

Crafting an ax handle is an ancient skill long before you could buy a ready-made handle at the hardware store. Back then, the ax head was handmade, as was the handle.

An ax handle is strongest when split from a stave (just a narrow piece of “raw” wood) rather than being cut from a plank. The grain of the wood should be continuous from end to end, otherwise the handle will snap apart from the shock. If a growth ring “runs out” of the piece of wood, a weak point is created.

Long, straight-grained woods such as hickory or ash are traditionally chosen for ax handles because they are strong and produce long, straight staves. However, there are other woods that work well for ax handles and because it’s my choice I decided to make one out of cherry. I work with cherry a lot because I think she makes the best canoe paddles and when I started this project I had a good chunk of wood from a diseased tree we felled last year. The grain is reasonably straight and I can work around where it isn’t. I plan to use this project as a camp ax on canoe trips. I won’t be chopping down redwoods with it, so it doesn’t have to be indestructible.

Finding the right wood is probably the hardest part of the project, but persistence works. Once you find a log, you can split multiple staves and keep them for a long time. You need a straight log with no twists, knots or nubs that has not been cut into firewood. Use the bottom of a log whenever possible, as the logs tend to be straighter closer to the ground. Your quest can be made easier by befriending a tree surgeon; This is the best way to ensure good care.

materials

1 log of hardwood, 4-5 feet long and 10-12 inches in diameter; straight and without knots (hickory, ash, hornbeam, cherry or walnut)

3-4 splitting wedges

Sledgehammer or splitting hammer

ax

Razor buck or vise for woodworking

Draw or bow knife

pencil

Patternmaker’s rasp (#49 or #50) or a four-handed rasp

ax head

Mallet or regular hammer

cabinet scraper (optional)

150 grit sandpaper

Japanese saw or fine-toothed backsaw

pocket knife

safety goggles

Step 1: Split your log in half.

With the log on the ground, drive a wedge in about 6 inches from the end. It’s a good idea to wear safety goggles when working with wedges, as bits of metal can snap off the edges and fly around.

Use a sledgehammer or splitting hammer to drive the wedge in until you see a crack open and start running down the log. Insert a second wedge into this crack and drive this wedge into the log; it should now make popping and cracking noises. Go back to the first wedge and tap it a few more times. Insert your next wedge into the crack before the second wedge. Drive the third wedge in well and firmly and go back to the first and second wedges and tap them in well and firmly as well. If all goes well, the first wedge should loosen as the log splits. If not, drive in the second wedge a little more. If the first wedge is still tight, you could add a fourth wedge before the third.

Work along the crack that will continue to develop as you tap the wedges in place. Next, start “jumping” your wedges. If the first one in the trunk comes loose, remove it and reinsert it into the crack in front of your lead wedge.

Finally, the log is separated. Some logs just pop apart, but mostly tiny pieces of wood hold the halves together. Cut these out with a hatchet and separate your two pieces.

Step 2: Divide your log into quarters.

Lay one of the wood halves on a few pieces of wood. Examine the wood for an obvious place to start splitting staves. If nothing pops out, it doesn’t matter where you start as long as the grain is straight. Use your wedges to repeat the process outlined in step 1. Fortunately, this process is much quicker with half a log.

Step 3: Cut Your Stave.

Look at your stem blades and find the best stave for your grip. The wood in a tree can have twists and turns, even when the outside looks straight. You’re looking for the straightest grain you can find, with a minimal amount of imperfections (or better yet, no imperfections).

Using a wedge, cut out your stave. With the wood in the photo above, I use the piece on the left, near the bark and where the growth rings are pretty close. My thumb is near the center of the eventual handle. Drive your wedge down and create a crack running down the log. The crack should be relatively straight. A few extra wedges will help you break up the stave.

Step 4: Roughen out your stave with a hatchet.

Start with the bark side first and trim off the bark and a few growth rings. I use a carpenter’s axe, which only has a sharp edge on one side, similar to a plane iron, but you can use any hatchet. The advantage of a carpenter’s ax is that the cutting edge is straight and the blade cuts straight down and not into your stave.

You don’t need a perfect cut, but the more you can cut out now the better. You want to remove a significant amount of wood, but make sure you follow the grain of the stave as much as possible.

Turn the stave over and make the same rough cuts on the inside. The stave is thinner closer to the center of the tree, making it easier to take wood off that side.

Step 5: Shave the handle to rough size.

Place the stave in a razor horse or woodworking vise. Use a drawknife to make a flat edge on one side of the stave. Pick up wood, look for bumps and scrape those off as well. Make the side reasonably straight and don’t worry about making it perfect.

Flip your work and create an edge that’s as parallel as possible to your first edge. Again not perfect, just barely.

Step 6: Begin shaping the sides of the handle.

Rotate your handle 90 degrees so one of the narrow edges is facing up. To do this you need to adjust your shaving horse’s jaws by removing the pivot pin, raising the jaw and replacing the pin.

Use the drawknife to flatten the sides of the handle. When removing wood, pay attention to your grain. If your stave is nice and straight grained, the grain structure should be less of a problem. You don’t want the cut to run into the handle and create a weak point. If this happens, stop immediately, flip the handle and cut from the other direction.

After flattening one side, flip the handle over and work the opposite side. They should be mostly parallel.

As best you can, use a pencil to draw a line that follows the grain along the side of your handle. It is important to be as centered as possible before continuing to shape the grip. You will notice in the photo above that there are still some high spots at the top of the handle. At this point, instead of adjusting the shaving horse for each spin, I’m holding the handle with a block of wood.

Step 7: Begin to refine the sides with a rasp.

Use a model maker rasp or a four-in-hand rasp to shape the handle closer to its final shape. The sides should be parallel, and you can start shaping the edges a bit to make them taper to fit your hand. You adjust the shape after the ax head is added, so don’t worry about getting it perfect just yet.

Step 8: Assemble the ax head.

This is where you can make a fantastic difference in the performance of an axe. A generic ax handle bought at the hardware store is made to go with everything, so it needs to be inherently loose and then pulled up to fill in the gaps between the handle and the head. Not so with a custom-made handle. The trick here is patience.

Make sure the end of your handle is near the size of the grommet (the hole that the handle fits). Continue cutting slightly at the top until the eyelet just fits over the handle. Place the tip of the ax head on a piece of wood on the ground.

Insert the tapered end of your handle into the eyelet and tap the other end of the handle with a mallet. You can also use a regular hammer, but you should protect the end of the handle by holding another small block of wood against it. Just tap until you feel resistance.

If you pull the head off you will see where your grip and eye didn’t line up. Mark this with a pencil.

Use your drawknife to cut off the part that is tied to the handle and repeat the process. As you walk, you will see larger areas that are authentic. Cut off the parts that will bind until the binding marks are just gone and put the head back in place.

As the head slides further onto the handle, you will see more high spots. Just keep shaving, adjusting and shaving.

Step 9: Finish scraping.

You’re almost done and the head is almost adjusted. You can see that the handle has a high spot where the bottom of the ax head has bottomed out and has started to peel the wood a bit. This is your chance to clean things up a bit. Trim back the curls, if any, and do the final scraping. Your head should fit snugly, leaving maybe ½ to ¾ of an inch before it reaches the top of the head.

Step 10: Slit the top of the handle.

Using a Japanese saw or other thin section saw, carefully cut a slit in the top of the handle going in about ¾ inch deep. The depth of your cut will depend on the size of your ax head and the depth of the eye. I’ve marked the depth I want to go with a pencil. This slot allows a wedge to tighten the handle.

Step 11: Attach the ax head to the handle.

Lay the ax head on a plank on the ground and use a hammer and wooden block to drive the handle the rest of the way into the head until it’s flush or just sticking out a little.

Using your drawknife or pocket knife and a piece of wood, carve a wedge that fits into the slot you cut at the top of the handle in step 10. Drive the wedge down into the slot until it is very tight. If you want to carve two or three small wedges, that’s fine too. It doesn’t make much of a difference because the ax head was custom made, but it can fill in the gaps and look a little nicer.

Break off the excess wedge by hitting one side hard with a hammer. If you’re worried about a clean break, you can trim the wedge with a saw or use a rasp and clean the top of the handle where it’s protruding.

Step 12: Finish the shape of the handle.

I like a nicely finished handle so I do the final finishing after the head is attached. Wrap the ax head in a piece of leather to protect it and place it in the woodworking vise.

The key to refining form is to take it slow and easy. This is a custom handle for you, so determine the shape.

With the head still in the vise, grasp the grip to test the grip size. I was happy with the thickness of my grip but the diameter was a little large. So I used the modeler’s rasp to thin it out a bit. Always work on both sides so that the grip remains symmetrical.

As you near final shape, run your hands up and down the handle, looking for high spots. Vernier calipers are all well and good, but your hand is better suited. When you find a high point, mark it with a pencil.

After identifying a high point, scrape off the pencil marks and check again. If you don’t have a furniture scraper, a sanding block will work, you just have less control.

Step 13: Sand Handle.

After you’ve removed any high spots and you’re happy with the handle shape, it’s time to sand.

Grind your handle by moving the handle up and down until you don’t see any marks from the rasp. You may need to fold the paper over and sand with the grain close to the ax head. Just keep going until you are happy with the end product.

Step 14: Cut the Handle to Length.

This will be a shorter handle because it’s a smaller ax head. Cut the end off the tip of your handle so that it’s perpendicular to the tip of the ax head.

Use your rasp to clean the end of your handle. Strike off sharp edges or splinters. Then use sandpaper to round off the ends.

Step 15: Finish Your Grip.

You can use an oil finish or any other wood finish you like. I have a preference for oil finishes as you can apply them further and they penetrate the wood so surface notching isn’t as important. Three or four coats is good to start with, with a light sanding between coats to get rid of grain that might rise from wetting the wood. I soak the top of the handle where it comes through the eye because you don’t want that area to dry out and the ax head to come loose.

Working with lumber from the lumberyard is pretty normal for most of us, so going from a log to an ax handle is like magic. Wood is wood, the stuff from the wood yard is simply processed further. The way I see it, you can eat a bratwurst made by the butcher, and that’s great stuff. But a house sausage with self-harvested meat; That’s damn elementary, son.

Hinged wedges:

Definition:

A pair of matching wooden wedges positioned with the thin edges facing opposite directions, allowing them to slide horizontally and be lifted. Placed at each end of a wood center to position it.

About me:

I’m an amateur ax restorer, collector and outdoorsman. And I learn what makes a great ax by testing them against each other in the field.