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Author Topic: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?  (Read 7574 times)

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Offline makenzie71

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Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« on: October 19, 2009, 11:04:02 am »
I read of a man who'd done this several years ago and was wondering if anyone here had any info on it, or had done it.  I was interested in how exactly the handles were spliced and how well the whole thing worked?

Thanks
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Offline Dano

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2009, 01:09:55 pm »
I'm sure it would work good, if you could get a pair of handles, chase a ring on each and use a fish tail, Z, or W splice. The key is the cost, a good hickory axe handle ain't cheap any more, you could buy a good stave on the big auction site cheaper.
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Offline makenzie71

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2009, 01:35:39 pm »
Cost is usually only an interest when I don't have stuff laying around.  I've got a hickory staff...the kind they usually carve into axe or hammer handles...that has a fair grain but it's only 40" long. Roughly 2" in diameter.  I was thinking of splitting it long-ways and splacing the ends together into a 68" stave.  Someone here had done something similar about 3 or 4 years back but I can't remember any of the details.
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Offline Dano

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2009, 02:27:13 pm »
Yep, I can't remember either. I take it you have a bandsaw, once you split the staff, flatten the bellies at the ends, so you have a flat stable surface for cutting the splice. The TBB vol 1 has a chapter on the splices. You going to need Urac 185 for the glue up. Go for it!!
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Offline Tom Leemans

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2009, 09:52:11 am »
Once upon a time, I believe someone did this with take down sleeves. (Back in the early LW days)
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Offline Dano

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2009, 10:13:30 am »
I think your right Tom, a take down would be the easiest.
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Offline makenzie71

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2009, 10:14:15 am »
What's a "take down"?  I'm not familiar with this term.
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Offline Canoe

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2009, 11:35:18 am »
Howdy Group,

Dano, I don't think it is necessary to "chase a ring" in creating ax-handled billets.  Instead, similar to a Board Bow, I think it would be necessary to create (cut, and scrape) a plane that is parallel the grain the whole length of the billet - that would become the back of the bow.  Then one could use that plane to cut "W" splices perpendicular to the back for the glue-up.

 
Makenzie71,  I've provided a link below.  It is a very good example of a "take-down" bow which is a two-piece bow that is connected at the handle...

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,2189.0.HTML

(I've always wanted to build one of those ax handled, billet bows.  And, I had the ax handles for a good long time - until the boss tossed then into the trash.)

All the Best,
Canoe
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Offline makenzie71

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2009, 11:49:46 am »
Thanks for the link canoe...that's a pretty spiffy idea.
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Offline Dano

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2009, 01:28:23 pm »
I suppose your right Canoe. If the staff was split following the grain well enough, that could be the back. Might just end up with kindling for the fire, or the smoker ::). It might be better to rip it on a bandsaw than try to split it.
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Offline mox1968

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2009, 05:11:24 pm »
good luck with it,thats a bow I,d like to see too.Ive heard of them but never seen one.
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VenomBOWslinger

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2009, 07:51:28 pm »
I have a huge amount of shag bark hickory Im not sure how much and what ur willing to spend and or trade!!! I would not spend any kind of money on an axe handle unless u broke one and it it usable!!! Hit me with an email if u want!!!!
Cheers!!!
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bob the boywer

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #12 on: October 22, 2009, 03:29:05 am »
I've shopped the big box stores for good pick ax handles and any other handles made from hickory. I have not found a good one yet. They all seem to have been shape without regard to grain orientation. They also want over $20 each, I think it would be cheaper to buy a stave from another bowyer.

I have a few crepe myrtle branches about 2-3 inches in diameter that I have split to splice together. The first two attempts were no good, they had too much twist. The next one looks more promising. These crepe myrtle boughs were cut down and piled up over two years ago. I recently stuck one in a bucket of water and it sprouted again. Now I have a new crepe myrtle tree growing in my yard.
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Offline Tom Leemans

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #13 on: October 22, 2009, 09:06:35 am »
Well there was one good axe handle in that barrel outside the general store on Pale Rider. ;D
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VenomBOWslinger

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Re: Spliced hickory axe handles for belly?
« Reply #14 on: October 22, 2009, 10:11:33 am »
hey like I said I have plenty of hickory and I dont mind giving u some just pay for the shipping and if u tell me about how long and wide I can plane it down and ripp to a rough dimension....OR u can buy a whole stave which at least 2 bows can be made from!!!
If I can help please let me know!!!
CHEERS!!!
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