Axe Handle Length ?

[Johnch]

I am getting ready for the fall wood cutting
Sharpened the 2 axes that I use for splitting wood like the Ash trees I will be cutting when it cools off a bit
As Ash wood most of the time splits easy

I noticed one of the handles was starting to look in the need of replacing

Not a big deal as I have been making my own for a few years
As 10+ years back I cut up several 4 ' chunks of Hickory into 3" x 6" - 3" x 18" slabs and dried it in the rafters of the barn

But I got to thinking
I had always just made the new handles the same length as the store bought ones

I got a idea , could I increase the length of the handle and increase the axe head speed with the extra leverage ??

I was thinking I have 8 or 10 axe heads that I got from yard sale axes , $1 or less per axe most of the time LOL

So I figure if I make up a couple of LONG handles , I might be able to split some of the tough chunks easy
3 or 4 axes will ride out to the woods on the ATV as easy as 2 will IMO

What do you think ??

John

[Duckiller]

Went to college with a bunch of forestry students. They liked double bit axes. one blade for cutting and one blade for splitting. They wanted a deer foot at the end of the handle so they would know which blade they were using. Always thought it was a good idea but I never had a double bit axe. Don't make your handle too long or too short. I had a light ax with a 3/4 length handle that I cut my foot rather badly, 4-6 stitches. To long of a handle may make the ax hard to control.

[Tatume]

I had a fine double bit axe when I was a youngster. It was a rescue axe, the axe head was given to me by an old friend, and I fitted a new handle. My girlfriend's father asked to borrow it, and I never got it back.

[Hick]

From another that has done a lot of splitting and chopping. You want the handle to be short enough that its comfortable if you are limbing a tree laying on the ground (so the axe head hits the tree on the ground about 18" in front of you-- easy to hit but not near toes). Aside from that-- longer gets more speed as long as its not so long that you cannot swing it easily. All three of my axes are double bit-- its the only way to go.

[bob208]

the handle length should be the length from your finger tip to your nose with your arw straight out to the side. for splitting I use a splitting maul. the heavy head gives a better split then a axe.

[Minerat]

When I worked for the CSFS our double bits were used on the fire line so one side was for chopping and the other for cutting roots and brush that a pulaski would not cut or where the blade might made ground contact. That way you always had a shape edge for the real work of cutting limbs or small trees. The dirt side had yellow paint on it. We used standard length DB handles when replacing them. Some how one head came home in my fire pack after the last fire I worked (42 years ago).

[William Yanda]

the handle length should be the length from your finger tip to your nose with your arw straight out to the side. for splitting I use a splitting maul. the heavy head gives a better split then a axe.

Probably overkill with ash. Specially if there was a frost overnight.

[crowbuster]

A longer handle will promote over strikes

[owejia]

I find the best length axe handle or any other hand held tool requiring brute strength to use is the one in someone else hands. Quit using an axe to trim trees many years ago ,use the chain saw now. Find the chain saw faster to use. At 72 use a hydraulic splitter with my tractor with a 24" stroke and 5" cylinder it will split any thing you can roll under it. Have to use a cant hook to move the biggest blocks under it. Getting old changes the way you have to do things.

[Hardcast416taylor]

A longer handle will promote over strikes

Yes, but think of all the experience you`ll be getting replacing the broken handles? I rescued 2 double bit True Temper heads that had been used to bust up tar impregenated wood floor blocks in an auto plant. Both had broken handles, but both edges on the head were just very dull with only a few nicks. I replaced the handles with `store bought` and had a nice pair of axes till my BIL borrowed one about 3 years back and hasn`t returned it.Robert

[webfoot10]

Hard learned lesson. DON'T loan tools unless you go with them. To fit a ax
handle to you. Stand up straight and set the ax on the ground next to your
leg, grasp the handle, what ever sticks out above your hand is excess, trim
this off. Your handle is now fitted to you. Best to make a plywood pattern
for future use.

[jonp]

Gransfors uses a 27.5in or 31in handle on their large splitting axe. Husqvarna uses a 30in. Both have a 5lb head so I would go in that length as they are pretty fine splitting axes.

[Mr_Sheesh]

I used to have a HEAVY single bit for chopping, worked for splitting well too. I'd just lift the head up and guide it into the wood, let gravity do all the work. Could chop a lot longer that way; Also more accurate as you're just guiding it, not flexing / moving your body to try to drive it through the wood. I'm going to look for another heavy head, works well for me :)