Among carpentry and garden tool the ax is always one of the most sought after. A more versatile tool, most likely, will not be found. For several hundred years, since the transformation of the ax into a modern ax, a whole tradition has developed on how to make an ax with a special sharpening, how to prepare and correct an ax for a certain type of work.
How to make an ax an effective and versatile tool
There are several options for modern execution:
For your information! On a special account is a cleaver with a very strong massive butt and a short blade. It is difficult to perform a full-fledged blow with such a cutter, so it can be attributed to auxiliary types of tools.
How to make a universal ax for yourself
The main problem that needs to be solved when designing a tool for your tasks and needs is to make right choice blades upon purchase.
How to choose the right metal
It is believed that only good springy steel with deep hardening of the blade can make such a sound. In fact, for the cutting edge, it is the toughness and elasticity of the steel that is important, and not the ability to sharpen the blade to the state of a razor. Just the latter speaks of overheating and supersaturation of the metal with carbon. With such an instance, two or three demonstrative blows can be made to demonstrate sharpness; on the fourth blow, the sharpened cutting edge will split.
Much more successful will be an ax made of viscous manganese steel 50XGA. Such a tool is more difficult to manufacture, but it will serve much longer, and it is much more convenient to work with it.
Universal version of the ax
If you are not professionally building log cabins, where most the tesa needs to be made with a carpenter's ax, buy yourself a good quality product made in the Republic of Belarus. Some of the enterprises still produce conversion models of axes with excellent characteristics. It remains only to decide how to make an ax handle. The best option would be a wooden handle, choose elm or old acacia. From scraps you can make a wooden case for an ax.
A forged blade is considered the best, but finding a decent Soviet copy is not so easy. Most old blades have many hidden cracks, therefore, if a suitable specimen has come across, do not hesitate to make a few strong blows to the nearest stump. Traces of cracks will definitely come out on the cutting edge.
The easiest way to make a choice, focusing on the presence of a brand on the cheek. The label must be legible. Good tools are made forging equipment old post-war factories.
How to make an ax handle comfortable
The position of the handle depends entirely on the individual structure of the hands, and above all the palms. There are three ways to perform the correct grip on the handle:
- To work with one hand in a carpentry manner, the grip must be done 2/3 from the end of the ax handle. With this grip, the instrument in the hand must be completely balanced and balanced. To work with a carpenter's block, the length of the ax must be chosen based on the length of the arms;
- The width of the handle at the point of grip with the palm should be such that thumb and the other four fingers almost touched in the grip;
- The angle of inclination of the blade to the ax handle must be made at 70-75 °, if you have to work in a vertical cabin, and 90 °, if you need to hew or chop horizontal surfaces.
How to make an ax case correctly
Most simple option is a cover made of leather or wooden lining with a fastener on the butt. Thus, the cutting edge is closed, which allows you to safely carry the tool.
More stylish, you can make an ax case in the style of a holster to simulate military weapons. Most often, such options are made of leather or its imitation with rivet and ornament trim. This option even involves wearing a tool on a belt. The more complex the blade configuration, the more effort must be put in to design the ax case.
How to make an ax with your own hands, which is useful for cutting meat carcasses, chopping firewood and performing various construction work.
Its design consists of three parts:
Blade
ax handle
wedge
BLADE
When buying a blade, first of all we pay attention to:
1.
On the quality of the metal from which it is made (best of all, if you find a stamp on it confirming compliance with the requirements of the state standard).
2.
Weight (depending on the type of work performed, the heavier the blade, the greater the impact force - best option 700…1600 (d)).
3.
The shape of the blade (depends on the type of work performed: straight - joinery and carpentry; rounded - for chopping and chopping wood and universal).
4.
The angle of sharpening the blade (depends on the type of work performed: shaving - carpentry and carpentry; oval - for chopping and cutting wood; straight - universal).
AX
How to make an ax for an ax, we considered earlier on the pages of our site.
WEDGE
It is made of durable, well-dried wood (plank thickness 5 ... 10 (mm)).
A- cutting depth
S– cutting thickness
IN- cutting width
Reference:
The cut in the handle is made at ⅔ of the depth of the eye of the blade.
Dry the wedge and ax before assembling.
How to make an ax with your own hands and the assembly order:
1.
It is necessary to fit the ax handle under the eye of the ax blade.
2.
After fitting, grease all contact surfaces of the ax handle, eye and wedge with glue.
3.
Insert the ax into the eye.
4.
Place the handle on a hard surface in an upright position.
5.
If necessary, widen the cut groove with a chisel.
6.
Install the wedge in the groove of the ax handle and use a hammer to hammer it.
7.
Carefully cut off the part of the ax handle with the wedge protruding beyond the eye (cutting should be carried out parallel to the plane of the eye).
8.
Set the ax aside for a few days until the glue dries completely.
9.
We carry out the final finishing of the ax handle on the hand.
10.
Soak the hatchet with an antiseptic.
11.
Let's sharpen the blade.
Additionally:
You can make a cover for the ax blade, which must be put on after each use of the tool.
drill through hole at the end of the ax for hanging it on the wall during storage
We hope that the information received on how to make an ax with your own hands will help you, if necessary, use it.
An ax is one of the tools that you need to have on the farm. Of course, it can be purchased at the store, but if you want to have a reliable and handy thing, it is better to make a tool yourself. The article will discuss how to make an ax at home with your own skillful hands and properly fit the metal sheet.
How to select and prepare wood
The hatchet is the handle of a working tool. The productivity of labor depends entirely on how easy it is to work with him. Therefore, the usual straight stick in this case will not work. A real ax handle is a curved beam with an oval section and straight sections. The tail part should be expanded and bent down.
Only with this option, the hand of the person performing the work will be able to securely hold the tool, while not feeling tired for a long time.
For the manufacture of an ax handle, the following types of wood are best suited:
- maple;
- birch;
- acacia;
- ash.
Wood should be harvested in the fall. Birch is perfect for carpentry tools, and for hiking option maple is more commonly used. Its impact strength is less than that of birch. The ideal option ash is considered very durable and rarely changes shape. It is better to make an ax handle from a section of a tree located near the root, and the workpiece should be 15 cm wider and longer than the future product.
Attention! Before the prepared bars are used to make an ax handle, they must dry for at least a year in a dry, dark place, for example, in the attic.
How to make an ax - 50 photos and tips for creating, depending on the purpose
This is necessary in order to ready-made the handle did not shrink and did not begin to hang out in the eye.
You can use fresh wood only in case of breakage of the ax handle as a temporary option to be replaced soon.
How to make an ax
In order to make an ax handle you will need:
- wooden blank;
- hacksaw;
- chisel;
- pencil;
- file;
- hammer.
The manufacturing process itself takes place in the following order:
Attention! You need to make an ax so that the cross section is oval. In this case, it will be possible to hold it without particularly straining the hand and produce very accurate strikes.
Impregnation of an ax handle and an ax nozzle
The upper part of the finished handle must be impregnated with a water-repellent composition. There will be two options:
- drying oil;
- linseed oil;
- ski resin.
Lubricate the tree with the selected agent and leave to dry. The treatment is repeated several more times until the fat is absorbed. Ski resin is able to penetrate into the deeper layers of the workpiece, but it is difficult to find in stores. Therefore, the first two options are more often used.
Advice. You can add to the impregnation agent bright dye. So finished tool will be hard to lose.
Attaching an ax to a handle is done as follows:
Watching videos and photographs will help you better understand the manufacturing technique. Making an ax handle with your own hands is more difficult than buying it ready-made. However, if you have the desire and some skills, it is quite possible to get a quality tool.
How to make an ax handle: video
How to make an ax from hardboard
First, we need to get a detailed image of the future craft. Need a side view. Try to find the highest quality image possible.
Then, we print the image in full size and transfer it to the hardboard.
We cut out the part (the jigsaw will help you here).
How to make a high-quality ax handle with your own hands: manufacturing rules
I used thick hardboard (2 cm), but you can also glue several layers of thin hardboard to achieve required thickness.
Now let's deal with the protruding parts. We cut our pattern into separate pieces, which will subsequently act. 
We transfer it to hardboard, cut it out, glue it on top of the main structure.
On this moment, after you have glued all the details, you should have something similar to the photo above.
Now it's time for the file and sandpaper. Use them to smooth edges, remove roughness and give relief to future crafting. Process until it begins to seem that the ax is not assembled from a bunch of layers, but has a monolithic smooth structure. 
Then it's time for the engraving. To do this, we draw a pattern on the surface of the ax, and then, carefully, using chisels, cut out the pattern.
Now, the ax is almost ready. Putty all unwanted depressions and bumps. When the putty dries, prime the axe. After the primer dries, it is ready for painting.
What exactly do you do last step. As a result, you will get an excellent quality craft.
That's all, good luck in crafting,
your revision.
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Home > Taiga articles > Taiga ax
taiga ax
What should be a real taiga ax, and what types of axes are not suitable for long trips to the taiga?
HOW TO MAKE A AX SHARP AND COMFORTABLE
We will try to answer these questions in this article. Not to say that I am such an experienced taiga dweller, but I still have some knowledge and experience. Don't say that I'm straight up swung different tool but had to work. There is no one universal tool that would be suitable for any job. Of course, with an ordinary Soviet-style carpenter's ax, you can do any miracles by adapting to hold it in your hand, but I think each of you will agree with the thesis that it is quite inconvenient to do certain work with an unsuitable ax. It is not for nothing that our fathers and grandfathers came up with different forms of this most important helper of ours.
Any professional carpenter has at his disposal several types of axes for different types works. So the taiga ax can be only one declared form with plus or minus minor changes. By the way, for example, it will be quite difficult for you to chop wood with a battle ax, and a cleaver exists only for chopping firewood, so the shape is very important.
First you need to figure out why you need a taiga ax at all and why is it called that? Many of those reading this article (I'm sure) except for the classic Russian carpenter's ax saw nothing else and did not hold it in their hands. However, those people who are interested in this issue, who often visit field conditions, prefer correct tool and equipment for the taiga.
A taiga ax is necessary for a person in the field conditions of a taiga forest. This is the ax that a hunter-fisherman, huntsman, forester, tourist, geologist, surveyor or any other person who often visits the taiga takes with him in his equipment. It is necessary for all forest work that a person can do in the taiga. As a rule, a person does not need to prepare firewood for the winter and chop large chocks in the field, so a heavy cleaver is clearly not needed in the taiga. Most likely, a person will also not cut out carved details of architraves and all kinds of wood products in the field, since they usually go to the taiga after another.
Here is a list of things that the taiga man does in the field:
- felling trees for some needs, whether it is sanitary felling or felling trees when harvesting for a log house or firewood (a saw is most often used for firewood, not an ax);
- rough work with fallen logs: cleaning branches, bark, cutting a groove for building a winter hut, etc .;
- production of bags, samolov;
- production of huts, screens, floorings;
- rough splitting of a log along its fibers (wedges and a wooden mallet are used for the best effect);
- work with firewood.
Simply put, it can be seen from the above that an ax in the taiga is necessary for rough work with wood, preparing firewood for a fire, arranging a bivouac for spending the night in the forest, various household needs, felling upright living trees for making a future log house for a taiga winter hut.
The forest is a place where a person is not the main one - and even animals do not dominate there.
In the forest, the main ones are trees. A forest is a forest because it is filled with various trees, which means that when you come there, you need to have the appropriate tool in order to use these trees for their intended purpose. This beaver can gnaw through a tree with its teeth, but a person is forced to have a suitable ax, saw and knife - the main tools of the taiga.
What qualities should a taiga ax have?
It should be relatively light for one simple reason - you will have to carry it for a very long time and kilometers on your back, it is also much better to swing a lighter ax than a heavy semi-sledgehammer. The main weight should be in the metal part, that is, in its head. Figure 1 shows its parts:
Rice. 1. Parts taiga ax
ax the taiga ax should be much longer, the carpenter's ax handle did not live. This is due to the best scope for hitting a tree. A long ax allows you to make the best blow. In my opinion, the optimal length of the ax is about 50 cm, or even more. The ax handle should not be heavy, and all the weight should be concentrated on the head, otherwise you will not achieve the desired result from your copy - and only swear there, in the taiga.
If we compare heads two types, an obvious difference immediately catches the eye: the upper part of the blade is missing in the taiga head. Some people saw off a piece of this part from a simple carpenter's ax, turning it into a taiga one. (See fig. 2).
Blade for a carpenter's ax it should be straight, and for a taiga ax it should be rounded (see Fig. 3). This is due to the type of work that the taiga man does in the forest.
Rice. 2. The head of a taiga ax against the background of a carpenter's
Rice. 3. The blade of a taiga ax.
beard allows you to firmly fix the ax with the head.
Butt can be used as a hammer for any purpose.
Often a hunter-fisherman, who is going, for example, to repair his winter huts in the summer, does not take an extra heavy hammer into the taiga, but uses a butt as it.
Eye serves for mounting the head on the ax handle. Next, a wooden wedge is hammered into the ax handle so that the head sits tightly on it.
Fungus prevents hands from slipping and fixes them on the handle.
Rice. 4. Wedge
Rice. 5. Driving a wedge into an ax handle
In Figure 4 we see three options. Numeric 1 a metal wedge is indicated, which is driven in last. This is the control wedge. Under the number 2 - hatchet. Under 3 number - a wooden wedge, which is hammered into a special hole in the ax handle so that the ax handle does not begin to crack. Many drive the wedge right between the fibers, but this is fraught with cracking of the ax handle. Therefore, it is recommended to saw through a small recess, into which then a wooden wedge can be hammered. The wedge is better to sit on glue, for example, epoxy. Numeric 4 the head of the ax put on the handle is indicated.
The metal wedge is hammered in at the very end, note that it is driven in diagonally to the main wooden wedge. You can also hammer it at an angle of 90 degrees. Instead of a metal wedge, you can use a wooden wedge, preferably from a harder wood. Figure 5 shows the same process, but without the control second wedge. 1 - ax handle 2 - notch, cut for a wedge, 3 - head, 4 - wedge.
Taiga ax in its habitat
in business
Grigory Sokolov about his assistant
On domestic market it is extremely difficult to find a quality ax that will serve you faithfully for many years until you lose it in the forest or it is stolen from you. Axes Russian production These days, as a rule, very poor quality. The ax handles are not fitted to the head and almost always begin to slip off. The blade of the head is overheated almost to the state of cast iron, and at the first frost the blade crumbles or simply breaks off from it big piece, after which the instrument becomes completely unusable. Such axes always need to be modified by yourself in order to turn them into something tolerable. They are cheap but change very often.
The good quality of the axes was given by the Soviet production of the times of Stalin, but those old-fashioned axes cannot be found now, now such samples of the 50s are sold on the Internet from 3 to 5 thousand rubles. Steel for them was used, as a rule, grade U7. In our garages, if we stumble upon an ax, it will most likely be the production of the 80s, that is, the "perestroika ax", and at that time, as you know, production was declining. However, copies of the Brezhnev era (70s), which are not as rare as the Stalin ones, are of fairly good quality. Therefore, purchase good tool can only be from foreign companies, or ordered from a blacksmith. A blacksmith's ax will cost a little more, because it's only for an amateur. A working ax can now be purchased from foreign companies: Gransfors Bruks, Husquarna, Fiskars, Hultafors. Domestic serial manufacturers cannot yet boast of such a quality instrument.
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It is said that a good ax can do much more for its owner than a knife. Especially when it comes to survival. And this may well be true.
A Brief History of the Ax
The ax is one of the most ancient tools of mankind. Its story begins, probably, from the time of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden (about 6,000 years ago). Well, according to the story about monkeys, he is already more than 35 thousand years old. In any case, the first ax is officially considered an ax-handle, which is a stick with a pointed stone tied to the end. With which, according to many historians, cute anthropoid orangutans ran. Later, polished, drilled, copper, bronze and iron axes began to appear.
The ax is a very important and beautiful cutting tool of mankind.
So, an ax is a tool that consists of a blade and a perpendicularly mounted handle. Among people, this tool has the widest distribution: it can be a melee weapon, used for rough or skillful woodwork. Throughout the history of mankind, the material of the blade and ax handle, their attachment method and use cases - constantly changed and supplemented. In fact, the ax has always been important and indispensable tool for a person.
The variety of axes is so great that it makes no sense to describe everything. By changing the shape of the blade and ax handle, and their dimensions, you can create any options, depending on the required functions and customer requirements. At first they were made in very small forges., and with the advent of industrialism and a significant increase in demand, mass production of axes appeared.
The main types of axes
It should be mentioned that axes are divided into three main types:
- combat;
- universal;
- workers.
They also have six basic blade shapes:
- wide;
- average;
- narrow;
- with a protruding posterior beard;
- with a hammer (impact back);
- double-sided (an ax with two opposite blades).
Splitting ax
There are small cleavers, for holding with one hand, and large ones. These are very heavy axes with a displaced center of gravity and special blade shape.
The wedge-shaped blade easily and quickly enters the wood, and the wide part easily splits the log into pieces. This ax has another type - a sledgehammer ax, which is intended for splitting rough knotty wood. With the help of a hammer-shaped butt, wedges can be easily hammered into the deck.
It is best to chop frozen logs.
Hit in the middle of the block if there are a lot of knots.
Craft cleaver
Special ax for artistic processing wood. Him rounded wide blade with notch at the base and chamfered on the right or left side (used as a support for carving).
There are also axes with a one-sided sharpening of the blade and a handle curved to the side for accurate hewing of logs and planks.
How to make an ax: the whole process from cutting the ax handle to sharpening the blade
When hewing a log, place your hands close to each other. working hand should be placed in front, and the thumb should be located on top of the handle.
carpenter's ax
It has a straight handle and a wide blade with a straight thin cutting edge. The main purpose is the ability to make a smooth chopped surface. It should cut, not split the wood.
Another of its features is a notch (sinus) at the base of the head. The carpenter can easily take the ax at the very base of the blade, for stable and precise cutting of wood. A straight ax handle allows you to hold the ax in any plane and at different angles. This ax handles dry wood well. The most important thing in a carpenter's ax is the sharpness of the blade!
Lumberjack Ax
It has a long handle and a blade with a rounded edge. The blows of such an ax are powerful, and the blade will not get stuck in a tree trunk. They are ideal for cutting even resinous trees.. It handles branches with ease.
hunting ax
A special shape of the blade with rounded edges, a special butt for skinning, an almost flat handle.
With such an ax good at chopping both wood and meat.
We remind you that you can buy a good Fiskars ax in our online store by clicking on the link
tourist ax
A small version of a hunting ax with a small butt. Cuts, stabs and easily fits in a backpack. What else does a scout or tourist need in an exciting journey?
When cutting branches, it is better to perform a longitudinal blow from the root to the top of the tree.
Finally, watch a video about how to chop wood "in Canadian":
How to make an ax at home
Many people have at hand all the tools and materials in order to make the right tools themselves, but not everyone does it. Some just hesitate because they think it's difficult, others don't know where to start. I want to show you that it is not at all difficult and almost everyone can do it.
We'll need: a small block of wood, a hacksaw knife, a pencil, and a hammer. You can take a chock instead of a bar. Split in half and remove the bark. The chock must always be well dried, as poorly dried wood can simply crack. Good material is birch, as it increases the force of impact, it has good viscosity and hands are less tired from work. In addition, birch is well processed, so it is the most popular material for ax handles. One of the disadvantages of birch is that it quickly rots when interacting with water, so if you need a camp hatchet, then it is better to use ash and maple. Here are some bars that are perfect for you.
Let's move on to action. First you need to draw the contours of the future ax on the bar, it is necessary that it fits comfortably in your hand and is suitable for the type of work for which you need it. The easiest way is to take another ax and copy its shape, the main thing is that you feel comfortable working with this ax. And a carpenter usually does everything by sight and spends very little time on it, but this requires practice and nothing without it. And so we drew the contours.
Now we need to process the bar according to the drawing. To do this, you need to file a little on both sides, and then cut it all off with a knife or chisel, this should be done very carefully so as not to cut off anything superfluous.
Put the knife in place and slowly tap it with a hammer. You need to cut strictly according to the shape of your future ax handle.
If you did everything right, then you should have an almost finished workpiece. Now this workpiece needs to be planed with a knife.
It is important that the handle of the ax is oval and not round, as you will hold a round one with tension and, because of this, the accuracy of the blow will decrease.
When you plant an ax, the wood in the area of \u200b\u200bthe ax handle is subjected to slight crushing from impacts. You need to do this carefully, as you can ruin the finished ax handle. To prevent splitting, it is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the lower end of the ax handle during attachment. Therefore, it is better to leave an allowance for this. The fit can be considered complete if the end of the ax handle is about 8 mm outside the eye. Then the surface of the ax handle is polished sandpaper.
Impregnation of the ax handle with a special compound
Then comes the next operation - this is the impregnation of the front half of the ax handle with some kind of waterproof compound. It can be drying oil or ski resin.
DIY ax
Ski resin provides a more reliable and deeper impregnation, but it may not be suitable, due to the fact that the smell will pass from the ax handle to the hands for a long time, this is not exactly suitable for the hunter.
Now we have reached the wedge. To do this, you need a well-dried plank, so that the thickness is not less than 10 mm, and preferably from the same hardwood or, better, a harder wood. It is better to make the width of the wedge 1 ... 2 mm more than the height of the lug, and the length should be such that it exceeds the width by at least 4 times. When the wedge is ready, the ax is finally put on the impregnated ax handle, and the cut gap, if it is closed at the entrance, is slightly expanded with a chisel.
It is important to lubricate the wedge with any glue before clogging, it is better not to use rubber-based glue, this is not good. So that the lubricated wedge does not crawl back during driving, its lead-in, approximately 10 mm, is not lubricated with glue. When driving a wedge, the ax must be placed vertically on the anvil. This anvil stop is good at preventing the ax head from slipping when hitting the wedge.
Final part
Now take a good look at the ax made by your hands. If you notice any flaws, then fix it better. Remove the rest of the allowance and give the final shape to the shank of the ax handle. Treat the curved parts with a rasp or sandpaper. This is what the finished ax looks like.
And most importantly, you will be pleased to work with him, because you made it yourself. Now you can only continue to improve your skills and practice, and I wish you good luck and always follow the safety precautions, because no matter what health comes first.
The ax is actually a very important tool. Of course, if you are a real carpenter, then you must definitely know how to make an ax that is perfect for certain jobs. Professional master carpenters usually use several axes at once. Nevertheless, this type of tool is also necessary for people living outside the city, or just city dwellers who occasionally travel on their summer cottages. After all, you need to heat the bath with firewood, and you can chop them only with the help of an ax. And so that no misunderstandings arise in the process, and the tool does not let you down, you should know about all the subtleties of how to make an ax with your own hands, as well as how to prepare it for work. The ax itself can be completely different in shape. But you should properly mount the ax, wedged, and it is also necessary to sharpen at a certain angle.
The choice of the piercing part of the ax
When you are faced with a choice, in the process of acquiring a stabbing part, be sure to pay attention to the metal from which it is made. There must be an inscription GOST, confirming the implementation in accordance with the norms and requirements. You should be alert if you see a sign like: OST, MRTU, TU. In this case, the metal production technology could be changed by the manufacturer. If we talk about choosing a good Soviet ax, then it is better to buy it on the regular market.
You can check the quality of the ax the old fashioned way by striking the blade of one against the blade of the other. If one of the products is made of poor quality, then it is on it that the impact marks will remain. Also, if you hang the ax, you can knock on it and listen to the sound. It will be characteristic.
Pay attention to the fact that if the blade is good, there should be no dents or flaws; the eye must be cone-shaped; also, the eye and the blade must be coaxial; and also there must be at least a small thickness of the butt, and its ends must be perpendicular to the blade.
If you could not find a product that would meet all standards. You can make a good ax yourself. Even if some misunderstandings are found in the purchased product over time, they can be eliminated by sharpening the burrs, boring the eyes, and giving the butt a symmetrical shape.
Select a workpiece. Make an ax handle
Based on your height and strength, you should choose the length of the ax handle. The quality of the wood is also very important. For example, for lightweight products, up to one kg in weight, the length of the handles is 40-60 cm. If we talk about a heavy ax - up to one and a half kilograms in weight, the length of the handle will be 55-65 cm.
Approaching the question of how to make a wooden ax should be done correctly. For example, not every tree is suitable for its handle. Most suitable options- the root part of the birch, as well as its outgrowths; maple or oak, ash and other types of wood. It is very important to dry the preparations well, and always in natural conditions and for a considerable time.
You select the tool template in advance, and your template should be outlined on the workpiece. The end part of the handle should be thickened so that the master can slow down with his hand if the ax slips out. Excess wood (outside the outline) should be removed with a knife, an ax with a perfectly sharpened blade, or other similar tools. After that, you need to make sure that the actions are correct. Put the ax on the ax handle for fitting, using a mallet. Make sure these parts fit very snugly together. After that, you can proceed to further cleaning. To scrape, you should use glass, and to grind - fine-grained sandpaper. Knowing how to make an ax out of wood is half the battle. But that's not all.
"Landing" an ax on the handle
This process can be done, for example, in this way:
- The top of the ax handle is adjusted in accordance with the eyelet. Unnecessary wood should be removed with a knife.
- The hatchet should be placed horizontally on a flat hard surface, and the ax should be placed on top. On the handle, you need to mark with a pencil the place to which it needs to be planted. Dividing the segment in two, you should put a second mark.
- Use a vise to clamp the ax so that the wider end is up. A hacksaw for metal should be cut to the 2nd mark directly under the wedge.
- The wedge can be from the store, and also made from wood by hand. Its thickness can be 5-10 mm, the length is the same as the depth of cut, the width is equal to the eye of an ax.
- You need to put a board on the table, and put an ax on it, upside down. The ax should be put on the handle, tapping it on the board. Next, turn over and knock with the handle, in the process of planting. So turn over and tap should be several times in a row. As a result, the ax should go into the eye.
- After that, the ax handle must be placed vertically, and a wedge should be inserted into the cut and hammered with a mallet.
- Oil should be applied to the ax handle, the excess will drain, and the tool will remain to dry. After all, with the help of a rag, it is necessary to wipe the ax and the handle.
In addition, you can watch a video on how to make an ax, with which you will be more clear about the essence of making a tool.
Ax blade sharpening
This issue is very important so that the work of the tool does not cause inconvenience and trouble. In accordance with GOST, the sharpening angle should be from twenty to thirty degrees. If you are a professional carpenter, then sharpening should be done at an angle of thirty-five degrees.
Upon completion of the work done with an ax, it is recommended to put a cover on the blade. Be careful!
For those who live in own house, it is often necessary in the country and on hikes such a tool as a taiga ax. Work tool good quality is expensive and hard to find.
An ax from the market is not always of good quality. Therefore, we will make our own ax using improvised means.
Varieties of axes
Consider the variations of axes:
- A cleaver is a heavy conical axe. Due to the large weight, it is well suited for cutting large, hard rock tree.
- Carpentry - small weight and size, has a pointed blade. Used for careful, precise, accurate work with wood.
- Taiga - suitable for felling trees, harvesting trees, building a hut, removing bark, branches.
- Tsalda - designed to clean the area from shrubs.
- Kitchen (cooking) - designed only for chopping bones. It is a small hatchet, with a short handle and a large "blade".
- Lesorubsky - used only for cutting trees. It consists of a long ax handle and a wide, sharp blade.
Of all the above species, the taiga ax is more necessary and more useful than all.
Distinctive features of the taiga ax:
- Light weight.
- A small area of the piercing surface (makes it possible to drive it as deep as possible into the wood).
- Specific sharpening of the blade (the rear edge is much smaller, thinner than the front.
This feature is made in order to use this type of ax as a cleaver (if the blow is struck correctly. an ordinary ax blade of the same shape for precise work with wood).
Making a taiga ax
Handle material
The function of the ax is primarily affected by its shape and length. The handle should be curved, and the section should be oval.
For the handle, species of trees such as maple, oak, ash, birch are best suited. Since these types of wood tolerate vibration well upon impact.
Wood harvesting starts in autumn
Dry in a dark place. Before use, wood must be stored for about one year, and preferably five.
Only felled wood is not advisable to use as it will dry out over time and will not hold in the eye.
Create a cardboard template
On a large cardboard sheet, we outline the shape of the handle and apply it to a wooden blank. The template will help us make a more accurate handle.
Handle material preparation
A one-year-old wood block is hewn parallel to the fibers. The blank for the handle should be longer than the template. We make the place that is inserted into the eyelet wider than the main part.
On both sides we circle the attached drawing, while not forgetting to leave allowances. After inserting the upper part into the eyelet in this way, we remove the excess wood.
Steps to cut an ax handle
Before cutting out the ax handle, you need to make transverse cuts, but so that they do not reach the line of the future handle by about 4-5 mm. With the help of a chisel, we remove the remains of wood and excess allowances.
Ore transitions and corners are performed by turning with a rasp. After the workpiece is done, we bring the sandpaper to smoothness.
Buying a stabbing part for a taiga hatchet
It is unrealistic to make a blade in a domestic environment. In this case, here is a list of what you need to focus on when buying it on the market or in a hardware store:
- The presence of GOST marking (indicates the quality of steel);
- The hole for the handle (eye) must be cone-shaped;
- The blade is smooth, without defects;
Collecting an ax
- We cut the upper part of the handle along and across.
- Cut into five pieces of hard wood.
- We wrap the top of the handle with gauze soaked in resin for better entry into the hole in the blade.
- Using a hammer, drive in the handle.
- Hammer the prepared pieces into the cuts at the top of the ax handle.
- After the structure dries, cut off the protruding parts of the wooden pieces.
Note!
Sharpening the stabbing part of the taiga ax
A properly sharpened blade gives excellent performance of the hatchet. In accordance with the activity that you will perform with an ax, the sharpening angle depends.
The sharpening of the taiga ax is performed at an angle of 30-35 ̊. If they will perform work with fresh wood, then we sharpen at an angle of 25 ̊.
If you use a grinding wheel for sharpening, then the ax handle must be held at an angle of 40-45 ̊. We reproduce the sharpening slowly, carefully.
If you have all the necessary tools in stock, photo step by step manufacturing an ax, then its creation will not take away a large number time, effort and money, and in return you will receive a quality ax made by yourself.
But do not forget that with a piercing part made of high-quality metal, the ax will last much longer and if the handle is treated with linseed oil, then it will not rot and deteriorate.
DIY ax photo
Note!
Note!
An ax is a tool necessary for any country farm. It is useful when chopping firewood, and when building a house, and when cutting game. Unfortunately, not all axes on the market are reliable and convenient. Some of them are even dangerous! Therefore, if you have a need for "clumsy" work, you can try to make quality tool with your own hands. We will now tell you how to make an ax.
Components of an ax: metal sheet, ax handle and wedge
An ax handle is a tool handle, the convenience of the work performed depends on its length and shape. Straight stick with a round section - not the most the best option. The hand, holding such a tool, experiences increased stress and quickly gets tired. Much more practical is a curved ax with a section in the form of an oval with straight sections. The tail section is desirable to expand and bend down. Then at strong blows reliable holding of the ax in the hands will be ensured.
Ax scheme: 1 - butt, 2.9 - wedges, 3 - blade, 4 - toe, 5 - chamfer, 6 - heel, 7 - beard, 8 - ax handle, 10 - sharpening
The process of making an ax looks like this:
1. Material preparation
Durable ax handles are obtained from oak, birch, maple, ash.
Wood for ax handles is traditionally harvested in autumn, before frost. Barked logs are laid in the attic, in a dry and dark place to dry. The blanks must lie in storage for less than a year. Some experts recommend even longer drying - 5-7 years.
However, if your ax handle is broken, but you urgently need to chop logs, then fresh wood can also be used. This is a temporary option, since after drying the wood will in any case decrease in volume and the handle will begin to “dangle” in the eye.
2. Cutting the template
A cardboard template is necessary for transferring the contours of the projected ax handle to the wood surface and manufacturing a tool with the desired dimensions. As a sample, you can use a ready-made ax with which it is convenient for you to work. The handle of the "standard" is circled with a pencil on a sheet of cardboard, cut out and a template is obtained.
3. Making a blank bar
From the dried chock, strictly along the fibers, a bar is squeezed out - a blank for the ax handle. The length of the bar should be approximately 100 mm longer than the intended size. finished product. The width of the blank in the front (which is mounted on the ax blade) should exceed the width of the metal eye by 2-3 mm.
A template is applied to the bar on both sides, its contours are transferred to the wood. In this case, the template is positioned so that an allowance of 10 mm remains from the front of the bar, and 90 mm at the end (in the tail section). The allowance in the shank serves to prevent splitting of the handle when fitting the metal sheet. It cuts off after final assembly.
4. Extrusion of an ax handle
In order to finally bring the ax handle to the right sizes, top and bottom of the bar make transverse cuts. Their depth should not reach the intended contours of the ax handle by 2 mm. Excess wood, along the cuts, is chipped off with a chisel. Finally, up to the contour lines, the material is cut with a rasp. A file (bastard or rasp) rounds bends, corners, transitions. The final polishing is carried out with sandpaper.
5. Impregnation with a waterproof composition
The best means for wood impregnation - drying oil and linseed oil. The hatchet is coated with any of these oils. After it dries, apply the next layer. This is done several times until the oil stops being absorbed.
The hatchet should not be slippery, so cover it with varnishes and oil paints Not recommended. You can mix a small amount of dye into the drying oil, for example, orange, red or yellow. An ax with a bright handle will be clearly visible in the grass and will not get lost.
For information on how to make a high-quality ax handle for an ax in field conditions, but in compliance with all the rules, see below:
Choice of metal sheet and ax head
It is almost impossible to make a metal sheet with an eyelet at home, so you will have to buy it ready-made. When buying, pay attention to:
- steel quality - ideally, the product is marked with the GOST badge, and not TU or OST;
- blade - should be smooth, without dents, cracks, bends;
- eye shape - in the form of a cone;
- butt ends - should be perpendicular to the blade.
At the end of the ax handle, two axial lines are drawn - longitudinal and perpendicular to it. A groove is cut along the contour of the longitudinal line to the depth of the eyelet - this cut will be necessary for wedging the ax handle. Then a butt is attached to the end and the contours of the eye are outlined, focusing on the center lines. With a knife, an ax or a planer, the landing part of the ax handle is cut off, giving it the shape of an eye. Moreover, this is done in such a way that the ax protrudes beyond the eye by about 1 cm.
With the help of hammer blows, an ax is planted on an ax handle. Do this carefully so that the wood does not crack. After the butt goes beyond the boundaries of the butt, they check the strength of the fit of the blade - it should sit tight, not slip off.
Attaching an ax to an ax handle: a - fitting, b - attachment, c - wedging; 1 - ax, 2 - ax handle, 3 - wedge
Wedging the ax - a guarantee of a firm fit
Wedging serves to enhance the reliability of fastening the metal part of the ax to the ax handle. The safety of working with this tool depends on this. Wedging is carried out by driving a wedge made of hardwood (oak, walnut, yew, etc.) into the end part of the ax handle. Accordingly, the volume of the landing part of the ax handle increases and “tightly” sits down in the eye.
For the manufacture of a wedge, a wooden, well-dried plank about 5-10 mm thick is used. The working part of the wedge is equal to the depth of cut. Using a rasp, the wedge is cut so that its sides are parallel to each other. Only the very end is machined with a double-sided chamfer. The thickness of the wedge near the chamfer should exceed the width of the cut by 1 mm, at the end of the working part - by 2 mm.
Scheme of the wedge used for wedging an ax handle
To drive a wedge, the ax is placed vertically on a hard surface (table, anvil, etc.). With a chisel, the groove of the cut is expanded, a wedge is installed and hammered into it. Before driving, you can lubricate the wedge with glue (without a rubber component) - to prevent it from being pushed out of the cut and a more secure fit.
Groove extensions for easier wedge driving
Wedging an ax with one wedge is a popular and reliable option
Wedging with one wedge is not the only possible variant. Some masters prefer to use more wedges, for example, two or five. In the latter case, the first wedge is driven into longitudinal groove at the end of the ax handle (as when wedging with one wedge), and then the remaining four are driven in perpendicular to the first. How to put an ax on an ax handle, and then wedging is shown in detail in the video plot:
Proper technology for sharpening an ax blade
A do-it-yourself ax blade will perform its function only if the sharpening angle and bevel width are maintained correctly.
The sharpening angle affects the convenience of the ax and the degree of its functionality. If you plan to cut wet, freshly cut wood, then the sharpening angle should be approximately 20 °. If dry trees, then 25-30 °.
The width of the bevel is also very important, but in ready-made blades, change it to the usual home master not under power. However, there is a way out: grind off the ax blade with a double “descent”. The first corner is turned at 15°, the second at 25° (average value).
Ax sharpening: a - sharpening angle, b - chamfer width (should exceed the thickness of the blade by 2.5-3 times)
The ax is sharpened on an electric grinder. At the same time, they make sure that the blade does not overheat much - this leads to a deterioration in hardness near the cutting edge. Therefore, taking on the sharpening process, you should put a container of water next to the grinder to cool the metal. It is advisable to immerse the blade in water after each pass along the circle.
It is necessary to reduce the runout of the grinding wheel to a minimum by regularly dressing with special cutters. When sharpening, hold the ax so that the blade is directed towards the rotation of the electric grinder. The butt is held at 45 °. The blade is sharpened by smoothly moving the ax along the circle. The sharpening angle is carefully sharpened, the chamfer is polished.
Sharpening an ax on an electric grinder allows you to quickly get a sharp blade
The final sharpening of the ax (grinding) is carried out using a whetstone, regularly wetted with water. Instead of a bar, you can use a piece of plywood glued with sandpaper. Remember that working with a sharp ax is a pleasure, while a blunt tool will make you put in more effort, leading to quick fatigue.
