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High-Performance Blades Sharing ideas for getting the most out of our steel. |
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#1
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High-Performance Ax Handles
Hello, guys. I'm looking for something to make high-perfomance ax handles out of, both for personal use and for some tactical tomahawks that I would like to build. I've broken too many hickory hanldles over the years to trust putting a wooden handle on a tactical tomahawk.
I have not messed with any synthetics for handles before. I have a piece of canvas Micarta big enough to make two ax handles out of, but have never worked with the stuff. In y'all's opinion, is canvas Micarta strong and tough enough to handle hard use as an ax and tomahawk (non-throwing) handle? And if so, can it be worked with a router? I don't own a bandsaw and am a broke college kid, but it seems to me like a router would be the easiest means of making a handle with an oval cross-section. Also, what would y'all think of acetyl plastic for the same purpose? Thanks, guys. __________________ The Wasteland Crow Project: http://wastelandcrow.blogspot.com A blog I share with a friend where we think out loud upon occasion: http://shareourcampfire.blogspot.com/ Proud to be a Neo-Tribal Metalsmith scavenging the wreckage of civilization. My new blog dedicated to the metalwork I make and sell: http://helmforge.blogspot.com/ |
#2
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I would use a undersized Hickory handle and reinforce it with fibreglass, S glass or Carbon tape and Epoxy resin. Then top it with a UV coat to protect the epoxy. You'll have great difficulty breaking it and would be considerably stronger than acetal.
Go to some boat building forums to learn to apply such to wood. Alot of people use it on wooden canoes. Go to fibreglast developments Inc for the resin and fabric. |
#3
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Thanks for the reply Sam. I'll consider it. No course of action is possible until I have money, I was just gathering info.
__________________ The Wasteland Crow Project: http://wastelandcrow.blogspot.com A blog I share with a friend where we think out loud upon occasion: http://shareourcampfire.blogspot.com/ Proud to be a Neo-Tribal Metalsmith scavenging the wreckage of civilization. My new blog dedicated to the metalwork I make and sell: http://helmforge.blogspot.com/ |
#4
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I used that technique with woven Kevlar(R) and epoxy over wooden handles for an ax and a sword. it works well; Applying the epoxy to the kevlar without pulling the tissue out of its place was hard in the beginning, but the use of clingfilm from the kitchen helped. the airbubbles could be pushed out top or bottom;
jan __________________ Make love, not war. Be prepared for both. |
#5
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I know you are not looking for a wood but I have had an Osage Orange handle on my throwing hawk for a couple of years. It just dosen't seem to want to break. They make bows out of the stuff. I like it better than any hickory I have tried. It is fairly cheap and I just set the grain up like you would if it was hickory.
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#6
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I just cut down some osage orange (bois d'arc) and it's piled up drying. If you wanna try it I'll send you some after I cut some pieces with my band saw. It is rich golden brown and very hard wood. I'll be making hammer handles and knife slabs.
billfoote |
#7
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Thanks for the offer Bill, but I have some osage orange already.
__________________ The Wasteland Crow Project: http://wastelandcrow.blogspot.com A blog I share with a friend where we think out loud upon occasion: http://shareourcampfire.blogspot.com/ Proud to be a Neo-Tribal Metalsmith scavenging the wreckage of civilization. My new blog dedicated to the metalwork I make and sell: http://helmforge.blogspot.com/ |
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