Watch: Making a Steel Hatchet Handle
Russ Chastain 11.28.16
This video is worth a watch just for the rapid “buzzzz” that is the sound of Jimmy DiResta peening rivets at high speed (4:00). But it has a lot more to offer as well.
The craftsmanship of dreaming up and then building this handle is impressive. The steel wasn’t thick enough, so he laminated some pieces onto it. Lots of sawing, grinding, milling, and more grinding later, it was ready for some wood.
I like his method of mixing epoxy. Simply coat a portion of the work bench with masking tape and mix the stuff on that. Afterward, just peel it off and toss it. Nice.
Superb touch: You know how a wooden tool handle is split on the end that goes through the tool, and you use one or more steel wedges to spread it? Well, DiResta splits the steel and then drives in a wooden wedge. It’s practical and gives the top end of the axe handle a two-tone look that ties in with the rest of it.