grain orientation for an axe handle

[Sean Hellman]

I have been making axe handles for many years and have been making them from wood split radially from a 6 to 10 inch ash logs, fast grown. We do not have hickory over here in England. The grain in the eye of the axe runs across the eye. I mainly use smaller axes and do not really use felling axes. I have heard that the handle should be split out tangentially from the log so the grains run from top to bottom of the eye.
What are your thoughts on this, and is there a better or correct way to orientate the wood grain in the eye of an axe?

[harry strasil]

From top to bottom is the proper way as the handle is stronger and less likely to weaken from flexing due to the grain wanting to slide against each other, the same with hammer handles. and the old timers picked their floor joists with the top to bottom as they are much stronger than quarter sawn joists. In my 50+ years as a blacksmith I literally replaced thousands of Axe, Sledge, Hatchet and hammer handles. This was the way I was taught by my Father and he by his Father. I usually got the job of putting in the handles by the customers as there is basically one size made on the handles and their are many different sized eyes depending on who manufactured the tool and they bought handles in bulk sized to just squeeze into their own eyes.

[Bob Smalser]

As Harry says, use the same principle used in turning baseball bats.

http://baseballtips.com/products/cwc1.jpg

Labels are burned or stenciled into one flatsawn face of the bat, and the batter positions the bat in his hands with the label either facing the sky or facing the ground. That way when the bat strikes the ball, it strikes on its vertical grain surface, which is less likely to split from repeated impacts.

[Sean Hellman]

Thanks for that guys.
You mean that this will happen, this is an extreme example and it is a mallet. I have had no problems with small handles but I can see the importance of grain direction in felling axes.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/[IMG]http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/seanhellman/mallet-ash-1.jpghttp://www.sawmillcreek.org/[IMG]http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/seanhellman/mallet-ash-1.jpghttp://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/seanhellman/mallet-ash-1.jpg

[harry strasil]

Many species do the same thing, hickory, hedge (Osage Orange), Ash, those that make good chair bottoms. They beat along them to loosen the grain them peel the layers off to use the strips.

Traditionally Mauls or Mallets if you prefer were made by digging or pulling out small trees and using the root part for the striking surface, its all twisted up and won't seperate like the pic shown.

[harry strasil]

Think of the dark rings (harder resin lines) in the picture shown as the leaf springs of a car, seperated by a material of much lesser strength (dry cushiony cellulose) and then think of how a set of car leaf springs flex to allow a smoother ride. In a striking tool this is not a good thing as the constant flexing destroy the softer material between the rings and the result is what you have shown.

[Sean Hellman]

With producing material for chair bottoms or splint baskets, do you know if it is best to separate/pound the grain when the wood is green or semi seasoned.

[harry strasil]

usually done green, and scored to width with a knife before peeling, then it is usually rolled up while green and tied to keep it in a coil, then soaked in hot water before actual use after it has cured some, I have never done it, just seen a documentry on it.

[David Gendron]

It is better when the wood is green. it is also easier that way to remove the bark off the trunk.