Birch Axe Handle?

[HillBill]

Is Birch suitable for an axe handle? I have plenty, i can't source a decent piece of ash at the moment and i have an old axe head to sort.

Thanks

 

[Dave Budd]

define suitable.

You could use birch, but it wouldn't be the most durable handle. I have small hatchet that has a stick plucked from a hazel hedge trimming, it works fine and has done for years but I wouldn't try the same on a felling axe

Having never tried I can't say that you should NOT use it,but bare in mind that is is much less resiliant than something like ash.

 

[HillBill]

Thanks Dave.

The head weighs 725 grams and i want to put a handle on it similar to that of a SFA. It will be used for splitting. I Think i may just go ahead and have a go with the birch until i can source some ash thats long enough. I have never done one before so it'l be good practice.

 

[w00dsmoke]

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24673

personally I would avoid birch.

 

[HillBill]

It doesn't say much about birch there. Good info though thanks.

Some people use beech, i can get some of this. Would this be better?

 

[mr dazzler]

My roselli axe has a birch handle which AFAIK is a standard factory fit. I have worked the axe quite hard (splitting, shaping blanks and finer carving) for over a year, it is still solid and well connected (but it is of the extended socket type about 3 or 4 inche's of handle inside the socket eye). The on ly thing I didnt like was it came out the factory way too smooth, so I solved that with a rub down with 40 grit paper. I stand to be corrected as my knowledge of the tensile strength of various timbers is limited, but I believe birch is not much weaker, structurally, than oak, despite being much less dense. It just isnt durable if the elements get to it!

 

[forestwalker]

I stand to be corrected as my knowledge of the tensile strength of various timbers is limited, but I believe birch is not much weaker, structurally, than oak, despite being much less dense. It just isnt durable if the elements get to it!

One thing about birch is that it flexes. This is good for an axe, at least if you are going to work for a few hours.

 

[Tjurved]

Not every birch is the same! I don't know if there is an english name for this but in swedish it's called "svallved" (see picture). It's perfect axe handle material but very hard to find and if you damage the right living birch today in the correct way maybe you have your handle material in 15-25 years. Slow growing birch (thinn and high) is also very strong.

Optimal this piece should have been a little bigger but I saved it from the fire...