Decent Youtube thing about Estwing leather stacked handles.

[demographic]

Worth a watch if you fancy either repairing one, converting a blue handled one to leather stacked (they're the same under the handle apart from the metal endcap thats easy to make anyway) or even if you want to make a stacked leather handle knife.

For the varnish? Well anything is better then the stuff Estwing slathers them with, I sand that off straight away and put some Danish oil on em.
Not sure I'm familliar with the water based stuff this bloke uses but it looks a bit like Osmo?
Worth noting that he doesn't use any plastic washers, those are the main reason the original Estwing ones fail, the leather ones last way better.
Also, you can alter the spacings of the black washers and kind of morse code your name or initials into the grip.
To be honest I have engraved my name into the steel shaft to discourage it from walking away on site but mine is on site every working day so it makes sense for me to do this.
Also its worth noting that every one I've seen has a date stamped on it, not sure if thats the date of manufacturer or the date the drop forging dies were made but so far all the four Ive seen have had a different date with my oldest being 1937 and I'd rather believe they put an exact date of manufacture on every one.
Dunno.

 

[Mesquite]

I quite enjoy Pask's videos, he makes some nice stuff out of all the off cuts he recycles

 

[GuestD]

converting a blue handled one

Oh yes.
Thanks for posting that.

 

[Nice65]

Dazcon rehandled one a while back, made a good job of it in G10.

http://www.realoutdoorsforum.com/forum/index.php?threads/wip-estwing-axe-resurrection.1103/page-2

 

[demographic]

Oh yes.
Thanks for posting that.

You lose a few mm of handle length and obviously you don't have the lanyard hole if you convert it.
Just cut the end of the steel inner shaft between the hole and the end to get the fork end that gets peened over the endcap.

You know all those TCT circular sawblades we have lying around that have lost a tooth when we hit a nail whilst ripping old floorboards up?
I reckon they would make a decent endcap after a bit of grinder action.

 

[GuestD]

I reckon they would make a decent endcap after a bit of grinder action

Or, out with the TIG, a couple of spiggots welded onto the shaft end ,and a nice "rivetted" end piece fitted. Brass would look nice.

 

[demographic]

Aye, although if you have that TIG set handy, you could do it the same way as Picard leather stacked hammers do.
I had a picture a while ago but can't seem to find it now.
Anyway, its got a countersunk hex recessed bolt (Allen head to you and me) and the metal shaft end must have a long nut welded into the end.
You could likely flatten the nut a bit cos after its welded into place you only need the threads and the corners and flats can be made smaller.
If its threaded on you can tighten it up at will and even add a washer or two if you run out of adjustment.

 

[dazcon]

Dazcon rehandled one a while back, made a good job of it in G10.

http://www.realoutdoorsforum.com/forum/index.php?threads/wip-estwing-axe-resurrection.1103/page-2

And it's still going strong and holding pride of place in my kit bag! Thanks again mate!!....I quite fancy doing another one now. It was an interesting project.