Apologies if this has been shown before. I thought it might be of general interest for anyone that might not have seen it. Manufacturing Estwing axes:
http://youtu.be/_rP12GPUm4o
http://youtu.be/_rP12GPUm4o
Estwing- How It's Made
- Thread starter bb07
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Biker
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nope hadn't seen that before and really enjoyed that, thanks. My first proper tool I bought when I first started my apprenticeship as a carpenter was my 16oz Estwing hammer, had to replace it 2 years later after the handle split and it was replaced free of charge. Got a 20oz replacement, which I still have to this day - 29 years later.
Always wanted an axe but I have others types that I like and use now instead.
Always wanted an axe but I have others types that I like and use now instead.
Thanks for that 
My own favourite small axe is an Estwing I do have other 'good' axes, but that's the one I keep going back to
cheers,
Toddy
My own favourite small axe is an Estwing
I do have other 'good' axes, but that's the one I keep going back to cheers,
Toddy
Interesting little video, thanks. Nice to see that a humans touch and skill amid all the machinery is still important for a good finished product
robin wood
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
nice vid thanks for that hadn't seen it. Shame after all that work that with the last touch he takes the edge off at 4.38
Whittler Kev
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Only one prob with this vid........after it finished I watched how to make hammers, how to make drills, how to make......... 
Biker
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Only one prob with this vid........after it finished I watched how to make hammers, how to make drills, how to make.........
Yeah addictive but educational. Just watched how a Katana is made, then some numpty doing a voice over of a Katana cutting a bullet fired from a gun. Talk about hamming it up! Sheesh!
I've just watched the one on maple syrup making. Anyone else think that set up is like bleeding trees ?
DIY takes on a whole new meaning.
M
DIY takes on a whole new meaning.
M
I think I put a video about making the hammers on the Estwing sports axe thread here last week.
If you have an Estwing hammer or axe eventually the plastic spacers will degrade and break.
When (notice I didn't say if?) they break you can get replacement leather washers for twenty cents each from HERE and they are at the bottom of the page listed as tw-k14.
The hammers and axes with the blue placky rubber are just the same under the rubber as the ones with the leather apart from they don't have the metal end cap so if you wanted to replace the blue stuff with leather washers it wouldn't be rocket science to do it.
Weird thing is that after all that bother making an excellent grip on them they knacker it up by varnishing it, you first use them the varnish starts cracking on the first day you own it and the best thing to do is sand it off anyway.
If you have an Estwing hammer or axe eventually the plastic spacers will degrade and break.
When (notice I didn't say if?) they break you can get replacement leather washers for twenty cents each from HERE and they are at the bottom of the page listed as tw-k14.
The hammers and axes with the blue placky rubber are just the same under the rubber as the ones with the leather apart from they don't have the metal end cap so if you wanted to replace the blue stuff with leather washers it wouldn't be rocket science to do it.
Weird thing is that after all that bother making an excellent grip on them they knacker it up by varnishing it, you first use them the varnish starts cracking on the first day you own it and the best thing to do is sand it off anyway.
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I doubt it gets used anything like as much as much as a carpenters hammer, believe it or not you just haven't used it enough.
Plus I suspect that the UV light hardens the plastic so if you leave your axe out of direct sunlight it should last longer. As my hammer is at my side 8 or more hours a day it sees as much sunlight as I do.
I've had one Estwing hammer that's done it so far and have another that I bought secondhand that's lost all its plastic washers. Plus several old joiners/carpenters I know have mentioned it.
I'll get round to repairing them this winter but put threaded inserts onto the end of the steel handle inner and then I can use bolts to tighter it up like the Picard latthammers do. Also with the threaded inserts I can make my 20 ounce hammer about 3/4" longer as its a tiny bit shorter than I like.
I still really rate the hammers but the plastic washer is a bit of a fail in my opinion, as is the varnish they slather over the leather washer grip.
Biker
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Yup tose plastci washers let the leather handled ones down badly. Every person I worked with who had one said the same thing. I even got a 28oz Estwing with a leather handle second hand, same thing happened to that after time, even as I watched the film clips I thought why oh why do you still make them like that, knowing it's a weak point, I mean surely by now the company must know it's the Achilles heel of an otherwise perfect hammer.
My own Estwing hammer has the nylon plastic grip it's now green and shiney through years of use, I think I'll have that buried with me, I like it that much.
My own Estwing hammer has the nylon plastic grip it's now green and shiney through years of use, I think I'll have that buried with me, I like it that much.
+1 - mine is my favourite site tool bar none - had it years now, put my own marks on the haft so it didn't get nicked, and every time I fetch it from my toolbox it puts a smile on my face. I prefer it to the stacked leather handled one. Brilliant tool.
I'd like to see how the blue nylon/vinyl handles are put on instead of just the leather. That stuff is practically indestructible. I had a small hatchet with that for a handle material and loved the durability but found the handle grip much slimmer than the leather ones so sold it, but find the leather handle very comfy in my hand at least.
I've used their hammers with the blue handle and when I worked construction never saw one fail even when used in extremely cold temperatures. I also have one of their 26'' camper axes for rough work that's been used in temps colder than -40 and have had zero problems with the nylon handle. Pretty tough stuff.
I've used their hammers with the blue handle and when I worked construction never saw one fail even when used in extremely cold temperatures. I also have one of their 26'' camper axes for rough work that's been used in temps colder than -40 and have had zero problems with the nylon handle. Pretty tough stuff.
My axe was my bother's roughing out one and it kicked about in his kit and in the back of a joiner's van for two years.
The blue handle is still sound, still in excellent nick and it's comfortable to use too
I admit that if it ever came off I'd try a stacked birch bark handle on it
cheers,
Toddy
The blue handle is still sound, still in excellent nick and it's comfortable to use too
I admit that if it ever came off I'd try a stacked birch bark handle on it
cheers,
Toddy
Biker
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I admit that if it ever came off I'd try a stacked birch bark handle on it
You Estwing owners, I'm not sure if you're aware on not but those hammers and presumably the axes too, come with a lifetime guarantee. i.e. if they ever fail during normal use they're replaced no questioned asked.
Simply take them back to any Estwing supplier and you should be given a new replacement free of charge. This even applies to hammers well into their second decade of use. My own 16oz Estwing, which I got as an apprentice, the nylon handle failed about a year into owning it. Not even sure how but it split away at the joint where the shaft poked out of the handle. Over the weeks the split got worse. I ended up tapping the butt of the handle onto some solid object to drive the shaft back into the handle. Finally the site foreman mentioned this lifetime guarantee so off I trundled to the local tool shop I bought it from. The manager had a gander at it and just took down a brand spanking new 20oz hammer and handed that over to me sweet as pie, even apologised that he didn't have any 16oz in stock (I preferred the 20oz anyway)
So Toddy if your one ever fails, take it any shop that sells Estwings and try your luck on a freebie replacement. Don't ask, don't get.
I'm now at youtube wading my way through even more how it's made film clips. Fascinating stuff too.
Well Biker, that's one handle that's failed then
As far as replacements under warranty (or otherwise) the blue handled hatchets haven't been made for a number of years now. Leather is the only option for the regular sized hatchets. The blue nylon/vinyl is still available on the 16'' and 26'' models-in fact is the only material available.
As far as replacements under warranty (or otherwise) the blue handled hatchets haven't been made for a number of years now. Leather is the only option for the regular sized hatchets. The blue nylon/vinyl is still available on the 16'' and 26'' models-in fact is the only material available.
