Is this a sign of a faulty axe?

[seraphim]

One for you axe people.

recently when I've been looking around for a new axe all of the axes I see in stores have splintering/splits on the top of the axe where the handle goes up through and is then wedged, just the 5mm or so that sticks out of the eye. The rest of the axe is fine, head straight, grain on handle good, axe sharp and grind looks good and symmetrical, but there is just this thing, and I've seen it ona few makes and models know, is it normal?

Is this a sign of a defective axe and will it make the axe weaker? They all seem very well made and sturdy other than this, but will it have an impact on axe life and strength?

 

[robin wood]

Well we would need to see a photo really. "splintering/splits" is an odd sort of description. Are you talking about a rough finish where the outside of the axe has been shaved/ground down to fit inside the head? in which case it is normal and fine.

 

[seraphim]

No, it is more like the bit of the helve that goes through the eye and is then wooden wedged and metal staved has been pushed apart by the wooden wedge itself. The helve in the eye and handle itself are all perfect, just the bit that protrudes, possibly the damage was caused in shipping or by the wooden wedge and metal stave being too big for the slit in the handle? (i don't know, I'm not an axe man, I am just a man with a pile of wood to chop!)

The 'bit' of the handle (sorry to all those axe-people out there for my descriptions!) that goes through the eye has been shaped and the bit that is longer than the axe head sticks out of the top of the eye, around 5mm or so. it is this tiny top bit that has some splitting, not the helev within the eye. almsot like it has started to shear off due to the metal not giving.

I did notice the only axe that didn't have this was the GB SFA I looked at, where the helve is either measured perfectly or cut to be flush with the eye after everything else has been done.

 

[seraphim]

picture (i hope!)

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd83/Fenris_album/CIMG2918.jpg

Is this nothing to bother about or a worry? EVERY axe except the one GB SFA i saw had this to some extent, handle is fine though?!?

 

[ged]

Other than being a bit rough it doesn't look like anything to worry about. A lot of things I do end up looking a bit rough.

 

[robin wood]

Nothing to worry about. That head is not going to come loose.

 

[seraphim]

Good! Ta for that guys, as I'm going to pick up a couple more bits from the same manufacturer today!

 

[_scorpio_]

lol my cegga is like that, and i have used the hell out of it with no trouble! i have to say i was worried at first and had to test the head was on properly (tried to knock it with a bit of wood until it wobbled) but its fine.
i assume its where the wedge is hammered in and this causes the wood to split outwards, but i have only seen it once.