Right, a wee update...whatever phase this is as I fiddle with it on quiet days. The handle was allowed to dry over several weeks after soaking up an unfeasible amount of orange oil.
It went from grey to a healthy colour- hickory I reckon as its as hard as bone. Used 80 grit paper to revive the surface, remove dings and deep scratches without losing the character. There was a vertical split in the head portion of the shoulder that goes into the eye but I reckoned the new wedge and the compression would negate any issues.
The head was refitted today and hitting the knob with a dead blow mallet really drove the head on well. The poplar wedge was driven in with a lump hammer and again it really drove neatly home to make a tight fit.
I'm away for a while so have left it to settle before a final whack. A sharp knife took care of a tiny amount of wood shaved by the eye off. Head is now the right way round!
I don't like metal finishing wedges so will saw it flat and leave alone unless I feel any looseness.
All in all a good wee project. Things to do next time, try a wire brush on the head initially and maybe an alternate to a vinegar blue for a darker, more Gransfors like finish.
Glad I kept the handle. No need to throw things away and it will do a few decades more.
Lastly I'll oil the shaft, Ballistol the head and put it to work this winter.
It went from grey to a healthy colour- hickory I reckon as its as hard as bone. Used 80 grit paper to revive the surface, remove dings and deep scratches without losing the character. There was a vertical split in the head portion of the shoulder that goes into the eye but I reckoned the new wedge and the compression would negate any issues.
The head was refitted today and hitting the knob with a dead blow mallet really drove the head on well. The poplar wedge was driven in with a lump hammer and again it really drove neatly home to make a tight fit.
I'm away for a while so have left it to settle before a final whack. A sharp knife took care of a tiny amount of wood shaved by the eye off. Head is now the right way round!
I don't like metal finishing wedges so will saw it flat and leave alone unless I feel any looseness.
All in all a good wee project. Things to do next time, try a wire brush on the head initially and maybe an alternate to a vinegar blue for a darker, more Gransfors like finish.
Glad I kept the handle. No need to throw things away and it will do a few decades more.
Lastly I'll oil the shaft, Ballistol the head and put it to work this winter.
