Shafting a Spliting Axe.

[wanderinstar]

I have a couple of splitting axes to shaft. One of which had a fibreglass handle. First use and it cracked. I was wondering if it would do any good to put shaft in boiling water to soften it and make it a tighter fit in axe head.
The other one is an old axe and when I removed the old shaft I noticed thet there were cracks at both sides. How can I explain it. Between the shaft and the cutting edge. When they make an axe. Do they fold the metal round a mandrel to form the shaft hole? If so it is where the 2 pieces are re formed into one piece.

Just read Reds axe sticky. It is cracking at position"D" ramp or cheek.

 

[sapper1]

I thik if you put it in boiling water then fit it ,when the handle cools and dries it will be very loose.Perhaps soaking it in boiled inseed oil and then reoiling every now and then might be a better idea.
As to the second query ,is it definitely cracking ,or is it just that the two sides of the head are not a perfect match?My GB has the same thing on one side but this doesn't have any detrimental effect on the axe.