Well having not got around to ordering the handles I was talking about in my other post, I was bored today and decided to have a go at making one. It's only a small hatchet so I had a fish about in the wood shed. Found a log that had been drying for three years and split a chunk off of it.
After a good couple of hours in the shed battoning it down with my Mora and then various steps with a plane, spoke shave and rasp and finally some sand paper, this is the result. The grain isn't perfect but it was the only bit of the log with no cracking from where it dried, so I figured it would do for now. Also, looking at the angle of the head I'm not sure I've got it quite perfect? It splits kindling well and feels comfortable so as prototype number one I'm pretty pleased....
After a good couple of hours in the shed battoning it down with my Mora and then various steps with a plane, spoke shave and rasp and finally some sand paper, this is the result. The grain isn't perfect but it was the only bit of the log with no cracking from where it dried, so I figured it would do for now. Also, looking at the angle of the head I'm not sure I've got it quite perfect? It splits kindling well and feels comfortable so as prototype number one I'm pretty pleased....
