Undoubtedly, people who live in a private house or often go on hikes need such an indispensable tool as an ax. To buy it, you just need to go to the market.

If you have questions about the quality of the purchased ax, you can make it yourself. Moreover, this can be done very easily if you use the instructions and tips for its manufacture.

Ax classification

Axes are of the following types:

1. Carpentry. Light, small axes necessarily with a sharp blade. Designed for cutting and precise work with wood.
2. Carpentry universal. Axes of different weights. They don't have big handles. They are used for inaccurate wood processing.
3. Lumberjack's ax. Used for cutting wood, has a wide blade and a long handle.
4. Ice ax Used in mountaineering. It consists of a spike, a head, a blade and a handle sharpened at the base. Outwardly, it looks like a pickaxe.
5. Cleaver. A cone-shaped ax with a large weight. The shape and weight help split hard woods.
6. Blacksmith. With this ax it is possible to chop off metal materials. They put an ax to the place where you need to chop off, and hit the butt with a hammer.
7. Potes. With its help, they cut a tree. For efficiency, the ax has a rounded blade.
8. Povarskaya. An ax with a shortened handle and a heavy and sharp cutting surface.
9. Paznik. Used for grooving with a rib on a blade. The cutting part is perpendicular to the ax handle.
10. Fireman. An ax with a metal handle that is insulated to withstand a voltage of 1000W. Its peculiarity is that there is a spike on the butt, which is used to cut a passage through the rubble.
11. Storm firefighter. Massive ax with a long handle. In case of fire, it is used to break down heavy structures.
12. Tourist. A small ax with a short handle. It happens in combination with a knife or saw. For safety, it comes with a case.
13. Tsalda. The ax blade, made in the form of a sickle, is used to clean the area from small shrubs.

Self-manufacturing

The order of work is as follows:

Ax extrusion work

Before starting work, it is necessary to make transverse cuts at the top and bottom of the timber. The depth of the cuts should not reach the line of the ax by 2-3 mm. Chisel remove the extra layer of wood. With a rasp, cut out places where corners and transitions are needed. At the end, the ax handle is polished with sandpaper.

Choice of piercing part

At home, a metal sheet cannot be made, so you need to know what to look for when choosing it in a building market:

• ideally, steel should be marked according to GOST;
• the eye must be in the shape of a cone;
• the blade should not have dents, bends or notches;
• if you look at the butt, then its ends should be perpendicular to the blade.

Mounting an ax on an ax handle

You can do this by following these simple steps:

1. On the ax in the upper part, transverse and longitudinal cuts are made.




2. Cut 5 wedges from hardwood.




3. The gauze soaked in resin is wound over the ax handle for a tighter passage into the eye.




4. Hammer the ax into the eye of the ax.




5. Drive wedges into the cuts.




6. After drying, the protruding parts of the wedges are cut off.

Blade sharpening

Good functionality of the ax will ensure the correct sharpening of the blade. Depending on the type of work performed, you should choose the angle of sharpening.

For example, a taiga ax is sharpened at an angle of 25-30 degrees. If you need to cut fresh wood, you need to sharpen at an angle of 25 degrees.

If a grinding wheel is used, the butt should be held at a 45 degree angle. All movements are performed smoothly, without jerks.

As you can see, having a small set of tools in the arsenal, instructions for making an ax, it is not at all difficult to make it to fit your size and needs.

See video instruction for making a taiga ax with your own hands:

“Come on, give me my stone axe” - probably there is no person in our country who would not hear this song. Yes, the first axes were made of stone. But this time passed many thousands of years ago, and now high-quality wood and steel are used to make this product.

During the development of civilization, many varieties of this tool (construction, throwing, etc.) have appeared, which still have not lost their relevance. Moreover, on the market you can find many varieties of this product, which is designed to solve certain problems, for example, that face a hunter or a tourist.

Ax classification

In practice, many varieties of axes are used, which are designed to work with wood. Conventionally, they can be divided into three types:

• cleavers;
• for logging;
• construction or universal.

Accordingly, there are various designs designed to solve certain problems, for example, a firefighter is equipped with a pick, with which you can drag beams and other structures from the fire.

By the way, the size of the ax handle can be determined based on the height and physique of the person who will work with it.

Making a workpiece

From a bar that has been dried, a bar is hewn out. Work must be carried out along the fibers. The size of the bar should be 100 mm larger than the size of the finished product. The size of the part where it will be installed, and the blade itself should be 2 - 3 mm larger than the size of the eye.

The template prepared in advance must be laid on the surface of the bar. At the same time leave allowances for processing. From the front, its size is 10 mm, in the tail 90 mm. This allowance is necessary so that the handle does not crack when pulled on the ax itself. At the end of the work, this allowance is removed.

Carving an ax handle

To bring the part to the required size, two cuts must be made in the upper and lower parts of the workpiece, but their depth should not reach the contour of 2 mm. Excess material can be removed with a chisel. After that, using a file with a large notch, align the corners, transitions and other surfaces of the handle. An abrasive sandpaper is used to finish the surface.

Waterproof impregnation

To increase the resistance of the handle to moisture, special compounds are used. But it is permissible to use drying oil or linseed oil. The handle is covered with this liquid until it stops soaking into it.

The handle for the tool should not slip in the hand and therefore, it is not recommended to cover it with any paintwork materials or use any lining.

By the way, it does not hurt to add a coloring pigment, for example, orange, to the waterproof coating. Then the tool with a bright handle will not disappear on the site.

When choosing a piercing part, it is imperative to find out what steel it is cast from. In our country, GOST 18578-89 has been adopted. It defines the steel grades from which it is permissible to manufacture the blade parts of an ax. These steels are 8HF, 9HF, 9HS, KhVG, U7A, U8, U8A, U8GA, U9, U9A and many others similar in properties to the named grades.

Landing an ax on the handle

Landing the blade on the finished handle should be done using markings. To do this, a sketch of the eye is drawn on the upper end. Then it is necessary to outline the length of the piercing part on it. And after that, you can begin to install the blade on the handle.

After choosing a tool, the owner faces a new task - how to sharpen it. Yes, the manufacturer supplies this tool in a ready state. But sooner or later, the sharpening performed in the factory workshops will become dull and there will be a need for self-editing. Practice shows that it is better to spend some time on editing it than to do the work with a blunt tool. It is advisable to turn the product using a template. It is made independently. To do this, you need a small piece of tin. After choosing the sharpening angle, it must be marked on the tin and cut out the corner. After that, attach the template to the blade. The angle of deviation from the required one will be immediately visible. Using a marker, apply appropriate marks to the cutting edge.

When sharpening, the master must consider the following factors:

Characteristics of the wood with which he will have to work. What kind of work will have to be done, it is one thing to harvest lumber, another to cut locks on logs installed in a log house. Of course, it is necessary to take into account the material from which the blade is made.

How to make a battle ax

Not all axes can be purchased in the store, for example, it is not possible to buy a battle axe. And therefore, if there is a desire to get such a product, it is easier to make an ax with your own hands.

As a basis, you can take an ordinary construction tool, see Fig. 2., and make a combat blade out of it.

It has certain disadvantages:

1. It has an irrational form.
2. It has an excessive mass, which will interfere with manipulations during the battle.

Battle ax "Viking"

It should also be noted that the upper ledge will create difficulties during cutting and striking. That is, it gives the ax an unnecessary moment, directed counterclockwise, thus, there is an increased wear of the ax handle. It does not hurt to grind off the protrusion located below. In addition, straight sharpening is not entirely suitable for a battle ax.

How to make an ax out of wood

How to make an ax out of wood? To do this, it is necessary to prepare a wedge-shaped blank, from which it will be necessary to make a blade. On the surface of the workpiece, it is necessary to apply the contour of the future toy with a marker. Excess material can be removed with an abrasive sharpener.

At the next stage, on the end surface of the workpiece, it is necessary to mark the contour of the hole for the ax handle. The technology for obtaining the handle is described above, but it is necessary to correct the dimensions.

Bringing the blade and handle to the desired shape can be done using a sharpener or file. After a fairly short time, the children's ax will be ready.

What product does a hunter need, who spends a lot of time in the wild, how can it be made. Yes, no one argues, in specialized stores you can buy a product for every taste. But, not all of them meet the needs of hunters.

In order to make the cutting part of the product for hunting, you need to use a single piece of metal. But somehow it’s more customary to hold an ax with a wooden handle. For the manufacture of the blade, steel grade 1040 is used, this is structural alloy steel, the Russian counterpart is 40G.

You can make the cutting part by ordering it from the village forge. The master is able to forge the necessary blank for the blade. He is also able to make and install a steel handle. If such a handle does not suit you, then you can install a wooden one. When making it, you need to consider some simple rules:

The handle cannot be varnished - the hand will slide off.

When choosing its shape, it is necessary to take into account the width of the grip of the palm, it is necessary to make stops that will allow you to hold the ax in your hand.

How to make a taiga ax

Before you make a taiga ax, you need to understand how it differs from the traditional one? It has a different blade shape and ax handle parameters. That is, you can take an ordinary ax as a basis. Change the shape of its sharpening, remove excess material in the upper part, by analogy with the combat.

An angle grinder can be used to remove excess material.

The hatchet can be made from birch. For a more reliable fixation in the blade, a bandage impregnated with epoxy resin can be wound on its end. It makes sense to impregnate the handle itself with linseed oil.

A wooden handle for an ax (axe handle) is a responsible product, and therefore a lot is taken into account in its manufacture - the material (grade and moisture content of wood), the direction of the fibers, the type of ax (carpentry, joinery or cleaver) The safety and ergonomics of the finished ax depend on the correct manufacture.

For carpentry and carpentry axes, the ax handle is made depending on the weight of the piece of iron. For axes weighing up to a kilogram, the length of the handle is 40-60 centimeters, one and a half kilograms and more - 55-65 centimeters.

The most suitable wood for ax handles is birch, oak, ash, maple. Any tree for an ax handle is dried for at least a year in natural conditions (not dryers) in the shade of well-ventilated rooms.

We don't have oak, ash or maple, we won't talk about the quality of ax handles made from them. But I made more than a dozen ax handles from birch, and I will talk about it. By the way, those who worked with ax handles from different types of wood claim that only birch "does not dry" the worker's hand, because of the viscosity of the fibers.

Harvesting birch for handles of axes, hammers, knives and other hand tools is carried out in winter, at least in early spring before the start of sap flow.

The basal (butt) part of the tree comes into play. The birch chock splits into chopping blocks. It is split and not sawn along, in order to see the natural direction of the fibers, and in accordance with this, further workpieces are made.

Bars with a cross section of approximately 70-80 mm are pierced from the blocks. by 120-150 mm. and clean to dry. During the drying process, the birch will shrink across the fibers and the workpiece will become smaller. The blanks are dried for at least two years in a ventilated room without being exposed to sunlight (usually this is an attic)

We put a well-dried billet on one side, see if there are any cracks. If everything is in order, we derive the total thickness of the two layers of 45 millimeters.

We put the workpiece on the face and orient the template relative to the fibers

Ax handle templates, their dimensions - length, thickness, cross-section at the main points, also differ in the purpose of the axes themselves -

On the end part of the workpiece, we outline the shape of the ax eye with a pencil along its inner part, aligning it with the exit of the fastening part according to the template.

Now produces a rough processing of the workpiece according to the template. This can be done with another ax and a wide chisel, I just cut it out with an electric jigsaw along the contour. And there are fewer chips, there is no load on the tree from impacts, and it looks more cultured.

We round the corners of the handle, in the upper part of it in a semicircle, and towards the bottom a little on a cone. It is this form of "inverted drop" that is most comfortable for the hand. Now let's put a piece of iron on the ax handle.

The ax attachment is made "in tension".

Wedge, I personally make for a birch ax from a pine resin board. Holds up great. One wedge is enough if the birch handle is very well dried and no longer dries out.

Having planted the ax, twist it in your hands, remove with a large file those places where the ax is not comfortable in the palm of your hand. Do not worry that you will move away from "standards" and "templates" if you make an ax for yourself. Let it be at least three times unsightly, but if it lies perfectly in your hand, then you will be less tired and productivity will increase, and the mood from working with an ax, which is an extension of the hand, will be good.

After the hatchet is ready and planted. Treat it with linseed drying oil, preheating it. I soak on hot only carpenter's axes. Carpenters are almost always indoors. I simply wipe the handles of the cleavers several times with light transformer oil.

Well, of course, every carpenter and joiner, over time, displays for himself the most optimal shape of the ax handle, with the desired placement of the center of gravity, length and thickness of the handle. There are a lot of options, as well as masters. However, GOST did not bypass this very necessary tool -

Those who live in their own home often need such a tool as a taiga ax in the country and on hikes. A good quality working tool is expensive and hard to find.

An ax from the market is not always of good quality. Therefore, we will make our own ax using improvised means.

Varieties of axes

Consider the variations of axes:

• A cleaver is a heavy conical axe. Due to its high weight, it is well suited for cutting large, hard woods.
• Carpentry - small weight and size, has a pointed blade. Used for careful, precise, accurate work with wood.
• Taiga - suitable for felling trees, harvesting trees, building a hut, removing bark, branches.
• Tsalda - designed to clean the area from shrubs.
• Kitchen (cooking) - designed only for chopping bones. It is a small hatchet, with a short handle and a large "blade".
• Lesorubsky - used only for cutting trees. It consists of a long ax handle and a wide, sharp blade.

Of all the above species, the taiga ax is more necessary and more useful than all.

Distinctive features of the taiga ax:

• Light weight.
• A small area of ​​​​the piercing surface (makes it possible to drive it as deep as possible into the wood).
• Specific sharpening of the blade (the rear edge is much smaller, thinner than the front.

This feature is made in order to use this type of ax as a cleaver (if the blow is applied correctly. A regular ax has a blade of the same shape for precise work with wood).

Making a taiga ax

Handle material

The function of the ax is primarily affected by its shape and length. The handle should be curved, and the section should be oval.

For the handle, species of trees such as maple, oak, ash, birch are best suited. Since these types of wood tolerate vibration well upon impact.

Wood harvesting starts in autumn

Dry in a dark place. Before use, wood must be stored for about one year, and preferably five.

Only felled wood is not advisable to use as it will dry out over time and will not hold in the eye.

Create a cardboard template

On a large cardboard sheet, we outline the shape of the handle and apply it to a wooden blank. The template will help us make a more accurate handle.

Handle material preparation

A one-year-old wood block is hewn parallel to the fibers. The blank for the handle should be longer than the template. We make the place that is inserted into the eyelet wider than the main part.

On both sides we circle the attached drawing, while not forgetting to leave allowances. After inserting the upper part into the eyelet in this way, we remove the excess wood.

Steps to cut an ax handle

Before cutting the handle, you need to make transverse cuts, but so that they do not reach the line of the future handle by about 4-5 mm. With the help of a chisel, we remove the remains of wood and excess allowances.

Ore transitions and corners are performed by turning with a rasp. After the workpiece is done, we bring the sandpaper to smoothness.

Buying a stabbing part for a taiga hatchet

It is unrealistic to make a blade in a domestic setting. In this case, here is a list of what you need to focus on when buying it on the market or in a hardware store:

• The presence of GOST marking (indicates the quality of steel);
• The hole for the handle (eye) must be cone-shaped;
• The blade is smooth, without defects;

Collecting an ax

• We cut the upper part of the handle along and across.
• Cut into five pieces of hard wood.
• We wrap the top of the handle with gauze soaked in resin for better entry into the hole in the blade.
• Using a hammer, drive in the handle.
• Hammer the prepared pieces into the cuts at the top of the ax handle.
• After the structure dries, cut off the protruding parts of the wooden pieces.

Note!

Sharpening the stabbing part of the taiga ax

A properly sharpened blade gives excellent performance of the hatchet. In accordance with the activity that you will perform with an ax, the sharpening angle depends.

The sharpening of the taiga ax is performed at an angle of 30-35 ̊. If they will perform work with fresh wood, then we sharpen at an angle of 25 ̊.

If you use a grinding wheel for sharpening, then the ax handle must be held at an angle of 40-45 ̊. We reproduce the sharpening slowly, carefully.

If you have all the necessary tools in stock, a photo of the step-by-step production of an ax, then its creation will not take a lot of time, effort and money, and in return you will receive a high-quality ax made with your own hands.

But do not forget that with a piercing part made of high-quality metal, the ax will last much longer and if the handle is treated with linseed oil, then it will not rot and deteriorate.

DIY ax photo

Note!

Note!

DIY ax

If you live in a private house or often relax in nature, an ax will definitely be one of the main tools that you should always have at hand. While at home, it can be used to chop wood or chop large bones. And in nature, an ax is an indispensable tool at all, because it will help you chop wood for a fire, and put together a simple shelter from the weather, and even come in handy in butchering game.

Unfortunately, not all tools sold on the market are of high quality. To get a truly high-quality and convenient ax, it is better to make it yourself. So you will be sure that the handle will be comfortable, and the blade will remain sharp for a long time and will not let you down at the most crucial moment. In this article, we will consider not only the features of self-made axes, but also describe the main varieties of this tool so that you can choose the model that is most suitable for your purposes.

Types of axes and their characteristics

At first glance, it seems that there are no special differences between the axes, although in fact they differ depending on the area of ​​\u200b\u200buse (Figure 1).

Among the main types are:

1. Cleaver: mainly used for chopping wood. It is this type of ax that is most often made independently, because special skills are not required for this. A distinctive feature of the cleaver is a large weight and a cone-shaped blade. Due to its weight, the tool is excellent for chopping large logs or hardwoods.
2. Carpentry: usually such a tool is light and small, since its sharpened blade is used for precise and accurate work with wood.
3. Taiga: such an ax is great for hunting and survival in the wild in general, because with its help you can chop wood for a fire, and clear the territory, build a shelter, and even partially butcher the game.
4. Tsalda: this model is also called a tourist ax, because its shape and sharpness of the blade are great for clearing the area from dense shrubs.
5. Kitchen: features a sharp and durable double blade, but is used exclusively for cutting thick bones or frozen meat.

Figure 1. The main types of axes: 1 - cleaver, 2 - carpentry, 3 - taiga, 4 - tourist, 5 - kitchen

In addition, a lumberjack ax or an ax is distinguished as a separate one. It has a long handle and a wide sharp blade. However, this type has a limited scope, as it can only be used for cutting trees.

We have only briefly reviewed the main types of axes, but if this information is not enough, we will provide a more detailed description of the main types to make it easier for you to decide on a tool model for self-production.

Combat

A battle ax is more likely not a carpentry or tourist tool, but a very dangerous weapon that was used in ancient times in Russia and by the Scandinavian Vikings (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Reproductions of battle axes

At the moment, this weapon has lost its relevance, but for lovers of historical antiquity, information about making a Viking ax close to the original with your own hands may be interesting.

First of all, it is necessary to highlight the interesting shape of such an ax. Its blade narrows slightly towards the center and widens towards the edge. This was done so that the ax served both as a reliable weapon in battle and as a good helper in everyday life.

By the way, the ancient Vikings built their famous dragon boats with just such axes, and then robbed neighboring settlements using all the same axes as weapons.

Another distinctive feature of this type is the long handle, which made it possible to comfortably hold the weapon in hand and make large-scale swings during the battle.

Wooden

A wooden ax is of no value either as a household tool or as a weapon, because its main difference is that not only the handle, but also the blade is made of wood. Moreover, no matter how strong the wood is, the finished tool will not be able to cope with either chopping firewood or cutting other hard materials (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Wooden products perform exclusively decorative functions

In fact, this is a kind of costume element of a certain historical era, which may be needed during a masquerade or other similar event. However, if you are interested in how to make an almost real wooden ax with your own hands, then we can clarify that the handle will have to be cut out in the same way as for a conventional tool, but the blade will have to be hewn out of durable wood according to a ready-made template. The assembled structure can be decorated with a pattern by burning or painting.

Hunting

The hunting ax is included in the list of basic tools that must be included in the equipment of any hunter. Without this tool, it will be almost impossible to start a fire or build a simple shelter from the weather (Figure 4).

Contrary to popular belief, a hunting ax has nothing to do with a massive felling tool, although it is often used for the same purpose.

The main requirements that a hunter's ax must meet are as follows:

1. Compact size that allows you to carry the tool with you over long distances without much discomfort.
2. Ergonomic design that allows you to use tools for a long time without excessive fatigue.
3. The power and sharpness of the blade are also not the least important parameters. The sharpness of the ax will determine how quickly you can chop branches to light a fire.

Figure 4. Models for hunters

It is believed that a high-quality hunter's ax should weigh no more than 750 grams with a total length of 30-40 cm. However, many outdoor enthusiasts, given the shortcomings of such small hatchets, still prefer to take more massive axes with them, which will help not just chop thin branches, but also cut fairly large and hard logs.

Taiga

Of all types of axes, the taiga ax is considered the most versatile and indispensable during a hike or hunt. It has a relatively low weight, and the piercing surface has a small area, which allows you to drive the cutting edge as deep as possible even into the hardest wood (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Taiga tool model

If you are planning to make a taiga ax for personal use with your own hands, you should consider that it is characterized by a special sharpening of the blade. Its rear edge is much smaller and thinner than the front, which provides high piercing characteristics of the tool.

How to make an ax step by step

Experienced hunters prefer to make axes with their own hands, because in this case you can create an absolutely unique tool adapted to your personal preferences and functions that the tool will perform in the future.

Since the taiga ax is considered the highest quality and most versatile, we will provide detailed instructions and tips for making this particular model.

We select materials

The first step in the manufacture of the tool will be the selection of suitable materials, not only for the blade, but also for the handle. In this case, it should be borne in mind that the convenience of further use will directly depend on the shape and length of the handle, so it is better to make the handle oval and slightly curved.

Some lovers of folk crafts are interested in whether it is possible to make a whole stone ax and how to do it correctly. Of course, it is realistic to carve such an imitation out of stone, especially if we are talking exclusively about a blade, but it will be very problematic to use such a tool in everyday life, and even more so when hunting.

Theoretically, it is possible to make an entirely metal cast ax, and put a rubber pad on the handle, which will prevent the hand from slipping while using the tool. But still it is better to make the handle wooden and the blade metal.

As a material for the handle, it is better to use oak, maple, birch or ash wood, as these species tolerate vibration well during impacts on a hard surface. It is advisable to prepare wood from the fall and dry it in a dark place for a year. If you use raw wood, it will dry out over time and will not hold firmly in the eye.

It is impossible to make a high-quality ax blade at home, so you will have to buy it on the market or in a building materials store. When choosing a workpiece, pay attention to the presence of the GOST marking, which indicates that you are buying a truly high-quality steel, and not a homemade blade melted down from old rails. It is also necessary to inspect the hole for the handle: it should be cone-shaped. Only in this case the blade will be securely held on the handle. In addition, carefully inspect the blade itself: it should be perfectly smooth, sharp and without any defects or nicks.

Preparing a template

A cardboard template will be needed first of all for the manufacture of the handle. On cardboard, you need to draw a future pen of the required shape and size, and then transfer this drawing to a tree and cut it out using carpentry tools. Thanks to this algorithm of actions, you can create a handle with optimal ergonomics (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Necessary templates for making a do-it-yourself tool

If you are interested in how to make a high-quality taiga ax from an old double-sided ax handle, then you should immediately clarify that you will need a template in this case as well. The fact is that the taiga ax differs from the usual carpenter's ax precisely in the shape of the blade. In order not to take risks and not give it a shape “by eye”, it is better to immediately use the template. Then the workpiece will have the optimal shape and size.

Billet production

If you bought a ready-made ax head from a store or market, all you have to do is attach it to the handle. But, if you prefer to make a blank according to drawings from scratch at home, for example, from an old ax, you will need some tips on technology and design.

To do this, do the following:

1. Take an old head from an ax, and it is advisable to choose a product with a weight of no more than 1400-1600 grams.
2. The front ledge of the blade must be cut flush with the butt. It is in order to make an accurate cut that you need a template. Despite the fact that a deviation of 5-8 degrees is considered acceptable, in real taiga axes the edge of the blade is exactly flush with the butt.
3. The back of the blade should be made slightly rounded by sawing off part of the metal so that the entire surface of the blade touches without corners. For this purpose, you can use an ordinary grinder, but a more accurate cut will be obtained on an emery wheel with a medium grain.
4. In the inner part of the blade, you need to cut out a small semicircle, which will help you more comfortably hold the ax when carrying out more precise work. In addition, this semicircle will help to securely hang the ax to the branch, and the head itself will weigh about 200 grams less without losing the main mechanical properties of the ax.

Figure 7. How to make a blade

At the final stage, you can cut off the upper parts of the butt to make it more rounded. This will help increase the maneuverability of the tool, but if it suits you in its original form, this procedure can be omitted (Figure 7).

Carving an ax handle

An equally important role in the manufacture of a high-quality ax is played by the production of its handle. To use the tool comfortably, the handle should be ergonomically shaped, but at the same time be as simple as possible (Figure 8).

You can make it like this:

1. Prepared dried wood is hewn parallel to the fibers. In the process, it is necessary to ensure that the finished handle is slightly longer than the original template.
2. The upper part of the handle, which will be inserted into the eyelet, needs to be made slightly wider than the main one.
3. To cut the ax more accurately, it is better to make small transverse cuts on the workpiece, not reaching the edge of the handle by 4-5 cm. This will help you quickly and easily remove the remnants of wood.

Figure 8. Stages of manufacturing the handle

All manual transitions and angles are made with a chisel, and when the handle is completely made, it is brought to smoothness with sandpaper so that it is beautiful.

Water repellent treatment

Since the taiga ax involves constant use in the open air, it is desirable to treat it with special water-repellent compounds. This will help keep the tool from constant exposure to moisture and minimize further restoration of the handle.

To process the handle of a carpentry tool, you can use any protective compound for wood. All of them protect the material from rot and damage with constant exposure to high humidity.

Handle mount

When the head and handle are ready, you can proceed to the direct assembly of the parts of the ax. To do this, the upper part of the handle is cut lengthwise and across and cut into five small pieces of hardwood.

We take a piece of gauze, soak it in resin and unwind the upper part of the handle with it so that it fits better into the hole on the piercing nozzle. Next, using a hammer, we drive the handle into the ax head, and fix the prepared pieces of wood in the upper part of the ax handle (Figure 9).

Figure 9. Stages of assembly of the finished product

Blade sharpening

To give the tool the necessary sharpness, you need to properly sharpen the ax (Figure 10). The sharpening angle directly depends on what kind of work you plan to do with the axe.

Figure 10. Blade sharpening mechanism

For example, in order for the blows with the blade of the taiga ax to be accurate, sharpening is carried out at an angle of 30-35 degrees. for comparison, a lumberjack's ax, designed to work with raw wood, is sharpened at an angle of 25 degrees. As a rule, a special grinding wheel is used for this procedure. Since this tool requires care, it is better to make the length of the ax handle large enough so that it is convenient for you to hold the tool at a sufficiently large distance and at an angle of 40-45 degrees to the grinding wheel itself. At the same time, the rotation speed of the grinding wheel should be small so that the metal does not overheat, and the blade is sharpened as efficiently as possible.

We make a case for storage and transportation

To make the ax convenient to carry, a special cover is made for it from thick leather or tarpaulin (Figure 11). To do this, it is enough to create a pattern for the future cover and firmly sew the parts together. However, if you are going to wield a large ax in the forest, it is not practical to make a special case for it, and you will have to wear the tool either without additional protection, or sew those separately for the blade.

Figure 11. Transport case options

Many hunters and outdoor enthusiasts prefer the latter option, as it makes it easier to carry the tool, which is extremely important if you were making axes yourself and the finished product is quite large.

Professionals recommend with particular care to approach the choice of materials for the manufacture of a homemade ax. For example, it is better to harvest wood for making a handle in the fall, and then dry it in a dark place for a year. But the future handle will become even more durable if it is dried for five years. Of course, if you do not have so much time, you may well wait a year, but then the treatment of the finished pen with water-repellent compounds will become mandatory.

It is better to buy a blade in hardware stores or on the market, and preference should be given to products with the GOST marking. So you will be sure that the steel has passed the necessary hardening, and will not crumble or lose its sharpness when cutting trees. In addition, when making an ax, you need to decide in advance for what purposes you will use it. The angle of sharpening the blade will depend on this, because axes for logging, carpentry or hunting differ precisely in this parameter.

You can see how making an ax with your own hands looks like in practice in the video.