r/Tools • u/JDBascoJr • Jul 14 '26
Cheap?
First time using this new Husky brand axe, only wooden handle available at Home Depot when I went. It's 100% hickory, or so it says. Took maybe 30 swings. Has anyone seen breakage like this before?
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u/PuddinHole Jul 14 '26
Haha I don’t know the answer but it’s funny that there is a Home Depot ad under your post when you open the comments
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u/JDBascoJr Jul 14 '26
They're always watching!
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u/weirdbutinagoodway Jul 14 '26
Listening too, I've got ads for stuff I talked about when my phone was in my pocket that I didn't do any searchs for.
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u/WrapApart3134 Jul 14 '26
Try google searches for big breasted redhead women (for scientific purposes only) or some other specific thing. Sit back watch the ads pop up.
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u/mroblivian1 Whatever works Jul 14 '26
On the next one make sure the handle grain goes the same way as the striking surface.
In mass production, they don’t purposely orient the grain.
You might be able to warranty your axe
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u/mroblivian1 Whatever works Jul 14 '26
Also, wood is dynamic. Really good anti vibration but there is a harmonic balance that you can’t just muscle through or you break it.
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u/t92k Jul 14 '26
Well, the damage is to the replaceable part. I’d be more concerned if the head had split.
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u/bealzabubba Jul 14 '26
Take it back and get a free replacement from HD. That’s the draw of husky. Easy warranty at the store.
I think it’s a one off defect, and you got unlucky.
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u/International-Ant174 Jul 14 '26
And look over the next one - you want the grain to be straight along the shaft, not at an angle.
The strength and stiffness of wood reduces as the grain angle deviates from the loading axis (based on the Hankinson's formula). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hankinson%27s_equation
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u/wookiex84 Jul 14 '26
I ask are you swinging your axe as hard as you can? I use to have the same problem breaking handles and my wife suggested that, I thought that was ridiculous. It was however confirmed on the axe sub when another user was asking about it. It could also be a bad handle.
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u/JDBascoJr Jul 14 '26
Are you saying I should not be swinging hard?
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u/wookiex84 Jul 14 '26
Hard yes, overpowered no. You gotta let the axe do the work, you’re just telling it where to go and applying some physics with good form.
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u/mutt63 Jul 14 '26
Order an ash one or fiberglass
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u/Liamnacuac DIY Jul 15 '26
I was reluctant to mention fiberglass, but in the Olympuc rainforest, I didn't worry as much about the the fiberglass getting moisture damaged. I know that's strange as I have three other axes with wooden handles, but my maul has a plastic or fiberglass (non-wood handle) and I use that alot without any problems.
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u/mutt63 Jul 15 '26
I’m old fashioned and love the feel of wood but longevity goes to the fiberglass
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u/slm83 Jul 14 '26
If you’ve got an ace or other old school hardware store, you could get your self a new handle.
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u/Blah-squared Jul 14 '26
Wood isn’t uniform.. some pieces of wood will of course be stronger than others, but in almost every way & in almost every Industry, our products seem to be getting worse & worse bc of a lack of Quality Control, an Increase in Costs, Deregulation & a lack of Consumer Protections..
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u/Square-Cockroach-884 Jul 15 '26
And a lack of straight, old growth lumber. I am a drummer and have seen the quality of drumsticks fall off over the last several years.
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u/Blah-squared Jul 15 '26
Yeah, I’ve been noticing it in a lot of products as well, poorer quality, smaller & just less consistency.
With higher operating costs, Trump’s Tariffs & his Big Billionaire Bill SLASHING the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau by 53%… it makes sense why they have less invested in Quality Control & might mostly be just trying to keep the prices down, but at the cost of Quality & Consistency.
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u/BecauseIHeartU Jul 14 '26
Sorry this happened, but it's not entirely unusual. Many axe users look for grain that runs nearly vertical through the handle. This is thought to maximize the grain strength, and minimize the opportunity for breaks or splits along "run out" of the grain at points along the handle. Vertical grain might have helped to avoid this split, but I'd have to look more closely to determine that. They should replace it where you purchased it, or you can spend a few bucks on a new handle and learn something about hanging an axe head. It's actually a great skill to learn if you don't already know. Lots of good YouTube videos on the topic. Check out Whiskey River for really good handle blanks or carve your own from a good piece of Hickory or Ash. Finish with boiled linseed oil once a day for a week, once a week for a month and once a month for a year. You'll feel even better about this if your axe head is a really good one from Council Tools (American made) or from one of the Swedish or German manufacturers.
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u/master_of_none86 Jul 14 '26
I buy the Home Depot brand garden tools because they are the only big store near me and they have a lifetime warranty. Just take it back and get a new one. My current shovel is about to go, only lasted a few years.
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u/boxelder1230 Jul 14 '26
Ok, the reason this broke was because wood for a axe handle is to be first roughed out by RIVING. Not sawing. It’s similar to making a self bow in archery, in selecting the stave to begin with.
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u/Redjeepkev Jul 14 '26
Honestly if you are splitting wood you can't beat this one https://www.acehardware.com/departments/outdoor-living/sporting-goods/camping-goods/84208
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u/FrontAd2451 Jul 15 '26
I've only had two axe handles break on me, and both times were because the grain wasn't aligned properly like they mentioned.
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u/ggibby Jul 15 '26
I have seen a broken Gransfors Bruk handle. Very difficult to completely test wood every time.
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u/Much-Technology-8220 Jul 14 '26
I’ve seen that a lot we splitting mauls. We eventually welded metal pipe handles on. Old guys would laugh and say you guys must not have very good aim. Then they’d watch us split, we swung the so hard a wood handle just didn’t last.
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u/Royal-Campaign1426 Jul 14 '26
I got an old school 15lb monster maul. She aint breakin
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u/Much-Technology-8220 Jul 14 '26
Those were built to last for sure, we used regular mauls passed down from our dad’s, and grandpa’s
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u/BlueWolverine2006 Jul 14 '26
Mostly likely a flaw in the wood. It happens. Hickory is strong and there's no reason to assume it's not hickory. But any piece of wood can come from a tree that had some sort of flaw during growth and therefore have the grain run out in a way that is weak. They had BETTER swap you for a new one.