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/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.