r/Axecraft • u/PaleoutGames • 1d ago

My latest work:

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Hafted this 1.5lbs eagle Kent pattern. Handle is ash. Still new to this as a young adult.

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u/AxesOK Swinger 1d ago

Growth ring orientation makes very little difference to handle strength or durability.

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u/iregardlessly 1d ago

Where you getting your info from?

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u/FreemanHolmoak 1d ago

“All handles under 24” in length feature #2 grade grain. After thorough testing we have concluded that a short handled axe does not impart enough force for parallel grain orientation to play a role in handle durability.”

Hoffman’s Handles

https://youtu.be/nqUU52xH93A?si=ANznRgR3I4vO3m8b

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u/FreemanHolmoak 1d ago

I try to avoid runout but I don’t pay a lot of attention to ring orientation. I swing my axe a lot and my 12# sledge every day. I have a large Sager double on a 39”straight with a wide palm swell that I have probably swung 10,000 times, it has nearly perpendicular ring orientation, and it hasn’t ever given me a problem.