My handles are all premium American hickory, either made in house, or sourced from Missouri and Tennessee companies that have been manufacturing handles for nearly a century. Each factory handle is thinned and shaped to mirror the older style handles that originally graced the heads, and slowly and meticulously fit to the head. While most of my handles are stained in natural colors, I occasionally use wood dye to add a splash of color. The bright colors were historically used so loggers could easily locate an axe dropped in the brush, and to differentiate their own axe from those of the other workmen in the logging camps. I prefer dye over paint because paint can hide flaws or cracks in the handle, and makes touching up the finish more difficult. My handles are finished with multiple coats of linseed oil, then waxed. The final mating of head to haft is done with a wood wedge only, forgoing the supplemental metal wedges used in modern axes. If done correctly, it’s every bit as secure, as well as being historically accurate.
