How to make an ax from improvised materials. How to make an ax with your own hands from a simple ax and other materials: step by step instructions

Each country house has a number of necessary tools for different jobs. An ax is required to build a house, chop wood or butcher meat. You can buy it at the store or make your own. The purchased tool may be inconvenient or unreliable, and this is not safe. The tool, made by hand, is particularly convenient and reliable. Before you make an ax handle with your own hands at home, you need to know what an ax looks like, what parts it consists of, and decide on its purpose.

Types of axes

The tool is usually classified according to the type of handle.

In addition to the main axes, there are tools designed for special work. This includes: a cleaver, carpentry, large carpentry, sculptural ax, as well as figured tools and an ax for concave surfaces.

Self-made ax

Components of an ax: an ax handle, a metal sheet and wedges. How easy and convenient it will be to work with the tool depends on the length and shape of its handle, called an ax handle. Consider how to make it correctly and the right size. To do this, you need to select the material and extrude the workpiece according to the template.

A homemade product is impregnated with a protective agent, this will help protect the ax from rotting. Impregnation is done in several layers of drying oil or linseed oil. Each subsequent layer must be completely saturated. Coating products with varnishes and paints is not recommended. They will give the handle a sliding effect, and the ax will constantly begin to slip during operation. Sometimes a bright dye is added to the impregnation. The handle of the tool acquires a bright color, which is good when work is carried out in overgrown areas. The ax will always be visible and will not be lost.

Choosing a metal nozzle

It is impossible to forge metal tightly with your own hands, so they buy it at a hardware store. Tips for choosing a stabbing part:

1. A high-quality blade should be solid, without nicks, chips and dents.
2. Metal is marked according to GOST.
3. The ends of the butt should be perpendicular to the blade.
4. The eyelet must be cone-shaped.

Attachment of an ax on an ax handle

The process is carried out in several stages, such as fitting, planting and wedging.

It is possible to eliminate the cracks that will occur when fitting a metal sheet using epoxy resin. It is poured into the cuts before driving the wedges. The resin will dry in a day. And only then you can saw off the protruding part.

Blade sharpening and hardening

The performance of the tool depends on a sharp blade. Therefore, you need to know how to sharpen an ax correctly. For each type of work, its own blade processing angle is selected.

Sharpening is done on an electric grinding wheel, smoothly moving the blade along the circle at an angle of 45 degrees. To prevent the quality of the cutting edge from deteriorating, the blade must not be allowed to overheat. To do this, a container with water is installed near the grinder. The blade is periodically lowered into it for cooling. At the end of the work, the blade is polished. To do this, use a whetstone or sandpaper.

A metal blade made of soft material will often have to be sharpened. To avoid this, you can harden the ax. To do this, you need a gas burner, oil and water. The blade is heated on gas until a red color appears. Then it is dipped in oil and cold water. Everyone repeats 3 times.

Axe- a chopping tool, consisting of a wooden handle, often a short one, and a blade, which is located longitudinally or perpendicularly relative to the shaft. The latter are called tesla. They cut grooves during the construction of huts and ships, princely houses and churches, hollowed out troughs, boats, cut sculptures, toys and other wooden products.

The secret of the durability of products chopped with an ax is that the wood fibers are crushed under the blow of an ax and do not let moisture through. This does not happen when sawing, when the pores of the wood are left open for rot to enter.

What are axes and what are they used for?

The etymological dictionary gives several versions of the origin of the word, starting from the Bulgarian “ax”, Slovenian “topor”, Czech, Polish, etc. Connoisseurs consider the ax to be an Orthodox word and associate it with “trample”, otherwise “beat” when talking about the heart, from Ukrainian "tepority" - drag with difficulty, Bulgarian "tptya" - mesh, trample.

The wooden handle is called an ax handle, the metal part, which has a blunt rounded end on one side, is called a butt. Not the best option would be to choose a stick with a round section. It is much more convenient if the cross section is oval and the ax handle consists of straight and curved sections. Its tail section folds down for a comfortable grip.

On the other side is a blade with a sharpened working blade. Sometimes products have a beard-protrusion on the blade next to the mount, which protects the ax handle from impacts on metal and strengthens the wood mount. with metal part. It is believed that such axes are descendants of battle axes from Northern Europe. Most often, beards have carpentry tools, they are indispensable when working with wood.

Axes were used as cold fighting weapons, chopping and throwing.

Depending on the application, axes are:

Another variety is double-sided. The blades can have different sharpening and are designed to perform a wide range of work. They can be used as throwing weapons as they are well balanced. Manufactured from high carbon steel. The other side of the coin is their injury risk, high price, uncomfortable handle, and lack of shock function.

Manufacturing

The manufacture of blades from high-carbon steels protects the axes from mechanical damage and allows them to withstand temperature extremes. The blade does not require periodic sharpening, during operation it is not damaged with the appearance of nicks and scratches. A stamp indicating the brand of metal is put on the head. Forged products are more durable and heavy, you should give preference to this type of metal processing.

According to the width of the cutting part, the tools are:

1. wide;
2. medium;
3. narrow.

If the blade of a metal blade is sharpened at an angle of less than forty degrees, the tool penetrates deeper into the wood, but also quickly dulls. Combined sharpening allows you to save the blade from damage if the impact falls on the edge of the metal, with this method the central part is sharpened at a sharper angle than the edges.

The blades are straight and rounded. The latter, due to a decrease in area and an increase in pressure on the points of contact, acquire better cutting qualities.

Axes with a plastic shaft are as strong as wood, but lighter. Sometimes wooden ax handles are made with a rubberized handle to absorb shock and protect the wrist.

The right choice of tool

1. the optimal length of the ax handle is from the wrist to the shoulder joint;
2. the handle of the ax must be completely covered by the hand to avoid injury.

When choosing a short handle, you will have to make too much range of motion in order to increase the force of impact, the return to the hand will also increase. This will interfere with long and productive work with the tool.

If you intend to constantly work with the tool, you should give preference to an expensive quality product. If work drops out from time to time, get a cheaper option. A product from one manufacturer may have large price differences depending on the sale in the market or in a large store.

Design features of taiga axes

Taiga axes are truly universal. Tools are capable of felling trees, butchering animal carcasses, chopping wood for a fire, processing and splitting logs along the fibers, and building huts. They are highly durable and last for years. They are used by hunters, hunters, geologists, foresters and tourists.

The taiga tool differs from the carpenter's ax in the length of the handle. As a rule, it is longer than 50 centimeters and allows you to make a wide swing to increase the impact force when cutting. The blade of the head has no upper part. If necessary, you can independently change or adjust the blade of an existing ax. The saw cut of the upper toe reduces the weight of the tool, strengthens the upper part of the head, when working at low temperatures, it is more convenient to work with such an ax. The shape of the blade is rounded to allow for various forest work. The head has a beard for strength.

A wedge or steel nail is inserted into the eye, or seat, to reinforce the fastener. Fungus - a place on the handle - should not allow the hand to slip off. The butt of the ax can easily replace the hammer if necessary.

When choosing a taiga instrument, three rules must be observed. The tool must be selected individually according to the height of the man, taking into account frequent use, the main weight should fall on the metal head, the weight of the tool is chosen optimal in terms of transferring the product and performing the impact function.

DIY taiga masterpiece

Let's make a taiga ax from the old one with our own hands. For manufacturing, you will need a metal head from another product. It is free of rust. If the damage is deeply ingrained into notches and cracks, the metal is soaked for a day in an acetic bath, then cleaned with sandpaper.

The next step is to adjust the tool head for a taiga specimen using a grinder.

For an ax handle, a tree with hardwood is chosen. Beech is best suited for this role. The handle, on which the head is mounted, is impregnated with oil in several stages to prevent dampness. It is advised to use drying oil, wax, boiling oil, you can use linseed oil.

But it should be dried in ultraviolet rays in order to start the process of hemolytic cleavage, in which some bonds in the substance break up and stronger ones are formed. The process ends when the product becomes dry, rough to the touch and leaves no marks on the hands.

The product receives additional durability and water tightness. The fibers of the tree should go along the handle, manufacturers sometimes tinker and paint over the product if the fibers are at an angle. The strength of the ax handle in such a product is reduced.

The metal part is mounted on the butt of the handle in such a way that the ax handle extends one and a half centimeters above the head. Having achieved a tight fit, the head is removed and several cuts are made in the butt, not reaching the planting depth by 5 millimeters: one longitudinal cut and two transverse cuts.

To prevent the ax handle from cracking, the cuts are reamed. Now wedges are prepared from the same material - five wedges are required - and the structure is assembled again.

For strength, they are fastened with epoxy resin, reinforcing with bandages to enhance the tightness of the fit. Beech wedges are driven in, securely securing the seat. All excess is cut off, the product is carefully polished. Over time, epoxy becomes unusable; to remove it, axes are burned in a fire. In this case, you can use wood glue.

The final touch is the sharpening of the blade.

To avoid accidental injury, you can sew a protective cover on the metal part.

Proper tool sharpening

You can sharpen the product manually and mechanically. Each has its own secrets that you need to know in order to avoid dulling the blade and breaking the “sharpener”.

At manual sharpening, a template is prepared from tin, the angle of sharpening is selected, the desired shape is cut out and applied to the ax blade. On the blade of the head, the sharpening line is marked with a marker. The action is performed by moving "from oneself", the process is time-consuming and exhausting. It is carried out in several steps using sandstone grinding wheels with grains of different sizes.

At mechanical experts do not recommend sharpening an ax in a hurry, they do not advise working as a grinder, you should choose a low processing speed. For the desired sharpening angle, a finishing paste is used, the grinding wheel is covered with it and the product is ground.

After sharpening, the tool blade is protected against rust with lithol, grease, machine or used oil. It is best to keep the tool in a dry place.

Compliance with safety regulations

1. do not leave the ax on the ground so that the tool does not rust and the ax does not become damp;
2. the head of the product should not hang on the handle;
3. when chopping a log, put wood underneath so as not to damage the blade on a stone or metal;
4. make sure you have enough room to swing your ax freely.

How to make a good, reliable ax with your own hands at home?

By remaking an ordinary ax, you can give it special properties necessary for work. Such an ax will last much longer and better than a regular store. A hunter in the taiga cannot do without a reliable ax, which should be as versatile as possible. There are many axes on sale: from large and medium construction and carpentry to small axes suitable for various household needs. But the taiga ax must have special properties that can be given to an ordinary ax by redoing it.


An ax with soft and slightly hardened steel should be preferred to an ax with a “dryish” steel. When chipping the blade, this drawback can be easily eliminated by steeper sharpening. The shape of the sharpening should be parabolic, but not razor and not straight (Fig. 1). An ax with such a sharpening does not jam in wood, it splits firewood well, it becomes less dull. With sufficient sharpness, such a blade is quite suitable for carpentry. Much in the understanding of rationality is given by the forms of old Russian axes, as well as the axes of lumberjacks of the Carpathians, North America, in which the upper edge of the blade never forms an angle of more than 90 ° with the axis of the ax handle. All commercially available axes have a wide blade and a protruding upper edge (Fig. 2). The shaded part sharply reduces the efficiency of the ax, since at the moment of impact this part tends to unbend the ax handle, creating in it. unnecessary vibration, and thereby dampens the impact force. To eliminate this shortcoming, the shaded part is removed. The easiest way to do this is to drill a series of adjoining holes along the cut line, and remove the hardened part with an abrasive.
The straight blade of the ax must be changed to a convex one (Fig. 3), if the width of the hardening of the blade allows. The straight edge is designed only for carpentry, and when such a blade cuts, while simultaneously touching the entire edge and hitting the tree at a right angle, it has a weak penetrating ability. Each point of the convex edge enters the wood at an acute angle (Fig. 3), a cutting effect occurs, as a result of which the penetrating power of such a blade increases sharply. Despite the fact that the weight of the ax will decrease after processing, its efficiency will increase. The author proposes two variants of axes (see Fig. 4 and photo). One of them is lightweight, designed for running hunts, small trips, and also for commercial hunting with a saw. The total weight of such an ax is 800-1000 g, the length of the ax handle is 40-60 cm. The other is heavy, for commercial hunting and long-distance trips, during which significant work has to be done. Its weight is 1000-1400 g, the length of the ax handle is 55-65 cm. The choice of the length of the ax handle is determined by the quality of the wood, the height and strength of the hunter.
Of course, axes hand-crafted by blacksmiths are better both in terms of steel and in terms of angle and balance, but there is one very capricious detail - a wooden ax handle. This part must be made using special technology. Making an ax handle, a wedge and landing an ax is much longer and more difficult than forging an ax (even, probably, Damascus). Checking how well the ax handle and landing is made is much more difficult than checking the quality of the ax itself. In addition, the ax requires special daily care and certain conditions of detention. If all the points are not met, then the result is always the same: Either the ax flies off, or the ax handle breaks. Having properly prepared the ax, you can begin to manufacture the ax handle. It must be thin. The smaller its weight relative to the weight of the ax, the stronger the blow. The ax handle must be flexible: a hard ax handle “dries” the hand. In cross section, it has an ovoid, but flattened shape with a sharper anterior and rounded posterior edges. It is best to make an ax from the butt of ash, maple, elm. You can also use curly fine-layered birch. The most suitable butt thickness for harvesting ax handles is 35-40 cm. The raw butt should be split, then dried with sealed ends.



An ax handle with a longitudinal arrangement of layers (Fig. 5) is stronger. In front of the ax attachment, the center of gravity is found on the ax handle (Fig. 6). Usually this point (C) is located at the base of the lug. Then determine the middle line of the ax AB, passing through the middle of the butt and the top of the edge of the blade. This line is the tangent along which the ax will move when struck.

If you put the blade with point B perpendicular to the midline AB on the plane, then the end of the ax handle will have to touch the same plane at point C. The middle line of the ax handle (PR) is drawn, the point P is on this line and is 3.5-4 away from the plane CB see. The cutting of the ax handle is clear from fig. 5, where the shaded parts of the workpiece must be cut off. The distance from the lower edge of the eye (point K) to the point of maximum bending of the ax handle (point O) is 10-11 cm. At point O, the hand holds the ax during carpentry work. In this place, the circumference of the ax handle is 12-13 cm, and the thinnest place at the end of the ax handle is 9-10 cm. Finally, the thickness is adjusted according to the hand. The ax ends with a thickening in the form of a “fungus” that fixes the hand (it is clearly visible in the photo). Such an ax handle is indispensable in cold and rain, when gloves or mittens are on the hands. "Fungus" allows you to relax your hands at the time of work. The strength and accuracy of the blows of a "relaxed" ax cannot be compared with the blows of an ax that you have to hold tightly, being afraid to let go of it. On the blank for the "fungus", a thickening is provided in advance; it is processed last in order to exclude chips when the ax is mounted. Getting to the nozzle, you need to place the workpiece. When adjusting the ax handle, you should constantly check the landing angle by applying the ax to the plane (in Fig. 6 this is the NE line). In the ax handle, adjusted to two-thirds of the eye depth, a wedge cut is made to the same depth (Fig. 6), after which the seat is finally adjusted. Before driving the wedge, it is useful to dry the ax handle with the mounted ax for two to three days.
Immediately after fitting (or after drying), the ax is removed from the handle, the fitted parts are liberally smeared with BF-2 glue, and the ax is finally mounted. Glue is also applied to a pre-prepared wedge made of hardwood (ash, maple, elm, apple, pear) and the wedge is hammered. To prevent the wedge from breaking when driving, it is made short. To completely dry the glue, the ax must be dried for a day on a battery or by the stove. Finally, the handle is processed by hand, skinned and impregnated with drying oil or linseed oil.

The finished ax remains sharpened. An ax will save a lot of effort and time if its blade is always sharply sharpened. It is useful for this to have plywood cut to the size of the breast pocket, glued on both sides with waterproof sandpaper - coarse and micron. Such plywood is enough for the whole season, if the ax does not require serious regrinding.

The taiga ax is a special type of tool that has a lot of differences from the usual carpentry tool that can be found in the home of every owner. A good tool is very difficult to find and expensive, so we will make the best ax with our own hands from ordinary materials. Next, we consider the main differences, features, characteristics of the product and step-by-step instructions for its manufacture.

Characteristics of the taiga ax and what it should be

Since the parameters of the ax handle and blade are very different from the usual sizes of “household” axes and will seem unusual to many, you first need to decide what tasks can be solved with this miracle device:

• Tree felling. Felling at a sawmill, sanitary felling or logging for a log house - this is exactly what this ax was made for.
• Rough work with logs (precisely rough!). Suitable for delimbing, grooving, removing thick bark and the like.
• Ax "for survival". Lightweight hunting tool, suitable for quickly creating bags and trapping animals.
• Construction of huts, floorings, wooden houses "fast food". There will be no hut built without an ax handle, and with its help you can cope 4 times faster than when working with a carpenter's ax blade.
• Work with firewood. If accuracy is a secondary concern, then this tool is perfect for the job.

If you want to make a tool for precision work, then it would be better to consider forged axes with a straight long blade. When cutting a tree, they are of little use, but the accuracy is very high. In addition to the quality of the “cut”, there are many more differences between the taiga ax and the usual one.

Rounded blade shorter . The ax is much lighter than usual, and the small area of ​​​​the working surface allows you to dig it much deeper into the wood, suitable for cutting wood across the grain. The tool is much easier to carry (the handle and head together weigh no more than 1400 grams).

Having a long beard . Its main task is to protect the wooden part from breaking under strong impacts. Up to 60% of the impact force is absorbed. But it does not protect against impacts on logs - this is a delusion, since the special shape of the blade already performs this function.

Special Ax Sharpening . The rear edge of the blade is almost 2 times thinner than the front. This is done for the purpose of using the ax as a cleaver (when properly struck). In a conventional tool, the edge has a uniform thickness for high precision work.

Special tilt angle . The head of the taiga ax forms a much smaller angle with the ax handle. This allows you to increase the efficiency of work, relieves hand fatigue and increases productivity when cutting trees. The blow becomes much stronger than with a carpenter's ax, where the head and blade are placed at an angle of 90 degrees. They try to make all handmade taiga axes with an angle of 75-65 degrees - this is their main difference.

Use ordinary circles for sharpening, since it can be very diverse. The main thing is to observe the difference in the thickness of the leading and trailing edges, since it is it that affects the productivity of the forester.

Do-it-yourself taiga ax - we make the head of the tool

It will not work to forge or pour a metal part at home, so let's go the simplest way and in a few steps we will make a taiga ax from an ordinary joiner's ax.

STEP 1: we take an old metal head from an ax, the weight of which is approximately 1400-1600 grams (the best option) and cut down the front ledge of the blade flush with the butt. 5-8 degree protrusion allowed, but it's better to remove it if you need the right axe.

STEP 2: make the back of the blade rounded, cut down the metal so that the entire touch surface is without corners. This can be done using an ordinary grinder or an emery wheel with a medium grain.

STEP 3: we cut out a semicircle in the inner part of the blade. It is necessary for a comfortable grip of the ax if it is necessary to plan something or for more precise work. With this form of an ax, you can pull up small logs or hang an ax on a branch of a tree. In addition, you can reduce the weight of the head by 150-200 grams.

STEP 4: cut off the upper corners of the butt. This will reduce the weight and increase the maneuverability of the tool. This operation can be omitted if the ax suits you.

Now it remains only to choose how to sharpen the ax. It is very important to use a low-speed tool (grinder can not be used!). An emery machine with a large circle and medium grain is ideal. Sharpening must be double-sided and with a moderately sharp edge (a very sharp one will die on the first tree).

We make an ax handle with our own hands

Do not neglect the handle for the ax, because it is it that affects the comfort of work. The holder must be balanced, comfortable, well ground and with the correct geometry so as not to injure the hands of the worker.

The first step is to choose the right wood for the ax handle. The first and easiest option is pine. It is very easy to sharpen and grind, but is unreliable due to its high brittleness. You can use birch - the best option and very affordable wood, which is easy to find. Maple and clear - ideal, but it is very difficult to make a handle from such wood in some latitudes.

The size of the ax can be at your discretion, a handle with a length of 50 to 70 centimeters (universal size) is recommended for the cleaver. Hiking option - 40 centimeters, but it is quite difficult to cut down trees and chop firewood. If working with an ax only involves splitting chocks, then the handle can be increased to 120 centimeters - excellent impact power and productivity, but you lose in the comfort of use. Next, consider the step-by-step instructions for making an ax handle.

STEP 1: we select a wooden blank. The chock should be 20 centimeters longer, and its diameter should be at least 12 cm. Without knots, rotten areas, deformations and other defects that may be present on the tree.

STEP 2: wood drying. First you need to clean everything from the bark and split the chock in the middle. It is desirable to withstand a couple of months at + 22-25 degrees and 15% humidity. Do not heat it or keep it damp - this will only worsen the properties of the wood after drying, besides, it can be deformed.

STEP 3: give shape to the ax handle. First, you can remove everything superfluous with a hatchet or a large knife, and all “jewelry work” is done with a chisel and a small hammer. If this is your first DIY pen and you still don't know how to make an axe, then the process will take several hours, you need to check the drawings. A more experienced person will be able to plan an ax by eye in 20-30 minutes. You should end up with something like this handle:

STEP 4: now you need to plant the ax handle and fix it. You can use gauze and epoxy - a proven option. After 2-3 days the tool is completely ready for use. To be sure, after planting the ax handle, you can hammer in a wedge - this will be more reliable.

STEP 5: polishing and varnishing. The hatchet must be processed with sandpaper and opened with anti-corrosion mixtures so that the wood is not damaged over time. Now the tool will be even more beautiful!

Now you just have to find out what sharpening is with your own hands. It is necessary to sharpen the ax handle on the machine or do it manually and you can go to test the tool. True connoisseurs can still make a leather case with their own hands. A piece of leather 30 by 30 centimeters, an awl and nylon threads is all you need. Now the tool will have a solid appearance and it will not be a shame to give it!

Details on how to make a taiga ax with your own hands can be found here:

Do not confuse a real taiga ax and a simple, familiar type of tool that is often found in home tools. The taiga ax is a special kind that will help out even in the harshest conditions of a hike or hunt. Finding such a tool at an inexpensive price is quite difficult, but if you have the skills, you can try to make it yourself.

A good strong knife is an indispensable companion for any hunter, huntsman, hiker or forester. But in some cases, its power and size in the forest, and especially in the Taiga, is not enough, or it is not very convenient to use. In this case, an ax comes to the rescue. Here are some examples of actions where it can definitely come in handy:

• Cutting trees and firewood;
• Log processing, such as cleaning the bark. For fine woodworking, an ax is not suitable;
• Production of hunting traps from wood;
• Installation of huts or simple wooden structures.

As you can see, all the rough work with wood lends itself easily to the taiga axe. With it, you can arrange shelter, light a fire, and get booty.

A good taiga ax should be light enough so that its use brings results, not fatigue.

Usually the weight of the gun does not exceed 1400 grams. The main mass, of course, is contained in the metal part.

Parts of an ax

It is better to consider the features of the taiga ax in more detail, having familiarized yourself with the characteristics of its components. These include: a metal head and an ax handle.

metal head

The first striking difference between the metal part of the taiga ax and the usual carpentry tool is the absence of the upper part in it. The blade also does not have a standard straight shape, but a rounded one. This helps him penetrate deeper into the wood. And also, with such a blade, you can use a tool for cutting logs not along, but across the fibers.

The existing long beard firmly fixes the head with the ax handle, thereby reducing the risk of its fracture. It absorbs impact power up to 50-60%. This is a very important factor in the wild, where there is no way to quickly fix a broken weapon.

The butt of the taiga ax is standard. The head also has an eye where the ax handle is inserted. For tight fixation, a wooden wedge is additionally hammered.

ax

This part of the tool should be longer than the usual carpentry type. It is desirable that this indicator be at least 50 cm. This will allow you to comfortably hold the tool and carry out sweeping actions.

When connecting two parts of the tool, it must be borne in mind that the angle of inclination between them should not be the usual 90 degrees, but a smaller indicator. Approximately you can navigate 65-75 degrees. And another important criterion is that the ax, with its length, has the lightest possible weight. Otherwise, the hands will quickly get tired of working with the ax.

How to make a taiga ax

Unfortunately, not everyone can forge a new ax from steel. But if the desire to own a real taiga ax is great, and the prices in stores seem too high, you can try to make it from an ordinary carpentry tool.

Tool head manufacturing

Before you start working on the metal head of a conventional ax, it should be inspected for corrosion. If it is, then it is better to soak this part of the gun in a container of vinegar. By the time this will take at least a day. The remains of the substance are removed with a conventional brush.

A semicircle is cut out on the inside of the metal head, this allows you to make the girth comfortable

The rest of the procedure is as follows:

1. At the metal part, the front ledge is sawn off. This must be done flush with the butt. If a protrusion of 5-7 degrees remains, then it's okay, but ideally it is better to remove it;
2. Using a Bulgarian saw or an emery wheel, cut off the back of the blade, giving it a rounded shape;
3. On the inner or, one might say, the lower part of the head, a semicircle is cut out. This will not only make the girth of the tool comfortable, but also significantly reduce its initial weight;
4. You can skip this step, but if there is a desire to comply with all the conditions for the structure of the taiga ax, then it is better to comply with it. Both corners of the butt are sawn off. This step increases the maneuverability of the gun;

The metal head of the ax is ready, it remains only to sharpen it correctly.

Making an ax handle

It is necessary to pay attention to the manufacture of the ax handle no less than the metal part. After all, the usability of the tool will depend on the correct geometry.

This part of the tool is made of wood. Pine is considered the simplest option due to its easy grinding and processing properties. But there is a risk of its rapid breaking. Also, attention should be paid to such types of trees as birch, maple and ash. The length is chosen at your own discretion: from 50 to 80 cm. In some cases, a size of 100-120 cm may be more convenient.

The process of making an ax handle includes the following steps:

1. The blank from which the ax handle will be made is determined. Its diameter must be at least 13 cm, and the length is 20 cm longer than the final version;
2. The workpiece is cleaned. After that, they split exactly in the middle and leave to dry for a long time, preferably at least 8 weeks. It is important to consider that the humidity in the room should not be too high, and the desired temperature is maintained within 22-25 degrees;
3. The dried workpiece is processed with a chisel. A small hammer may also come in handy in this matter. At this stage, it is important to observe the correct shape of the ax handle, which means it is better to look at the drawings and diagrams.

If this is the first self-made ax, then it is better not to rush, so as not to make a mistake in the form. Professionals in this field will need a minimum of time.

Ax assembly

When both parts of the tool are ready, it remains only to connect them. For this, epoxy resin and a piece of ordinary gauze or a medical bandage are usually used. For additional fixation of the metal head on the handle, wooden wedges are hammered.

You won’t be able to use the tool right away, you must wait at least 2 days. In order to protect the ax from corrosion, it should be coated with a special agent after sharpening and grinding. The taiga ax is ready for use.

Sharpening rules

A good hunter or forester always has an ax sharpened, because there is nothing worse than being in the forest with a blunt tool. As mentioned above, the sharpening of the blade in the taiga species is distinguished by its rounded steep shape. This already allows the blade not only to work more efficiently on wood, but also to dull less often.

manual method

A rather laborious process, but for those who like to take care of their tools, on the contrary, it can come to taste. To begin with, a special template is made, according to the dimensions of the tool. They make it from a piece of tin, determining the correct sharpening angle. The ax is applied to the finished template. And if there is a deviation angle, then they make a mark and process it.

For manual sharpening, they often take a wooden block and glue it with sandpaper. It must be coarse and fine-grained. Sharpening is done with the blade away from you. It is noted that one such bar can be enough for the whole season.

Mechanical

With a special machine, the process will go much faster and easier. But here, too, there are nuances.

Mechanical sharpening is carried out as follows:

1. Install the machine on a flat surface;
2. Using a marker, marks are made to change the angle of the blade. This step is done as needed;
3. They sharpen at low speed, holding the ax with the blade away from you;
4. At the end of the process, the grinding wheel of the device is lubricated with finishing paste. Then the tool is polished on it;
5. The sharpened tool is treated with an anti-corrosion agent.

In order for the ax not to dull quickly, it should be stored in a special protective case. Never drop an ax on the ground. And in order to protect yourself from possible injuries, it is necessary to sharpen the tool with protective gloves.

The ax will please with its performance for a long time, if you do not try to cut stones and too hard objects with it. And also when cutting, it is best to put a little forest under the wood.