# What is the best wood for axe wedges?



## BigJon (Nov 24, 2012)

Well the title pretty much says it all. I have a good friend that is a black smith, and makes quite a number of axes. So much so the local supply of wedges have been depleted and the quality of said wedges is lack luster at best. So I have been asked to make a couple hundred. What would be a good wood to make these from? Ash, oak, walnut, popular? Any advice? Don't want to put a crummy wedge in a $200 forged axe.

Thanks!


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

Normally it is oak or hickory. Oak has the advantage of swelling pretty good with humidity. Some folks dip their oak wedged ax in water before using it.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

I make mine from poplar.


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## johnstoneb (Jun 14, 2012)

I think hickory is probably the best. Hickory is one of the hardest north american woods and very tight grained. It will drive in the slot and hold its shape. Poplar is too soft while it works it won't hold its shape over the long haul and red oak being open grained again over time will compress and loosen. White oak might work as a second to hickory.
They dip their ax in water because the head is loose and the water tightens it temporarily. These same people use a single bit axe to drive metal wedges and round out the eye of the axe so it won't hold an ax handle.


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## bearkatwood (Aug 19, 2015)

Hickory would be my choice or a steel wedge works too.


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## Knothead62 (Apr 17, 2010)

Steel wedge would be my choice.


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## lndfilwiz (Jan 7, 2014)

I use seasoned Black Locust. Just one step down from steel. If you every tried to cut locust with a chain saw you will know what I mean. Once driven into a handle and moistened it swells and takes a long time to shrink.


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## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

I bought a selection of steel wedges at a hardware store quite a few years ago and I prefer them to
wood wedges, do not know if they are still stocking them, but it is worth checking out.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Eastern Hop hornbeam would work well also.


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## BigJon (Nov 24, 2012)

Thanks guys I have all the above mentioned species laying around in one form or another. I will whip up a variety pack and see how he and his customers like them. Probably going to throw some Osage in there as well as I have just cut a mort for firewood.

Anyone know if there is a majic angle that's holds superior?


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## AESamuel (Jan 20, 2015)

Just some advice - don't dip am axe in water, when the wood swells it crushes the cells and when it dries the wood shrinks smaller than it was originally and makes the head loose. Dipping an axe head on water is a temporary fix for a loose head but doesn't last long.


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## bearkatwood (Aug 19, 2015)

I have had the same ax in my family for four generations. I have only had to replace the handle three times and the head twice. 
I agree with that black locust comment. I still have a big slab in my wood barn that I want to do something with, but I need a blade made from kryptonite.


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

> I have had the same ax in my family for four generations. I have only had to replace the handle three times and the head twice.
> I agree with that black locust comment. I still have a big slab in my wood barn that I want to do something with, but I need a blade made from kryptonite.
> 
> - bearkatwood


What ??? If you replaced the handle 3x and the head 2x, how is it still the same axe? What parts are original??


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

> What ??? If you replaced the handle 3x and the head 2x, how is it still the same axe? What parts are original??
> - jerryminer


I was thinking the same thing… and it reminds me of a movie I once saw, "John Dies at the End", written and produced by Don Coscarelli (great watch if you like really weird movies  It starts out with a guy who breaks the handle on his cheap hand axe from home depot, so he replaces the handle with one he buys in a hardware store. Later on, he messes up the head, so he visits the hardware store again and gets a new head. Then the question is posed: Is it the same axe?

Cheers,
Brad

PS: The title of that movie isn't a spoiler… John doesn't really die at the end


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## BigYin (Oct 14, 2011)

Hickory wedge and 2 barbed steel cross wedges
then soak the head in linseed oil for a couple of days. swells wood keeps water out


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

I will NOT dip an axe head in water. 
Don't know where that idea came from, but I would not want to be anywhere near that fellow while he was working.
Have ya heard the term "fly off the handle"?
Steel wedges in my shop, and some glycerin to swell the wood fibers.
Just old school, but I've never lost a well seated axe head.
Bill


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## Tim457 (Jan 11, 2013)

The US Forest Service publication An Axe to Grind recommends "well-seasoned yellow poplar or other hardwood".
http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/htmlpubs/htm99232823/page03.htm
You can find that as a pdf also.
Based on how much they focus on the rest of the hanging process, but aren't particular about the wood type for a wedge, I'd bet it doesn't matter as much as doing it right. The magic angle is the one that fits nearly to the bottom of the kerf and is wide enough at the top to provide the maximum pressure on the sides of the kerf.



> I have had the same ax in my family for four generations. I have only had to replace the handle three times and the head twice.
> I agree with that black locust comment. I still have a big slab in my wood barn that I want to do something with, but I need a blade made from kryptonite.
> 
> - bearkatwood
> ...


Hah, yeah that's an old joke I think.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I typically use hickory as most of the handles i make are of the same. I've broken too many poplar wedges during installation & don't have that problem with hickory.


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