# My hatchet



## Azur Jahić (May 17, 2013)

Here is my hatchet that i bought couple days ago i than took it to blacksmith, so he had some job hammering out (new hatchet) that is our tradition and custom, and he tempered it, grinded it, again when hatchet was at home, i took old handle and throw it , and i made new one from hornbeam, we make it from hormbeam it is strong wood.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Nice hatchet, I have a couple but one needs some serious work on it. Thanks for sharing your photos.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Do you know if hornbeam is s local name for a more known tree? Curious what it is.


George


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

GeorgeC said:


> Do you know if hornbeam is s local name for a more known tree? Curious what it is.
> 
> 
> George


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbeam


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## Azur Jahić (May 17, 2013)

It is like epicfai said. you have black and white one , i think mine is black type o wood.
you can see on bark that i left on stump standing next to handle one piece of rough wood.


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## JohnGi (May 9, 2019)

Thanks for sharing. Picking up and using a tool you made yourself is very satisfying.
I made the replacement handle for this firewood hatchet out of Eastern hop hornbeam, a North American hardwood, no relation to the European wood. I cut the tree for firewood and split out a straight grained piece to make this handle.


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## Azur Jahić (May 17, 2013)

I tought it should be hickory or ash wich is mainstream.
But i didn't know that Westerners use other types of wood, i say Westerners because iam from Balkans, place where there was border between Eastern and Western Roman Empire.So tools and tehniques are like that too, somewat mixed between West and East.
First saw John that people use different kind of wood ou of Balkans.
one old guy told me that hadnle need to be as light as posible, it is better for axe if it fall by gravity and you can control head, istead handle is too heavy.


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

Yes , Hornbeam is an endemic species to UK and Europe. It likes moister conditions than Beech. Also popular as a specimen tree that provides a dense shade.
johnep


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## jeff100 (Nov 20, 2019)

Azur Jahić;2095195 said:


> I tought it should be hickory or ash wich is mainstream.
> But i didn't know that Westerners use other types of wood, i say Westerners because iam from Balkans, place where there was border between Eastern and Western Roman Empire.So tools and tehniques are like that too, somewat mixed between West and East.
> First saw John that people use different kind of wood ou of Balkans.
> *one old guy told me that hadnle need to be as light as posible, it is better for axe if it fall by gravity and you can control head, istead handle is too heavy*.



makes sense, lightweight handle for a smaller hatchet head that doesn't have much weight. Unfortunately most wood that are lightweight are also not strong enough for tool handles.


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## Azur Jahić (May 17, 2013)

jeff100 said:


> makes sense, lightweight handle for a smaller hatchet head that doesn't have much weight. Unfortunately most wood that are lightweight are also not strong enough for tool handles.


I tought about wood thicknes i didn't tought about wood type for example is it hickory ashe pine etc.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Woodworking hand tools (like chisels) sometimes come with hornbeam handles.


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## cynrich (Mar 27, 2020)

JohnGi said:


> Thanks for sharing. Picking up and using a tool you made yourself is very satisfying.
> I made the replacement handle for this firewood hatchet out of Eastern hop hornbeam, a North American hardwood, no relation to the European wood. I cut the tree for firewood and split out a straight grained piece to make this handle.



I would love to have a good piece of wood like that! I have a bowl adze that needs a handle. It's well down on the list of things to do here, though.


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