Does anyone out there know of somebody who can put handles onto mandrel heads and hatchet (the big hatchets).? These handles would need to be strong enough to withstand use underground and not be just for show. We have tried everywhere but it seems to be a dying trade.

Amberley Museum in Sussex? Just a thought as they have a wide range of traditional skills available.

Open air museum at St Faggans??

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I'll try and phone St Fagans as I'm in South Wales. :thumbsup:

If you can find a working blacksmith in your area they'll probably be able to put heavy-duty wrapped handles on the mandrels for you, and putting a handle onto a hatchet is something you can do yourself - cut a wedge out of the handle end and fit it into the eye of the hatchet, cut a slightly larger wedge out of hardwood, glue the ends and hammer it in. Secure in place with a pair of hammer chocks (any good hardware/DIY shop should sell these) and trim off the excess.

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I have considerable experience at re-handling tools, from bodkins to felling axes, chisels to spades, adzes to hay blades.
It is not particularly difficult but can be time consuming and thus appear to be very expensive, compared with the original price of the tool and the cost of a new one.
This expense is further added to if the handle has to be made from a fresh blank or even selected from the woodland.
Costs rise further if the tool's metal work has to be re-fettled/re-shaped or even re-tempered.
Some tools can, on close inspection, be so badly damaged/abused that it is not worth repairing them.
These are some of the reasons that I don't do it any more, other than for myself.
I suggest you contact the local branch of the BTCV who may have some "in-house" expertise or may know of a local "green" woodworker/bodger/under-woodsman who may be able to help.
If these are working tools then the need for re-handling will constantly occur and it might be a very good idea to learn how to procure and work the timber and re-shaft them yourself.

What sort of Mandrel, Acme (Socket & wedge) or standard taper pick eye?

This company would probably supply if nothing available locally.
Use two quillets if it's a felling axe.

http://www.toolfastdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Shafts_and_Handles.html 

Edit: The Quillets are sold by B & Q, they are not entirely a lost cause.

The mandrels are the old types standard taper pick eye. The hatchets are the old large collier hatchets which used to have the curved legs.

The mandrels are the old types standard taper pick eye. The hatchets are the old large collier hatchets which used to have the curved legs.

I don't think the axe will be a problem but the mandrels come in several sizes, the "Hardypick" version (left) being particullarly wide on the long axis. (See photo of small handle that doesn't fit)
🔗Personal-Album-1695-Image-42908[linkphoto]Personal-Album-1695-Image-42908[/linkphoto][/flink

You may have to plane a larger handle down on the narrow axis, but the full size pick handle (right) is still too narrow.

Mine are similar to the one on the left - as you say different sizes though. Are you close to me in South Wales (I'm not far from Blackwood)?

Mine are similar to the one on the left - as you say different sizes though. Are you close to me in South Wales (I'm not far from Blackwood)?

PM sent.

Pick-axe handles, such as that on the right hand side of the picture, are readily available.
The type on the left are a bit more problematic, especially if you require various "odd" sizes and lengths.
My suggestion is to find a woodland owner (F.C./Woodland Trust/BTCV?) prepared to sell and fell a quick growing Ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) which you can then cleave/quarter, or more. Look for a maximum of eight, uniform growth rings per inch. Orientate the rings so as to face in line with the tool's tips and rough out the handle while still green, with a side-axe and spoke shave, allowing for shrinkage. Drying will be quite rapid with little danger of splitting. Finish to shape, once dry, with a spoke shave and use a rasp to finish the socket end. For curved handles you'll need to find a tree with a suitably curved stem, these are often removed as part of the thinning regime as most people don't recognise their use and value. Coppiced Ash often has this type of stem.

For curved handles you'll need to find a tree with a suitably curved stem

I suppose you could steam and bend a straight one?

Steaming can be used but it is another complication and skill.
Steamed handles also have a habit of slowly going back to their original shape, a process that is accelerated by being kept in a damp atmosphere or prolonged exposure to water.
Some will also say that steamed handles (and other steamed timber, for that matter) loose a noticable degree of flexibility and shock absorbing qualities, becoming more brittle.
Personally happy to use steamed timber for furniture and the like but never, ever, for hard working handles and shafts.

Another link.

http://www.twenga.co.uk/dir-Garden-DIY,Gardening-tools,Pick-handle 

'scuse my ignorance - what is a mandrel? (I thought it was a lathe tool).

Pick-axe handles, such as that on the right hand side of the picture, are readily available.
The type on the left are a bit more problematic, especially if you require various "odd" sizes and lengths.
My suggestion is to find a woodland owner (F.C./Woodland Trust/BTCV?) prepared to sell and fell a quick growing Ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) which you can then cleave/quarter, or more. Look for a maximum of eight, uniform growth rings per inch. Orientate the rings so as to face in line with the tool's tips and rough out the handle while still green, with a side-axe and spoke shave, allowing for shrinkage. Drying will be quite rapid with little danger of splitting. Finish to shape, once dry, with a spoke shave and use a rasp to finish the socket end. For curved handles you'll need to find a tree with a suitably curved stem, these are often removed as part of the thinning regime as most people don't recognise their use and value. Coppiced Ash often has this type of stem.

:zzz:

Why not just plane/cut down a standard pick axe handle (available from most buiders merchants) to the size you need as has already been suggested instead making one from scratch from an Ash tree 😮

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Because the "Hardy pick", on the left, has an eye that is longer than the standard pick-axe eye. It also has a different taper. A standard pick-axe handle, even when shaved down to fit width will probably, by the look of it, not fit length and the head will not be held firmly.
I'd agree that if standard shafts can be bought to fit standard eyes, then do so; however, there comes a point with older and non-standard tools where making specific shafts has to be undertaken and this often starts with a tree or at least blanks from one.

Rather surprised that no one has reprised the "Four Candles" sketch in this thread.

I can't speak for the rest of the country but in Cumbria there are dozens of agricultural supply shops and they always have a great variety of handles. I don't mean farm shops where you can buy your veg and a bit of meat but the places where the farmers go to buy their farm tools. I have found that the more rural the location of these ag supply shops, the more chance you have of picking up something really useful.
Some shops can put you in touch with people locally who will reshaft tools.

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