Loose belt axe head

[Pmringer]

I have a nice Wrightsman belt axe and the head has become somewhat loose on the vertical plane.  I don't want to soak it in water since that is just temporary and boiled linseed can make it a pain to change the handle later.  Any ideas without re-wedging it?  Due to the thin handle I am afraid putting in a new wedge may compromise the handle.

Thanks

[Top Jaw]

You said your head was wedged. I don’t know if it also has a metal cross wedge. If not go pick up one or two at the hardware store and drive one or both in at an angle to the existing wooden wedge. This will spread the handle enough to tighten things up - as was done in the case of the small broad axe in the picture. 

[David R. Pennington]

An axe is a tool of which the handle is the dispensable part. They wear out and occasionally break. I have a small handmade bag axe that I carry afield often. It gets used, sometimes rather harshly. It has been re handled several times. It had a beautiful osage handle when I got it. It now has a sturdy hickory one.
A properly constructed axe that is properly helved should stay tight for years unless the climate or humidity changes drastically. The eye should taper in two directions being a little wider toward your hand and more toward the top. The new handle should have a kerf sawn in it in line with the cutting edge as deeply as the taper goes into the head. The handle is shaped to start into the smaller end of the eye and driven home with a wooden mallet by holding the axe handle in one hand and striking the but end of the axe handle with the mallet. The inertia of the head will draw it onto the handle. If it is correctly shaped it should draw up snug with no voids around base of the eye and some wood protruding on the other end. A thin tapered wedge of poplar as wide as the eye is long is then driven into the saw kerf as deep as it will go. Now trim the extra wood close to the head with a coping saw or hacksaw and file the remainder flush. Now you may drive in a small iron wedge in the center transverse to the poplar one if the handle needs spread in the long direction. Soaking in water is not really a fix. Sorry this is long but I have seen sooo many fine tools poorly handled.

[thecapgunkid]

David is pretty thorough...like what he sez...

Think about putting as piece of thin padding on a hard surface and bringing  the butt down with enough force to re-seat the head ( but not enough to break anything ) BEFORE you start thinking about wedges or repair.

You're pretty much on your own hook because you are the only one who can assess the tactile requirements because you are the only one holding the axe.  Pics only go so far.  Good luck.

[tiswell]

I have had good luck soaking axe heads with the handles installed in auto antifreeze. The antifreeze stays in the cells of the wood and keeps it expanded and tight. This has to be done where children and pets cannot gain access to the antifreeze as it is sweet tasting and highly toxic.

[Pmringer]

I should have been clear that this belt axe has not even been used yet.  I have had it in my kit box for a year while we got settled and I haven't even carried it in the field.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Patrick:  drive the wooden wedge in further, or remove the head and the wedge, and make a new larger one.  Also, the steel cross wedge works well to remove the vertical play you are experiencing.

[Pmringer]

Sounds good. I’ll treat it as my regular axes and give it a tap prior to driving a metal wedge.