How to grow an axe handle

[winmeek]

Have you ever heard the story that Indians would stick an axe head in a tree and let it grow around the flint to make a handle? Well, a lady posting on Knappers-R-Us is trying to do it. These photos are of several of her works in progress. These have been in the making for over 3 years.
Fred

[tomclark]

I love that story!

[paleo_joe]

This is a 4/4 groove axe I shoved in the fork of a small tree, tied the tree together above it, and left for a couple of years. I forgot about it actually and then one day I remembered and noticed the tree had died. Experiment over

It looks like it might be loose, but it's not. It's really tight. I don't think it would come out without breaking the wood. If I wasn't scared the handle would break - I should've chosen my tree a lot more carefully, this is some kind of bogus wood - I'd try it out.

[jcinpc]

my friend Claude Van Order , who has been knapping for over 50 years,did this and its easier and alot quicker to haft it when you make it. Who would have the time to do that? its a neat concept, but with the right pitch and sinew a newly made one wouldnt budge.

[Mud Hawk]

I was just wondering that myself. Maybe it was done for a ceremonial piece??? Sorry, this is the first time I have heard of such a thing and started to wonder about the practicality of it. Whichever Natives practiced it, they must have had a pretty stable supply of food, lithic material, and been at peace. Another aspect that makes me think "ceremonial" is that it is embedded in nature. A celt by design is a wedge so that with each strike, it is driven into its handle. Why not the same principle for an axe?

[paleo_joe]

Yes, based on my experience I really doubt that this is what the Indians did. Not only does it take years, the result could be unpredictable. I just had the axe laying around and thought what the heck.

The way a hafted celt tightens itself as it is used is a brilliant design.

[Gibby]

There is a man who unfortunatly passed away about a year ago. His name was Leland Conner. He lived here in the same town as me ( Logan, Ohio ). He made a bunch of these. The first one he made was in the 70's. He called them " thunderhawks ".

The ones he made took about 7 to 9 years and he said it is a terribly tedious task. He said the best tree to use is ironwood. Or anything hard like that. He said you have to keep tying the branches every few weeks. Do not do it to a branch running vertical. But one already established on a mature tree with the branch growing horizontally. You have to start it when the branch is about 3 inches in diameter. You will have to tie off your branch to another because of weight. Then in about 7 years. It will grow fully around the back of the axe.