Final test: soaking the eye

Final test for any defects in the hanging. 

after hanging any hatchet or axe head i let the wood glue used on the wedge set. 

then i soak the head in linseed oil for 24 hours. 

this will give some good conditioning to the part of the tool that is impossible to reach (compared to a rag and oil rub on the handle). the end grain will soak up that oil for some distance.

in this case with the Findley's hackett it shows a hairline crack running down the handle. this was completely invisible without the oil.

visible as a dark straight line coming south from the cheek.

the handle took some time to sculpt because of the small eye. 

then when i added the wedge i was just too much.  there are times when we all need to own up to i knew better but still made the mistake and that was the case here.

there are some that do not use wedges and i have had great success without any. however, there is also much merit to wedges, especially when the eye has been conditioned with a good linseed oil bath. 

i have of course re-hung the head and decreased the size of the wedge (images will be on another post) and all is solid now.