Sanding axe and hatchet handles

One of the steps before hanging any tool is to sand the handle down.

hickory is by far my favorite wood to use on all of my striking tools. one of the characteristics is the fibers can have some texture to them. this creates a friction on the hand and leaves channels that the paint can flow under the masking tape (leaving tributaries of color).

depending on the handle some take more sanding than others.

here is a slightly more extreme case of before and after sanding

a slightly more extreme case to show the before and after necessity of sanding tool handles.

a sanded handle will perform better in the hand and show off the grain of the wood so much better.