278 THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 



tyro be favored with a little ingenuity, the following directions, 

 with a little practice, will enable him to make a very good helve. 



HOW TO MAKE AN AXE HELVE. 



373. Fig. 129 represents an axe-helve pattern of a very good 

 shape. From a to b is two feet eight inches. This is too long 

 for some men. If a pattern cannot be obtained from a helve 

 having a good shape, a pattern can be made in a few minutes of 

 the desired shape, out of a piece of thin board, as shown by the 



FIG. 129. 



AXK HELVE PATTERN. 



dotted lines. At a let it be made not less than three inches 

 wide, and at 5 about two and a half inches wide. At c, about 

 six inches from the end, near a, make a pencil mark for the 

 most prominent point. At D make another mark, about two- 

 thirds of the distance from a to 5. At E make another mark, 

 six or seven inches from I. Now, with a pencil, mark out the 

 shape, like the figure, as nearly as possible ; and then cut it out 

 very exact and true. The dotted lines at a will show how 

 much of the upper corner should be cut away in order to give 

 the hilt a good shape. 



374. Now, rive out a piece of tough hickory, and dress it 

 with an axe or circular saw, four square, and as thick at the 

 large end as the hilt, and wide enough to admit of marking out 

 a helve with a pencil by the pattern. Now, with the draw 

 ing-knife, smoothing plane, spoke shave, and rasp, dress it down 

 to an oval shape. This oval form should extend entirely through 

 the hilt. Avoid a round hilt ; because with a round hilt the best 

 choppers cannot keep the axe in the correct positiou, with 

 out grasping the hilt so firmly that the muscles of the hand 

 will soon be cramped. Avoid, also, making the edges of the 



