I think yes, you can fit that axe head however it best suits you.

While I'm not sure that left handedness was all that common back in
theday (I*ve read conflicting accounts of leftyness being *corrected*
andbeing ignored through the ages) practically every broad or side
axeI've seen in the Kent pattern would work either lefty or righty.

I would consider the name stamp orientation to be the fluke, not
theaxe head.

Michael S

Here's a photo of 3 Kent hatchets; the side axe is on the left with the
ruler. Note that the cheeks of the other two heads are more nearly
symmettric than the side axe.

http://galootcentral.com/components/cpgalbums/userpics/10152/ken-
t_axes.jpg

So to my question; are Kent pattern head *intended* to be agnostic as to
up/down direction, or is just a fluke?

Will I be committing some dreadful sin if I fit a handle to this head to
make the right handed side axe I want?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Being left handed in this world is somewhat strange. So many things 
are made "righty only"  (every door handle and a million other things no 
right hander would ever notice).
  that a person who is left handed is automatically much more 
ambidextrous.
  Sometimes I marvel at how truly helpless right handed people often 
are. Many can hardly do anything with their left hand!

  Like shears and guitar, there has already been too much water under 
the bridge for me. I automatically go rt hand for many jobs. Others I 
can do equally well (depending on your opinion) either way.
  I use molding and several other kinds of specialty planes right 
handed, and standard bench planes I automatically go lefty.

  Its gets even worse! I happen to have a dominant right eye with a 
little double vision for extra fun. I fired about 10,000 rounds of 
ammunition left handed, not being able to hit the ground with my hat!
   I finally gave up and began shooting right handed. My instinctive 
snap shot accuracy made such a dramatic improvement in the first dozen 
shots, I never went back.

  Most single cut paring axes are made with a waist in the middle of the 
eye, and can be mounted either way.
   I set up a left handed ax. I thought maybe a small hewing ax, 
basically a very large hatchet on a long handle might see use.
I tried it out. I can use it, but its uncomfortable. Not the swing so 
much as the aim.
  My eye is accustomed to lining up the work with the ax edge on the 
other side.

  Its hard to see in this pic. But this is my left handed G-daughter 
playing mock costume with it. The bevel is facing the camera instead of 
otherwise.
http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/hometools/kole07ax.jpg

    yours Scott

-- 
*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(the pun was irresistable).
Gentles all;

Apart from jokes to annoy callow apprentices.
there is no such thing as a left handed axe.

Any axe or hatchet designed for splitting has its cutting
edge nicely in plane with the central plane of the handle.

(actually, some of my kitchen knives have "handed" handles,
where I've shaped them a bit...).

However, in the case of a bearded axe (such as a Kent pattern
felling axe, or a goosewing axe), there's
definitely an up and a down, so the head can only be fitted
one way on the handle.

However, in the case of a non-felling Kent pattern, or a
pure "wedge" axe, the head is pretty much up/down symmetric too,
and could more-or-less be mounted either way up
with no effect (I think, more on this later).

However, in the case of side-axes (AKA hewing axe or broad axe),
the head is truly "handed", and one can usefully talk of a left handed
or right handed side axe.

But...

I just came across (and purchased) a side axe (by J W P Co,
which I can't find online). I *think* its a left handed
head, since only if it's mounted than way does
the brand name come out "right way up".

But it's also a Kent pattern head. I could probably
fit it the other way up, to make a right handed
side axe; this would be helpful to me, since I'm right handed,
and this is the first side axe I've ever found.

But the cheeks of this head are not perfectly symmetric.

Here's a photo of 3 Kent hatchets; the side axe is on the left
with the ruler. Note that the cheeks of the other two heads
are more nearly symmettric than the side axe.

http://galootcentral.com/components/cpgalbums/userpics/10152/kent_axes.jpg

So to my question; are Kent pattern head *intended*
to be agnostic as to up/down direction, or is just a
fluke?

Will I be committing some dreadful sin if I fit a handle to this
head to make the right handed side axe I want?

Or should I pass this rare left handed side axe
to a more deserving owner?

     BugBear
------------------------------------------------------------------------

the_tinker@a... wrote:
> > I always thought the eye on all axes had a slight taper (wider at the top) t
o assist the "wedging" and help keep the head from flying off. Wouldn't this pre
clude flipping the head over making a lefty a righty?
>
> Or am  I completely confused?

I believe (based on both book learnin' and experience) that the eyes are "waiste
d". This ensures
good seating, since there is a taper holding the head "both ways".

This is true even if the head is NOT meant to top/down reversible.

  BugBear
------------------------------------------------------------------------

On 12/3/2012 8:43 AM, nicknaylo@a... wrote:
> Will I be committing some dreadful sin if I fit a handle to this
> head to make the right handed side axe I want?

Who  stands in judgment of any one?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

paul womack wrote:

> I just came across (and purchased) a side axe (by J W P Co,
> which I can't find online). I *think* its a left handed
> head, since only if it's mounted than way does
> the brand name come out "right way up".

Following some interest in a private email,
and some discussion in a forum, I'll just post
here a link to a decent photo of the mark:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f234/bugbear33/woodwork/iwp_logo.jpg

  BugBear

------------------------------------------------------------------------