right or left hand

[tvrgeek]

I have two single bevel carpenters axes that were my grandfathers. He was left handed.
One is right, one left. Which is which? I THINK the flat side is opposite of the hand-ness.

 

[Graywolf]

That is correct.

 

[Skymaster]

Yes

 

[tvrgeek]

Thanks.

 

[mrmilburt]

Lh ones seem very scarce. I have a couple that I made by buying rh ones with loose handles, and remounting them to use as a lefty!

 

[Rwe2156]

Yup, I've also seen the heads switched but I don't think they aren't single bevel heads.

 

[Jim Wallace]

The old one that I have is symmetrical so that the handedness depends on which way the handle is mounted. When I use it I most often want to swing straight down to shave a piece. With my right hand holding the tool I want the flat side facing the work piece (left). But sometimes I am trying to use it with a horizontal swing which means that with my right hand swinging the tool I want the flat side facing down (right). So my solution has been to take an old Plumb rigging axe that I used as a framing carpenter and grind a bevel only on the left side while flattening the right side, effectively making it a side axe or broad hatchet whichever you want to call it. I didn’t grind it this way all at once, just started sharpening it this way. The rigging axe had a very small included angle and pretty flat sides to start with so it didn’t take much.