As we continue to blog and post about tool education and give Insight on Leatherhead Tools, we wanted to talk about axe handles and a person who has made a great contribution to our team as they redesigned our newest axe handle. Scott Sullivan of Sullivan Axe Works is genuinely an expert on anything you want to know about handles. When it comes to passion for the fire service, love of tools, and the attention to detail he puts into his work, there was no one else we felt could match Scott. Many of the fire service’s hard charges have sent Scott their personnel tools to have his custom handles installed for optimum feel and performance. On average, he mounts 150 handles a year. As we did more research on Scott, we found out he has been installing handles since age 10 with his father and understands forging and blacksmithing. Lastly, we saw how much he cares about family, and that he shares the same values we stand for with our employees.
Scott came to our shop in Rockford, Illinois, so there could be a “meeting with the Bob’s.” In this meeting, we laid out our current handles and competitor’s handles. We asked what works, what doesn’t work, and what we can do better. A question that was an “ah-ha” moment was when Scott asked, “Why do I use octagonal handles? The reason for the octagonal shape is it fits perfectly in the hand. If you take your hand and grab an invisible handle you will see angles on the inside of the fingers, not roundness.” Thus, his handle will lock into your hand, helping stop that rotation as you swing, especially with wet fire gloves. We took that information and used it on one side of the new handle while keeping the other smooth for sliding the hands back and forth.
We added angles to the shaft of the handle, a larger fawn’s hoof, thicker shaft than what we currently had, and a teardrop mounting insert, we also added black as a new color. Scott helped Brad Groves and his Leatherhead
manufacturing team to create a tool we are all proud of…. Thanks Scott!
Leatherhead Tools is your source for all types of replacement handles…but, custom handles for axes, sledgehammers, and other collector pieces, reach out to Scott on social media, or we can help you get in contact with him.
From all of us here at Leatherhead Tools, a sincere thanks to our Brother, Scott Sullivan!
From all of us here at Leatherhead Tools, a sincere thanks to our Brother, Scott Sullivan!