First Due Tackle Pass It On – Firefighter, Rescue & Extrication Training
Brother Chad Dailey (Missouri) and his crew been trying something a little different for grip on poly axe handles. They took a wood burning iron and put a rounded/blunt tip on it to plunge into the handle every half inch or so. These little holes were continued all the way around the handle as far up and down as a normal grip tape would be wrapped. The iron melts a small hole in the handle to a depth of 1/8″-3/16″ and causes the extra material to bubble up around it and re-harden. In addition to the indentations, it creates raised material around each hole.
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After using it on several jobs, they say it seems to be providing a very adequate grip and the surface isn’t breaking down. The plan is to lengthen the grip surface with addition holes. They also used the iron to put their company letter & # on the handle and colored the indentation with permanent marker.
So far this grip method doesn’t seem to be compromising the handle. Anyone have different methods for grips?
Pass it on!
