When the blade gets dull, well, you can fix that: A bench grinder can be used to sharpen a dull axe head, and some rust soak will have it looking new. But a when the handle cracks or is damaged ...

Rub some linseed oil or varnish into the handle to protect it from moisture and give it a nice look. Apply a couple of coats, letting each one dry fully. This step makes your axe handle last way ...

You can usually be sure that standing dead trees will have a nice dry core, especially black ... A Hudson's Bay Axe has about a 24-inch handle and a 2-pound head. Although not marketed as such ...