>>820666Get better with your aim. Take a slow strike and adjust your distance as needed.
I have an old second hand double headed axe I've been using all week. The handle is original and who ever used it before me really tore it to shit and back (gore pic related). I've not once hit the handle on anything at all.
If you are misstriking, something is seriously wrong. Like you may be tired. You need to rest. Being tired enough to misstrike means you are tired enough to have a much more serious mishap. Or, you are merely misusing the axe like a lot of people do.
I suspect the axe I have was used to split firewood. Which is the wrong tool for that job. It also looks like they either used it as a hammer or used a hammer on it where the handle goes in, to try to tighten up the loose axe head.
At least it only cost $3. I'll replace the handle when I get around to it, reface one side, and sharpen the other side.