Axe's

Discussion in 'General Q&A' started by woodsman, Jun 10, 2020.

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  1. woodsman

    woodsman Expert Member
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    What is the best kind of axe to get because there are just so many kinds I don't know which one is good for a general purpose survival axe
     
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  2. Alaskajohn

    Alaskajohn Master Survivalist
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    Estwing and Council Tools are American made axes and make up the bulk of my daily use. They are well made and modest in price. I like the leather handle hatchet by Estwing that I use to make kindling. The Council Tools Velvicut premium American felling axe is a bit expensive, but it’s my main axe for splitting or felling trees. I have a husqvarna axe in my camper that is excellent.

    If you want an expensive European axe, look at Helko Werks and Gransfors Bruks. I have a couple, but strongly prefer the Council tools felling axe.

    A big consideration is what is the intended use. Splitting, felling, woodworking, camping axes all have general features that might not make them suitable for other uses. I high quality felling axe is also effective at splitting, but a splitting axe is horrible at felling. Camping you might want a lighter axe if your packing it.

    maintaining axes is pretty simple with some research and practice. I try to keep my axes in top shape and spend some enjoyable time working on them.
     
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  3. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    I think I have around 30 or 40'ish axes-hatchets. And way far out infront the one I nearly always grab for "General" use is the Estwing "Short" axe. It is about half the size of their full size axe, but much bigger then their hatchets. Close to what we call a cruising or blazing axe. It ain't perfect for every job, but I guarantee the head will not come off the handle. giggle-giggle.
     
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2020
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  4. Alaskajohn

    Alaskajohn Master Survivalist
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    That’s a nice axe and not too heavy. You are right about the head!
     
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  5. woodsman

    woodsman Expert Member
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  6. Old Geezer

    Old Geezer Legendary Survivalist
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    There could be quality differences between manufacturers and some folk prefer hickory handle and some prefer synthetic and ...

    However, the best tool is the tool that fits in your hands best. The best weight is the weight that feels right for you.

    Whereas I have a full-sized double-bit axe for serious work (when I'm not whipping out Mr. Chainsaw), however I love my my long-hatchet/short-axe/whatever. The puppy has like an 18" handle and a light bit, flat back head. I'd cut some limbs out a scrubby tree day before yesterday. To strip off the minor limbs off the large limbs I used my handy axe. Most of my trimming I did with one hand.

    Remember, just like using a sledge-hammer, let the axe do the work, not you!. Raise the axe and aim the axe, allow the mass and momentum of the tool do the cutting. I wore a pair of steel towed boots while working the forestry service (coming up 50 years ago, holy-sh##!) and I wore my current pair of steal towed boots day before yesterday. I don't have a pair, however wearing a pair of baseball catcher's shin guards can also prevent a trip to the Emergency Ward.
     
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  7. Sourdough

    Sourdough "eleutheromaniac"
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    YES..........but understand it has limitations. Long-long-long ago I bought this axe, and then sold it because it would not do what a full sixe axe would do, but I for absolutely wanted a one piece axe, so after I sold it, I bought Estwing's full size axe, and quickly realized it did not work for me at all. So I bought another Estwing Camper axe, and over time learned it would do what I needed 85% of the time.

    Note: If you are felling a lot of trees, and use plastic felling "Wedges" this is NOT the tool to use, the hammer head is too small and chews up the plastic wedges.

    Side note: I have hundreds of bear encounters, and often carry that Estwing Camper's Axe just incase I need it for bears.
     
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  8. Alaskajohn

    Alaskajohn Master Survivalist
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    Thanks for mentioning safety which I omitted, but it’s super important. In addition to gloves and steel toed boots, good eye protection when felling trees and delimbing scrubby trees is important.

    I’ve also found myself a bit prone to mistakes and poor aim when I’m at muscle fatigue, so watching for this is important. A poorly aimed swing can damage an axe, or cause bodily harm from cutting yourself or having a wood chip fly up and hit you in the eye.
     
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  9. randyt

    randyt Master Survivalist
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    I usually pick up a American made axe head at a flea market of some such place. Put on a handle and sharpen up and call it good.

    I was a a flea market at Jonesborough Tenn. years ago, I came across a head that was marked Kelly flint edge, Mcgillyes hardware Knoxville Tenn. I picked it up, put a handle in it. One of the best axes I ever had. I like Plumb, Kelly, etc. I have the estwing axe too, I recommend painting it fluorescent orange but then again I carry mine on the snow machine.

    I'm not much for a European axe, great axe for sure but a lot of money in my opinion. I can't see how it is any better than my 5 dollar Kelly flint edge axe.
     
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  10. Old Geezer

    Old Geezer Legendary Survivalist
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    Watch out for kick-back. There's kick-back where the chainsaw kicks back towards you. There is also the danger of when the trunk of the tree kicks back off the stump and heads backwards -- that's what I'm going to address in the following.

    You are cutting the tree. When the thing starts to pop, just get out'a the tree's way. Always have a clear path of exit. If there's brush or whatever around you, then clear the area before even beginning to drop that tree. The tree can begin to fall, then the little strip of wood holding it blasts away, and the bottom of the trunk comes off the stump and heads backwards. Any thing, any human, in the way of that tree trunk will be destroyed -- this puppy has unimaginable force. It'll snap your knees backwards. It will mash a man like a little boy stepping on a tick.

    You can put a perfect notch on a cut to drop that tree in the direction you want it to go. In its descent, a tree will often do whatever the hell it wants to do. If its limbs are caught-up with an adjacent tree or two, then buddy you do NOT know the force vectors affecting the direction of fall. You can cut a tree, have it pop off the stump and then it just stand there looking at you.

    76ba9c5da171692ab2dde1278528821c.jpeg


    In the next photo, you'll see that this fellow has tied two lines to the trunk of the tree to guide its fall. I always use two substantial ropes (3/4" manila to one full inch diameter manila; manila rope does not stretch but little; nylon ropes will get you killed. The two ropes in the next photo seem to me to be too close together. When I set my angle of fall, the angle of the two ropes (the distance between them) is much wider -- I go 30 degrees or more. I wish to give the mass of the trunk as little waver as is possible. Stay well below 90 degrees -- that's way too wide and you'll likely not have that much leeway in the first place. I NEVER tie just one line to direct the fall. I go with two lines and put them equidistant (on both sides) of the desired direction of fall. So here's the photo in question:

    76ba9c5da171692ab2dde1278528821c.jpeg

    See how that tree could break to one side or the other! I don't EVEN like what this fellow has done! As I said, my two large-diameter manila ropes would be spaced much wider apart than this. Think about an airport's radar vectoring-in an aircraft. The two ropes are there in an attempt to delimit the path of the tree's fall. I'm providing a cone flight-path for the tree to land, as-it-were. The ropes are saying to the tree, "Don't go too far right; don't go too far left."

    Note also I use come-along winches to put tension on my ropes. Don't go overboard on the tension, else you could introduce unsafe conditions and/or chaos. Homey don't like chaos. Too, with too much tension, you could CREATE a situation where kick-back is more likely to occur. And that is unHoly dangerous.

    Sometimes a tree will twist off a stump. Look at the photo above. That pine could twist off its stump and trash that pretty little white garage like it was made of cardboard. Pines usually just snap. But oh dear lord, look at this photo of a pine:

    76ba9c5da171692ab2dde1278528821c.jpeg

    In the following photo of an old twisted oak tree, how is the weight distributed? Which side has the most mass? Hell, I don't know either!

    76ba9c5da171692ab2dde1278528821c.jpeg

    Prayers and the favor of angels be with you.
    .
     
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2020
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