Axes?

[N80]

I have not thrown the hatchets yet but my pal got some and we're going to have some fun on the boys fishing trip soon!

Hmmm. Those must be some pretty big fish!

 

[2manyrocks]

Last year, the local high school put on a production of the Wizard of Oz. The tin man was played by a son of a local preacher. There was a line in the play when the tin man was explaining what the wicked witch did to him to make him rust up: "She put a curse on my axe." It was spoken in a way that was more like--she put a curse on my ****.

If I were looking for a good quality axe, I guess I'd try to find a supplier to the logging guys or maybe a supplier to the fire and rescue people.

 

[Scooby074]

I have a eastwing 26" camp axe that i like alot. You can sharpen it to a wicked edge (almost slit my wrist once) and its Built like their hammers with a steel handle. Made in the USA too! Plus it somes with a nice leather sheath.

Dad gave me my first "hatchet" when i was around 10, it was a eastwing leather handled one.. Too bad i lost it. Was a good axe.

I also have a couple Garant traditional wood handle axes that used to be my grandfathers, made in canada, that are pretty good. I dont know what the current ones are like, even though there stamped made in canada, i think the castings are made in china.

Ive looked at the Gransfors at Lee Valley and theyre REALLY nice, but real expensive too. Theyre almost too nice to use as axes!!

 

[jimmyj]

I have that Estwing too Scooby. It's handy but the angle of the head grind is not right compared to what I prefer. Sturdy for bushwacking though.

My favorite is the iltis Ox Head. The steel rings like a tuning fork and the angle of the head is perfect for axe work. Nice and light too.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I picked two hand axe at Hechinger shortly after arriving to USA. I just made sure it was forged in USA. The handle is about third, but axe is still going strong.
For fine work I use one hand broad axe - the blade is forged to one side to give you smoother finish - I got that one from ebay from some dumb collector of old tools. Never understood collecting tools instead of using them.
For everything else I have hatchet made for pioneers. The handle was loose and I made new one from laminated hickory, but it is one of my favored tools.

 

[Egon]

I want the Axe for general uses like felling, limbing, some splitting etc. Single bit I think.

Awe, you need a minimum of three axes. A double bit for felling, heavy one for splitting and a smaller single bit one for limbing and clearing a work area for felling.

Hatchets are best left in the store as they are too short to work safely unless your extra carefully.

I've got an older, older than me for sure, double bit Axe that still has the same handle from when I was a young fellow. It only gets used for felling and it is sharp!

 

[dfkrug]

Pretty universally I like the fiberglass handles - they're pretty much indestructible and they absorb a lot of the impact from a normal blow and, more importantly, from a miss.

Interesting. I have a fiberglass axe that I use often, as well as a wooden-
handled axe that I keep on my tractor. The F/G is certainly more durable,
but I find the wood one more comfortable to use, due to the way it absorbs
vibrations. Both are single-headed conventionally shaped. I also have
numerous sledge hammers, and one of my 12-pounders has a F/G handle.
The hickory-handled 12-pounder is considerably more comfortable to use.
I have had to replace the handle, though. I got about 25 y out of the
handle before it broke.

 

[Charlesaf3]

just ordered an estwing hatchet based on the above - man I learn a lot from you guys - and the fact that estwing carpenters hammers are of such amazing quality. If the hatchet is half as good I'll be happy.

Egon is making me think about safety and hatchets now. But I usually use them for light work, stuff that's too small for a chainsaw etc. Now I have to rig up some out of the weather place to put it. Kubota just isn't great about storage on their tractors. Though maybe I'm just nuts in what I want to put on it.

 

[mrpoppy58]

I need a good axe but I have no idea what to look for or who makes good ones. I do know that most of what I see in the home stores look cheap, both the heads and wooden handles.

I have two of the Fiskars/Gerber camp axes and they are the best made, best balanced, sharpest most effectives axes I have ever used but they only come in the small size.

The handle is only about 28" long. I wish they made a full sized axe!

I want the axe for general useses like felling, limbing, some splitting etc. Single bit I think.

So who makes the good ones? What type of handle, fiberglass or wood? Any recommendations welcome.

For reference I've been using the same axe for years and it is an old fire axe that my dad used during his career as a revenuer to bust up moonshine stills. It is a very handy tool but not really ideal for basic tree work as the pike end makes it quite heavy. It is worn severely on both ends and it is time for it to retire.

N80,
T.S.C. has some good axes. But in my IHMO Collins makes the best axe in America. I think they are U.S.A. made.
Poppy

 

[N80]

Charles, if you have not used one of the 28" Fiskars/Gerber axes you owe it to yourself. They are nothing short of miraculous and the main reason I have not replaced my fire ax all these years is that the Fiskars works nearly as well as a full sized ax. They are nothing short of amazing. And since you can get one for about $35 it would be well worth it. I think they are a perfect combination of weight, balance, edge and head design. I don't think it could be improved on except, as someone mentioned, about 2-3 more inches on the handle would be great. I keep one in my truck and one on the tractor.

Egon, I don't do enough felling to need a double bit and often find good use for the flat edge. But they do look cool and I could see myself wanting one. The Fiskars is par excellance for limbing so I got that covered. I don't do enough splittling to need a wedge shaped or heavier ax. That might change if I ever get a fireplace in my cabin.

Poppy, thanks for the tip on the Collins. Will definitely look that up.

The problem I have with wood handles is that so many of them you see today look like junk. Rough, poorly finished surfaces. Wide, too straight grain looks like it would break easily. I think a really good wooden handle would be preferable to FG, but it might be hard to find a really good wood handle these days. I have always had good luck with a rubber 'doughnut' just below the ax head to protect the handle and so wouldn't hesitate to buy an ax if it had a high quality wood handle.