Advise for a proper frankenaxe ....

[schmittie]

Until I poured through review after review, along with many of your comments here, it hadn't occured to me to have a small axe with a longer handle as a compromise. Something along the lines of the Wetterlings larger hunters or GB small forest axe. I've often carried both axe and hatchet for camping trips. Currently its a Fiskars combo. Although, they are fine and adaquate tools, there seems to be something just plain wrong in holding a plastic handled axe when prepping wood for a fire.

My problem is I apparently have the beer budget. I do enjoy a good project and have been in the lookout for an appropriate head. But, I would hate to pair up too small of head with too long of a handle. Any suggestions?

 

[Square_peg]

What exactly will the axe be used for? Just splitting camp fire wood? You say you've carried both an axe and a hatchet before. What were their approx. weights? Which did you prefer? Are you looking for something in between?

 

[schmittie]

Yes, as I mentioned, looking for a compromise. It looks like the X7 head weight is 1.28, maybe 2+ for the axe. With handles and sheaths, total weight I'm guessing exceeds 5-6 lbs.

I suppose I prefer the hatchet but it makes splitting quite the chore. I would really like to try something with about a 20" handle.

 

[ljcsov]

Not sure of your budget, but I can recommend the following...

Wetterlings Large Hunters Axe - 19" Handle, 1.5lb Head, Super Sharp, Very Packable
CT Hudson Bay - 26" Handle, 1.75lb, Needs some work upon arrival, however the hudson bay style head allows you to choke up for the small work like a carpenter axe.
Boys Axe? - 28" handle, 2.25lb - this is a heavier option

If you are used to hauling the weight, you could even go with a full sized 3.5lb head. You would have to think about the handle / head pattern combination to determine what type of feel you want. I have a Jersey on a 30" handle right now that feels great when used like a hatchet, perhaps due to the shorter bit on the jersey head.

 

[Square_peg]

I would really like to try something with about a 20" handle.

Unless you've used one and you know that you like a 20" haft then I would shy away from that. For me 18" is about a large as I want to swing one-handed (except choked up). And for 2-handed work I think that less than about 24" really isn't very useful. There's just a no-mans land in there at 20"-22", IMO.