- Joined
- Jun 9, 2006
- Messages
- 5,525
Ok, first of all, I need a bigger axe...
I have a couple of the cheapie hardware store axes, but my good quality ones are what I reach for, ofcourse.
Today I wanted to go after a standing dead oak that was damaged 2 weeks ago in a small storm at my parents house. Initially, after the storm, I had to clear 2 trees from my parents road, one large Pine seen in the pictures and the Oak that it took down. The Pine snapped in some wind, and took out the Oak. Counting the rings in the Pine, it was about 42 years old, and some of the rings were a good 1/2" thick...the Pine really was a fast growth tree.
The Oak was probubly dead or dying at the time it was hit, so it wasnt a terrible loss to the property. Infact, I have found several standing dead Oaks that need to be harvested. The dead pines are everywhere..due in part to the influx of Beavers into the ecosystem here in the last 15 years..forming a pond about 1/4 mile from the house..basically causing a wetland overnight.
Anyway, todays adventure was all about taking down the tree. I played with the smaller axes when I first arrived, just to have some fun. I took a 4 foot section of Oak left from when I was running the chainsaw..and squared it off using a mini juggling technique...that was pretty cool. I found that both the Wetterling and the Granfurs Bruks were eqauls..if you want to buy a Wetterling, go for it. The Big Axe I have today isnt really big, about the length of my arm, tucked into the armpit..much like the drawing in "Bushcraft" by Mors Kochanski. It is the large forest axe by Granfurs Bruks.
The knives and gear I brought with me is as follows:
Maxpedition fatboy, Wright and sons bushcraft knife, Custom H1, Gerber folding saw, Strike force, light my fire, a couple of compasses and a sharpening steel. I also brought "bushcraft" and Ray Mears book. I had a file, but I used the steel more often. I also had a Nalgene with 1 liter of water..and I drank it all.
I started chopping around 11:30 and the tree fell at around 12:30..so it is possible fo rme to drop an Oak with a small axe in one hour. I would improve this time by half if I had a proper axe..something like an Otis. Overall, alot of fun. Heres the pics.
The Oak is on the left
Knife porn
Steel
Tools
I have a couple of the cheapie hardware store axes, but my good quality ones are what I reach for, ofcourse.Today I wanted to go after a standing dead oak that was damaged 2 weeks ago in a small storm at my parents house. Initially, after the storm, I had to clear 2 trees from my parents road, one large Pine seen in the pictures and the Oak that it took down. The Pine snapped in some wind, and took out the Oak. Counting the rings in the Pine, it was about 42 years old, and some of the rings were a good 1/2" thick...the Pine really was a fast growth tree.
The Oak was probubly dead or dying at the time it was hit, so it wasnt a terrible loss to the property. Infact, I have found several standing dead Oaks that need to be harvested. The dead pines are everywhere..due in part to the influx of Beavers into the ecosystem here in the last 15 years..forming a pond about 1/4 mile from the house..basically causing a wetland overnight.
Anyway, todays adventure was all about taking down the tree. I played with the smaller axes when I first arrived, just to have some fun. I took a 4 foot section of Oak left from when I was running the chainsaw..and squared it off using a mini juggling technique...that was pretty cool. I found that both the Wetterling and the Granfurs Bruks were eqauls..if you want to buy a Wetterling, go for it. The Big Axe I have today isnt really big, about the length of my arm, tucked into the armpit..much like the drawing in "Bushcraft" by Mors Kochanski. It is the large forest axe by Granfurs Bruks.
The knives and gear I brought with me is as follows:
Maxpedition fatboy, Wright and sons bushcraft knife, Custom H1, Gerber folding saw, Strike force, light my fire, a couple of compasses and a sharpening steel. I also brought "bushcraft" and Ray Mears book. I had a file, but I used the steel more often. I also had a Nalgene with 1 liter of water..and I drank it all.
I started chopping around 11:30 and the tree fell at around 12:30..so it is possible fo rme to drop an Oak with a small axe in one hour. I would improve this time by half if I had a proper axe..something like an Otis. Overall, alot of fun. Heres the pics.
The Oak is on the left
Knife porn
Steel
Tools
