Axe vs. 25" AK for Splitting Kindling

J

Josh Feltman

Joined
Feb 12, 2001
Messages
4,501
Well, my wife and I stopped by to visit some friends last night. John wasn't home, and Tammy was complaining that she couldn't get a decent fire going in the fireplace because she didn't have any kindling (John's job:)). I offered to chop some for her. I got to use an axe (Fiskars) for the first time in a long time. It's probably just because I'm not used to using an axe, but I find the 25" AK to be a far better woodsplitter. Mine has split its share of oak and almond, as well as pine. I'm sure Sarge or some of the other axemen here can use an axe to good advantage, maybe even more efficiently than a khukuri. Personally, I'll stick with the AK. I told Tammy I'd bring a khukuri next time and chop her up a large stack of kindling.

--Josh
 
I want to get an axe. For history's sake, not to cut wood. Any SCA'ers out there have suggestions for a good quality battle ready one? I've got some hawks. Looking for a Hungarian or Polish axe, possibly. They are different. Or even German or Swiss blades. Forget the name of the English pole arm, but the Scots had the Lochaber Axe.
 
Rusty-- not quite an axe, but this has been floating around the for sale forums for a while. I've seen similar designs from Poland (I think)

Fokos

--Josh
 
Josh, great post...
I go thru this every time we light the fireplace.
I have a Stihl Kindling Axe (made by Fiskars) and the 16.5", 1.5lb
Villager. The Villager does very well splitting smaller stuff for kindling, but the efficiency has to go the kindling axe. It has all the right angles (it's shave-sharp too :) ), mass in perfect places, and shines thru even the 6"-8" stuff on the hickory chopping block. As for my cutting in the woods, Sgt. Karka and my Villager will always be by my side while the kindling axe stays home ;). A kindling axe just aint no good for cutting small trees, branches, or limbing. :D :D
 
Josh, that is one of the versions I was not thinking of. The Hungarian axe is a shorter ( about 4 foot pole ) version of the longer and more elaborate halberd, etc.

Fokos I had thought of as Hungarian, rather than Polish. But Polish Sausage is supposed to be called Kielbasa - while the Hungarion Sausage is called Kolbase, IIRC.

The Fokos was more a hiking staff or climbing tool, as I remember. It wasn't a battle weapon. Kind of like a 45 auto for the military, while the citizenry carried 38 snubs. Anyway, could have been popular either place
 
RUSTY?

Seems to me....somewhere just recently I saw a neat-looking ax..in 18 and 14 inch incarnations...hmmm. Finland products? someplace...lemme look.

Edit: Rusty? I can't find the site. It wasn't Gransfors...it was a stylized hatchet...but for kindling, kind of neat. Looked like a single-bladed war axe, with a dramatically curved blade going up to a more narrow poll. I'd been wandering Lapland, Sammi, Finnish, Swedish, and Norweigan sites, but I'll be damned if I can find it. Sorry.
 
Wow, you can buy a lot of khuks for the prices of some of those axes. Beautiful, though.
 
Originally posted by Rusty
I want to get an axe. For history's sake, not to cut wood. Any SCA'ers out there have suggestions for a good quality battle ready one? I've got some hawks. Looking for a Hungarian or Polish axe, possibly. They are different. Or even German or Swiss blades. Forget the name of the English pole arm, but the Scots had the Lochaber Axe.
Click to expand...

A Bill? They apparently reaped havoc amongst the Scots...
 
Kismet, the axe you found is, I think, a Roselli -- Finnish maker of knives and axes.

Also, check www.ragweedforge.com for some ideas. Ragnar is willing to communicate if you have questions. I don't think he has pole arm sized items, more hawks and Viking/Frank sized.
 
Rusty, check Museum Replicas and see if they have a "Dane Axe". Most good Dane axes have a 4 1/2 to 5 foot haft, and a large axe head with about a 7" cutting edge. Big as the heads are, they're generally thinner and lighter than normal axe heads are made, 'cause they're intended for chopping "two legged softwood". Could be just your cup of mayhem.

Sarge
 
Hoghead, your link was exactly what I wanted. For a two-handed weapon, that is. And if they hold the price of $120 plus $30 shipping, I'll have to get it soon. Maybe a pair for backup, at that price.

Sarge, will check out MRI. ( They finally stopped sending me catalogues a few months back. )

Bless the both of you and the other helpful guys too.
 
Glad to pass on the info. Guess Arms & Armor have a pretty good reputation. Check out the rest of the stuff they sell. Read an article about their Scottish Claymore sword on the Sword Forum magazine. The reviewer was really impressed! :)
 
That Hungarian that the A&A guys have is sweet!

I've got a few pieces fromm A&A. enjoy them all. Built tough.


Keith
 
Couple of light Norse axes from Ragnar look interesting.

Hibuke also suggested one of the words I was looking for was the "english bill". Thanks. I was thinking along the lines of the halberd, and the bill is in that line.
 
There's also the Lochaber axe, the Halberd, and the Bardiche, both in the pole axe family.

I have one of the Bearded axes from Ragnar, has a 6" cutting face, and a 26" long haft.

I also have the Paul Chen "Hanwei Halberd"
1076-gt.JPG

1076-gtc.JPG

Lochaber axe pattern, huge blade. Must weigh 6-7 lbs.

Forget the jaws of life, you can open any can with this baby.

If ye want a brute of an axe, worthy of remounting on a larger dane style handle, check out this Paul chen Viking:
1072-gt.JPG
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top