Bark River Mini-axe, how good is it?

[Cliff Stamp]

Or he could just buy the Bark River one and not have to do anything.

This is a fallacy, axes have to be matched for wood type, a grind that is optomized for spruce doesn't look at all like one that works well in clear pine, not only the edge but the actual primary grind is different.

But anywa if you have the money, spending 3x the cost of the axe on the above modifications may seem like a good deal. Lots of people don't even sharpen knives and the above is certainly more extensive.

I would be curious as to how many people are buying it know the Vaughn is $21. While BR have discussed it on the forums, it isn't on the website ad, which pretty much imply it is a BR product as it is listed right along others they do make.

Just a quick check on the price, you can find this discounted heavily, $55 turned up readily, so the mods are only ~35$ if you shop around.

-Cliff

 

[db]

This morning while standing outside with my daughter waiting for her school bus a goose flying south for the winter sheet on me. So, then I come on the net to relax and Cliff argues with everything I post. I’m starting to think the Canadians don’t like me much.I’ll agree shop around there are some very good dealers that carry the Bark River Mini ax. I’m done with this thread.

 

[mitchshrader]

All the vaughn products i ever saw were good ones.

99% of all hatchets need a re-grind.

I regrind EVERY tool I own, cause anybody else can't suit me (some, admittedly, are teeny touch ups, but thats rare) ..

GAB is the One company that has something of a rep for 'out of the box' good chopping gadgets.. otherwise, ain't heard of the first one. and you pay THEM to do the work, (you hope).. that you could well do for yourself, and by rights OUGHT to do for yourself.

Buy a 1-1.5 lb head and haft it and grind it, sharpen it and build yourself a sheath for it, and guess what? You'll love it. cause it'll be perfectly suited to you, and part of your life.

And what was that about 'dry wood axes are slimmer' back at the beginning of this thread.

I take exception, having a contrary opinion. Dry wood axes (I aver) are generally THICKER, being used in splitting more often, and the thin profiled ones are designed strictly as cutters. Thin edge, green wood. Thick edge , dry wood. Why? Cause dry wood dulls heck out of the edge faster, so thick may be less efficient but more enduring.. and touchups (with a file, or coarse stone) frequently make SENSE chopping dry wood. You're tired.
10 minute breather to sharpen the axe is just enough time to cool off.

Sez me. I only swung an axe twice or three times...

My take on it.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Dry wood axes (I aver) are generally THICKER, being used in splitting more often ...

Splitting axes are different, and you generally split wood wet, you don't let it dry, it is much harder to split then, and near impossible when blasty unless you let it freeze.

Cause dry wood dulls heck out of the edge faster ...

You don't need a thick edge to give it the necessary strength, the only part that actually dulls is that last few thousands so generally you finish with a few passes at an obtuse angle to set the edge.

You need a thick bit on soft wood axes to keep them from binding, you need a thin bit on the hardwood axes to get the necessary penetration, this isn't a concern on soft woods.

The edge angles of course are different, softer woods can be run more acute, and hardwoods more obtuse, but this is only in the very last part of the edge, unless it is a swamper profile or similar specialized pattern.

-Cliff

 

[Normark]

Hey db...

Your Ok in my book..

ttyle

Eric....

 

[db]

Eric, thanks. Stop by the chat room again sometime soon and I may just change your mind about me.

 

[ATedK]

I bought a Bark Rive mini axe.
An absolute wonder. A tiny axe that was light in the hand and very light on the belt or in a pocket, yet efficiently cut wood far above it's size.

I carried the Bark River around the yard instead of the larger and heavier Gränsfors Bruks Wildlife axe. It cut better than the Bruks as I used it to trim trees, cut poison ivy vines, cut roots, shave bark, etc. etc. beats the heck out of the cheap metal axes from the big box stores.

That little axe replaced all knives, served well as an axe and performed remarkably well cutting small branches and trees.

Most of these involved cutting both hardwood and softwood green wood.
Only, the Bark River did surprisingly well cutting dry wood when I needed it, mostly hardwoods and red cedar. I did not try to cut dry soft woods. No need as I don't burn soft woods nor expect an axe to replace saws or chisels. Hardwoods around here are primarily red & white oak, hickory, peach, plum and pear.

That little axe did surprisingly well splitting dry firewood for campfire tinder. It did best on dry woods less than 3" diameter.

An axe that is so good, my son kept it after using it.
I wish, belatedly that I had bought three of those axes so I could still have one after my sons permanently borrowed the others.

Only Bark River wasn't making any more by the time that axe wandered away.

I visited this forum because I was checking the internet for anyone selling those Bark River mini axes.

Bear in mind, that industries count every step that requires additional work or interrupts work performed on the axe. Even if that work is stepping sideways a couple of feet to a different belt sander using a different grit.

People whining about businesses counting every one of those efforts as steps are seriously of touch with reality.
If a business is paying a worker $60 per hour, an amount easily achieved when all benefits, health insurance, heating, cooling, etc. are taken into account; thirty seconds is half a dollar in costs without product improvement.
Of course, businesses count those steps!

Nor am I able to replicate complex curvatures like hollow grinds with my files. Considering all of the honey-do items on my chores list, I save money paying for Bark River's improvements.
That is, if Bark River is actually using Vaughan products for their base. Any of multiple companies stamping ingots into base ax heads could supply the core, according to the customer's technical specs.

 

[Alberta Ed]

I'd go for a regular small ax, something like my Snow & Neally 3/4 Hudson Bay single bit or Granfors Bruk. Only a few ounces more but a lot more effective.