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Camp axe edge thickness?

Kieran Klein

Kieran Klein

Joined
Feb 21, 2014
Messages
266
Hi guys I am doing research into making some camp axes in the near future. It will be a full tang construction stock removal job. I have looked around the internet and the one thing I couldn't find was how thin to grind the edge. Any thoughts for a good thickness for great chopping and toughness? Was planning on using either 1075 or 80crv2.

Thanks
Kieran
 
Full tang handles transfer all vibration to the user's arms. The steeper the edge the more durable it is, obviously. Beg/borrow as many different hatchets as you can so that you can find out for yourself what it is you want, or think other people might prefer. Thin blade is lovely for whittling, brush clearing and cleaving big game rib cages but if splitting firewood is the goal then specs change.
 
I really don't think I've seen any full tang axe ever be a "camp" axe. Every full tang axe is a tomahawk to me. In my opinion they are too heavy, and the bigger issue with a camp axe is you won't get enough weight or wedge shape to split wood decently without huge thickness and a massively tapered tang. But good luck! surprise me, show that it can be done!
 
Thank you both for your good points. It has given me some food for thought. More comments/concerns welcome!
 
Estwing makes a full tang camp axe right? I have a Western Camp Hatchet that is full tang and Case and even Ka-Bar made similar models back in the day.
 
Liberatus1 said:
Estwing makes a full tang camp axe right? I have a Western Camp Hatchet that is full tang and Case and even Ka-Bar made similar models back in the day.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that they are/were hot stamped or forged. 4 pounds of steel can make a 3 1/2 + pound ax. With stock removal it will take a lot more than 4 pounds of steel to make a 3 1/2 pound ax.
 
Yeah pretty much what trigga said... For a camp axe/hatchet, a nice thin bit is fine as that helps it set into wood, chop and also helps with finer carving tasks... but the second you need it for splitting wood, you're going to want some thickness behind the bit to help wedge apart the grain. You just can't get that sort of effect with a stock-cut axe, even if you go up to something like 1/2" stock. It'll just become a struggle with any rounds that are tightly grained or contain knots - Probably end up cursing and trying to baton the axe through. At which point, you'd just be better off with a large knife or machete that would work better for batoning
 
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I can't see any decent stock-removal camp axe starting with material less than 5/8" thick.

Not to say you couldn't make something thinner that looked cool and sold well. Many have. But those aren't decent camp axes.
 
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