College Research

[AXE_men_of_Wooster]

Hello everyone,

My group and I at the College of Wooster are doing market research on the axe industry and were wondering if you could help us.

What type of people usually buy axes?

Are certain products typically bought together?

What are the most popular brands of axes and why do you think so?

What do you consider most when selecting an axe?

Anything would help!

Thanks

 

[DarthTaco123]

Brands and people buying them would be based really on the time period in which you want to discuss, as would the popularity in brands. Really before the later 1800s you bought axes from local smiths and manufacturers until the market started to industrialize to compensate for (what I might suspect) would be the beginning of a decline in the need for axes. The major 20th Century companies you hear about are Kelly, Plumb, American Fork and hoe, American Axe and Tool Company, Collins, etc. as well as many brands straight out of Oakland Maine.

Really we need more details on what you would want in terms of time, area, etc. in order to give you as much as we can.

 

[300Six]

Visit every possible store and online site you can find that sells axes to find out what type and how many they sell. That'll tell you all you need to know. You'll never get a handle on what the used or collector market is up to nor will you find out what I (and many others on this forum) like. I've only ever purchased one brand new axe during the past 50 years, even though my basement is littered with these things.

 

[AXE_men_of_Wooster]

Thanks for the reply. What we are currently doing research on a few different phases of the axe industry.

The first is trying to figure out who might be some "core users" of axes. Modern foresters, outdoorsmen, competitive lumberjacks, firefighters are all people we've identified as probably having a reason to use axes, but we don't know too much about them. Any info about you or your friends would be really helpful.

Next is the product bundle that an axe company should offer. The companies that we've focused on are Gransfors, Council Tool and other contemporary companies. Here our questions would be is there one company that you prefer over the other for any reasons? What kind of axes are the most popular and why do you think so?

 

[AXE_men_of_Wooster]

Thanks for the reply.

My first question would be: Do you think that most people who are interested in quality axes are doing something similar to you in going out and finding old ones to refurbish? The rest of this message is my response to DarthTaco123 that you may also be able to help with.

What we are currently doing research on a few different phases of the axe industry.

The first is trying to figure out who might be some "core users" of axes. Modern foresters, outdoorsmen, competitive lumberjacks, firefighters are all people we've identified as probably having a reason to use axes, but we don't know too much about them. Any info about you or your friends would be really helpful.

Next is the product bundle that an axe company should offer. The companies that we've focused on are Gransfors, Council Tool and other contemporary companies. Here our questions would be is there one company that you prefer over the other for any reasons? What kind of axes are the most popular and why do you think so?

 

[Steve Tall]

...The first is trying to figure out who might be some "core users" of axes. Modern foresters, outdoorsmen, competitive lumberjacks, firefighters are all people we've identified as probably having a reason to use axes...

People who heat their homes with a woodstove could also have a reason to use an axe.

 

[fishface5]

There is also the tomahawk market, not sure if your study reaches that? Military folks and some police use them for breaching and making shooting holes in walls. Many civilians also buy them to throw or do woods activities or to feel badass.

 

[Alan2442]

Every truck in our motor pool has an axe in the back as part of Basic Issue Item (BII) which is inspected to make sure its present every time it rolls out the gate. However these are typically cheap axes with synthetic handles. Sometimes if you come across an old wooden handled one. Since I'm in Alaska and everything is more expensive, especially heating oi,l almost everyone has an axe, and or splitting maul to help process firewood to heat the home through the long winters.

Against the common belief, most guys in my line of work do not carry tomahawks (i can't speak for SF guys...they do whatever they want). In fact if a guy was to show up wearing one on their kit they would probably be made fun of until they took it off. You do see them from time to time when deployed but they are almost exclusively used for breaching, end even then there are better tools for the job. I had a a younger LT show up right before we left for Afghanistan with a huge knife on his kit. I'll be the first to admit it was an awesome knife, however I asked him what it was for. He said it was his deployment knife foe self defense and whatever else he needed it for. I then said, So its basically a really large MRE opener. We both had a laugh and he assured me he would use it.I saw he when we got back and I asked him what he ended up using his knife for. He told me to open all his MREs. I feel like a tomahawk would kind of fall into the same area.

As for what most people do when they need an axe. I would say the majority just go to the store and buy a cheap one, and replace it when it gets beyond their ability to repair or sharpen. Or they could get lucky and enherit or pick up a good old one by accident at a yard sale or something. While there are allot of people here that do restore and appreciate a vintage or quality axe I would feel comfortable saying we are in the minority.

 

[DarthTaco123]

Axe-wise many people I know use the typical modern Mexico-made axes with soft steel and terrible grinds, or axes that have been in their family that are great vintage examples but don't know what they have. I've run into a couple of axe collectors and axe junkies, but most people I know that research into what would make a good tool choose vintage over modern hardware store due to the price vs quality.

In terms of the general user-market most people here heat their homes with wood, so most posses some form of axe, hatchet, or maul (often times all three), most lumber companies around here use axes to some smal extent but is mostly done with saws, as not many people know how to properly maintain axes. As an outdoorsman I typically carry at the very least a hatchet with me for minor trail clearing, game processing, etc. but really as a whole axes are a secondary thought in my kit as often times saws do the job quicker. I'm far from a dedicated user and expert on the use of axes, but it's more of a hobby tool nowadays than a life-dependency, and they typically just make life easier.

I can't answer for contemporary made axe markets due to the fact that I've not bought a council, gransfors, wetterlings, etc. but I imagine that the people that buy them use them quite a bit. Some of the fellows here have bought them but in my opinion spending 100-300 dollars on an axe with softer steel than a vintage one is a bit silly.

 

[halfaxe]

I worked as a forester over 30 years. Most foresters, biologists, and other forest professionals carried an axe in their vehicle to clear wood that falls on forest roads to access their work area. I assume a lot still do. Some carry chain saws but the fumes in an SUV or room needed in a truck box and only sporadic use favors the axe. Mostly single bit boys axes I've seen in this role. For years Council Tool and Snow & Nealley were the best axes found in the prominent forestry supplier catalogs such as Ben Meadows and Forestry Suppliers. They were the last of the American made axes during the late 20th century and early 21st.

Gransfors Bruks seem to be the manufacturer of choice for bushcrafters with Wetterlings second. Council Tool has a following but the worldwide popularity and interesting designs of the Swedish axes seem to dominate the market currently. Hultafors is a popular choice too.

That's the way I see it.

 

[AXE_men_of_Wooster]

Steve Tall & Fishface5: Thanks for the input, appreciate it.

Alan2442: First of all thank you for your service and also for the input. Do a lot of people in Alaska have the wood burning stoves that everyone is talking about which would require them to have an axe? Also is the collector community big up there for old axes?

DarthTaco123: Are the Mexico axes you talked about the current snow and neally brand that is made overseas and assembled in the US? Do you think that the quality of even the top of the line Gransfors are below what you may find at a garage sale if you find the right old axe? And what makes them better? Also are you familiar with the Small Woodland Owner's Association of Maine? Would this group of people kind of coincide with people who would use wood to heat their homes and need axes? Thanks for the continued input!

Halfaxe: Great to hear from a forester, thanks for the input. Can you help clarify to us some of the different types of forestry because we emailed a professor of forestry from UNH who said that no one is his field ever uses axes so I assume there must be different sectors within the field?

Thanks again everyone.

 

[DarthTaco123]

Mexico-made are your typical hardware store axes that you find like the Collins', the current Snow and Nealley's are assembled and finished in Maine but the heads are forged out in the midwest. The steel seems to be pretty good but the grinds are sloppy and as it stand's not quite worth the price. Gransfors aren't a lower quality, so to speak, but the steel used is essentially 1055 (the same steel found in many Cold Steel axes), it's a good tough steel that holds an edge, but it's just my thoughts that I'd not spend a vast amount of money on a fancy pretty axe from Sweden when with a little digging you can find it's vintage american equal for from a few dollars (if you're lucky and find one) to 30 dollars if you really had to look. I think most of the Gransfors Bruk hype is A. the style, B. the name, and C. the market they're directed to. They're good axes, and technically hand forged, but that same method was used on most axes up until the 1960s here in the USA>.

I'm not a member of the association but I AM familiar with them, but not their members so I can't speak on behalf of them. If I understand it correctly, however, their primary focus is on establishing and maintaining stewardship over the working woodlands, so it might be safe to assume that they'd coincide with those who heat their homes with wood, or harvest it for a profit. As I said, though, I'm no member so I can't for sure say.

 

[Axe Master '94]

As a seller I've found that a lot of the people who buy from me are the same people who would ordinarily buy a Swedish boutique axe, but have realized the point that has been made several times- old American tools are superior in several ways, and can be had for a third of the price. Lots of campers, homesteaders, and rural folks buy from me, and I think Olybears has had similar experience.
I personally keep a full set of axes, mauls, and slitting wedges for felling and processing trees for firewood. (I almost took my left leg off with a chainsaw once- I kind of avoid them now when possible.).

 

[not2sharp]

Thanks for the reply. What we are currently doing research on a few different phases of the axe industry.

The first is trying to figure out who might be some "core users" of axes. Modern foresters, outdoorsmen, competitive lumberjacks, firefighters are all people we've identified as probably having a reason to use axes, but we don't know too much about them. Any info about you or your friends would be really helpful.

Next is the product bundle that an axe company should offer. The companies that we've focused on are Gransfors, Council Tool and other contemporary companies. Here our questions would be is there one company that you prefer over the other for any reasons? What kind of axes are the most popular and why do you think so?

Don't forget craftsmen, especially plumbers, who frequently have to clear tree roots in order to repair damaged water and sewer lines.

n2s

 

[Alan2442]

Alan2442: First of all thank you for your service and also for the input. Do a lot of people in Alaska have the wood burning stoves that everyone is talking about which would require them to have an axe? Also is the collector community big up there for old axes?

Not everyone has a wood burning stove, but I would say the majority do. I have also seen guys with what they call wood boilers. Think wood stove as big as a shed that acts like a more traditional boiler to heat the house. There has been a push the last few years to trade them in to help with air pollution. If they don't have a wood stove they most likely have a pellet stove or just fork out the cash for the heating fuel. It really helps cut the fuel bill if you can supplement your heat.

just because they own a stove doesn't mean they have to own an axe. They could be lazy and have it all split for them, but even the guys I know that use a hydronic splitter still own an axe.

I wouldn't say the collector population is any bigger up here, but you can come across some crazy finds from old mining camps

 

[halfaxe]

Steve Tall & Fishface5: Thanks for the input, appreciate it.


Halfaxe: Great to hear from a forester, thanks for the input. Can you help clarify to us some of the different types of forestry because we emailed a professor of forestry from UNH who said that no one is his field ever uses axes so I assume there must be different sectors within the field?

Thanks again everyone.

That's the difference between a professor and a field guy. Where I live the forest is accessed by poor unmaintained roads so you need to have an axe or saw, otherwise you may get a couple hours down the road and find it blocked by a downed tree before you get to your destination. I used an axe several times a year to clear a trail and also carried one on an orv and snowmobile. An axe is very useful if you get your vehicle stuck too. Pre cell phone days for me but even now coverage is spotty. I carried on my person a hatchet daily. I used it for sounding a tree to see if it is hollow. Also for cutting pickets when we ran the property lines. I used vintage hatchets. Also fuel for the lunch fire. All the forest fire units still have a Pulaski on board which is a half axe and half hoe tool. They are used often on fires.

 

[Old Axeman]

There are four groups of axe users in todays working world who use axes daily as they were originally intended to be used- wildland firefighters, trail crews, wilderness rangers, and log crafters (people who build and restore historic log cabins and timber frame buildings). All other users except firewood cutters are recreational users.

 

[AXE_men_of_Wooster]

Darth Taco: Do you have the links to any articles about Snow and Nealley? We can't find anything on them.

AxeMan94: Do you have an actual company for selling axes (i.e. Northwest Axe Company) or something different?

Not2Sharp: Plumbers probably wouldn't want to spend too much money on an axe though would they? I could be wrong...

Alan2442: Say you do use an axe for wood, are you out there everyday splitting wood or is it a few long weekends per year where you do a lot at a time?

Halfaxe: Awesome, yeah we figured that guys out in the field would need them. What brand/type of axe/hatchet did you use while you were in the business?

Old Axeman: Thanks for the info, that's exactly what we're looking for with the user profiles. Would those guys have multiply types of axes? And would they be buying these nice swedish axes/old American ones or just your typical hardware store axe?

Any other info you guys could share would be extremely helpful...thanks again!

 

[DarthTaco123]

I think there's a thread here in Bladeforums where people have tracked the progress, and spoke with the new owners out to Smyrna Falls but I haven't myself. I'm sure there's an article somewhere!

 

[Operator1975]

Hello everyone,

My group and I at the College of Wooster are doing market research on the axe industry and were wondering if you could help us.

What type of people usually buy axes? - many different people. weekend warriors, professionals, collectors, average joes for yard work, people heating their homes, hipsters to be cool, etc. The axe has made a resurgance since the fall off in the 1970s thru 2005.

Are certain products typically bought together? sheaths. backpacks. sharpening tools. hatchets, hammers, boots, hats, workgear, etc.

What are the most popular brands of axes and why do you think so? most popular now are Gransfors, Wetterlings, Council, Plumb, True Temper(new), and various tomahawk makers.

What do you consider most when selecting an axe? - profile, centerline, bit length, overall axe length, grain orientation on handle, quality of metal in axe head, price, sheath included, hardness of bit/poll, knowledge of company/individual making the axe, etc.

Anything would help!

What you will find in todays world of axes is that the axe has regained popularity in the masses. It fell off with the advancement of the chainsaw for its obvious reasons. In the prime good ole days there were 500+ axe manufacturers in the USA alone, now there are a handful if that in North America. I believe shows such as Surviorman and Man vs Wild stirred the growth of Bushcraft, which then stirred the interest in the axe again. Now most that buy an axe get it because it is the cool thing to do, a real mans tool. Look at me and my axe, I am a modern day lumberjack. Of course hipsters with handle bar mustaches and flannels fit the bill quite nicely here.

As an axe collector and user, I find that greater than 90% of people that buy, or even sell axes don't really know about axes. Ask them to go over bit strength, areas it will eventually have flaws, centerline importance, head weight to length ratio, etc, and they won't know what you are talking about. More importantly, how to even properly use an axe is lost. You Tuber wanna be's are great examples. How to properly care for an axe is a lost art. Or, one of my favorite topics, the absurd over importance of perfect grain alignment on handles. Has to be perfect, or its no good. Preferred sure, but not an absolute.

The Axe was one of the first tools created by man who knows how long ago. It was the basis of an industry that carried a nation to greatness, while destroying landscapes at the same time. It is now a cool tool with its resurgence that not many truly know about as they should. On instagram there must be at least 20 "axe works"(i am sure there are many many more) companies now, where guys refurbish old axes and sell them, but when I ask them questions they don't really know anything about axes.


Like most fads and boy bands, I think the coolness of the axe will die off, as things tend to go in cycles, its just the way it is. Some of us hard core guy will remain, and it will start all over again down the road.

Thanks

Let me know whatever questions you have and I will be glad to do my best to help.

Thanks!