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Council Tool Velvicut Saddle Axe Review.
- Thread starter DeadboxHero
- Start date
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Haha right on bruddah
, glad to share.Yes, this axe would be a more powerful tool with the 3-4" you guys have mentioned.
But it would take away from the ultra portability of this axe.
I feel like This is a unique axe in the Council Tool line up.
It's what was missing from their axes,
A good hatchet.
It's also neat because they really went outside the box with a double bit design that really filled a nice hole in the market.
One of my favorite features is that this axe was designed with a larger cruiser eye. Versus a specialized eye that would be more obscure.
I asked Craig Roost about the design, he wanted people to be able to buy handles for these axes 50 years from now without having to find some rare size handle.
I thought that was a really cool notion; the thought of a rusty old saddle axe head and someone in the future scoring a sweet vintage axe from 2017
This is a full size "cruiser" handle. In my area there is an abundance of crusier handles to buy
Keep in mind though, a cruiser handle is too long for the Saddle axe so it will need to be cut down.
I would not go beyond 24",
Even then, The sweet spot would be 19"
But I do enjoy the 14" handle. Especially for some camping trips I have coming up.
So it would not be hard to "make it your own" and I might even play around with different handles some day. But I want to explore the 14" handle more.
I'll share more soon.
Square_peg
Gold Member
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The full size cruiser eye allowed them to use existing tooling in the manufacture of this axe.
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- Mar 8, 2008
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- 25,938
Maybe, but maybe not...I wouldn't presume on that note without hearing confirmation direct from the source. Unless I'm mistaken the only DB's that they made (recently) before this one were full sized, not cruisers.
Square_peg
Gold Member
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A hundred+ year old company will have some old tooling around.
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- Nov 7, 2016
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Lol. Right? I would love to see what they have in the "dark corners" of the shop.
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Haha right on bruddah
Yes, this axe would be a more powerful tool with the 3-4" you guys have mentioned.
But it would take away from the ultra portability of this axe.
I feel like This is a unique axe in the Council Tool line up.
It's what was missing from their axes,
A good hatchet.
It's also neat because they really went outside the box with a double bit design that really filled a nice hole in the market.
One of my favorite features is that this axe was designed with a larger cruiser eye. Versus a specialized eye that would be more obscure.
I asked Craig Roost about the design, he wanted people to be able to buy handles for these axes 50 years from now without having to find some rare size handle.
I thought that was a really cool notion; the thought of a rusty old saddle axe head and someone in the future scoring a sweet vintage axe from 2017
This is a full size "cruiser" handle. In my area there is an abundance of crusier handles to buy
Keep in mind though, a cruiser handle is too long for the Saddle axe so it will need to be cut down.
I would not go beyond 24",
Even then, The sweet spot would be 19"
But I do enjoy the 14" handle. Especially for some camping trips I have coming up.
So it would not be hard to "make it your own" and I might even play around with different handles some day. But I want to explore the 14" handle more.
I'll share more soon.
Why do you think a full size cruser handle is too long? Just curious. I am an oddball but I have little use for an axe shorter than a boys axe. That includes strapped to a pack. I am personally looking at that handle and head and screaming DO IT!
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That's the thing, though. OLD. Tooling wears with use and usually companies producing forgings discontinue a model specifically when the dies wear out and the expense of making new ones is in excess of market demand. So while it's possible that they had some tooling sitting around that was right for this tool, it's equally or even more likely that it wasn't.
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- Nov 7, 2016
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- 796
Email them and ask. They will answer. Instead of just forcefully reclaiming you are correct, ask them. Personally I would imagine they have old blueprints, plans, dies, and everthing else imaginable at the disposal of the team. If you think they scrap it all and start fresh, ask them. Oh yeah, you have me on selective "ignore". Lol.
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- Oct 14, 2015
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This axe was designed and built with all new tooling... it is their first cruiser eye DB with eye ridges. The choice was made to use a cruiser eye so that the handle/eye connection would be strong enough to take a lot of shock and abuse,... so that in the future, when people come across these heads and they want to re-hang them, they will have an easier time finding a stock handle that will fit the eye... Using standardizes eye sizes on the new and future axe designs helps with the cost of handle patterns and production....and gives end users the option to customize their axes... Just thinking ahead....
Peace, Rooster
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This axe was designed and built with all new tooling... it is their first cruiser eye DB with eye ridges. The choice was made to use a cruiser eye so that the handle/eye connection would be strong enough to take a lot of shock and abuse,... so that in the future, when people come across these heads and they want to re-hang them, they will have an easier time finding a stock handle that will fit the eye... Using standardizes eye sizes on the new and future axe designs helps with the cost of handle patterns and production....and gives end users the option to customize their axes... Just thinking ahead....
Peace, Rooster
Actual answers are nice. Thank you.
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- Oct 14, 2015
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I think it does help... heads with short eyes like this or even Hudson Bays are often found to have handle movement... just re-hanging a small axe or hatchet with eye ridges tells you that you best get it started straight or the ridges are going to fight you getting it re-adjusted during the hang.... also by allowing the handle to be proud of the the head allows the mushrooming to help with head retention...
Peace, Rooster
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Im with you on the proud. I use proud with the wedge recessed as a retention method. Plus it looks cool. I have seen a rather lengthy thread on hudson bay handle movement/loosening. I think using the tool beyond its intended use/abuse may play a role, but if it is happening non the less It would seem ridges may offer a solution. Thank you for the response.
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- Mar 22, 2014
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The bits on are not long enough and it's not heavy enough to maximize a 28" handle.
In the past, I tried a boys axe head on a 36" handle. It didn't work well, this would be the same, which is why I recommend 19" for this one. But it's nice to have 14" for the ultra portability.
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I've really hammered on my Hudson bay, no loosening which I attribute to the ridges.
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As far as weight and a 28 inch handle, the hudson bay pattern works well on a 28. They are #2. Some are 1 and 3/4 or so pounds as well. I have a craftsman boys axe that is 2lb 4.5 oz. I think 2 would be just fine on a 28
. Not ragging on hatchets or short handles as such, I personally do not use them. I have them, I just found I do not reach for them. Strapped to the side of the pack (or in the truck)works for me. So "packability" isnt an issue for me either. I am a bird of a different color I geuss.What is the measurement of the bit? I imagine if it is 3inch ish it would be ok on a 28.
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That is something.
Square_peg
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Defeats the purpose of having a saddle axe. There are lots of regular cruiser size axes available. A saddle axe is by definition a smaller version of a cruiser. Why pay a premium for a saddle axe just to turn it into a cheaper off-the-shelf style axe?
42, it's just a guess about having the tooling but I'd bet on it if there was a way to know for sure. It's a typical marketing ploy to describe any feature as a bonus whether it is or not. It will make it easier to find a store bought handle for. But in the future it might also be mistaken for a worn out cruiser because of the eye size. That could effect its future value. Some might prefer to have "a real saddle axe" with a real saddle axe eye. Not to say that this isn't a real saddle axe. It is. But it could be perceived differently.
Lastly, if they did have to make new tooling then it would pay to make the tooling multi-purpose so they could use it for a later cruiser line.