full size axe

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superscifi12

Joined
Jun 2, 2006
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Hi all,
I'm new to good axes and was wanting to see what the best axe out of my choices? Husqvarna which is a Wetterlings, Stihl which is a Ochsenkopf Äxte, Snow & Nealley, Council Tool, Ox head or GB. The last two are a bit outta my range as I was looking at also a maul or splitting axe
I was looking for an axe to do general limbing and possibly felling a couple trees.


thanks,
mike
 
For new axes, you have identified a nice list of manufacturers.

I am unclear if you are looking for a single axe to split, limb, and fell; or a splitting axe or maul and a general purpose axe.

If you are seeking one axe to do all of the above, that is asking too much of one tool, in my opinion. I suggest a maul for splitting (6 lb or 8 lb, depending on personal preference) and a general purpose axe for your purposes. Council Tool is a great choice for mauls, as they are affordable and offer a great product that is made in the USA. I have a Gransfors large splitting axe (3.5 lb head) and cheap 8 lbs maul. Weight makes a considerable difference, much more than edge retention, in splitting chores. Wetterlings makes a good 31'' handle axe that could be used for limbing and felling. Council is a nice lower cost alternative.

Just a last word about limbing and felling. My personal preference is to use a lighter axe with 24'' - 28'' handle for limbing and a 3 - 3.5 lb for felling. Also, 31'' handle is just right as it offers considerably more control compared to a 36'' handle for accuracy, and still delivers sufficient power for felling. In chopping, as you may know, accuracy is king.

Lastly, in addition to the manufacturers you listed, you may want to check out ebay for old Kelly, Collins, Mann, Plumb, or Gransfors axe. There are a number of axe heads that you could grab and fit a handle. I have some old Plumb, Collins, and Kelly axes and they are fine products, with edge retention equal to Gransfors or Wettterlings. Many of which were hand forged, just like GB and Wetterlings.
 
I found an old Gransfors axe head. This was from the time that they were grinding and painting them. Aside from the different shape, was the quality worse back then?

Thanks.
 
sorry I should have made it clear, I am looking for splitting axe or maul and a general purpose axe.

The two things I would like to accomplish with this axe are felling and limbing. I was looking at a cheap maul and/or a splitting axe to split. With a little gas power between the two operations.
 
superscifi12 said:
I am looking for splitting axe or maul and a general purpose axe.
Click to expand...

I'm with you now, thanks for clarifying. I recommend spending more on the axe so that you get a quality product that will provide good edge retention and be durable, and should last you a lifetime. You can't go wrong with the Wetterlings as a user axe for felling and limbing.

For a maul, I prefer 8 lb (but others like 6 lb). Also, keep in mind that mauls take abuse, so an axe eye is a better choice than a round/pole eye maul. In fact, mauls take a beating when splitting (over strike) and when pounding a wedge (that is, if you are like me and miss the wedge from time to time and hit the handle). Council tool is a good choice and offers 6 & 8 lb models with axe eyes.
 
John Frankl said:
I found an old Gransfors axe head. This was from the time that they were grinding and painting them. Aside from the different shape, was the quality worse back then?
Click to expand...

In a speech by the CEO of Gransfors (posted on this forum recently), he mentioned that GB's equipment is very old. I do not recall how old he said it was. The forging machine is pictured in the Axe Book from GB (the one with the series of striking hammers) and looks like it has been around for some time. I would imagine that is the machine that has been used there for years, so the production has been very similar. GB has eliminated the unnecessary grinding and painting, but I imagine the forging is largely unchanged.

Regarding steel stock that they begin the process with, I am unable to comment on whether that has changed.

I too have an old Gransfors, similar to what you described, and is a fine product. Very comparable to current GB's quality.
 
I think for a relatively good balance of cost/quality youd be good going with a Council splitting maul and a Stihl (Ochsenkopf) Felling axe. The Stihl felling axe is about 27" long and is perfect for limbing...and though a little small for felling larger trees it will still do the job. Holds a nice edge and is beautifully balanced. The Council should run about $40-50 and the Stihl should be $70-80

Of course you cannot go wrong with any of the GB or Wetterlings axes...if they arent out of your price range I would swing for them first.
 
I agree with getting the 8 lb splitter let it do some of the work for you.
As for the axe if you can afford it go with the GB
 
Don't forget the fleamarket as a viable option. An older axe can be had for cheap. And for the price you're gonna pay there, no one makes em like they used to.

Or you can pick up just the head, or one that needs rehafting, and fix her up yourself. Just have to be careful and really inspect the grain direction of the axe-hafts you find at the local hardware store. Can be a bit hit-or-miss.
 
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