I've been out all week on a canoe trip and had my nifty new axe with me. It gets an A+ for handling everything I put it through.
As lightweight as it is, it's perfect for carrying into the bush in search of firewood. I would often limb fallen pine and spruce then carry the trunks back to camp for sawing. The axe split rounds with ease - typically 4 to 6" dia. (I even split 6" dried and very hard maple the night before I went on the trip). I also felled a young standing tree - it cuts really deep. Two-handed chopping felt good, never awkward. The 19" handle is suitable for the sometimes tight surroundings.
It has a couple of nicks now. The larger one is maybe 1mm deep. These happened when my back was turned and my 14 year old nephew chopped something on the ground next to a buried stone, hitting the stone more often I think. The other guys in the group noted how nice the thing was but used it only a little... probably fearful of my reaction to any accidental abuse of it. heh. They all admired the artfulness and utility of it. I didn't take it with me when I blazed a trail to a secret lake. I wish I did though because I ran out of the spray paint I was using to mark trees and had to resort to using the saw to remove bark. If I had the axe I would have marked the trees oldstyle. Next year, I'll bring it when I freshen that trail.
On our way out we paddled through what turned out to be a severe thunderstorm. It just couldn't have rained any harder than it did. The drops were bouncing 3" off the water. I had to bail the canoe twice. Anything not in a drybag was soaked and with the axe being strapped to the outside of my pack it might as well have been under water. After drying out rust was obviously an issue but not as much as you would think. The factory coating was pretty good. The grain in the handle is now raised and I like that... makes for a better grip. The head is now oiled with 3-in-1, the handle with linseed. I'll get some sharpening stones next weekend.
So, money well spent. :thumbup:
As lightweight as it is, it's perfect for carrying into the bush in search of firewood. I would often limb fallen pine and spruce then carry the trunks back to camp for sawing. The axe split rounds with ease - typically 4 to 6" dia. (I even split 6" dried and very hard maple the night before I went on the trip). I also felled a young standing tree - it cuts really deep. Two-handed chopping felt good, never awkward. The 19" handle is suitable for the sometimes tight surroundings.
It has a couple of nicks now. The larger one is maybe 1mm deep. These happened when my back was turned and my 14 year old nephew chopped something on the ground next to a buried stone, hitting the stone more often I think. The other guys in the group noted how nice the thing was but used it only a little... probably fearful of my reaction to any accidental abuse of it. heh. They all admired the artfulness and utility of it. I didn't take it with me when I blazed a trail to a secret lake. I wish I did though because I ran out of the spray paint I was using to mark trees and had to resort to using the saw to remove bark. If I had the axe I would have marked the trees oldstyle. Next year, I'll bring it when I freshen that trail.
On our way out we paddled through what turned out to be a severe thunderstorm. It just couldn't have rained any harder than it did. The drops were bouncing 3" off the water. I had to bail the canoe twice. Anything not in a drybag was soaked and with the axe being strapped to the outside of my pack it might as well have been under water. After drying out rust was obviously an issue but not as much as you would think. The factory coating was pretty good. The grain in the handle is now raised and I like that... makes for a better grip. The head is now oiled with 3-in-1, the handle with linseed. I'll get some sharpening stones next weekend.
So, money well spent. :thumbup:
