Until recently, I have only had a chance to chop some small stuff with my new Small Forrest Axe. A week ago I felled an apple tree with it. The tree had several trunks ranging from 3 to 6 + inches in diameter. The SFA performed beautifully.
For comparison, I took a few swings with my trusty Estwing 26" camp axe. The weight of the camp axe is distrubuted more evenly down into the handle making it a bit awkward in comparison to the SFA. While the camp axe has a larger head/longer edge and is heavier, I was able to do more work with less effort using the SFA. The camp axe is a great tool, I have felled trees with it. However, due to the odd distribution of weight, it is harder to use than a traditional axe.
The SFA went through 3 and 4 inch trunks and limbs in 10 or 12 strokes at most. The larger trunks took more work, but the SFA just cut right on into the wood. The length/weight/balance of the axe is superb. The head is only 1 1/2 pounds, but the design of the axe helps it do a lot of work.
I did notice that the bit goes deep on straight-in cuts. Very deep in fact. With one trunk I could only cut down and then straight in, but not up to make a vee cut. The angled cuts really removed wood, but the straight-in cuts sank deep. A couple of those and the blade got warm from the friction.
The handle shape surprised me. I had originally thought the sharp step at the bottom would help with holding on. I learned quite the contrary. The shape is, for me, slightly inferior to a sheeps foot design with a slight swell at the end. The handle could stand to turn a bit more for more leverage in the swing. This is not a complaint, mind you, I just have to get used to it.
The size of the SFA is just what I expected. The length allowed me to get a lot of power from my strokes. It is short enough, though, to use in tighter quarters (still safe, mind you) and carry easily.
Overall I am extremely pleased. The axe is more than adquate for making firewood from small stuff, and almost enough to fell small trees regularly. If I felled trees often, I would get a Scandinavian Forrest Axe and American felling axe. I would also like to have an axe with a larger head, like the Scandinavian's , on a shorter handle like the SFA. The extra weight would and larger bit would make for a great tool.
I have only used my Mini Hatchet for small stuff and taking a few limbs off a tree. It also does a lot of work for its size. More on that later.
jeff <><
For comparison, I took a few swings with my trusty Estwing 26" camp axe. The weight of the camp axe is distrubuted more evenly down into the handle making it a bit awkward in comparison to the SFA. While the camp axe has a larger head/longer edge and is heavier, I was able to do more work with less effort using the SFA. The camp axe is a great tool, I have felled trees with it. However, due to the odd distribution of weight, it is harder to use than a traditional axe.
The SFA went through 3 and 4 inch trunks and limbs in 10 or 12 strokes at most. The larger trunks took more work, but the SFA just cut right on into the wood. The length/weight/balance of the axe is superb. The head is only 1 1/2 pounds, but the design of the axe helps it do a lot of work.
I did notice that the bit goes deep on straight-in cuts. Very deep in fact. With one trunk I could only cut down and then straight in, but not up to make a vee cut. The angled cuts really removed wood, but the straight-in cuts sank deep. A couple of those and the blade got warm from the friction.
The handle shape surprised me. I had originally thought the sharp step at the bottom would help with holding on. I learned quite the contrary. The shape is, for me, slightly inferior to a sheeps foot design with a slight swell at the end. The handle could stand to turn a bit more for more leverage in the swing. This is not a complaint, mind you, I just have to get used to it.
The size of the SFA is just what I expected. The length allowed me to get a lot of power from my strokes. It is short enough, though, to use in tighter quarters (still safe, mind you) and carry easily.
Overall I am extremely pleased. The axe is more than adquate for making firewood from small stuff, and almost enough to fell small trees regularly. If I felled trees often, I would get a Scandinavian Forrest Axe and American felling axe. I would also like to have an axe with a larger head, like the Scandinavian's , on a shorter handle like the SFA. The extra weight would and larger bit would make for a great tool.
I have only used my Mini Hatchet for small stuff and taking a few limbs off a tree. It also does a lot of work for its size. More on that later.
jeff <><
