Hard woods vs. Soft woods

[KingKoma]

When chopping, how do your technique differ from hard wood from soft woods? Green from seasoned? Really punky?

 

[Ernest DuBois]

You know, some hardwoods are awfully soft and some softwoods pretty hard.
One thing that comes quickly to mind is that the softer and dryer the wood the sharper the blade must be for a clean cut.

E.DB.

 

[KingKoma]

That is true, and we dont make that distinction in swedish but I have found, even though I have very limited experience, that it seems to be significant differences chopping evergreens compared to deciduous trees regardless of "hardness". One example being that when chopping softwoods much greater care needs to be taken to avoid knots but hardwoods tend to have much less uniform punkiness (when speaking of dead wood) making it harder to predict.
Regarding the sharpness of the bit, one thing I dont understand about the argument that the reason Gransfors and Wetterlings axes have very flat cheeks is because they are designed for Swedish trees, is that we have mostly spruce, pine and birch. On all of which I would prefer a really pronounced convex to avoid sticking. Getting enough penetration is not really a priority.

 

[Ernest DuBois]

Chopping notches in pine with Gransfors American Felling axe.


Chopping notches in Swedish birch with the same Gransfors American Felling axe.


I noticed no difference in the axe performance, but I would choose this axe for the work over that double bitted with more pronounced curve in the cheeks. In this instance a matter of accuracy over speed, along with the desired profile of the notching, wanting a more acute angle over a more obtuse.

E.DB.