Help me decide - American made Forest Axe

Square_peg said:
I'm leery of the Hudson Bay style. I think the very short eyes on these axes are hard on the hafts. I'd look for something where the ratio of bit length to eye length is a bit closer. On an HB it's almost 2:1. I'd stay closer to 1.5:1.

I'd look into a boy's axe. Some guys don't like them because of the word 'boys'. I guess it's a macho thing. Maybe their axe helps them with their self esteem.

Get the axe that does the job best. Set the ego aside.
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Do you mean the eye height from top to bottom?
Did you ever use a hb?
They are very good at splitting probably equal to or better than the equivalent dayton.

I think boys axes are called 3/4' axes too.
 
Square_peg said:
Yes.


Yes, the handle was loose and worn.


I'm not sure how the shape of the poll effects splitting ability but I'll take your word for it.
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What do I know this was my favorite ax till I discovered the net.
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Another "boys" axe convert.
I was set to get the standard Hudson bay, but for $26 it is hard to pass on the "boys" axe.
I imagine the Best Made really is the best axe, but what can it do that the "boys" axe can't? I simply could never justify it.

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By readyme at 2012-02-29[/IMG]
 
I have considerable experience with Hudson Bay axes. The boss insisted on buying them for blazing and general use. They just didn't hold up. Not enough contact between metal and wood. Some people's experience with them may be more favorable and a lot of that depends on how they have been used. I know we used them really rough and maybe the term abuse would be a better way of saying it. But based on that I'll take a regular boy's style any day. I don't own a HB and I have no interest in them. Even so, I'd say buy whatever suits you and if it happens to be a HB then go for it.
 
Section10 said:
I have considerable experience with Hudson Bay axes. The boss insisted on buying them for blazing and general use. They just didn't hold up. Not enough contact between metal and wood. Some people's experience with them may be more favorable and a lot of that depends on how they have been used. I know we used them really rough and maybe the term abuse would be a better way of saying it. But based on that I'll take a regular boy's style any day. I don't own a HB and I have no interest in them. Even so, I'd say buy whatever suits you and if it happens to be a HB then go for it.
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That's interesting, do you happen to remember the brand name? I ask because I like to find vintage stuff to use. Currently looking for a Collins 2.5LB hb but have been unable to snag one.
My take is coming from a recreational user point of view. Although I do have a wood stove, however I use my bigger stuff to feed that wood pig.
 
I think that the advantage of a Hudson Bay style axe is that you can choke up on it further for detailed work. For bushcraft an HB would be a very good choice because of this. But what you're giving up in return is some toughness in the wood-to-metal contact.

Think of a trapper headed out for some months in the hinterlands. He'll be constantly moving and more inclined to be doing bushcraft type work with an axe then heavy work like logging, cabin building or storing firewood. For him an HB makes sense.

From my experience the activity that is toughest on hafts is prying a stuck head free. IMO it is better to knock a head loose with a wooden maul than to pry it out by the handle. Just give it a few good hits on the top of the poll and it should loosen up. Wooden 'club' mauls are quick and easy to make. For me they're disposable tools.
www.ropeworks.biz/reader/mauls.pdf

The thing is to pick the axe that best suits the work.
 
Square_peg said:
From my experience the activity that is toughest on hafts is prying a stuck head free.
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That's my experience as well. Although, I would say that overstrikes tend to be more devastating, but I don't seem to overstrike anymore so prying is my main concern now.
 
Square_peg said:
I think that the advantage of a Hudson Bay style axe is that you can choke up on it further for detailed work. For bushcraft an HB would be a very good choice because of this. But what you're giving up in return is some toughness in the wood-to-metal contact.

Think of a trapper headed out for some months in the hinterlands. He'll be constantly moving and more inclined to be doing bushcraft type work with an axe then heavy work like logging, cabin building or storing firewood. For him an HB makes sense.

From my experience the activity that is toughest on hafts is prying a stuck head free. IMO it is better to knock a head loose with a wooden maul than to pry it out by the handle. Just give it a few good hits on the top of the poll and it should loosen up. Wooden 'club' mauls are quick and easy to make. For me they're disposable tools.
www.ropeworks.biz/reader/mauls.pdf

The thing is to pick the axe that best suits the work.
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Square Peg,Pegs,Tom or Sir: (I gleaned the monikers from your excellent hewing timber post.)
I completely agree..............

One thing though the aforementioned axes don't really fall into the American Forest Axe designation IMO

Maybe a separate thread "What is an American Forest Axe " would be a provacative title.
 
Operator1975 said:
Is this because you judge twice strike once?
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I'd say yes and I never swing hard on the first swing. Even if I shift my feet or something, I then go back to at least one nice easy, very controlled swing. I rarely ever swing super hard anymore, I lose my accuracy and there's no return for the extra effort. That's just me, some guys can swing for the fences and still hit the mark consistently.
 
Cattledog,
I can't remember what brand they were. Never paid attention. They probably weren't too costly since we seemed to have enough of them on hand. That's probably why we had them in the first place. Working on a survey crew we used them hard. Chopping frozen ground, pounding spikes, etc. Not a good way to treat an axe, but a good way to see what will hold up.
 
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