Hunter/backpacker's ax

Raymond Richard

Raymond Richard

Joined
Jun 17, 2001
Messages
5,705
Forged this one from 1" square 1080. Good sized head on a short stick. 5 1/4" head with a 3" cutting edge. Cabinet grade maple was used for the handle. Its 10 3/4" long and weights 23oz.

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WOW!!!!!!!! You outdid yourself on that one. Every man should have one of those....I would certainly love to
 
I agree with what was in that other post. I do think the maple I used on this ax will be stronger than curly but for a hard working tool hickory is by far the best. Next time I go to my wood dealer I'll check to see if they carry hickory. I've never seen it other than already made up for handles.
 
Daggonit, Raymond, between your tomahawks and this little hiking/backpacking axe you're gonna make me buy something from you yet! Haha. I just wish I had the funds (bought a few too many expensive toys lately). Very nice! :thumbup:
 
Next time I go to my wood dealer I'll check to see if they carry hickory. I've never seen it other than already made up for handles.
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There is a guy on EBAY who sells Black Hickory "blanks" for walking sticks
I emailed him and he said he can cut me whatever size I want
He said it would be about 20 bucks total (the shipping to my zip code was $14) for a 30" X 1 3/4" piece
I figure I could make 2 hatchet handles with 30"

His EBAY store name is Hillbilly Dan's Walking Sticks
Or you can do a search for "black hickory" or "walking stick blank"
(tell em Trent Rock sent ya!!!!)

I am a huge mt. man/trapper/hunter/explorer Southwest history buff
(It all started with that Grizzly Adams show..or was it Fess Parker???)
I want to use whatever materials the mt. men used
I wanted to make a handle using wood native to Colorado
I figured I would just find what type of HICKORY grows in Colorado
Much to my amazement and after some internet/wikipedia research I found that hickory is mostly an East Coast thing
No real hickory grows in the Western US
At least not native
It must be the climate
So I decided to go with Gambel Oak
It's native to Colorado
I'll find a nice branch when I'm out there in September (hopefully.....Oh yeah...All you treehuggers===>It will be cut from my OWN property....I am still allowed to cut trees on my own property right??? ;) )
 
Daggonit, Raymond, between your tomahawks and this little hiking/backpacking axe you're gonna make me buy something from you yet! Haha. I just wish I had the funds (bought a few too many expensive toys lately). Very nice!
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Raymond

There is a lot of talent here in the makers form but your work really grabs me. I guess I'm saying I like your style.

Hope to own some of your work sooner than later. (see quote above)

BEAUTIFULLY AS USUAL!

D.
 
That handle looks like a good grade hard rock maple. Should hold up fine..
 
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