I impulse bought a new axe yesterday, and I don't know what to do with it

E

EdmontonAxe

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Oct 21, 2013
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I stopped by my friendly neighborhood Lee Valley yesterday and saw they had stock of "swiss army surplus axes".

Sold as a pair of an unmarked axe and a deeply stamped hatchet. The price was $49, which is cheap enough for me to pick up a set.

The thing is, I don't know what this axe is meant for. I've never had such a heavy head on a short (and stout) haft. A full 1.5" thick at a visible bevel on each side of the eye. And heavy. Overall weight north of 5lbs - heavier than the max the little kitchen can handle. Unfinished ash haft, somewhat roughly fit, with the wedge bashed and glued in and quick spray of red paint.

Feels awkward with this combination of weight and length. But how is it intended? Is the swiss army full of exceptionally short and strong soldiers? Any idea if this set is actually made in Switzerland and if these are actual surplus?



 
Thick bits on those bad boys for sure! I don't know a thing about them but there's nothing stopping you from putting them on whatever stick you like - besides, that little one kinda looks upside down, no?
 
The 3" wide haft would be a pain to find/make for a replacement, and yes the hatchet head looks a little funny.
 
Interesting that I didn't see these on sale at the Lee Valley here. Toss the big boy behind the seat of your car/truck for emergencies. A big head on a short haft won't impede chopping through doors or knocking out glass when you're pumped with adrenalin at the scene of an accident. And it'll be better than having nothing when dealing with a tree obstacle lying across the road
 
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I like a heavy head on a short haft for processing the chickens back home. They are also nice for kindling.

Much like the one seen below has seen use for those purposes many times...



Looks like you picked up a nice set for a good price. I'd be interested to hear what you end up deciding to do with them.
 
That big bruiser reminds me of my Council Tool Miner's Axe. It's a 3.5 pound head on a 24" (maybe 26") handle.
 
Typically called a miners axe, as stated above, it could also be a version of a house axe, which is an all around chore based axe. Common for killing chickens, as stated above, but also other miscellanous chores around the farm.

It marked as military surplus, could be a jeep axe. Historically longer and more of a typical axe pattern, they did come shorter.

Seeing that this is new stock, I would say it is probably a military all purpose axe.

Be careful and do your inspection closely, those are known to be of who knows where true origins, but marked as "country" surplus.
 
Operator1975 said:
Typically called a miners axe . . .
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Operator1975 said:
. . .

It marked as military surplus, could be a jeep axe. Historically longer and more of a typical axe pattern, they did come shorter.

Seeing that this is new stock, I would say it is probably a military all purpose axe.

. . .
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Seems likely, I doubt the Swiss Army mines a lot of coal. ;)
 
Sharpen to your liking. Use it. Make refinements, this size and weight combo make good car axes or canoes axes because they stow away easy and can be used in a smaller area but still work better then a hatchet.
 
Oversized eyes on these Europeans are consequence of their traditionally having to use ash to make the handles. Scoring replacement hafts (ie eye size dimensions) made in Canada/USA made from hickory might prove to be difficult unless you make your own.
 
I just picked up a 3.5lb Walters Jersey on a 28" handle thinking I would want to swap the handle but this thing is growing on me. I am going to soak the handle and remount the head- use it just as it is.

Looks like the big one is meant more for smashing than chopping- compromise between axe, sledge and maul.

Bill
 
I've done a bit more googling/research. It's a 'Swiss military reserve multipurpose axe' according to websites that have previously sold them in small amounts. Every online mention of them seems to think they are of swiss or german manufacture, but the big axe is completely unmarked so I can't say for sure.

The head weight is reported at 4lbs 11oz, 4+3/4 lbs, and 2200g on various listings. Overall length is 23". So pretty hefty and pretty short. I have a 1+3/4 axe this length, I have a 3lb boys axe that seems heavy, so this is bombproof to me.

Eye measures 2+7/8ths x 1+1/8th at the largest - and as 300 said, it is tough to find handles of that size locally and I don't really want to buy the rough stock to shape my own (besides that I have heavy heads on long hafts already so there isn't much point in rehanging this one)

It'd make a good truck axe for sure, but I no longer have a truck, my minivan and suv both have folding sven saws and hatchets in them already and since becoming a family man I haven't been in any situation where I've needed them.

I took a file to the axe last night since it comes with no edge whatsoever. I thought for a few passess that I had a very hard bit on my hands - then my file passed through the polyurathane finish that they whole head had been dipped in and bit into the metal. Still hard, but nothing exceptional based on my limited experience.

Headed out of town for the weekend, not sure when I'll get this chunk of steel into some wood.
 
300Six said:
Oversized eyes on these Europeans are consequence of their traditionally having to use ash to make the handles. Scoring replacement hafts (ie eye size dimensions) made in Canada/USA made from hickory might prove to be difficult unless you make your own.
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You can check Baileysonline.com for European replacement hafts made of ash, and designed for the odd eye sizes. Check the Oschsenkopf web site under knowledge/classification spare handles for specific eye to handle sizes. You may have to do some back and forth work to cross reference but they have quite a selection. I wrote it all down for future reference. [emoji41]
 
Bringing this back around to see if anyone has used one to any extent. I have found them at two sources for under $30 shipped and wondering if it's worth getting one.
 
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