In search of THE axe…

Old Axeman said:
For your everyday working axe my first choice would be a Jersey or a Connecticut head pattern, second choice a Kentucky, and third choice a Michigan or Dayton.
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Any particular objective reason behind that order? Or just personal preference?

I understand that the Jersey/Kentucky have ears / lugs (Ha! I found the term!), and purely from an aesthetic standpoint, I am not very fond of that shape.
Connecticut is the more "massive" (bigger/larger?) of the selection, correct? Shaped like a Dayton, with a somewhat flat top and a small curve at the bottom, but a size up?
Michigan seems to have a bit more flare, and more rounded corner. Does that add something? Or is it merely a design choice?

So in A A17 picture above, the red woodslasher would be a Michigan, and the one at the bottom a Dayton? Am I correct?

Generaly speaking, does the flare has a big influence on the "performance" / abilities of an axe?

Square_peg said:
Then grab a Velvi-cut and be done with it. They're a fine axe. From what I've seen they are the last mass-produced axe that still has good steel and convex cheeks. Those are the 2 traits you're for. Plus they come on nice handles. There's no other new axe that compares.
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Thank you for that. That sums up well the "state of the art", and clearly makes my decision easier, should I choose to buy new.
 
Jerseys and Connecticuts have wide bits that make it easier to to overlap your strikes in bucking work. But the wide bit may not penetrate as deeply into a hardwood. It's a give and take.

The rounded poll of the Michigan is more forgiving when you strike a felling wedge with the corner of the poll. The sharper cornered Dayton pattern will indent the wedge more. And I'm talking about wooden or modern plastic wedges. Metal wedges should never be struck with an axe unless the axe is designed for that work and has a hardened poll and a heavy eye.
 
binoclard said:
Hi,

First time poster here. My name is Olivier, I live in the french speaking part of Switzerland.

TL;DR: I used an axe for the first time this summer (not «really» the first time, but the first time I _really_ used one, if you see what I mean). And fell in love. That simple. And now I want to gift myself a big nice beautiful axe for my 40th birthday.
Let the name dropping begin. ^__^

A bit longer, with some context: My wife and I bought an old (~1800) small stone farm/cowshed, abandoned since 60 years, with no water nor electricity, with the plan to make it fit to live again.
We spent the summer camping up there, cleaning up «a little bit» before the renovation/construction process begins next spring, waking bushes with a billhook, mowing grass with a scythe, and processing firewood. It was amazing.
I bucked and split 4 diseased large trees (ash and beech), with a saw and a common hardware axe that I somewhat managed to sharpen, then a small-ish Fiskars splitting axe.
I loved it. The history and «mystique» of the tool, the simplicity, the efficience, the practice of an acquired skill, the pure beauty of a clean gesture and a perfect cut. I love the challenge, the practice, the mastery of the technique over the brute force. I found my zen. Duh… I don’t have to explain that, I am on an axe forum. :D

I had always felt some kind of «axe envy», but as I didn’t had the use for one, I never acquired one, keeping myself to knives and kitchen knives.
But now I need one, as we will heat the house and cook with firewood; and… as I am turning 40 at the end of december, I want to gift myself THE axe.
The really beautiful tool to that will join me on this journey, that I will marvel at every time I use it, and that I will care for till my old days.

I love nice and beautiful tools. Aesthetics and crafmanship is important for me. And I can be very picky over tiny details… I spent a year comparing and reading about japanese kitchen knives before buying my first one. I like to learn new things, reading, «window-shopping» and educate myself to make oriented choices.

So please, give me makers name, noob advices, drown me in models and shapes and patterns and types of axes, open my mind to possibilities, so that I could choose my Precious, with as much reason than heart.

What kind of model, what weight, lenght would be best? Knowing that I will mostly use it on ash and beech, with the occasional fir. And mostly for bucking, splitting, and a bit of limbing.

A «boy’s axe» with a nice wedge? The Velvicut one is nice and seems like a good candidate, but it doesn’t scream «special» for me.

What do I like?
I think I like the simple clean look of some old american axes patterns, where the head seems to be almost just a «rectangle» with a touch of an elegant curve seen from the side vs the roundish collar-thing of the Gränsfors & alike (the beautiful simplicity of a Main wedge? Dayton? Yankee? Connecticut?…). And I think that kind would be nicely suited for my needs, no?
I think I would prefer a somewhat straight-ish handle with subtile shapes.
I could almost see myself buying a Best Made (yeah, I know, overpriced hipster toy, blablabla. I don’t care, I like them.), but I fear they are on the heavy side for my use.
Basques seem great.
I _really_ like the look of Autine axes head; but the over-curved handle, not so much… and those prices. >__<
I also like the clean lines and appealing design of some more «rustic» poleless axes with a longer «beard» that I have seen.

I have started to look at vintage, but… I am not so sure I want to take this way for now (restoring, rehanging, etc.). And nicely restored vintages seems almost as expensive, with the gamble.

I am more and more toying with the idea of asking a quote to a local artisan, Serge Turberg, who appears to do great tools rooted in the tradition of the region, and I might end up doing just that, but I thought I have to broaden my horizons first, and educate myself and see as much as possible before I could make up my mind. Maybe for my 50 :p

Wow, that is quite a wall of text… Thanks in advance for your time and advices.
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B binoclard

I own the velvicut boys axe and it is an amazing axe its beauty is in its simplicity and feel. It is a great delimbing and splitting axe as long as your firewood is 15 inches max and mostly straight grain.. Also making sure if its a big round to start on the outside and work in and not trying to split it down the middle.


For heavy duty splitting i use a fiskars x27 because i havent found anything else that is as efficient. And i have a ton of vintage axes and alot of the boutique axes such as wetterlings hultafors and gransfors. Not sure if its been mentioned but bestmade axes are council tools velvicut axes. You just pay more for the box and rebranding.
 
The order is my personal preference. The lugs on any axe help with purchase between the head and the haft, they are not there for looks. The geometry is different on all the patterns I mentioned, therefore better suited to different tasks as well as to different human shapes and strengths. The haft length is related to human height and the task at hand. I have always found the Jersey fills these needs best for me. For a look at different American axe head patterns look at the back cover page of "An Ax To Grind". I think you need a 3 1/2 pound head for your needs.
 
You may find out that it's not THAT hard to swing after all (once you get used to it), and that gravity lends you some help if all you'll be using it for is splitting.

I don't picture you as some frail little guy, given that you're taking on such a big restoration task. Epic goals require epic tools, so better start looking for that 8 lbs splitting maul :D.
 
Thank you G Goose 7279 for your insights on the velvicut, and O Old Axeman for these precisions :thumbsup:

I'll go download An Axe to Grind, it will be my reading for tonight, and I'll surely come back tomorrow to pester you with another round of noob questions :D

Regarding haft length, I vaguely remember an advice I saw somewhere, mentioning the length "should" go from the ground to the middle of the palm. Is that a correct estimation?

M Moonw , Nah, I am a fairly regular dude, I'll rather work on my technique before buying that maul ^__^
 
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binoclard said:
Thank you G Goose 7279 for your insights on the velvicut, and O Old Axeman for these precisions :thumbsup:

I'll go download An Axe to Grind, it will be my reading for tonight, and I'll surely come back tomorrow to pester you with another round of noob questions :D

Regarding haft length, I vaguely remember an advice I saw somewhere, mentioning the length "should" go from the ground to the middle of the palm. Is that a correct estimation?

M Moonw , Nah, I am a fairly regular dude, I'll rather work on my technique before buying that maul ^__^
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More than a simple piece of trivia, since you're new: Old Axeman wrote "An Ax to Grind". You can also see the accompanying videos on Youtube as well.
 
Okay, so I am not saying I am completely sold on the idea of restoring myself a vintage axe as my first serious one, but the idea somewhat caught on… It seems like a pleasant viral hobby, and I could totally see myself in a few years with a dozen axes… :D

If I summarize, my options are:

- Commission Serge Turberg, a local artisan axe maker who seems to craft seriously nice and good tools.
I really love the idea, but I fear a bit it would be a "waste" for now, as I don't know exactly what I like, what to look for especially, and how to use an axe properly yet. I feel I should try a dozen shape, weight, different handles first, before eventually taking the custom route.

- "Grab a Velvi-cut and be done with it". © Square_peg :p

- Find an already well restored 3 1/2 - 4 pounds vintage head from a reputable brand in a pattern I like, on a beautiful 32" handle.

- Buy a nice head, and restore it myself from scratch. Haft carving looks awesome, and I will definitely take a shot at it.

So, can you recommend some reputable online stores that would sell already restored axes in good conditions? To "take a look" and see what I should be looking for?

@jblyttle do you have a website or eBay shop?

Other good online adresses I could look at?

Maybe a weird/stupid question, but how old is "vintage" enough, quality wise?
 
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I'll add yet another thing you could try. One of the Basque axes.

This is what a forum member had to say about them:

They surely do tickle my sense of aesthetics :).

These are slip-fit, have the high-centerline but lack the more substantial poll which is specific to (most) US-made axes. Of course, they come in all sizes.

@Ugaldie is the man to pick his brain about these ones.
 
Yes, there were in my initial prospect list and they have something very appealing indeed. I must have been side-tracked and have not taken the time to research them a bit more properly

Thank you for the link :thumbsup:

Edit: I just watched the "follow up video" where he splits rounds with a 2.5 kg head on a 29". Impressive. Technique and stamina of the user aside, it definitely looks like a great option.
 
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binoclard said:
Maybe a weird/stupid question, but how old is "vintage" enough, quality wise?
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It's a great question but not so easily answered. In general if an axe has convex cheeks it's old enough. And if it has a makers mark on it from US, Canada or Europe it's good enough. European makers used to make nice convex-cheeked axes. Gransfors shipped 1000's of them to the US in the 60's and 70's. They are equivalent to a Woodslasher - good general duty but not top shelf.
 
I'm just gonna throw this out there, I know people have different luck. I bought two 5160 Councils and both were/are too soft. I don't know what their QC is like now, but their heat treat has been known to be hit-or-miss. Now, I got burnt twice in a row which expels them from my book. I'm sure others here have never gotten a bad one. But I feel I'd be remiss not to share my own experience.
 
Fmont said:
I'm just gonna throw this out there, I know people have different luck. I bought two 5160 Councils and both were/are too soft. I don't know what their QC is like now, but their heat treat has been known to be hit-or-miss. Now, I got burnt twice in a row which expels them from my book. I'm sure others here have never gotten a bad one. But I feel I'd be remiss not to share my own experience.
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Thank you for that! I’m in need of a boys axe myself. I was honestly about to order something from them this evening, when I got home from work.

Would have been my first axe too. Would have been a shame to get started on that note.

So thank you!

And, I’m sorry about your experience. Hopefully you’re able to get reimbursed in some way.
 
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