Is the Axe outdated?

Moosez45

Moosez45

Custom Antlers, Factory Knives...
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I've been reading some of the more recent posts, and I thought I would ask the question "Why do we need axes?". (Puts on flame suit) Ok, ready to go now. I mean, when we (humans) began our evolution, we started with rocks, bashing them into things, breaking things, etc. When we found the knife (I consider the first tool man ever had), we began to cut things, first with stone, then bronze, iron, steel, OU812 super steel, and so on. We changed our perspective on how our edged toys should behave. Heavy sharp objects became axes, small light sharp objects became knives, long sharp objects became swords,blah,blah, blah. You get the point. So here it is:

Is the design of the Axe outdated?

Heavy sharp cuts deep, but requires more energy to swing. Its basic physics, weight + velocity= force/impact. Basic I know. So the harder we swing an axe, the faster it goes, the deeper the blade bites. The fatigue factor is great on an axe, it wears you down faster than something lighter would, in order to keep that deep bite going. So you build muscle, and endurance, you become lumberjack.

Would a lighter, better design work as good?

Physics says weight+velocity=impact, but what about resistance? Not so basic anymore. The thick wedge design fights against the blade as it drives in on an axe. More resistance and more force being driven at a wider angle as the steel splits the wood, slows it down. Now how about a thinner blade with less surface area, less angle, lighter so high speeds can be achieved and maintained longer, bite is as deep or deeper than an axe head. Enter the machete. Biggest problem? The axe head is designed to take the abuse with sheer volume, big and heavy. Machete, lighter and thinner, lacks the toughness of the axe head and wears out faster.

What about a new design, a hybrid, what would we call it? How about Machax? (Sorry, I'm a Beckerhead). Seriously, a forward weighted, angled blade, with a thicker profile than a machete, not as thick as an axe, long enough to give you leverage and mechanical advantage, should be better at chopping than either, or worse than both?

With all of our advances in engineering and metallurgy, such a tool can be realized easily. This tool is not meant for the professional logger, no, they use motor powered saws, and huge vehicles now. Lumberjacks walk into the woods now with chainsaws over their shoulders, not axes. This tool is for the outdoorsman/women. Not the ones felling MASSIVE trees for paper and IKEA furniture, but chopping wood for the fire, making things and clearing our way.

There have certainly been advancements made to change the axe head design, wider blades, differencial treating, different angles and so on. Chainsaws require fuel, so do axes and so do machetes, and so would this new wonder tool (Machax, YEA!), but we may get better mileage on some more than others.

I posted this in an effort to spark an interesting discussion, not a flame war or arguement. Also, I was bored and thinking, never a good thing, lol. SO, whats your thoughts on this matter. Moose
 
It's true that an axe is an inappropriate tool for most areas. A lot of places you can get by with just a knife or a machete, and probably even outperform an axe with them depending on the local foliage.

However, try camping out in the far north without an axe. Up here we have nothing but thick, old forest stuffed full of very hard, tough wood. Not only that, but it's perpetually soaked by rain, amplifying the need for waterproof shelter and fire even more. Without an axe you'll have a hard time getting either of those. So up here, an axe really is a necessary tool for any kind of long term stay in the woods. On the short term, a good saw is the only alternative that comes to mind, but even then a saw lacks the versatility and durability of an axe. The weight and thickness of the axehead is required to chop into the thick wood up here. The design is far from outdated.
 
No, not at all.

knives
chopper
machetes
tomahawks
hatchets
saws
chisels
axes
etc
etc

all have their place
 
The advantage of the heavy head is that you let it do the work on the down stroke. If you had a lighter head you would have to put more effort throwing the axe down and probably nullify any energy you saved on the up stroke.


tatteredmidnight said:
isn't a Kukri exactly what you just described?
-- Adam
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Sounds like what he's describing.
 
ac1d0v3r1d3 said:
Sounds like you need to go out and buy an axe and use it some.
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Lol, I have some, and I use them every winter, I heat with a wood burning stove. Good call. Thanks. Moose

you don't need a flame suit moosez, you just need some experience in the woods.
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I get out when I can, its tough sometimes to break away and just go. But I agree with you, don't we all? :D Moose
 
eventually, as you hang out afield, and try this, and then that, you will find what works best for you my friend.
There is no set answer, no 'one size fits all', when it comes to gear. ;)
 
Perhaps your question should have been: "Are all axes outdated" in your question, though I disagree with the basic premise and there is an absolutely head-spinning array of axe types. Axes are often very specialized in their intended use; the type of action being performed, the type of wood being chopped, etc. There are felling axes, splitting axes, axes specialized for limbing, general purpose outdoors "woodsmans" axes and much more specialized axes that are biased to one side with a single bevel and an offset haft for hewing. I'll ignore for the moment axes designed as weapons, though the blades are often far lighter and thinner than their wood chopping brethren. I'd also point out that an axe remains one of the single best tools for firefighting, with further specialization for fighting brush fires vs. structure fires (presence of a mattock blade on one side, etc).

I've watched Scandinavian-style log cabins being constructed using the traditional methods, all with various sized axes of one kind or another, not a saw to be seen. Those were also amongst the sharpest axes I've ever grazed a finger on.

Splitting axes are heavyweights, so are mauls. You will get a workout, especially if the wood isn't thoroughly dry. How you store the wood will determine if it's going to be vigorous or an ordeal. Nothing hurts like splitting a metric ton of hard wood while still green with a dull splitting axe!

Get the wood THOROUGHLY dry in the sun, well raised off the ground on a platform so that air can circulate around it and the wood cannot wick moisture from the ground. Keeping it half covered, as so often is the case, sitting on bare cement is among the worst ways of keeping the wood dry.

If the rounds are particularly large, set a wedge with a sledge or the back of a maul. Very large, fibrous rounds can be back breaking without a wedge, ideally a round should cleave into two roughly equal parts in one smart smack from a splitting axe, not always practical with very large rounds.

Stick with smaller rounds that you can tackle with a splitting axe using a 2.5 pound head or so and the aforementioned well dried wood. You can probably go though a decent heap without really noticing. A well made axe might only need to be re-sharpened every few months if heavily used, really good axes can go years between sharpenings and need only a bit of mineral oil soaked ragging after use to clean them up.

Cheers,

-E
 
Is the Axe outdated? No
but you can consider other tools,bilhook,woodsman pal...kukri as mentioned before
 
Oh Moose, you are truly an evil man! Outdated? Blasphemy! Oh Brother, Brother, Brother, where art thou? I want you to send me all of your axes, hatchets, double bits, hawks, hatchets, smatchets, cruisers, spltting mauls, canoe axes, RMJ tacticals, and whatever else you have in your closet.

Just foolin with you, Nope they are still a viable tool.
 
It's good to ask such questions - if no one asks, the design will never improve. For myself the question of axe vs machete is one of time spent on location. If you are going to be some place for a while, you'll want to build a more substantial shelter (log cabin, maybe) and split a good store of firewood. For this, you need an axe.

On the other hand, if you are on the move then a tent or other temporary shelter is probably adequate, and the firewood you can scrounge in the area will be sufficient. Here, I would go for a machete (a Kukhri, in fact), which is sufficient for a variety of tasks and would fit well into the kit of a traveler.
 
I have several knives I am comfortable batonning. I've got an MMHW DV8 which is basically a perfect chopper, IMHO, that comes with me on every outing. I also have a folding saw that comes out for longer excursions and takes care of thicker stuff. Despite all that, I just ordered one of these:
ES-44A.jpg


The DV8 will work for anything short of felling large trees but I'd still rather an axe.
 
moosez45 said:
Lol, I have some, and I use them every winter, I heat with a wood burning stove. Good call. Thanks. Moose
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Interesting. Which one tool can you use to fell, split, buck and limb besides an axe?
I don't understand how the axe could ever become out of date. Maybe when we develop light sabers?
 
ac1d0v3r1d3 said:
Interesting. Which one tool can you use to fell, split, buck and limb besides an axe?
I don't understand how the axe could ever become out of date. Maybe when we develop light sabers?
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A kukri (as described in the OP) I'd think. That doesn't mean that the axe is outdated but a kukri is certainly easier lug around in the bush.
 
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