Is the Axe outdated?

[Rotte]

Man, the axe may be the single most useful woods tool ever. In more tropical climates the machete maybe king, but in temperate or boreal forest I'll take an axe.

 

[hiwa]

Here in the boreal where I am , I would be caught dead in the bush without an axe (and knife.) My survival in the bush depends on an axe.
An axe has gotten me dry firewood faster than a knife, trees blocking my trail out faster/more efficient than a knife, and shelter built faster also.
Now, Rotte mentioned a machete in a Jungle environment. I've been there also quite a bit, and yes, there a machete is king ,and axe very seldom used except to fell large trees ( usually hardwood.) So this once again boils down to where you are and what you're gonna cut , and what does the better job for you. Is the axe outdated ? Never ! Just used more or less depending on the region and user.

 

[Tye Possum]

No axes aren't outdated. I think more people just need to learn to use an axe properly and choose the right axe for the work at hand.

Axes have heavy heads for a reason, you let the weight of the axe do the work on the down stroke like Tiiiiiiiim said. Try chopping down a decent sized tree with a tomahawk or other lighter chopping tool and you'll end up a lot more tired than if you had of used an axe (properly), that's because you have to swing harder with a lighter tool.

It does sound like your idea of the "Machax" is a kukri. I haven't used one myself but I'm guessing they don't chop as well as a full sized felling axe and they also require a baton to split wood with (right?) so they're really not as good as an axe for that kind of work (so it can't replace it entirely), but they work well for their size and weight and because a lot of people don't need to chop down trees for firewood and shelters a kukri works well enough for them where an axe would just be overkill.

For the people that do chop down trees for firewood and shelters the only other good energy efficient tool I can think of is a saw but saws aren't as durable as axes and what happens if you get your saw stuck in the tree that you're cutting down? You'll be needing an axe to chop it out.

 

[msiley]

I think the formula is wt * velocity^2 = force with whatever conversion appropriate divisor.

But axes rock. For $50 or less you can get a hatchet that will out chop the most expensive knife.

 

[Battle Creek Knives]

Instead of an axe I use:

26oz of love........

 

[grindonyou]

I agree it's a tool you can put in your box that can be used for alot of task but not all jobs . Not out dated at all .

 

[CoyotePhysics]

I think one of the critical design factors in a felling axe is chip formation. A thin light blade will bury itself deeply in a tree, but an axe head will take a chip out of the trunk exposing underlying wood, with the benefit of not having to pry the blade out.

We can see the evolution of axes by comparing American patterns to German or Scandinavian patterns. American heads are a bit more wedge-like stouter. Are American axes better? That probably depends on where you are chopping down trees, but if I had to fell a tree by hand my choice would be an axe over a large knife...ish...thing, (but if you want to design and build one I'd be happy to test it out.)

OK, soapbox time
In order to do work you need energy. Moving objects (like axe heads) have kinetic energy KE=(1/2)mass*velocity^2. The great thing about an axe is it is easy to give the head potential energy by raising it above the point you are targeting PE=height*g. g=gravitational acceleration (9.8 m/s^2 or 32.2 ft/s^2). BTW weight and mass are two different things, in order to convert pounds to mass you need to divide it by 32.2 ft/s^2 first. That gives you mass in slugs.

I'd write more, but I can hear you yawning from here.

 

[brians]

Try splitting 10 chord of rounds with your knife

 

[Chris Pierce]

I think a lot of people confuse "axe" with "hatchet" A Kukri is NOT a replacement for an axe. It IS a replacement for a hatchet.

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

I hope not!! I just finished the new handle on My Baby and she would be sad to find out that she is outdated. Big, bad and now beautiful. 10"/8# of sharp nasty business. Makes fuzz sticks like nobodies business, splits everything I've tied around here, and tires me out much less than any of the puny things you guys call axes- I take a quarter of the swings to get the job done. Maybe not the most portable but that is why I have other big little guys.

Not outdated for me:

My favorite (you tell her it's outdated!!!):

 

[dirtpig67]

If you head to the woods for any amount of time in the boreal forest here in AK, or over in Canada you had better have an ax. It is probably more of a mission critical item than a knife in my opinion in this environment.

 

[Cpl Punishment]

Here is what you are talking about:

And yes, IF you are only camping or hiking, it is just fine (can split without batoning also). But for real work, like building a cabin or something, an axe is a much better choice because it is a two-handed tool and will be much less fatiguing than a kukri. Even in Nepal, for making large structures and such, they have axes.

Axe > saw for sustainability. At some point you will not be able to sharpen the saw, or it will break. An axe will last much, much longer.

Sometimes it's the most appropriate tool, sometimes it isn't.

I also agree that you might not have enough experience using one. The primary work you do with one is lifting it to the starting position, and the impulse to get it started, teh mass of the head and gravity should be doing the lion's share of the work.

 

[Bill Siegle]

The ax is outdated and should be retired.........please send all your unneeded axes to me Until there are no trees, the axe rules! We can argue till the cows come home about what is needed for knives but no culture would dare go axeless even in modern society! What a great tool! No gas or oil to run out. No annoying engine noise or fumes. Not even the great Redwoods stand tall against a hand powered axe

 

[Gossman Knives]

Man, the axe may be the single most useful woods tool ever. In more tropical climates the machete maybe king, but in temperate or boreal forest I'll take an axe.

Damn straight. :thumbup: The axe in the northern or eastern hardwoods is the ultimate survival tool. Especially in the winter months. The axe will never die. I never hit the timber without one.
Scott

 

[22-rimfire]

I think a lot of people confuse "axe" with "hatchet" A Kukri is NOT a replacement for an axe. It IS a replacement for a hatchet.

I agree completely. There is no real substitue for a good axe (except a chain saw or cross cut saw) if you have to cut down a tree of any size. I don't see many hikers walking around with chain saws or big saws.

I want to get a good kukri. I have procrastinating a long time on that deal.

 

[Mr.Blade]

I have tried for years convince myself that a large chopper knife or khukuri is better than a axe. After several tests of axe versus khukuri versus large chopper knife, I am now an axe-man. Where I live, Sweden, the axe outperforms all other cuttingtools together with a 4 inch knife.

 

[nemoaz]

Lumberjacks use axes, not huge,expensive Rambo wannabe knives. Why? Because axes work better.

 

[akennedy73]

I think one of the critical design factors in a felling axe is chip formation. A thin light blade will bury itself deeply in a tree, but an axe head will take a chip out of the trunk exposing underlying wood, with the benefit of not having to pry the blade out.

exactly - this is why the toe and heel are left thicker in a properly sharpened axe

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/Fspubs/99232823/page15.htm

www.canteenshop.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/axemanual.pdf

 

[koyote]

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?

Okay, the really funny part about this is that the axe is probably man's first stone tool, not the knife. The big, huge, major, technological advance with the axe later being attaching it to a haft.


The axe is far from outdated, ridiculously useful, and far, far more efficient for real timbering and construction than any kuk, half inch thick 3 pound chopper, or even koyote bush beater.

Yeah, I prefer a folding Corona pruning saw and a batoned leuku for dealign with smaller firewood, but you are NOT going to see me wanting to cut down a 16 inch or 2 foot diameter tree with either. Or with a 10 inch knife of any sort. I want a 3.5 foot handle and a real felling bit!

I'm about to install a wood stove for the new house, and I won't be pussyfooting around prepping a cord of firewood, either. I don't have TIME for that.

I wont even get into fencing and housebuilding. I worked a timber frame job and without axes it would have been a nightmare!

 

[demoteamone]

BATON & CHOPPIN today It seems to have become the new standard for some reason whit a Knife, when a Axe do the job much better & fast.
Actually I find a knife outdated not the axe