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KLAX have you guys seen this?!

Looks to be a survival tool-type of novelty. A forum member showed us a much earlier version (1940's) of something like this called a 'flotaxe'. Handle was built in and tool was made of aluminum/titanium and required sand for ballast. The Klax blade itself would fit in a backpack no problem but adapting it to a branch handle seems like too much work in the event of an emergency. But hey, if you like it and it seems to be of some use, go for it.
 
It depends on the price. I have a combination ax/hammer/nail puller/crow bar that I use in tight places to split kindling. It cost a couple of dollars thirty some years ago.
 
I suppose as something as a "last ditch" type tool, but other than that, seems gimmicky. You can see the head wobble when he chops into the wood with it and the "features" that are built in......bottle opener....ruler? Please.
 
Seems gimmicky as stated above. The features are near useless and the actual ax usage is comprised for what? Those half useful and seldom needed features?
 
Looks like it will break the threaded rod portion of the clamping mechanism.
It is going to place a lot of impact force on those threads, and not distribute the impulse energy over a larger area like a conventional axe does.
Seems like a cure in need of a disease, in that if you truly value the utility of an axe or a hatchet you will make room in your pack and develop the strength to carry one around. Otherwise, learn to do without.
 
robot37 said:
Looks like it will break the threaded rod portion of the clamping mechanism.
It is going to place a lot of impact force on those threads, and not distribute the impulse energy over a larger area like a conventional axe does.
Seems like a cure in need of a disease, in that if you truly value the utility of an axe or a hatchet you will make room in your pack and develop the strength to carry one around. Otherwise, learn to do without.
Click to expand...

I'd love to have one to play with but that's just the thought I had. Both the clamping mechanism and whatever branch you found to use are potential weak spots. If I could clamp it to a readily available handle material, say maple, and it survived making firewood and shelter poles for a few days without stopping to make a new handle every few hours then I would say it's a success. Just like with the flotaxe mentioned earlier though this is something that would be better than a "real" hatchet only in a very specific situation where you might need an axe and could only allow the weight of one of these minus the handle AND you knew that there would be handle material available AND you could cut a branch and carve out a handle that would fit (which looks like it requires a sawn slot) with whatever knife you felt was light enough to bring along on your ultralight trip.


edit: after watching the video I see that you're meant to just put a split in one end of a branch and you don't need to saw it to make a slot.
 
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Looking through the FAQ there was a section of what it is for and not for:

"The KLAX is not the tool for you if any of the following applies...
- I want to build a log cabin in the woods
- I want to cut up a chord of firewood
- I want to split logs full of knots
- I want to do any job that you would normally use a full sized ax instead of a hatchet

If you have the ability and/or means to carry along full sized dedicated tools with you on the road or in the woods, then you should do that instead as those tools will better serve you if you run into trouble,

But, if you can't carry all that or you want to be ready to tackle unexpected problems even when you can't take your big tools, then you should consider a KLAX.

The KLAX is designed to be a short term solution to many of the problems that you could face either planned or unexpected. It will help you to get through situations where carrying a full set of dedicated tools is just not possible or realistic. Here are a few examples...
- stuck on the roadside in the backwoods and need to build a lean-to for shelter
- injured hiker needs an impromptu travois (stretcher) to be carried to safety
- hiking and need enough wood for a small cooking fire
- hunting and want to make small game traps
- forgot the hammer and need to pound in the tent pegs
- starting the split on a small log without many knots
- need to dig a hole (let's see your multi-tool do that)

Bottom Line: If you think it is trying to replace your full-sized dedicated tools for everyday use, you won't be happy with the KLAX."
 
I am guessing that there is a market for them. But, the price point for a stamped ax shaped object which is an apprentice of some trades, will need to be in the <$20 range for me to consider it. My very useful hatchet/hammer/pry bar sells for <$10 these days.
 
Bo T said:
I am guessing that there is a market for them. But, the price point for a stamped ax shaped object which is an apprentice of some trades, will need to be in the <$20 range for me to consider it. My very useful hatchet/hammer/pry bar sells for <$10 these days.
Click to expand...

I guess this is why China has made considerable inroads in shaping shopper attitudes over the past 20 years. Never bothered me to spend $40 on a made in n. America tool (20 years ago when they were still available) but very few else bought into this philosophy and the once proud USA/Canadian companies have since been forced to move their facilities offshore in order to better compete with the $20 junk. And in doing so degenerated into offering second and third class tools themselves in order to aspire to achieving that now-new magic '$10 goody'.
 
300Six said:
I guess this is why China has made considerable inroads in shaping shopper attitudes over the past 20 years. Never bothered me to spend $40 on a made in n. America tool (20 years ago when they were still available) but very few else bought into this philosophy and the once proud USA/Canadian companies have since been forced to move their facilities offshore in order to better compete with the $20 junk. And in doing so degenerated into offering second and third class tools themselves in order to aspire to achieving that now-new magic '$10 goody'.
Click to expand...

The guy also mentions this in the FAQ:

"The KLAX will be made in China if we can fund. I made my prototypes in the US and got pricing for larger quantities before getting really discouraged. The price to manufacture them in the US was over four times the cost in China. The final price would have been too high for people to afford them."
 
Alocksly said:
The price to manufacture them in the US was over four times the cost in China. The final price would have been too high for people to afford them."
Click to expand...
I rest my case. But how many folks out there squeak on car repairs, consumer goods and everything and then gladly fork over outrageous coins just to have a 'state of the art' golf club, hunting rifle, fishing reel or wrist watch?
 
I saw this at Bladeshow 2014 and it does sound like an interesting concept, although a bit gimmicky. I am not sure about the price point and I do question in long-term durability under professional use such as logging or wilderness sar. We will see if he can get this off the ground and only time will tell.
 
Looks like he might reach his "stretch" goal of 50k on Kickstarter which ,if I read it correctly, basically gets you a full "axe"

With handle, sheath and lanyard? Looks like a nice guy and it's an interesting idea but I don't see a bright and shiny future

for such a gizmo. For the right price,it might not be bad to have in you cars emergency kit.
 
Although I believe he will make some sales. There are tons of people out there that will buy gadgets like this.
 
Like it says, the tool is not designed to replace full-sized single-use tools. It isn't logical or fair to compare the two. You don't compare your Leatherman multi-tool to a box of single use tools and say you would never carry "The Wave" because it isn't as good as all the dedicated tools that it can replace.

The Leatherman Skeletool concept was considered Gimmicky too at one point, but how many has it sold to date? I'm a gadget person and have bought lots of "gimmicky" things before and sometimes I end up carrying them around all the time. It comes down to preference and whether or not you can afford the thing that you are hoping to buy.

On the China question, they are starting to make better stuff and have been improving significantly over the last ten years (I've been monitoring it) with the exception of the "knock offs" which have not gotten much better. If the cost for the Lumberjack version is $160 and you decided that you want the utility that it offers, would you just as easily pay the $640 instead to get it if it was made in the US? Some would, some would not, some are not even able. For the average person living from paycheck to paycheck, they cannot afford that. I love knives but I would not be able to afford a $500 knife any time soon. So I would not be able to get this one at $640 simply because of the price. I wish I could afford to buy all US products, but I'll guarantee everyone here has stuff in their house that was made in China (maybe not knives, but something). Rhetorically speaking, if you do, then is that hypocritical? Besides, if someone is on kickstarter, then they probably don't have $100K sitting around to pay to have the tools made in the US. My thought is that if someone has the ambition but not the capital do a project like this, they either have to sell out part of it to an investor to see their dream come true or they have to wait for years until they can afford to do it the old fashioned way.

Just my two cents....
 
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