Large Round-Eye IMACASA Axe

[FortyTwoBlades]

Got my hands on this 4-1/2lb "ojo redondo" (round eye) fellow and rasped down a hickory pick handle to fit. What a beast! Almost comical looking at the volume of wood in the eye compared to in the rest of the handle once thinned out. Had to take a LOT of wood off to get it there.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

Looks pretty cool.
Is it a good worker, too?

 

[catspa]

Nice work, man.

Parker

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Looks pretty cool.
Is it a good worker, too?

They're a simple design with certain drawbacks to them, but they're very well-suited to their intended context of use. Basically these excel at being hafted by finding any ol' sapling of appropriate size and jamming it in the eye as a suitable handle. The squat teardrop shape of the eye gives enough of a pinch to the wood that it prevents rolling in the hands. It's bit-heavy, but it basically has to be poll-less to get the proportional bit depth/width ratio it has (the depth being necessary to keep the thick eye from interfering with the cut) and having broad flats on the handle help minimize wobble in horizontal use. So they're a very good "low-tech" axe style in many respects.