Lets use those axes for what they were ment for.

Did some chopping a few weeks ago on the Laughing Lion trail in Evans Notch, White Mountain National Forest (NH). Used my newish Best Made Co. American felling axe (made by Council tool). These beasts were about 1.5' in diameter. Luckily I was able to drop one end and move the rest off the trail. Usually I have to make two cuts (one on each side of the trail).

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I'm surprised that you were able to complete the cut with such a narrow 'V'. Must be a good sharp axe.
 
Peg, I think how it dropped makes the cut look narrower than it was. I think I did bottom out on this a bit.
 
Someone caught this shot of me chopping this weekend. I'm using one of my TT Kelly Perfect Jerseys.





Operator - really like that BMC axe. A bit long for me with the 35" handle but it throws out nice chips.
 
A few weeks ago I had a large limb fall from a tulip poplar that I had to clean up. Used my Collins Legitimus to good effect. It was well over 100 degrees that day, miserable weather we have been having here. Gloves were a must to keep my hands from slipping due to all the sweat.

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Nice work, gentlemen! I especially liked the photos of the Legitimus and the 2-1/4 pounder.


We did a little axe work today on trail crew. Here's an image of my co-worker taking the kerfs of a log with a Pulaski.

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I had the opportunity to work with 3 lengths of axes side by side today. The 36" was a Council Tool 3-3/4 lb. Pulaski. At 32" I had an older 3 lb. Collins Homestead. The 28" was my vintage Collins 2-1/4 lb. boy's axe. The Pulaski is kept sharpened at a slightly thicker bevel than the others because it's mainly used in trail work. But it was still sharp and ding-free. The 2 Collins axes were both shaving sharp.

I found plenty of situations where each different axe performed the best. For plowing through the rotting wood at the top of the log I mostly used the Pulaski because of it's size and weight. As I got down into firmer wood the Homestead was most useful. But in some circumstances where footing dictated standing very close to the work I had to go to the 28". I preferred the 28" for some awkward uppercuts as well.

I also did a fair amount of light limbing and bucking today. That work went to the 2 smaller axes with the 32" Homestead showing itself to be the most efficient.


Another trailwork photo just for the fun of it. Grub hoes and McLeods were kept busy today.

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nickzdon said:
Splitting on the reverse with a Best Made Felling Axe, up in Voyageurs National Park. Stubborn red pine.

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A lot of folks think pine is easy wood to split. it is if its straight and knot free but that is rare with the stuff I get around here. The good stuff goes to lumber. Some of the best splitting stuff Ive found is straight grain maple, splits so well it makes me teary eyed. simply beautiful.
 
I've found pine, hemlock, and spruce (especially when old/dead) also hard to chop (buck). Surprisingly beech (when green) is nice to chop. Birch ain't bad either.
 
cooperhill said:
I've found pine, hemlock, and spruce (especially when old/dead) also hard to chop (buck). Surprisingly beech (when green) is nice to chop. Birch ain't bad either.
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Pretty much any green wood is nice to chop. anything that is dead and seasoned doesnt usually chip well. the exeption being wood that is on the ground and sucks up moisture. dead fall pine for example is much easier to chop than dead standing pine that is very dry.
 
G-pig said:
A lot of folks think pine is easy wood to split. it is if its straight and knot free but that is rare with the stuff I get around here. The good stuff goes to lumber. Some of the best splitting stuff Ive found is straight grain maple, splits so well it makes me teary eyed. simply beautiful.
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Yeah, this stuff was full of knots. it would have helped if the tree had been sectioned into smaller pieces. But the guy doing the bucking couldn't hear me over the roar of his chainsaw. Longer sections made his work go faster but made the stuff all but impossible to split. We'll see how it splits next year, I won't be back this summer.
 
Nice pics gentlemen :)
I'm with pegs, I really do like that legitimus jersey and the 2 1/4 lbder!
I'm going to get myself a nice vintage boys axe one of these days ;)
 
G-pig said:
Some of the best splitting stuff Ive found is straight grain maple, splits so well it makes me teary eyed. simply beautiful.
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Yeah, and maple burns hot and clean, too. Great stuff. Living in Maple Valley I see a lot of it.

But the easiest splitting stuff around here is the alder. I swear the mere sight of an axe is almost enough to split it. It burns clean but it's not as dense as maple so it produces less heat. Makes nice smoke for cooking salmon.

Pine varies trememdously by species. Our native (to Eastern Washington) Ponderosa pine splits pretty well. But that red pine is tough. Try the twist technique or work the edges with a 4 pound single bit.
 
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