Limbing axes

C

Chignecto Woodsman

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Aug 2, 2014
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What do you all know of limbing axes? I am interested in any literature on these axes, and your experience/choices. More specifically, I am in a mixed forest area (New England/Acadian forest) and primarily use the axe on softwoods and birch, although I will soon be working more with hardwoods.

I have a Gransfors felling axe, old local double-bits in 3-4 lb range, Gransfors Scandinavian Forest Axe, Walters Black Diamond forest axe, and a few others. I have been debating whether to use a swamping axe profile on one edge of the double-bits or to have a softwood and hardwood profile since the forest here switches extremely quickly between softwood, mixed, and hardwood. Also one of the axes I recently purchased was unused and the profiles seem to me suited for this hardwood/softwood use.

I have been really liking the Gransfors for delimbing purposes, but that may be because it is the axe I learned on. The edge may actually be a little thin however.

I would also be interested in your thoughts on the difference between limbing axes for softwood and hardwood. I'm currently working my way through "The Ax Book" but have not really found anything specific other than the angles for swamping axes.

Thanks
 
For limbing work the ultra-thin-bitted Euro axes tend to do a good job because they can one-hit pretty thick stuff.
 
A swamping pattern would be a very good choice. I gave one away a little while back to some tree trimmers that my neighbor hired to clear dead limbs over my power line. They also got a boys axe, the swamping pattern was on a 30" haft. It had a curved bit that might have been called a reversible. The curved bits were a little to extreme, you had to aware of your hand position when you slid up the haft, because it was possible to make contact with the off bit.

I personally like a 3lb axe on a 30" haft. Its capable of so much more than a boy's axe or a cruiser, 32" haft fits me pretty good also.

For strictly limbing I would agree with FortTwoBlades and look for thin bits.

Your concern over the GB's ability to handle the hard woods is very valid indeed, GB's hatchets may hold up to such abuse but the forces of an axe are much greater. I know this first hand. If you like your GB keep it away from the hard woods, exspecially in cold temperatures.

It sounds to me like you have a pretty good idea of what you need and enough common sense(thats not all that common these days) to know what you don't need. I suspect that you may all ready have a thin bitted vintage DBL bit that would serve you well with two different grinds. Order you a handle about the same size as your favorite and you might have a new favorite.

That was a great call on not ruining your GB on hard woods.
 
Alot of those swamping pattern axes were designed for just the type of work you are describeing. The swamping pattern got its name from swamping the area around the trees for the fellers to work. So they were used to clear the smaller trees out of the way, such as the yews that grew under the canopy of the old growth timber(atleast here in the Pacific northwest).
Many of them have thinner bits and are for sure not designed to fell big trees. They would be a very good choice for limbing.
 
Thank you for the replies.

It seems to me that spruce branches can be just as hard as hardwood, and given the number of branches it may be even harder on an axe. Although my experience with hardwood is primarily shelter-size birch.

Do you think a swamping axe is profiled similarly between types of wood? Or would the hardwood have a shorter convex (and perhaps thicker) profile at the edge? I don't really have a lot of axes, I just recently decided to get locally made axes to compare to Gransfors. This is one that I recently found and just started using this past week.

campbelsxxx.JPG


I'm really liking it so far. I think I prefer the narrow bit (although I should soon have a Spiller and E&S to compare it to). I am definitely not a fan of the GB double-bit for limbing work, the width of the bit - especially above the centreline - seems to be a hindrance for close work.

This axe is 3.8 lbs. Surprisingly heavy for its size. It is fairly thin but I don't think I want to use it for swamping since I likely won't find any more 1926 axes with the factory edge.

Something along the lines of this would work, but with much greater curve along the edge protecting the heel and toe?

Right now I am going out and taking down a few trees with my felling axe. Between searching for a good tree, cleaning up any hazards and an escape route, and then falling the tree it seems fairly equal in time to going in another day and limbing and bucking. If I am reading you correctly on the two edges for the swamper this would mean a hardwood and softwood edge? Seems like a good way of setting everything up.

Also, relative to the GB Scandinavian would you just make the edge angle a little more steep for a hardwood swamping pattern? Or should it be a little thicker along the bit as well?
 
That Campbells is a very nice axe! I think an axe in that pattern but 2 1/2 to three pounds would be perfect for limbing for me.
 
Here in the North Woods of Wisconsin and the U.P. Michigan, you are most likely to find a 28" boys axe used for limbing.

Tom
 
Double Ott said:
Here in the North Woods of Wisconsin and the U.P. Michigan, you are most likely to find a 28" boys axe used for limbing.

Tom
Click to expand...

Is this traditional? I know I use the poll a fair bit to limb standing trees. Saves the edge some. I definitely want to try a 28", I think 31" may be a little long for strict limbing work for me. I am tall but the 24" or whatever the Gransfors is feels really nice for limbing, but I guess you never know until you try them all.

And just when you think ten axes is enough...
 
Chignecto Woodsman said:
Is this traditional? I know I use the poll a fair bit to limb standing trees. Saves the edge some. I definitely want to try a 28", I think 31" may be a little long for strict limbing work for me. I am tall but the 24" or whatever the Gransfors is feels really nice for limbing, but I guess you never know until you try them all.

And just when you think ten axes is enough...
Click to expand...

The poll of a boys axe also makes for a nice sounding axe. Light enough to swing, heavy enough to give a solid thump.

Tom

EDIT: I forgot to mention that many also consider a boys axe just right for driving wedges.
 
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