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Long knife vs Axe vs Hatchet vs Machete vs compact shovel
- Thread starter OmegaA
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I'd have to go for the long knife unless I were planning on building a log cabin.
Cliff Stamp
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In the summer a long blade, not machete, but golok or similar patter is much more versatile than an axe. The blade will readily cut small sapling, split with a baton if necessary and is much more effective than the axe in gathering boughs and lighter vegetation.
An axe will work better on thicker woods, but it takes a fair size to really slow done a long blade (4"-8"+ depending on type) and there is little need to cut that size wood for shelter, burning or general construction and in general it isn't efficient to do so and felling large wood is fairly problematic and dangerous.
In the winter when the wood is colder it gets harder to cut, and often needs to be split many times to be able to burn and thus an axe can be far more productive, and will also cut through thick ice far easier than a bolo style blade.
Larger axes are also very problematic to use one handed which is something to consider from a dependance point of view. If you get injured, especially with your dominant hand it can be near useless.
Many of the comparisons between axes and long blades are lopsided because often they are based on quality axes vs tactical fixed blades which are not actually intended to cut woods well. A more even comparison is to use log blades profiled like various HI khukuris, ABS bowies and Valiant goloks, all of which cut woods very well.
-Cliff
An axe will work better on thicker woods, but it takes a fair size to really slow done a long blade (4"-8"+ depending on type) and there is little need to cut that size wood for shelter, burning or general construction and in general it isn't efficient to do so and felling large wood is fairly problematic and dangerous.
In the winter when the wood is colder it gets harder to cut, and often needs to be split many times to be able to burn and thus an axe can be far more productive, and will also cut through thick ice far easier than a bolo style blade.
Larger axes are also very problematic to use one handed which is something to consider from a dependance point of view. If you get injured, especially with your dominant hand it can be near useless.
Many of the comparisons between axes and long blades are lopsided because often they are based on quality axes vs tactical fixed blades which are not actually intended to cut woods well. A more even comparison is to use log blades profiled like various HI khukuris, ABS bowies and Valiant goloks, all of which cut woods very well.
-Cliff
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- Nov 7, 1999
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- 6,651
Hey Guys..
Cliff makes alot of sense on this ....
Never thought about an injury and still having to use an axe...
That would suck....
Having a fairly serious hand injury a year or so ago.. It changes Everything you do,,holding anything is nearly impossible,,let alone using a tool..
Luckily it was my off hand,, however a hand that I use for work extensively...
Good points
Eric...
Cliff makes alot of sense on this ....
Never thought about an injury and still having to use an axe...
That would suck....
Having a fairly serious hand injury a year or so ago.. It changes Everything you do,,holding anything is nearly impossible,,let alone using a tool..
Luckily it was my off hand,, however a hand that I use for work extensively...
Good points
Eric...
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longbow50 said:What I like about the Swedish and Swiss, is that I can get $50.00 worth of gear and feel I got a heck of a deal on it.
Great trio there. Those 3 items cover all the bases nicely. I carry some variation on that for most of my outings.
Codger_64
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An ax can be found in an amazing number of sizes and styles, and is pretty versitile. Have you looked at the Woodsman's Pal? It is a combo tool that has been made since 1941, and that alone says something about it's utility. They are still made in Pennsylvania, and the quality is excellent. They weigh about 23 ounces, 17" long (a shorter 14" version is available, as is a longer version), and sell for around $50. You can view them at knifecenter.com .
Codger
Codger
Cliff Stamp
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Normark said:
It is one of the many differences between camping and a survival situation. When you are camping and you get injured you just go home, if you can't then you better be able to make due. This is why the largest axe I would carry for such a situation would be something like the small forest axe from GB.
Note it also isn't just axe specific, but consider various saws, many of the pocket saws for example are very awkward with one hand compared to a folding saw which can easily be used one handed. When you consider injuries to the fingers or hand, it makes a big difference to ergonomics, security and ease of opening/closing.
-Cliff
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Longbow50,
Great photo, pretty much answers the question directly.
At last count I had seven machete's and one hatchet that I actually found at an old campsite in PA.
Here in south america an axe is pretty much useless becuase you have to have a machete to get to the place you would use the axe. You also have to have a machete to clear room to swing the axe and half the time the machete itself can do the job of the axe. For big cutting jobs on large trees axes are used here but for everything else its the machete. Mac
Great photo, pretty much answers the question directly.
At last count I had seven machete's and one hatchet that I actually found at an old campsite in PA.
Here in south america an axe is pretty much useless becuase you have to have a machete to get to the place you would use the axe. You also have to have a machete to clear room to swing the axe and half the time the machete itself can do the job of the axe. For big cutting jobs on large trees axes are used here but for everything else its the machete. Mac
When backpaking (Ultra light) I carry medium sheath knife (or heavy folder) and a pocket folder. Not wanting to deal with the weight of a hatchet let alone an ax.
When heavy back packing I carry a light weight saw (Svensaw) and the above knives, again I am weight consious. (I used to carry a 12" machete but it was more inconvenient than its weight is worth (for me).)
Permantly resident (and regularly used) in the Jeep are; a svensaw, a shovel, a small pick mattock (never needed an ax, heavy knife or machete after more than 15 years of fourwheeling and Jeep camping).
I guess that I have never needed a ax or hatchet in the woods (although I have carried (and used) a splitting maul Jeep camping, and carried a hatchet for a while (but never had a use for it)).
Maybe it just me but I really see no need to carry an ax.
Just my $.02.
Enjoy!
When heavy back packing I carry a light weight saw (Svensaw) and the above knives, again I am weight consious. (I used to carry a 12" machete but it was more inconvenient than its weight is worth (for me).)
Permantly resident (and regularly used) in the Jeep are; a svensaw, a shovel, a small pick mattock (never needed an ax, heavy knife or machete after more than 15 years of fourwheeling and Jeep camping).
I guess that I have never needed a ax or hatchet in the woods (although I have carried (and used) a splitting maul Jeep camping, and carried a hatchet for a while (but never had a use for it)).
Maybe it just me but I really see no need to carry an ax.
Just my $.02.
Enjoy!
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The most universal in USA and Europe? Too much climate variation there. Finland isn't Arizona and Arizona isn't Florida.
For most people, who get stranded near their cars, a small shovel would come in extremely handy. It's lousy at gathering boughs or cutting wood, but it digs out tires in snow or mud better than the best axe. The Vietnam era army e-tools rule that roost for me rather than the cold steel soviet copies. My cold steel shovel just doesn't do much well.
Like Happy Joe, I'm movement oriented (pun intended) rather than build oriented on most survivial issues, so I don't need an axe or a hatchet much. If I was going to be stuck in one place though, I'd want the axe to help build semi-permanent shelters.
Take Care,
Jeff
For most people, who get stranded near their cars, a small shovel would come in extremely handy. It's lousy at gathering boughs or cutting wood, but it digs out tires in snow or mud better than the best axe. The Vietnam era army e-tools rule that roost for me rather than the cold steel soviet copies. My cold steel shovel just doesn't do much well.
Like Happy Joe, I'm movement oriented (pun intended) rather than build oriented on most survivial issues, so I don't need an axe or a hatchet much. If I was going to be stuck in one place though, I'd want the axe to help build semi-permanent shelters.
Take Care,
Jeff
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Never used, do not know anything about it, but here is a direct link:
http://www.woodmanspal.com/
http://www.woodmanspal.com/
Cliff Stamp
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There was a passaround on the Pal, the performance is very low, no primary grind, edge way too thick for wood work.
-Cliff
-Cliff
