Need some advise....just got off the phone...Little problem?

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d.weglarz13

Joined
Jun 4, 2008
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Hey guys. I just called Bens, and again no answer, so I probably can't order from him if I want it in time.....BUT, I also called Highland wood worker, and the guy there said that the GB American felling axe is just very big, and designed only really for felling...he said that it's really no good for limbing or anything other than big chopping....this really hurts, because I was gonna order it, so please guys, tell me one last time how you feel about this. I will get the Scandinavian if I must, but being able to chop up fallen dead trees into sections, and then a bit smaller for the fire is why I'm getting an axe, so please try to help my dilemma...he also said it was mostly in design o the head that makes it bad for anything else, and not necessarily the length.... What Weight axe head would you guys consider too heavy to carry all day in the woods while hiking, let's say with a light pack on your back or sometimes no pack, mostly carrying the axe in your hands to clear trails, etc?
Would you say a 3 or 3.5lb head is a bit too much for anything less than serious chopping? I ask because a lot of you guys swear by the 2.25 boys axe, and was wondering if that's about the personal limit for carrying all day. The GB American axe says 3, but someone said its really like 3.3 lbs, so I'm wondering if that's too large for primarily a firewood splitting, limbing, and a bit of felling.

Thanks, it's always great to hear others thoughts....


Dave
 
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I would go with a lighter axe for what your intended use is. I use an older boys axe and it works for me.
 
Go get the council tool boys axe and put an edge on it, its 28in and the head profile is excellent for all around work and it's less than half the price of any GB axe
 
The AFA is a good all around axe. At 3.5#s, I wouldn't call it very big. It's one of my favorite axes.
 
If you want to chop trees and not spend forever doing it, a 3.5lb felling axe is what you want. It's just way, way faster than anything else. Where I do forestry, we often need to do 20 or so trees, 14" diameter and 100 feet tall in a day. If you bring a hatchet, those trees will giggle at you. I carry a felling axe all day...wouldn't take it backpacking, but that's a different story. The same goes for limbing -- a SFA will work, but a felling axe works better...the extra weight cleaves through easier (believe me...working on jack pine and spruce 100' tall you get a lot of practice limbing). Carry something smaller if you're hiking a long way and don't have much work to do.
 
ive bucked oodles of trees with a two pound axe around 26". It will be fine. A lighter axe will be easier to control for you starting out. Personally do not agree with mr. highland phone guy, 31" and 3 pound is a fine combo for all around use, but perhaps not for you starting out. I doubt he swings an axe much, probably just read on the web (why you need to pick your axe and get some wood cut!). the head is based off a vintage new england sample, so Im pretty confident that it is quite well designed.
 
You really can't go wrong with any of the recommended axes. At this point, you should just pick one and see what you think. Most likely, you will want to pick up some other axes down the line.

The Scandinavian Forest axe is a good all-arounder, as is the Boy's axe.
 
d.weglarz13 said:
I ask because a lot of you guys swear by the 2.25 boys axe, and was wondering if that's about the personal limit for carrying all day. The GB American axe says 3, but someone said its really like 3.3 lbs, so I'm wondering if that's too large for primarily a firewood splitting, limbing, and a bit of felling.

Thanks, it's always great to hear others thoughts....


Dave
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Why don't you give us a better idea of what you're going to use the axe for...are you hiking in? Backpacking in? Are you using it for firewood or for bucking big trees?

From your initial post I got the sense that you wanted to take trees (not saplings), make them into logs, and take the limbs off. If this is the case, then I would Not recommend anything less that 3lbs. If you really can't get a GB AFA, then why not pick up a vintage felling axe or a comparable axe from Wetterlings, Velvicut, Council? I've done a lot of felling, bucking, and work with hand tools on trees...While a 2.25lb boy's axe is fine for having around a campfire, you're needlessly doubling your work time if you bring a small axe to do lots of bucking and stuff.
 
Wow thank you all for the replies. I will be hiking about only an hour or two, so that's not bad. And yes, one main use is for firewood, but bucking trees around 12" is something that I will be doing also. Most of the wood available by me is fallen large dead trees. But, in bens backwoods video, he says the AFA is the largest bush axe to have, so I was thinking that as everyone says bigger is better, but I can tell you that the 34" 3.5 pound piece of crap axe with fiberglass handle I picked up at home depot is just too much heft for me to lug around
Okay, let me put it like this: I want an axe that will really impress me chopping wise, a lot better than my gerber, but I don't want something so heavy that I have to power swing over my shoulder every time. Of course a big swing is needed for heavier cuts, but I still want to be able to use for more controlled swing for lighter 2-3" saplings too. So, best chopper without me feeling like I've been swinging a sledge all day at work. I hope that explains it a bit better.
 
Okay, thanks. I wish there was something in the middle of a AFA and sfa. I really live the looks of the gb axes.??plus, money has nothing to do with it... And thanks again for the help
 
d.weglarz13 said:
Okay, thanks. I wish there was something in the middle of a AFA and sfa. I really live the looks of the gb axes.??plus, money has nothing to do with it... And thanks again for the help
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Council boys axe is that in between axe. a quarter pound heavier and 2" will add a lot. GB is designed to sell to rich-ish prepsters, toolies and hippies. They are genius marketers, ill tell ya. if you look at a gransfors from the 90s or something and youll see an axe that looks quite a bit like a council. So its not like your buying into swedish tradition or something as theyd have believe.
 
OK -- if 3.5 lbs feels too much and you don't want to have to "powerstroke" your swings, then I agree that a Boy's Axe would be right for you. I have an axe this size with a 28" handle. It's not the workhorse that my 3.5lb and 4.5lb felling axes are -- it certainly takes a fair bit longer to knock down/buck a 12" dia tree with one. However, it's light enough that I can use it one-handed (not recommended) -- it's lighter to carry and will probably do all you want.

One last thing to keep in mind though, is that if you are really going into the bush and felling/bucking, a full size axe with a full size handle keeps the bit further away from your legs/feet -- safer IMHO.
 
That guy at Highland woodworking doesn't know what he is talking about.

The AFA is an excellent axe with fantastic geometry. At 3# it is a great all rounder, it will limb etc. Just fine. If it is what you want go for it. Especially if your going to be cutting larger wood.

Myself, for crosscutting what your speaking of I'd use my CT boys axe, and a 36" bowsaw. The bowsaw adds very little weight to your load and makes bucking wood to length a breeze.

Work smarter not harder.
 
d.weglarz13 said:
Wow thank you all for the replies. I will be hiking about only an hour or two, so that's not bad. And yes, one main use is for firewood, but bucking trees around 12" is something that I will be doing also. Most of the wood available by me is fallen large dead trees. But, in bens backwoods video, he says the AFA is the largest bush axe to have, so I was thinking that as everyone says bigger is better, but I can tell you that the 34" 3.5 pound piece of crap axe with fiberglass handle I picked up at home depot is just too much heft for me to lug around
Okay, let me put it like this: I want an axe that will really impress me chopping wise, a lot better than my gerber, but I don't want something so heavy that I have to power swing over my shoulder every time. Of course a big swing is needed for heavier cuts, but I still want to be able to use for more controlled swing for lighter 2-3" saplings too. So, best chopper without me feeling like I've been swinging a sledge all day at work. I hope that explains it a bit better.
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I know it's not as romantic as an axe but from what your prerequisites are, how about a 36" bow saw?

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/36-Bow-Saw-by-BAHCO-Includes-Two-Blades/productinfo/512-915/

I've cut down a lot of trees with a boy's axe. I've cut down many more with a saw. Much rather have a saw for dead wood.

That's my $0.02. :)
 
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