Need tips

[Old Painless]

Hey guys, I know nothing about axes.
Where I live now I get a ton of debris in my yard from dead trees from surrounding properties. Some limbs are small but most are too big to just break over my knee and bundle neatly. I have to bundle it all so I can put it out for pick up or save for my own backyard firepit.

Some questions for ya'll:
1. How do I make quick work of this stuff? Can someone point me to an online pic-tutorial or something? Technique, etc?
2. How do i decide to use saw versus axe?
3. How do you secure the wood to receive the swing of the axe? These branches are sticking up and out in all kinds of directions and obviously isn't lying still or flat.

At the risk of sounding like an idiot, I just thought I'd ask

 

[thompsonblades]

Go with a saw if thats all you're gonna use it for. An ax is a multi tool and is prefered by backpackers for this reason. An ax can be used as a hammer, cutter, knife, and a few other uses. A saw just saws, but is immensly better for the task you have than an ax. A good bow saw is all you'll need to cut up limbs like you've got.

 

[omniviking]

Go with a saw if thats all you're gonna use it for. An ax is a multi tool and is prefered by backpackers for this reason. An ax can be used as a hammer, cutter, knife, and a few other uses. A saw just saws, but is immensly better for the task you have than an ax. A good bow saw is all you'll need to cut up limbs like you've got.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:saws are handy that way

 

[Loosearrow]

Unless they are really thick, a kukri makes light work of it. Usually I do the branch work wit the kukri, and the thick stuff gets the saw. After the limbs are cut off the main branch, get a solid chunk of wood to set the branches on while the kukri or axe does the rest.

 

[PayetteRucker]

machetes are good for the post-storm branch pile reduction, although propping an end up on a stump or rock and giving it a quick wack with the hammer side of a hand axe is likely to take care of most dead stuff. for the wrist sized stuff an axe is more efficient than a saw in my opinion, the two hacks it takes to bite through wrist or ankle thick branches is alot faster than pushing and pulling a folding saw 20 times through the branch...

 

[Cpl Punishment]

Unless they are really thick, a kukri makes light work of it. Usually I do the branch work wit the kukri, and the thick stuff gets the saw. After the limbs are cut off the main branch, get a solid chunk of wood to set the branches on while the kukri or axe does the rest.

I dunno, I use a kukri of the "really thick" persuasion, and it eases right through light stuff . I just raise it to shoulder height, and guide it while gravity does the work of moving it. When it comes to the heavier stuff, the same blade goes through it like it wasn't there. It depends more on the edge you put on it than the spine thickness.

 

[omniviking]

In your first post you said how do I make quick work of this?

DON'T, if you are not too familiar with axe work, take your time, don't get leg, feet or other body parts in the way if you cut through a branch, or miss or skif off a log. start of at say 50% speed and power to learn some balance and the way the axe or hatchet trails through the air. and see if you hit where you swing at. you ain't just born to hack and slash.

 

[Blue Sky]

1. How do I make quick work of this stuff?

As much as I like axe work, the answer to this question is: go to your local hardware store and get a 21"-24" bow saw. Axes are great for felling trees, limbing and cutting them up, but for clean-up work like yours, saws rule. For the really small stuff (finger-size or below), use a sharp a machete.

 

[Loosearrow]

I dunno, I use a kukri of the "really thick" persuasion, and it eases right through light stuff . I just raise it to shoulder height, and guide it while gravity does the work of moving it. When it comes to the heavier stuff, the same blade goes through it like it wasn't there. It depends more on the edge you put on it than the spine thickness.

I guess my response was not clear. By thick I meant thick branches. The kukri will do the work, but I don't like throwing chips all over the place that I have to pick up. Really like my kukri. It takes a beating. I picked up an ATC Cold Steel that I have not used yet. Will have to wait and see.