New to Axes & Hatchets; Tips For Getting Started, Please?

Flying Guillotine

Flying Guillotine

Joined
Jan 2, 2011
Messages
1,118
Howdy Axe, Tomahawk and Hatchet-folk,

I could use a little advice.

After getting into a real house with a fireplace after living in crappy apartments for years, I'm just getting into the art and science of building fires at home (instead of buying pre-split campsite firewood when camping). We plan on having our fireplace repaired (faulty flue), and just scored an outdoor portable firepit for Christmas. After going through a number of threads in here, I've gotten a lot of the basic questions covered: have fatwood on the way, a Wetterlings small hunters axe should arrive today or tomorrow, on the lookout for a decent supply of wood, watched a few youtube vids about hatchet safety, etc. but I'd like to know about a good wood chopping block.

Is it just a stout log that's been cut flat on both ends? I'll need some sort of chopping-spot for my upcoming hatchet work since the current options are dirt and concrete patio (neither are good for keeping a nice blade edge). What do you suggest for starting out with? Home Depot run?

Also, I know that the wood should be stacked up and covered with a tarp to keep the water out (it does rain occasionally in Southern California), but can you advise any basics for setting up a small stash of wood? Keep in mind that this will not be for long-term home heating, cooking or any of that, just enough to draw from for occasional fires and to have a stash in case something like the recent heavy winds knock out power in our area for a while. Some homes have been without power for a week now due to downed powerlines, I'd rather be prepared for such a thing.

I appreciate any good info you folks can throw my way. Thanks for reading through.
 
Hi There
First of all I would not suggest the use of fatwood for inside the house, it smokes like crazy. Best to use paper and softwood kindling for inside. A piece of a log for a chopping block is good. Buy your axes and hatchets at yard sales or junk stores. Read here to find out the good old axe brands and watch for them at sales. Most folks out here in the boonies don't tarp their wood when stacked but do have a covered area for the next cord or so to be brought into the house. Tarped wood tends to get moldy and fungus, some of which you don't want to burn.

Good luck. I'm sure others will make some suggestions.

Regards

Robin
 
I tarp the top (not sides) of my wood stacks or flip the logs over bark side up on the top of the stack.

 
Fireplace, wood burning, in southern california.

Not sure what to say about that, but hey, sounds good to me, and like said, good to be prepared.

You probably wont need a lot of wood, say maybe 1/2 cord tops I would think. Basic stack as shown above will do, and if you dont get a lot of rain, I wouldnt even bother tarping it.

I dont know what kind of critters you have that might take up refuge in your stack, so might want to think about that. For me it is mostly groundhogs and small snakes of no bother. Not sure what you have.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the info, guys! It's been getting colder around here, but of course temperature is always relative. If you're acclimated to 50° and warmer, 30° can feel mighty chilly. Lots of the old ranch style homes lack any serious insulation, so that cold does creep in. Of course sometimes it's just good to have a fire going.

I think the worst of the potential woodpile critters around here would be the black widow spider and maybe some bad neighborhood cats. We'll save the fatwood for the outdoor firepit and I'll work on making some fuzzsticks or something fun like that to get things going.

Please keep the suggestions coming. These forums are a great resource.
 
Sweden good, China bad. Brands to look out for are Wetterlings, Hultafors Bruks, Gransfors Bruks, Husqvarna, Banko, Sandvik, Bahco, Iltis Oxhead, Helko, Council Tool, Kelly... all great brands.
 
For firewood processing you'll probably need a splitting axe or a maul, rather than a chopping axe. I just use a big round tipped onto one of it's flat sides as a chopping block.
IMG_1778.jpg


Whether you're splitting on the ground or on a block, it's a good idea to throw an old tire over the pieces you are splitting. This prevents the pieces from flying away with each hit.
 
Just got the Wetterlings small hunters axe in today, man that thing is sweet! For having zero reference other than a crappy old Gerber, the small hunters axe is really quite nice. Plenty sharp, good craftsmanship, easy-to-use leather sheath, the hickory smells nice, overall really nice. I'm looking forward to putting it to work this winter (after Christmas).

Thanks again for the tips. Anybody can read about a skill, but one really needs to talk to people who practice regularly to get the insightful pointers. Cheers!
 
the tire idea made me think of this youtube vid. Pretty freakn cool

[video=youtube;2vThcK-idm0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vThcK-idm0[/video]
 
Have to try the tire technique. This guy's got quite the wind up.

[video=vimeo;33640932]http://vimeo.com/33640932[/video] from BMC
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1uuGDRChuA&list=FLh48EiLai7wIu7wp_zRgHMg&index=5&feature=plpp_video

not exactly firewood, but is a great option for dealing with the paper waste stream


Sears sells a pretty good hatchet for about $17.00

i grab any and all old hatchets and axes from junk/resale stores. with a little tune up like sharpening/honing and maybe tightening the handle your good to go

if you'd like a nice store bought axe, register at forestry suppliers http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/, they will send you a promo for free shipping.
the Council Tools Hudson Bay would be an excellent choice to start with.

hope this helps

buzz
 
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