- Joined
- Nov 7, 2016
- Messages
- 796
Just a quick note right after I finished some fall down work. A buddy had cut and sectioned some oak fall down stuff this winter in the middle of a big storm then plowed over it in a hurry. I went over to give him a hand. I grabbed the old plumb 4lb with bevels and the council tool jersey classic. At first I was limbing sections and moving brush. The council handle has some FLEX! I left it as is from the factory, I just touched up the very edge to make it sharp. It was oak, it cleaved branches with ease. Point and shoot the handle shape is great and thin for this kind of work. I was not wanting at all during limbing. It handles awesome. And you can generate some SPEED/WHIP with little effort. Then I started splitting. Here comes the problems. Anyone with experience working with oak, and oak fall downs knows what is coming next.......
You get soggy punkie. You get rock hard side up to the sun. You get still wet and green.........
And the council sunk and got stuck in it all
. The kind of stuck that takes two men and a boy to get out. That sickening flumbp. Then sadness. This is not woodpile and neat work. This is nasty muddy nastyness and you are working where it lies so you can move it without destroying what is left of your pals lawn. I hopped up on a good size log that was still "green" and did a little bucking. It was less than satisfactory. The bit profile needs to be adjusted.
As far as the old 4lb Plumb, nada. No stickies .
. It also has a stiffer handle. And thicker. It is also ruffed up with a rasp. Thumb and pointer rolled it free. That easy. I tossed the council back in the truck and finished the splitting and whatnot with the ancient Plumb.
I have no doubt that the phantom bevels are different on the Plumb than the Council. Plumb also has in my experience a stronger convex than most, even if it is the top and bottom/toe and heel, that are thinner more so than an actual "higher centerline". The combination of the bevels, the convex, and the bit all combined make for a better ax. It is probably a delicate balance. I refuse to believe that Council has just Plumb forgot.(See what I did there? I am that tired.) One of the reasons I was so happy with the little Wetterlings was the fact that bucking and splitting it worked. They got it correct.
I would really like to see the last American Ax Company produce an old school product and stomp out the nonsense passing as a good ax once and for all.
Convex, bevels or no. Correct bevels with smoothed edges. Proper bit profile.
I probably need a nap.
You get soggy punkie. You get rock hard side up to the sun. You get still wet and green.........
And the council sunk and got stuck in it all
. The kind of stuck that takes two men and a boy to get out. That sickening flumbp. Then sadness. This is not woodpile and neat work. This is nasty muddy nastyness and you are working where it lies so you can move it without destroying what is left of your pals lawn. I hopped up on a good size log that was still "green" and did a little bucking. It was less than satisfactory. The bit profile needs to be adjusted.As far as the old 4lb Plumb, nada. No stickies .
. It also has a stiffer handle. And thicker. It is also ruffed up with a rasp. Thumb and pointer rolled it free. That easy. I tossed the council back in the truck and finished the splitting and whatnot with the ancient Plumb.I have no doubt that the phantom bevels are different on the Plumb than the Council. Plumb also has in my experience a stronger convex than most, even if it is the top and bottom/toe and heel, that are thinner more so than an actual "higher centerline". The combination of the bevels, the convex, and the bit all combined make for a better ax. It is probably a delicate balance. I refuse to believe that Council has just Plumb forgot.(See what I did there? I am that tired.) One of the reasons I was so happy with the little Wetterlings was the fact that bucking and splitting it worked. They got it correct.
I would really like to see the last American Ax Company produce an old school product and stomp out the nonsense passing as a good ax once and for all.
Convex, bevels or no. Correct bevels with smoothed edges. Proper bit profile.
I probably need a nap.
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