(if anyone wants me to take down one of these images, I'll gladly oblige. They were sourced from google image search)
The pauls hatchet, as seen here, didn't seem to have any more versatility, chopping power or cutting power to a comparably weighted knife like the dsf. I found myself wanting to choke all the way back into a 3 finger grip to try to get more chopping power:
The 3 straight handle axes from busse are like taking a gransfors axe and only holding onto the end of the pole with one hand. It forces you to use more energy then a comparable standard poled axe.
really cool blade, but not ideal if you need endurance.
The Megalodon suffers from having to much metal all over the place for something your going to pack when you want to cut weight for long hauling and for endurance in use. It's just to heavy for what you get.
The crash rat is very much like a more utilitarian megalodon. It doesn't have the top edge, it's lighter, but it's got the same size format and idea. However, just like the megalodon it's too heavy if you need to cut weight and maintain hand/forearm endurance. If you were in the helicopter crew: absolutely. If your a ground stomper sending a few days in the woods, probably not.
The biggest issue is how much weight there is in the handle, and how you are able to use two hands when swinging. standard poled axes allow for a very intuitive swing that maximizes muscle energy to chopping power. It also allows a lot of the muscle input to be from the shoulders, rather then all of it coming from the arm, or all of it coming from the forearm (even worse).
These axes (the ones from busse) are also built like heavy demolition axes. Because they need to be able to take heavy impact from hard objects, they are much thicker then is idea wood working.
This:
vs. this (next to (I think) a sjtacle):
Of all of the axes I think the crash axe is the most versatile. However, it's still too heavy for spending days in the woods on the ground where endurance is important. The edge is too thick for wood working compared to other standard axe options, and the pole/handle isn't as conducive to shoulder based chopping swings. Something like the basic 11 has more versatility and much less weight.
You are holding a big
plate of 1/4" metal:
Axes can do things that knives can't, and knives can do things that axes cant. Under less specific circumstances I would be more likely to say that the busse kin axe selection was a fun idea to try out, but not as much when it's a search and rescue mission.
and now, just because I like this image (and this axe, super hard true temper (my brand new nicholson file could baaaaaaaarely cut into it)):
I would not want to ever give up the leatherman. It's just to versatile. If I had to give up every other knife I had, I'd keep that as my one knife.
