Photos Pictures of my new Wetterlings Hudson Bay Axe (is everything fine with it?)

[zakazak]

Well I made a few pictures with the string but I have no idea if the results are any good:

http://files.bestmail.ws/Wetterlings_Hudson_Bay/1.jpg
http://files.bestmail.ws/Wetterlings_Hudson_Bay/2.jpg
http://files.bestmail.ws/Wetterlings_Hudson_Bay/3.jpg
http://files.bestmail.ws/Wetterlings_Hudson_Bay/4.jpg

When doing the test with the two fingers then the axe will always roll over / fall infront. So its not like the "S" in the handle can compensate the weight of the head. No idea if that is good or bad now...wished I had the GB Scandinavian Axe now to make some comparisons..because the GB felt really awesome when holding / testing.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Well I made a few pictures with the string but I have no idea if the results are any good:

http://files.bestmail.ws/Wetterlings_Hudson_Bay/1.jpg
http://files.bestmail.ws/Wetterlings_Hudson_Bay/2.jpg
http://files.bestmail.ws/Wetterlings_Hudson_Bay/3.jpg
http://files.bestmail.ws/Wetterlings_Hudson_Bay/4.jpg

When doing the test with the two fingers then the axe will always roll over / fall infront. So its not like the "S" in the handle can compensate the weight of the head. No idea if that is good or bad now...wished I had the GB Scandinavian Axe now to make some comparisons..because the GB felt really awesome when holding / testing.

Your first pic is closest to how you'd want to suspend it. Then try it with the string and pinch point at a different spot on the handle closer to the head. Where the two lines would have intersected in space will be where the center of gravity is. It does look (and sound) as though it's bit heavy, but based on that picture it at least doesn't look like it's outrageously unbalanced and so you should be able to use it just fine with a little correctional torque should you find yourself using it for horizontal cuts. Still totally serviceable, especially for the majority of tasks axes are used for.

The closer your hands get together during the swing, the less that imbalance matters. I'll see if I can do up a little series of images later that shows why that is, but basically if you're using an axe one-handed it can never be out of balance and the closer your hands are to each other the closer you are to using it like it's "one-handed."

 

[Woodcraft]

Well I made a few pictures with the string but I have no idea if the results are any good:

http://files.bestmail.ws/Wetterlings_Hudson_Bay/1.jpg
http://files.bestmail.ws/Wetterlings_Hudson_Bay/2.jpg
http://files.bestmail.ws/Wetterlings_Hudson_Bay/3.jpg
http://files.bestmail.ws/Wetterlings_Hudson_Bay/4.jpg

When doing the test with the two fingers then the axe will always roll over / fall infront. So its not like the "S" in the handle can compensate the weight of the head. No idea if that is good or bad now...wished I had the GB Scandinavian Axe now to make some comparisons..because the GB felt really awesome when holding / testing.

The Hudson Bay pattern is bit heavy. From the axes you gave as choices, I think you chose well. I do agree that a good vintage boys axe was probably the way to go. You got an ax with a high centerline. That will help you with bucking, felling, and splitting. It will allow the ax to release with ease. You won't spend half your energy fighting to free an ax. You got an ax with a thick bit. That will help when you hit knots and hard stuff. You got an axe with "thick" cheeks. That will help blow the chips to the side. You got an ax that is heavy for it's class/pattern. You can let the ax do the work. Instead of arm whipping a light ax like a madman. The Hudson Bay pattern has been sold on a 28" 29," handle before. Council tools used to. So you are not walking into uncharted territory if you decide you want a longer handle. All in all I think you chose best out of the choices you gave.
Balance is important. But an ax has several important features that help it function at it's best for a given task. You should use it and see what you like and do not like. I found the handle too short to use the hands sliding method. I also found it was easier to use from the knees when bucking.
You could have ended up with a flat cheeked monstrosity with no poll that was horribly out of balance with a stick for a handle but you didn't, so you got that going for you.

 

[Woodcraft]

The closer your hands get together during the swing, the less that imbalance matters. I'll see if I can do up a little series of images later that shows why that is, but basically if you're using an axe one-handed it can never be out of balance and the closer your
hands are to each other the closer you are to using it like it's "one-handed."

Except this is untrue. Ask a carpenter. And you neglect to take into account what happens on impact. Experience.

http://www.vaughanmfg.com/pages/tool-center/how-to-select-a-hammer
"The first consideration of any guy who knows his hammer is balance. The proper head-to-handle weight distribution is very important. When a hammer has good balance, it seems to swing itself. Good balance results in less stress on muscles and tendons, helping to eliminate common injuries associated with swinging a hammer."

 

[Moonw]

Just go out and whack some wood!

10 axes later, you will have formed strong opinions on just about everything related .

 

[300Six]

I am impressed that you laid in (and now become NOS) Wetterlings H B.
The semantics and anal retentive crap about optimal ergonomics and balance etc etc from self-professed experts is akin to telling a novice automobile driver why they should be piloting a Porsche or Ferrari instead of a convenient or cheap 10 year old Impala or Corolla scored immediately after passing a driver's exam.
What matters is you're now on the road and you're not at all fielding a piece of junk.

 

[zakazak]

About the handle length:
I also felt that the length of the "GB Scandinavian Forest Axe" was better but so was the general weight/balance feeling when holding it.
I will try to get a "Wetterlings Fine Forester Axe" which will be 26" long.

So:
Wetterling HB: 24"
GB SFA: 25.5"
Wetterlings FF: 26"

I will keep the handle as "backup stock" but will eventually replace it sooner or later if it turns out that I feel unsafe or have any other problems handling the 24" handle.

 

[Agent_H]

Today I pulled the trigger after checking out a few axes at one of our most known "axe/knife/razor" stores in our country.

The guy showing me around explained to me that from all the axes this would probably fit my needs the most and this is also what I understood when watching several reviews/videos of different axes:

• Allrounder for felling, limbing, chopping and splitting
• Although I will mostly be splitting
• Will only be using a few times a year (do get another stock of firewood for my grandparents / for myself)

Still, I have to say that the GB Scandinavian Forest Axe felt really really great... but he was recommending me the Wetterlings Hudson Bay due to its thicker head which would rather fit my splitting needs than the GB (which would be better for felling soft woods... but then I am most likely only going to fell 1 tree per year).

So here are a few pictures, maybe you can comment on it if I made a good pick?

Axe Handle Grain:

Head & Alignment:

Edge:

Should I worry about this?

Also here are a few questions I am curious about:
1. Is a short handle better for beginners?
2. Should I worry about the balancing point?
3. Should I get 1-2 Wetterlings handles in case one breaks? I might not ever get a chance again to get an original Wetterlings handle?
4. Anything I should do/modify/care about the axe right now to get the most out of it?

Thanks in advance !

I couldn't help myself. Too many open tabs to get the whole picture

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Again, I suggest just using the axe until you either decide you don't like the handle or it manages to get damaged/broken, but this may help if you ever make your own handle. While the following is pretty simple, it should be considered as advanced and not strictly necessary, especially when your axe is only minimally bit-heavy. This is all really sort of like a variation on balancing a wheel on a car, but instead of changing the balance of the wheel you're changing where the axle runs.

Key
Red dot: Center of gravity.
Blue dot: Fixed lower grip point.
Red line (axle): Axis around which the axe will want to rotate. Defined as running through both red and blue dots.

Green dots (numbered): Sliding upper grip points, in order of sequence.
Blue lines: Length of lever arm from any lateral wobble applied at adjacent green dot.
Green line: Centerline of gripped region of handle.

First axe: Large poll bringing the red line's trajectory inside the eye.
Second axe: Minimal poll and deep bit (same head profile, different eye position) shifts center of gravity forward and the handle is no longer aligned with the axle.
Third axe: Handle given an offset neck to bring it back in line with the axle.

I technically goofed with the way I drew the blue lines. They should be perpendicular to the red line, not the green, but it doesn't make a huge practical difference for illustrating what I mean. You can see that as the hand slides down the handle, the amount of extra leverage any lateral force would impart on the head is greatly reduced. By how much at which points will depend on the axe in question, but once your sliding hand reaches the fixed hand the "lever arm" is so small as to have no meaningful impact. It's when the upper hand is just starting the swing that you'll get the most wobble, and then you're trying to resolve it before the bit strikes the target.

In the case of that Wetterlings of yours you shouldn't really experience much of this as it's only slightly bit-heavy. When allowing the axe to hang between your forefinger and thumb, the center of gravity is pointing straight down, and the plumb line you dropped was describing the red line. When you change the grip point (blue dot) the red line still runs through the red dot. The intersection of the two red lines would be where the red dot is. Think of it as "X marks the spot".

 

[bronc076]

Nice Axe, hope you like it! I'm not sure what the rest of the BS is all about. It reminds me of the motorcycle forums I frequent where people have new guys hating their bikes before they have even taken them for a ride.

Go chop some wood, I just split some earlier, it feels good!

 

[Moonw]

I am impressed that you laid in (and now become NOS) Wetterlings H B.
The semantics and anal retentive crap about optimal ergonomics and balance etc etc from self-professed experts is akin to telling a novice automobile driver why they should be piloting a Porsche or Ferrari instead of a convenient or cheap 10 year old Impala or Corolla scored immediately after passing a driver's exam.
What matters is you're now on the road and you're not at all fielding a piece of junk.

Tar and feather this man! You and Agent_H seem to stir trouble lately, LOL!

 

[300Six]

Just go out and whack some wood!

10 axes later, you will have formed strong opinions on just about everything related .

That is sound advice. Very few people ever arrive at that stage, especially nowadays with easy pack Jap teeth folding saws for hiking/camping and affordable chainsaws for occasional felling and bucking. Seeking out dedicated wood splitting axes is a whole different game.

 

[DarthTaco123]

I'm if the same opinion as Moon. Use the axe, you'll learn how it feels and works. You can best develop your opinion off experience.