Rinadi Axes, unexpectedly great.

[FortyTwoBlades]

You are absolutely right about the weight of trento n5 : 1300 gr (not 1500).

Rinaldi has 2 type of Cadore axe : 310 (narrow) and 311 (broad)
Both are N6 (1500 gr the head) :
I think competition axe is simple a Cadore Axe 311 N7 (1800 gr) : but it may be that I'm wrong.... i olly own a cadore 310 n6

Yeah, the competition axe is a separate model number (312) and it's definitely thicker in the cheeks than the Cadore is, and more flared. It's very similar in overall style, but the differences are significant enough to warrant it being its own model. Just looking at a stock photo you would have a hard time telling, though!

 

[denebola75]

New Rinaldi hatchet in 2019 :
the news is that the handle : it is curved and shaped, and 3 different lenght.
Also the connection head -> handle is different.
I don't know if this is an improvement : next days i will buy one.

They are 303 special and 307 special (trento) n0 :

 

[Kevin Houtzager]

X

 

[denebola75]

Just for the record:

Cuneo in Lego = Wooden wedge
Cuneo in Ferro = Steel wedge

Shouldn'd be to hard to guess though

Sorry

I translated all the paragraph :

The Rinaldi company proposes to all fans
of his tools, a new line of handles for
its 400 and 500 grams ax.
Shaped handles in resistant mountain ash, fixed to the ax with wooden wedges
and iron, which allow a handle
perfect and therefore an even more suitable use
for every kind of work.

 

[denebola75]

Just bought :
Rinaldi Trento n.0 special, handle 50 cm (bottom, right), from 2019 catalog.
Total different from Rinaldi Trento n2.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I got my hands on some of the Hephaestus series, which use those handles and have a more polished factory edge and applied blackened finish to the heads (not just the usual heat treatment scale) and I personally prefer the slip fit handles. It just seems to me as though they lose some of their advantage when wedge-fit that way. The circular steel wedge they use is just tube rather than providing significant spreading effect, and the wooden wedge is glued so you can't drive it deeper if the head loosens. A couple of them had loosened in transit to the 'States and I tightened them up by drilling/prying out the circular "wedge" and replacing it with a tapered wooden plug wedge that I installed using a shop press. More attractive, more effective, and easier to adjust further if necessary in future. But some people may like the wedge fit handles vs. slip fit, and it's certainly a step up from the epoxied knobbed handles they had before.

 

[bikerector]

I got my hands on some of the Hephaestus series, which use those handles and have a more polished factory edge and applied blackened finish to the heads (not just the usual heat treatment scale) and I personally prefer the slip fit handles. It just seems to me as though they lose some of their advantage when wedge-fit that way. The circular steel wedge they use is just tube rather than providing significant spreading effect, and the wooden wedge is glued so you can't drive it deeper if the head loosens. A couple of them had loosened in transit to the 'States and I tightened them up by drilling/prying out the circular "wedge" and replacing it with a tapered wooden plug wedge that I installed using a shop press. More attractive, more effective, and easier to adjust further if necessary in future. But some people may like the wedge fit handles vs. slip fit, and it's certainly a step up from the epoxied knobbed handles they had before.

I personally, love the slip fit handles and am happy you offer those to us in the 'States. I'm looking forward to your next shipment of axes to arrive.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Should be here pretty soon. They're in transit at the moment and I'd be surprised if they don't get here within the month.

 

[Miller '72]

This guy here has the look of a Rinaldi...roughly 340 grams, 3 1/2" bit and about 5 1/2" long. Slip fit eye.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Definitely a different maker, but appears to be a Calabria pattern, which Rinaldi does also make. Rinaldi isn't the only Italian axe company, after all. There are a few different surviving ones and there used to be quite a few of them, historically.

 

[Miller '72]

Definitely a different maker, but appears to be a Calabria pattern, which Rinaldi does also make. Rinaldi isn't the only Italian axe company, after all. There are a few different surviving ones and there used to be quite a few of them, historically.

I think it's a Calabria pattern as well. Though not a Rinaldi they are probably the most well known to have been able to find its comparable.
Thanks forty two

 

[denebola75]

I got my hands on some of the Hephaestus series, which use those handles and have a more polished factory edge and applied blackened finish to the heads (not just the usual heat treatment scale) and I personally prefer the slip fit handles. It just seems to me as though they lose some of their advantage when wedge-fit that way. The circular steel wedge they use is just tube rather than providing significant spreading effect, and the wooden wedge is glued so you can't drive it deeper if the head loosens. A couple of them had loosened in transit to the 'States and I tightened them up by drilling/prying out the circular "wedge" and replacing it with a tapered wooden plug wedge that I installed using a shop press. More attractive, more effective, and easier to adjust further if necessary in future. But some people may like the wedge fit handles vs. slip fit, and it's certainly a step up from the epoxied knobbed handles they had before.

Agree with the the circular steel wedge.
Personally prefer the slip fit handles : it never move, because the junction is conical.
But the circular steel wedge is applied only for "light" heads (Rinaldi 0 or 00, max 500 gr).
So the slip fit handles on those model is not so really effective, because the "eye" of the head is tiny.
So Rinaldi use this method to reinforce the original "conical" junction. (the head of the Rinaldi Special is the same as "normal" Rinaldi 0).

The shape of the handle of "new" model.
I like it! it is not a "thin" (300 gr hammer like) handle, but it is reasonably often, and it handles very good!!!! The sensation is : "the axe never slip off from your hand".
I also like the wood : mountain ash : it is not painted or treaty, and it feels good.

A tomahawk?
It seems that with this handle (50 cm), the head is too "light".
But it is the same sensation that i have with a real american "tomahawk".
Rinaldi 0 Special is a real "tomahawk" ? : i gues so : you can handle and throw easily with one hand.
Compared with the Rinaldi N2 (normal) : you feel that N2 is a "one and half hand" axe.
The sensation is : Rinaldi N2 weight twice as much as Rinaldi 0 special : but the difference is only 200 grams.....

 

[denebola75]

Edit : i add photo of the "new" junction between head and handle, in the previous post.

 

[HeavyHanded]

Just got on of the American Boy's axe for my Bday and will be backpacking with it this weekend. Nice size, nice weight - just a bit bigger/heavier than my hatchet but smaller and lighter than most domestic Boy's axes. Will post more but thought I'd share so far - the steel seems of very high quality and run to higher RC than most. Sharpened it up and it produced only a smallish burr and was easy to eliminate. Turned out very sharp using only fine side of a Crystalon stone and some compound on paper.

Had to whip up a scabbard for it, will make a nicer one when I have more time.

Alright, so I finally had a chance to test this out in the exact environment I envisioned - this was a canoe trip up to Round Lake in the Adirondacks. Canoe accessible sites only, most have been established for a number of years= no downed wood close to camp and what one does find tends to be larger diameter.


Rinaldi Boy's axe worked very well, just light enough to swing one handed when needed, heavy enough to make deep chops with two. Tossed the chip well. It is a bit more prone to wedging a little, but not inconveniently so and a good trade-off for how deep it cuts for its size and weight. I experienced no issues with unsteadiness from it having such a small poll.

Head is still on nice and tight, edge feels like it didn't lose anything from about 30-45 minutes total chopping time, mostly American Beech and some birch. I took no pics to accompany this update. Prior to taking it out I did resharpen and completely redo the primary grind to smooth out all the factory unevenness. There was very little meat to remove to get it to where I was confident it would perform well and still have good durability.

Splits well enough on harder woods up to 6" or so, buried in larger birch logs (10-12" diameter). Could have beaten it more but at some point you have to make a hardwood wedge or knock bits off the side.

From now on if I'm camping anywhere that sees consistent use I'll be bringing it - well worth the slight additional weight over my hatchets or machetes and handled great. The steel seems to be very good quality, Rockwell is definitely higher than my off the shelf and Fiskars hatchets.

 

[denebola75]

Cheers from Italy.
Rinaldi 312 "Race Axe" : It's a Beast!
Just bought : (compared with Rinaldi Trento n.0 special, handle 50 cm)

 

[The Guitar Room]

Woodcraft,
I am brand new on this forum. Some quick background so my opinion has some perspective. I have been a professional musician most of my life. I am also a lifetime martial artist having made it to the 1980 US Olympic team right before we boycotted it because the games were held in Moscow that year. I grew up in a mountainous jungle city of Puerto Rico called Ciales. We were given machetes as kids because that was what was needed to live and manage in the mountain is jungles. I am also a lifelong hobbyist with arborist ventures requiring access and machetes. I am the son of a Guadalcanal veteran who wound up being a civil engineer however not before he built all the Frank Lloyd Wright homes in New York State before the war as an apprentice and after the war as a first carpenter. So I have been around a civil engineer and a designer. I own several vintage and modern custom made axes. All different companies and I am fortunate enough to have spoken to and befriended metallurgists from Grabsfors Bruks, Basque/Bushcraft and many more. Also between my profession, lifestyle and opportunity to have met many different types of people on many fronts, I am very familiar with human nature. So I would like to offer perspective on the person who you seem to feel he’s a liar and uninformed. I have an absolute opposite experience of you regarding 42 blade. In fact, this is one of the most informed, kindest, willing to help, decent, honest, incredibly well read and informed people who I have met in my career. And although I know very little of the technical aspects of axes technically, I have been yielding them my whole life. Absolutely every single piece of information that I have graciously and gratefully received from 42 blade has been outstanding, excellent, given freely and kindness and has not only been true but insightful. In our sad state of conflict and division in our country, I would like you to consider The very real experience perspective of someone who has negotiated many types of people in many different situations including combative and violent ones. 42 blades is someone who we should all be thankful for. Both as a human being and for his incredible knowledge in this area and the respect he gets from other manufacturers. And I heard this from them personally. Please put your sword down and reconsider your position. I am grateful to be on this thread and only hope to add positively to this community.

 

[garry3]

Woodcraft,
I am brand new on this forum. Some quick background so my opinion has some perspective. I have been a professional musician most of my life. I am also a lifetime martial artist having made it to the 1980 US Olympic team right before we boycotted it because the games were held in Moscow that year. I grew up in a mountainous jungle city of Puerto Rico called Ciales. We were given machetes as kids because that was what was needed to live and manage in the mountain is jungles. I am also a lifelong hobbyist with arborist ventures requiring access and machetes. I am the son of a Guadalcanal veteran who wound up being a civil engineer however not before he built all the Frank Lloyd Wright homes in New York State before the war as an apprentice and after the war as a first carpenter. So I have been around a civil engineer and a designer. I own several vintage and modern custom made axes. All different companies and I am fortunate enough to have spoken to and befriended metallurgists from Grabsfors Bruks, Basque/Bushcraft and many more. Also between my profession, lifestyle and opportunity to have met many different types of people on many fronts, I am very familiar with human nature. So I would like to offer perspective on the person who you seem to feel he’s a liar and uninformed. I have an absolute opposite experience of you regarding 42 blade. In fact, this is one of the most informed, kindest, willing to help, decent, honest, incredibly well read and informed people who I have met in my career. And although I know very little of the technical aspects of axes technically, I have been yielding them my whole life. Absolutely every single piece of information that I have graciously and gratefully received from 42 blade has been outstanding, excellent, given freely and kindness and has not only been true but insightful. In our sad state of conflict and division in our country, I would like you to consider The very real experience perspective of someone who has negotiated many types of people in many different situations including combative and violent ones. 42 blades is someone who we should all be thankful for. Both as a human being and for his incredible knowledge in this area and the respect he gets from other manufacturers. And I heard this from them personally. Please put your sword down and reconsider your position. I am grateful to be on this thread and only hope to add positively to this community.

That you Kevin?