Russian axe ???

[Ravaillac]

I've be wondering for quite sometimes about the stereotypical russian axe, see example below

(random image from internet)

Triangular shape
Straight edge

I'd be quite skeptical about the design but I've come to appreciate native design so there are probably details I'm missing.

As I see it is a general purpose design: straight edge and beard means it would be good at fine jobs. General shape doesn't seem to lend itself too much to splitting or active limbing. Those tips seem quite brittle.
Also Russia being quite large I guess there are many regional variations. I've seen it called Arkhangelsk pattern and also seen it on old Belarussian pics so I'd tend to think it's North-Western russian axe, but sometimes I've seen it called siberian axe (also some people would probably call anything russian "Siberian")

Any information?

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

According to this guy a straighter edge makes for less "mince" to the cut, making for more efficient felling.

 

[Erasmus]

Love Google Books. They've got tons of 100+ year old books for free, online.

I couldn't say what good that straight edged bit is. All mine curve.

 

[Steve Tall]

According to this guy a straighter edge makes for less "mince" to the cut, making for more efficient felling.

More from that 1860 book (reprints of which are available from that big online bookseller):

"It cannot be denied that an axe with no corners will enter farther into wood at a given stroke than one that has corners, but a man can chop much faster with an axe that is almost straight on the edge than with one that is very round on the edge. The reason for this is a chopper with an axe that is very rounded on the edge makes a great deal of mince but with an axe that has but little rounding on the edge he will make but little mince or fine chips."

I've seen some Russian military surplus axes being sold for $16 with detached handle, a Google search will find them, but I don't know what they are like.

 

[trailmaker]

The Gransfors carpenters axe has a straight edge also. Here's a product description.

"This beautiful Carpenters Axe has a straight edge and thin blade with low angle on the bevel face, suited for work in dry wood. The forged inward curve from the heel to the lip of the head permits your hand to grip almost straight above the center of the blade. The long straight cutting edge of the Carpenters Axe gives rigidity, stability, and control when cutting. Works as fluidly as a good heavy knife. The Carpenters Axe poll is ground well enough that it can be used as a hammer. 3 1/2" face, 18" hickory handle, Head weight — 1-1/2 lb."

The carpenters axe is only 18 inches however. How big are these Russian axes?

 

[PayetteRucker]

the stereotypical carpenter's and construction axes tend to have an 18 inch haft and a straight bit. This is incredibly common. it's good for predictability when woodworking. In the old days where alot of lumber was cut from felled trees and then hewed with axes by hand, the broad axe/carpenter's axe/construction hatchet was used for squaring off the lumber. The heads run pretty heavy. The reason for the short haft is more control over bit placement, and the heavy head does the biting work. If you do alot of carving, they make fantastic bushcraft axes. I spent the weekend in Boise National Forest felling logs for a cabin (and sitting in hot springs ) and my friend had his carpenter's axe tucked in his belt the entire time. As to what the exact purpose this Russian design was used for, can't say, but growing up in Wisconsin and in my Norwegian Grandpa's woodshop I've seen them put to a plethora of uses.

 

[Ravaillac]

Yes I was aware straight edge is often see on carpentry axe.
Also yes, from what I gather handles seem shorter and thicker, heads heavier than what we are used to see in the American and Scandinavian axes that are often discussed here. A bit like mini broad axes.

It is interesting to see the russian would prefer a more versatile tool over some chopping monster as an outdoor axe. There are probably some environnmental factors. After all the saamis use pretty light knives in arctic environnment.

 

[PayetteRucker]

Those light knives are for processing caribou and fish in large amounts. They are a very specific design for a specific purpose. This is ONE model surplus from Russia, it may have been for a specific purpose, it may have been general issue-we don't know. What we do know is what comparable designs are used for and can make an educated guess that this is what this axe will be efficient at.

 

[Ravaillac]

This is ONE model surplus from Russia, it may have been for a specific purpose, it may have been general issue-we don't know.

Actually yes and no.
Yes this is a particular pattern and as I stated earlier, russia being so large it would be excessive to call "the" russian axe.
But no, this is not a ONE model surplus. The shape is typically russian and can be spotted on loads of pictures from russia/belarus/ukraine, so it is really widespread for some reasons probably part functional, part cultural but apparently it seems to work for some people.