The Axe/Hatchet as a Bush Tool

I am not sure why the issue of what style blade tool to use should be divisive or contentious at all.
Most of us have the skill level here, and the experience, to choose the tool that works best for them, at a given task.
I know that for me, one of my Wetterlings axes works better than any machete at SOME tasks, and a small Izula excels at others.
When I am afield, I have at least two knives, a folding saw, and an ax, and if the terrain or anticipated tasks require it, a machete.

That said, if Jeff and his krewe were to produce a forest style ax, I am sure it would be first rate.
 
I've been asking for an ESEE axe/hatchet for a long time. Big knives and 'chetes simply don't work in my environment for serious wood processing. The design of the axe can't be argued with; all the weight is at the height of the swing and being slammed into the wood. Nothing else at a similar size can chop like that unless you want to start arguing with physics.

I'd purchase an ESEE axe in a heartbeat. Full steel construction, micarta/G10 grips, the ESEE powder coat... yes!

There aren't many axes like that on the market right now, too. It'd sell like crazy and be a very well used tool.
 
I'll throw in on this as it greatly interests me. I think JGON has a great point relating to the usefulness of an axe/hatchet in a temperate woodland environment. I believe they are indispensable in such an environ. The question to me then is. "what can ESEE offer that is not already offered by some of the excellent manufacturers out there?" I have a couple of thoughts on this.

I have found (research wise) that hatchets/axes are much more efficient tools than hawks. So a hatchet bit is the better for bushcraft. The hawks have an advantage in that they can be re-handled in a field expedient way. I've not managed to re-handle an axe or hatchet despite attempts in the garage (What can I say, I suck at it.) Also, I don't know if there is a geometric reason for the slight beard on most heads but with a symmetrical shaped head it'd also make a functional adz (Seen a guy do a good job setting one up on spew-tube.)

God bless,
Adam
 
i'm still keeping an open mind when it comes to axes. the thing is i don't have the need to chop down big, frozen trees for fire. i haven't done an overnight camping trip in the winter yet. add to it the high price of a gb ($100+), it prevents me from experimenting with one.

why don't you do a pass-around with yours starting with me? :D
 
I love my wetterlings and grasfors. I had a discussion just the other day and in reality if i could only take one sharp object into the wild it would have to be an axe. But just my .02
 
I personally been wanting to pick up a good axe/hatchet.

Any recomendations would be awesome.....


Estwing looks decent and the price it right.
 
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Why do people think axes are expensive? My GB 19" axe was only $120. The last knife I purchased was $220! Even my ESEE-6 was more expensive than my axe for pete's sake.

Look at the amount of material you are getting in an axe compared to a knife. Even the best axes are reasonably priced when that is considered. Why is $100 expensive for an axe but not a knife??
 
NothingCoherent said:
Why is $100 expensive for an axe but not a knife??
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For me $100 for axe or knife is expensive. It's a huge investment either way. And, as far as I go, I can carry my ESEE-4 with me, every day. EDCing even a little wetterlings 10"... not happening, its really a wood craft only tool.

God bless,
Adam
 
Flexxx said:
I personally been wanting to pick up a good axe/hatchet.

Any recomendations would be awesome.....
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Same here. Please include the size/name along with brand. I looked up a Westlings Hunting Axe - there are two sizes and I'm not sure what would be better for what instances.
 
Flexxx said:
I personally been wanting to pick up a good axe/hatchet.

Any recomendations would be awesome.....


Estwing looks decent and the price it right.
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they make a great hammer so I'd assume their hatchet is ok, dunno..

I'd say, do yourself a favor and look into CS trailhawk.. i like them cuz they're not heavy adn if you break the handle in the bush you can easily whittle your own and slide it on..
 
obsessis said:
Same here. Please include the size/name along with brand. I looked up a Westlings Hunting Axe - there are two sizes and I'm not sure what would be better for what instances.
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Depends what you are doing in the woods. Car camping? Backpacking? Playing in your backyard?

I carry my axe backpacking and dayhiking with me, so it has to fit inside my backpack. I picked up a 19" Gransfors Bruks for this, but a Wetterlings is just as good and a bit cheaper from what I understand. 19" is perfect for me because it is just long enough to be used two-handed (this is VERY important for me - it changes the tool completely) while still packing easily.

However, if fitting it inside a backpack is not an issue, bigger is better. While car camping, my favorite size is 24" for carrying around camp and downing / splitting trees.

An axe brings so much versatility to the table for its weight. I always hear people complaining about how long it takes to collect firewood to burn through the night. They're usually the guys who camp with big knives and saws. With an axe I can have enough wood downed for a whole night in about 15 minutes. Quartering and splitting it takes about the same.

Think I'm full of shit? I'll post the same images I posted in the Becker forum. This was done with my 19" GB during a backpacking trip.

treex.jpg

Step 1: Find standing dead wood.

firewood.jpg

Step 2: Swing axe at tree. This tree provided 3 logs of about that size for us, and a couple smaller ones from the top. The thicker ones from the bottom of the tree were split down the middle, again with my 19"er (hint: it involved wooden wedges and some pounding).

shelteru.jpg

Step 3: Sleep comfortably as your logs burn for ~five hours at a time. I don't do stick fires.

The axe is the ultimate woods tool. I don't know why more people don't use one. What I have just demonstrated is not possible with a knife, hawk, saw, machete, whatever. Only an axe. Less than an hours work for a night long fire. A big one, too. It was -20 out on that camping trip and we were comfortable beside the flame in our base layer.
 
obsessis said:
Which type/size do you like for the Wetterlings?
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Im using the wetterlings 19". Perfect in between for small and larger tasks. I like the grind better on the wetterlings. Just needed a little edge work when i got her. But convexed up to 2000 and stropped and she does everything i want. Also flattened a small section on the top for firesteel use.
 
NothingCoherent said:
Why do people think axes are expensive? My GB 19" axe was only $120. The last knife I purchased was $220! Even my ESEE-6 was more expensive than my axe for pete's sake.

Look at the amount of material you are getting in an axe compared to a knife. Even the best axes are reasonably priced when that is considered. Why is $100 expensive for an axe but not a knife??
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because i already know i like knives and have a use for them. i know what to expect. what if 20-30 swings later i feel like i'd rather use a folding saw than a $100+ axe?

an axe isn't made of gold so the "amount of material" logic is flawed. it's the utility that i get from it that matters. heck, my $15 mora is more useful to me than my $150 spyderco military for the woods. see the point?
 
JV3 said:
because i already know i like knives and have a use for them. i know what to expect. what if 20-30 swings later i feel like i'd rather use a folding saw than a $100+ axe?

an axe isn't made of gold so the "amount of material" logic is flawed. it's the utility that i get from it that matters. heck, my $15 mora is more useful to me than my $150 spyderco military for the woods. see the point?
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I understand your point entirely (you're talking to a guy whose favorite blade is a Mora Clipper -- trust me, I understand value and utility).

But I don't think that my logic is flawed. Steel and other materials cost money, and there's a lot more steel in an axe than (most) knives. Shouldn't an axe be more expensive, on material alone? It's not like the production methods of an axe is so much cheaper than those of a knife to create a large price difference.

If you buy a cheap axe, I can almost guarantee that you'll be going back to your saw and knife very quickly. There is no Mora of the axe world. You gotta spend around $70-$100 to get anything of value (which is not a lot for a life lasting tool!). And it's not like you can't sell it if you find axes aren't your thing.

But if you give up after 30 swings... well, this Canadian boy who grew up with axes wont comment on that.
 
JV3 said:
i'm still keeping an open mind when it comes to axes. the thing is i don't have the need to chop down big, frozen trees for fire. i haven't done an overnight camping trip in the winter yet. add to it the high price of a gb ($100+), it prevents me from experimenting with one.

why don't you do a pass-around with yours starting with me? :D
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I'm sorry, and I don't want to sound disrespectful, but your calling a GB ax 'high priced ($100+), in a forum where the knives we buy and discuss are all at that price point or "+", struck me as funny.
 
A great tool of course but I think keeping it on you is the issue. Poo hits the fan and you have your knife on your belt. You don't have that with an axe.
 
The whole "why make axes when the are great axes on the market" line doesn't seem correct to me... Why make knives when there are plenty great knives on the market?
 
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