The drawback in the Hudson Bay pattern

[halfaxe]

Hudson Bay is my favorite pattern. It doesn't piss me off if others don't like it. I can even see their points, which are valid. Not to the point of changing my mind though. A Hudson Bay is for fun, all other patterns are for work.

 

[Square_peg]

That's a good way to loook at it.

 

[Old Axeman]

Fun axes need love too.

 

[Square_peg]

....anyway, getting axes stuck is 98% an issue of technique.

I would argue that it's 98% the shape of the cheeks and bit!

 

[jmarston]

I suspect they were more of a pattern that was easy to churn out in volume. They're essentially a narrow rectangle with an eye drifted and a bit forged out on one end.

I truly think this was a huge design consideration when these axes were originally introduced. Cut a piece of barstock, flare one end and punch a hole. Voila you have a serviceable axe. The other benefit of this pattern would be how well it would pack in crates or barrels. Two could be laid opposite leaving little wasted space.

The fact that they were used extensively by early fur trappers, I suspect, was because they were shipped over in the thousands and thus available. Not because they were inherently better than other designs but because they were economical to manufacture, ship and purchase. The benefits of a lightweight head and ability to choke up were merely byproducts that works out well.