What axes do you use.

trailbum

trailbum

Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
3,493
Alright Beckerheads, What axes do you use.

We know this is a good tool for the outdoors.

Ive been looking at fiskars for the money.
 
Bunch of old ones:
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and a 19" wetterlings:
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$9.99 Lowe's special axe. It has a composite handle, and a steel head. 'Bout all I can say for it. I usually keep an ESTWING hatchet in the car, but, I never use it.

I like knives.

Moose
 
I posted mine in that dead Fiskar's thread.
The one I use most is that composite handled splitting axe. Go figure.

Axes2.jpg


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CrashAxe1.jpg
 
axesy.jpg



The Rifleman gets the lion share of funnin' I just grip taped, epoxied, convexed and basically went through it to make it what I wanted after some initial testing, the MMHW is the can opener of the family.
 
moosez45 said:
$9.99 Lowe's special axe. It has a composite handle, and a steel head. 'Bout all I can say for it. I usually keep an ESTWING hatchet in the car, but, I never use it.

I like knives.

Moose
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hecho en mexicano

chuck it. crap ;)
 
just got this bad boy earlier tonight - gransfors bruks scandinavian forest axe. the hatchet is a rescue - found it in the garage and badly rusted, left for dead by the house's previous owner...probably an estwing. a lot of sanding, black paint and paracord handle...it's ready for the zombies!

gb_scandinavian_forest_axe.jpg
 
Axe? Dunno - whatever crap they sell at Sears. I do like this tomahawk though (Ron LaClair's Shrew Hawk)...

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Beckerhead #42
 
Not an axe but I like my Rifleman's Hawk from cold steel. I've also got a fiskars hatchet that works great.
 
A big orange fiberglass handled POS that I bought for next to nothing on sale. It sits in the trunk and rusts until I run a file across it and use it again. The boss was going to get me a Gransfors Bruks Small Forest but the store was out of them. I'm seriously rethinking axes in the bush because of the big damage caused by a miss. But then you can chop on one knee to avoid a long missed swing arc. Dunno, might just go with a hawk, saw, knife set up. It's hard to walk out of dense boggy brush with a serious axe gash in my ankle\foot. At this time I'm happy with a back up axe in the trunk.
 
upnorth said:
I'm seriously rethinking axes in the bush because of the big damage caused by a miss. But then you can chop on one knee to avoid a long missed swing arc. Dunno, might just go with a hawk, saw, knife set up. It's hard to walk out of dense boggy brush with a serious axe gash in my ankle\foot. At this time I'm happy with a back up axe in the trunk.
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this is the MAIN reason I don't have an axe for carry.. I've had many close encounters with an axe splitting wood..... to close for comfort and I simply cannot see myself bleed out in the wilderness because of a miss, I'm no axeman for sure, they have a place just don't think they're necessary for what I do..

who knows I may get a decent hatchet down the road I have 3 cheap ones now but I would never carry a large handle in the bush I'd just be asking to get hurt.. Maybe some safety videos are in order.........:)
 
TheLastDaze said:
this is the MAIN reason I don't have an axe for carry.. I've had many close encounters with an axe splitting wood..... to close for comfort and I simply cannot see myself bleed out in the wilderness because of a miss, I'm no axeman for sure, they have a place just don't think they're necessary for what I do..

who knows I may get a decent hatchet down the road I have 3 cheap ones now but I would never carry a large handle in the bush I'd just be asking to get hurt.. Maybe some safety videos are in order.........:)
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I agree completely. I am heavily into metal detecting for old fur trade relics which incidentally dove tails with my outdoor\knife\hawk interests. While doing winter research I come across repeated references to trader X being down for weeks because he nailed himself with an axe. It was\is a hazard with axe use. I am rethinking my gear for packing into the bush. A hawk or decent Bruks hatchet and decent folding saw may be my path. I sure DO NOT know it all and my views change\evolve. I guess that I'd better try to stay open minded about all of this because there are so many variations of environmental factors, weight considerations, safety considerations and levels of survival hazard. I think that I'm evolving into a mind set that just adapts and uses what makes sense for a particular situation, be it axe or saw etc. I think that I'd better not beat the three hairs on my chest over one particular outdoor tool over another as some people have better skill sets\knowledge than I possess. For myself, I am Leary or lets say respectful of axes and choose to lean away from them at this time, at least for isolated bush use.
 
TheLastDaze said:
who knows I may get a decent hatchet down the road I have 3 cheap ones now but I would never carry a large handle in the bush I'd just be asking to get hurt.. Maybe some safety videos are in order.........:)
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a longer handle is safer than a shorter one since it'll hit the ground first, that's why i went with the scandinavian instead of the small forest axe. i'm going to be kneeling down when chopping down a dead standing tree.

[youtube]2tUUctg6dfk[/youtube]

this guy's 3rd swing the axe deflects and hits the ground. with a longer handle he'd be even farther away from the ground impact.
[youtube]ZQV9LH4HJXE[/youtube]

for sectioning logs laying on the ground, i'm treating my axe machete style - the target area will never be between my legs but rather either 1-2 ft to my right or left at an angle. mors kochanski covers it in his book really well. i'll take a pic of it tonight. as for splitting wood, i'll stick to batoning since that's probably the most dangerous act with an axe.

...and the ace in the hole guaranteed safety? i'll sleep at the holiday inn the night before :D
 
All this talk about the dangers of axe swinging is freaking me out. :eek:

I always hike alone and i gotta admit...When felling my first tree with the SFA, i missed and the axe swung right in front of my left leg. It was some wake-up call. And that was in a small forest 1 km from home...imagine if i had hacked my leg half off 10 km from the nearest road. Alone. :eek:

I originally got the axe for hiking in isolated areas during the colder part of the year and because i dont really like big blades. An axe will easily build a shelter, prep firewood, etc. But me thinks that im going to need alot of practice before i develop some good axe skills. Its not as easy as i first thought.

The only good vid ive found on axe safety is Ray Mears. Can you fellas recommend any youtube vids on good and solid axe-techniques?
 
JV3 get some practice time before you head out, especially alone.. Most my accidents happen at home:o this way I'm close enough to seek medical attention if need be:thumbup:

I'm interested in your review once you have some time with it, also thanks for the vids..

be safe..

ETA just checked out the vids, I've seen the one with Mears before, but the second vid I think this guy need to learn to use an axe, I've never seen anyone try to pry off after they swing, its like hes trying to wedge the material off the tree.....
 
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