what is this blade geometry good for

T

Titaniumlord430

Joined
Jun 12, 2017
Messages
43
Hello i have rehanged a traditional frisian axe head, from what i know this type of axe were used to split wood and chop down small brush. but the shape of the blade is really thin so i do not know how good it will split small logs for fire wood, here is a picture of the blade. http://imgur.com/a/klSI7
sorry for the bad quality picture , thanks guys
 
Kevin would probably be your best bet - remember he is 9 hours ahead of the west coast US.

How much does it weigh? Depending on how much it does weigh, I picture myself putting it on a shorter handle and maybe using it as a rough shaping tool.

Or sharpened up really well as an "All-purpose" chopper. Shorter handle still. It's long, thin, and flat. It probably needs to be pretty sharp to excel.

Titanium, neat axe you picked up there. Never having used one, all my input is guessing.
 
Last edited:
Agent_H said:
Kevin would probably be your best bet - remember he is 9 hours ahead of the west coast US.

How much does it weigh? Depending on how much it does weigh, I picturing myself putting it on a shorter handle and maybe using it as a rough shaping tool.

Or sharpened up really well as an "All-purpose" chopper. Shorter handle still. It's long, thin, and flat. It probably needs to be pretty sharp to excel.

Titanium, neat axe you picked up there. Never having used one, all my input is guessing.
Click to expand...
the head of the axe is 1.7 pounds
 
Titanium, at 1.7 pounds my guess is that is actually designed to be on a shorter handle. I could be wrong and don't understand the concept of the bit shape. I could draw several different axe head's in its overall profile.

I picture it on a shorter handle but like I said, I've never held one or less, used one.
 
I only saw one image of a blurry long bit. But from the length I might guess you have a mortising axe.
 
I3PHJFz.jpg
 
These things (as previous posters have mentioned) were probably meant for cutting, limbing and carving of soft woods. In a pinch it'll split wood for you but not as efficiently as you might like. Stay away from long rounds and hard heavy ones, and try not to bury it in any gnarly Elm-type stuff. With a heavy wood mallet (sometimes these are called 'commanders') you will be able to smack the poll to make it split things that it otherwise couldn't.
 
Ugaldie said:
Light thin axes are not for splitting tasks. They tend to be prunners or wood working (carpenter) tools.
Click to expand...

Agreed. The bit shape compares with more modern carpentry hatchets. The raised bit would allow work up into a corner like a modern lathing hatchet.
 
Kevin Houtzager said:
Agent H is actually right. See below.



And you would be right! It is for rough shaping (wooden shoes, furniture) and pruning. Mostly because of the weight. But you can split with it just fine, although it kind of depends on what your splitting? You also need to make it very sharp, otherwise it will just bounce of.

There is a technique for splitting with a narrow blade: As soon as the bit penetrates the wood, you need to twist the handle ever so slightly. I can split with almost anything, but if a blade gets stuck. You need to tap the log with the blade inside to get true. and before that you need to make sure that hand is narrower then the head it's mounted in. Otherwise you will end up with a lot of broken handles.
Click to expand...
Thanks Kevin guess it makes sense to have a axe for pruning in a place with no large trees and lots of mini trees , now that I think about it with only mini trees all you need is a pruning axe b/c the mini trees logs and branches are perfect for fire wood and kindling!
 
Coppices were traditionally kept in much of Europe for firewood generation. Splitting was rarely necessary and when it was, it was easy. The "fell medium/large trees, saw to stove length, and split" method is a very recent phenomenon. Kindling splitting was/still is often done by batoning a billhook or similar tool. There are even patterns made specifically for that purpose.
 
We had a video posted here sometime back about maintaining a hedgerow in England. The original film was shot in the 1940's in black & white. Anyone remember the link?

I think a small axe like this would be good for that work.
 
Square_peg said:
We had a video posted here sometime back about maintaining a hedgerow in England. The original film was shot in the 1940's in black & white. Anyone remember the link?

I think a small axe like this would be good for that work.
Click to expand...
I remember that. He never put his pipe down while wielding that very sharp billhook and his comely assistant sure was a nice distraction.
 
Square_peg said:
We had a video posted here sometime back about maintaining a hedgerow in England. The original film was shot in the 1940's in black & white. Anyone remember the link?

I think a small axe like this would be good for that work.
Click to expand...

From post by garry3


garry3 said:
I bet a bunch of folks here have let there hedges go.

This is not for everyone but I figured some of you guys here would enjoy it.

Horse high, hog tight and bull strong. This is how you do it.

Click to expand...
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Coppices were traditionally kept in much of Europe for firewood generation. Splitting was rarely necessary and when it was, it was easy. The "fell medium/large trees, saw to stove length, and split" method is a very recent phenomenon. Kindling splitting was/still is often done by batoning a billhook or similar tool. There are even patterns made specifically for that purpose.
Click to expand...
hi, i guess i am thinking from the perspective of a person from canada in 2017.
i will use this axe for pruning my grandma's mountain ash brush. now all i need is a frisian billhook!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top