Wood splitting with the Twist

Sparrow92 said:
Do you actually use the ax you inherited, or as a 'family heirloom' is just hung on the wall?
The guy who owned the double bit I now use was going to try and figure out when it was made, but I don't know if it would be over a 100 years old!
I actually have only two photos of that double bit, one posted over at AxeConnected; the other just taken yesterday after doing some splitting. (I'll post the photo sometime soon.) Nothing too showy looking; it's seen some rough days, but it still works great!
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I use my grandpas axe quite a bit actually. Even though I prefer to use my new GB double bit, as the helve on my grandpas is warped. I can still use it quite effectively though.

I don't really believe in "hang on the wall axes". They were made to be used, and have been used their entire life. I think my grandpa would be a little disappointed if I wasn't using it!

I plan on fixing it up a little (new helve, fix the edge a little etc), but I don't have enough money at the moment to buy a new hevle for it. I already have enough axe projects going on at the moment:)

Even though it is warped, it has one of the most comfortable helves I ever did hold...They make em' to thick nowadays in my opinion, and require a lot of work to get them right.

If your interested in seeing it, I have a video over on my youtube channel called "my current axe collection". You can see it there. Here is a link to my YT channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/StratoManBasejumper?feature=mhee

You can just click on the "videos" button right above the video screen to see more of my videos.

Take care,
Reno
 
Square_peg said:
Welcome, Sparrow!
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I have a friend your age who has lived her entire life off grid. You're not the only one your age who appreciates learning traditional skills. I think it's very cool.
P.S. - How's the weather down south in New Brunswick? :D
I'm in Washington State at about the same latitude as Cambellton.
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Thank you. It's nice to hear about other young people that are interested in something other than the latest iPod, fashion trends, etc -- though it often seems as if we are few and far between.
Weather; now that's a tricky question… We've had lots of fluctuations in temperature recently -- an early thaw which managed to flood parts of our local town under 12 feet of water, snow a few days later -- it's been back and forth all spring. As for today it was sunny and slightly breezy, with the temps in the lower 60s F; typical for this area and this time of year, and perfectly acceptable to the beekeeper in me!
 
Sparrow92 said:
Thank you. It's nice to hear about other young people that are interested in something other than the latest iPod, fashion trends, etc -- though it often seems as if we are few and far between.
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Too true:( Very nice when you meet someone with the same interests as you though.
 
Wood Splitter said:
I don't really believe in "hang on the wall axes". They were made to be used, and have been used their entire life.
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Good point!

Wood Splitter said:
I plan on fixing it up a little (new helve, fix the edge a little etc), but I don't have enough money at the moment to buy a new hevle for it. I already have enough axe projects going on at the moment:)
Even though it is warped, it has one of the most comfortable helves I ever did hold...They make em' to thick nowadays in my opinion, and require a lot of work to get them right.
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How about making one? You already have the pattern from the original, so perhaps it would be just another step up the ladder of axemanship to make a handle instead of buying one. Then it might be more to your liking, or at the very least, give you another learning experience… :)
Yeah, I know what you mean about the handles being made too thick these days; they feel more like clubs than ax handles.
I'll check out your videos next time I get a chance to hijack a wireless signal somewhere. (dial-up internet and downloading videos don't go very well together!)

Wood Splitter said:
By all means, add to the conversation. It being useful or not depends on the person reading it;)
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Now, have any of my comments been of use to anyone on here? I doubt it. ;)
 
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Sparrow92 said:
Good point!


How about making one? You already have the pattern from the original, so perhaps it would be just another step up the ladder of axemanship to make a handle instead of buying one. Then it might be more to your liking, or at the very least, give you another learning experience… :)
Yeah, I know what you mean about the handles being too thick these days; they feel more like a club than an ax handle.

Cool, I'll check out your videos next time I get a chance to hijack a wireless signal somewhere. (dial-up internet and downloading videos don't go very well together!)


Now, have any of my comments been of use to anyone on here? I doubt it. ;)
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I have considered making a handle, as I am pretty good with woodwork (if I do say so myself), but I can't get any hickory, ash, or maple anywhere! :( Oh well...
 
Wood Splitter said:
I have considered making a handle, as I am pretty good with woodwork (if I do say so myself), but I can't get any hickory, ash, or maple anywhere! :( Oh well...
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Seriously?? No suitable trees in the "Deep woods of British Columbia Canada"? and have you ever come across this thread? The ax discussed there is one that I've done many hours of work with; hewing small logs, making dovetail notches, etc., and it's one of my favourites... with the handle made out of a white birch branch.
 
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Sparrow92 said:
Seriously?? No suitable trees in the "Deep wood of British Columbia Canada"? and have you ever come across this thread? The ax discussed there is one that I've done many hours of work with; hewing small logs, making dovetail notches, etc., and it's one of my favourites... with a handle made out of a white birch, ahem, branch!
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I would have to get to a fallen silver birch within about 6 to 7 months of it falling. As birch starts rotting as soon as it falls.

I have talked with some people about making a hawk handle out of birch, and everyone said it should be okay.

I guess you just reinforced that point.

I will defiantly look out for a suitable tree while in the woods. If I find one, I may just try my hand at making both a hatchet handle, and double bit (if its big enough for one).

There is some maple about two hours drive from me, but not were I live.

Silver birch is the only suitable tree in my area for any type of tool handle.
 
Sparrow92 said:
I actually have only two photos of that double bit, one posted over at AxeConnected; the other just taken yesterday after doing some splitting. (I'll post the photo sometime soon.) Nothing too showy looking; it's seen some rough days, but it still works great!
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Here's the photo (with thanks to Steve Tall!)
AshleysDoubleBitAxe.jpg
 
Do you know if the original weight is stamped on the bottom like it is on this axe? A lot of the Maine companies seemed to do that, though it would still be a crapshoot as to which of the many companies made it without a logo. This one just had the weight stamp and the characteristic pattern, it looks kind of like yours (more bit left though!).

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Picture077.jpg
 
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Sparrow92 said:
Here's the photo (with thanks to Steve Tall!)
AshleysDoubleBitAxe.jpg
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So what do you guys use for bucking logs? I'm a big crosscut saw guy but I think I remember reading on axeconnected that you burn about 12 cords a year. that'd be a heck of a lot of sawing by hand so you must utilize chainsaws or something right?
 
Chainsaws??? No way! I don't use chainsaws…
…but others in my family do. :) We used to use only axes and crosscut/buck saws for all our firewood, building, etc. Now my dad (or brother, when he's around) usually fell and buck the trees with a chainsaw, though we also fell some with axes. I do most of the splitting and stacking these days, and I'm pretty possessive of my favourite job - splitting. We still buck some by hand, but not much. Perhaps if we had as many sharpened crosscut saws lying around here as we have axes I'd get into using saws more… but that's mostly an excuse.
 
Sparrow92 said:
Chainsaws??? No way! I don't use chainsaws…
…but others in my family do. :) We used to use only axes and crosscut/buck saws for all our firewood, building, etc. Now my dad (or brother, when he's around) usually fell and buck the trees with a chainsaw, though we also fell some with axes. I do most of the splitting and stacking these days, and I'm pretty possessive of my favourite job - splitting. We still buck some by hand, but not much. Perhaps if we had as many sharpened crosscut saws lying around here as we have axes I'd get into using saws more… but that's mostly an excuse.
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:thumbup::):thumbup:
 
An could someone please enlighten me as to why anyone would be drooling over my woodpile? I'm a bit confused...
 
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