Cliff Stamp
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 5, 1998
- Messages
- 17,562
The axe head is cast or drop forged of an unknown steel, not hand forged and
is coated, bubbles can be seen in the coating. The head weighs 1000g, the
axe in total weighs 1220 g. The overall length is 17.5", the distance from
the center of my grip to the center of the head is 13". The head is centered
on the handle, wedged in place and double cross wedged with two circular
wedges (the head has no lugs). The handle is hickory, vertical grain and has
a nice rough finish.
The bit of the axe is very thick. A well crafted felling axe will have a bit
that is about 0.25" thick about 2" back from the edge. On the Czeck axe this
thickness is reached at only 0.445" back from the edge. For comparison here
are three thickness measurements in inches taken along the bit of the Czech
axe as compared to the same place on the Gransfors Bruks Wildlife hatchet;
0.478 (0.365), 0.345 (0.232), 0.269 (0.172). Note how the Gransfors Bruks
hatchet is much thinner.
The edge grind on the Czech axe is also very obtuse, it was measured in
multiple places and found to vary from about 29 to 34 degrees. The edge is
not evenly ground, the bevel is wider on one side of the toe of the edge
than it is on the heel. A visible burr is also present and one side of the
edge bevel has a very coarse additional bevel about 0.5 to 1 mm in width
that waves along the edge. Needless to say the edge is very blunt. Getting
specific it can't push cut light thread and instead breaks it indicating
that it needs 750+ g to complete the cut. Cutting 1/4" poly under a 1000 g
load it takes 11.5 +/- 1 cm of edge. For reference a sharp blade will cut
the thread at about 100 g and slice the poly under that load in under one
cm.
The handle design has a couple of problems. First off all this weight of a
head is usually associated with a much longer handle and two handed use
however the length on this axe makes it a one handed tool. However the
correct heft is obviously dependent on the person weilding the axe. If you
have the strength to use this one, it will give a very powerful impact. The
handle is a bit unfinished however as there are square edges around the end
knob. The shape of the handle in the throat (near the bottom where you grip
it ) is also a bit off.
The top of the handle in the grip region should be an "S" shape. It should
curve up to fill out the center of the palm and then hollow out to give a
smooth transition across the edge of the hand. On the Czech axe the handle
is too flat in this region. Similar problems are found on the bottom of the
grip. It should have a very pronounced hollow which is used both for
security as well as for driving against for very powerful snap cuts. However
on the Czech axe it is again too flat.
I will sharpen this axe this evening and will get some use with it the
weekend. Odds are strong that it will see serious edge work as right now it
is what I would call a "utility axe" meaning it is for cutting roots, sods
etc. . If this is the edge profile that is common in the Czech Republic then
the wood there must be very hard indeed.
Ref :
http://www.garrettwade.com/images/87N1104.jpg
-Cliff
is coated, bubbles can be seen in the coating. The head weighs 1000g, the
axe in total weighs 1220 g. The overall length is 17.5", the distance from
the center of my grip to the center of the head is 13". The head is centered
on the handle, wedged in place and double cross wedged with two circular
wedges (the head has no lugs). The handle is hickory, vertical grain and has
a nice rough finish.
The bit of the axe is very thick. A well crafted felling axe will have a bit
that is about 0.25" thick about 2" back from the edge. On the Czeck axe this
thickness is reached at only 0.445" back from the edge. For comparison here
are three thickness measurements in inches taken along the bit of the Czech
axe as compared to the same place on the Gransfors Bruks Wildlife hatchet;
0.478 (0.365), 0.345 (0.232), 0.269 (0.172). Note how the Gransfors Bruks
hatchet is much thinner.
The edge grind on the Czech axe is also very obtuse, it was measured in
multiple places and found to vary from about 29 to 34 degrees. The edge is
not evenly ground, the bevel is wider on one side of the toe of the edge
than it is on the heel. A visible burr is also present and one side of the
edge bevel has a very coarse additional bevel about 0.5 to 1 mm in width
that waves along the edge. Needless to say the edge is very blunt. Getting
specific it can't push cut light thread and instead breaks it indicating
that it needs 750+ g to complete the cut. Cutting 1/4" poly under a 1000 g
load it takes 11.5 +/- 1 cm of edge. For reference a sharp blade will cut
the thread at about 100 g and slice the poly under that load in under one
cm.
The handle design has a couple of problems. First off all this weight of a
head is usually associated with a much longer handle and two handed use
however the length on this axe makes it a one handed tool. However the
correct heft is obviously dependent on the person weilding the axe. If you
have the strength to use this one, it will give a very powerful impact. The
handle is a bit unfinished however as there are square edges around the end
knob. The shape of the handle in the throat (near the bottom where you grip
it ) is also a bit off.
The top of the handle in the grip region should be an "S" shape. It should
curve up to fill out the center of the palm and then hollow out to give a
smooth transition across the edge of the hand. On the Czech axe the handle
is too flat in this region. Similar problems are found on the bottom of the
grip. It should have a very pronounced hollow which is used both for
security as well as for driving against for very powerful snap cuts. However
on the Czech axe it is again too flat.
I will sharpen this axe this evening and will get some use with it the
weekend. Odds are strong that it will see serious edge work as right now it
is what I would call a "utility axe" meaning it is for cutting roots, sods
etc. . If this is the edge profile that is common in the Czech Republic then
the wood there must be very hard indeed.
Ref :
http://www.garrettwade.com/images/87N1104.jpg
-Cliff