Axes
Axes come in many shapes, sizes and weights. They are all designed for different tasks. Small hatchets, double headed, splitting mauls, heavy axes are just a few.
Which one to get? Our preferred Axe is a Forest Axe. The handle length is around 24-26″ and the head weight is 2 to 2.5 lbs. Why do we like it? Well it is a good balance between too small and too big.
Bushcraft Axes
Small axes or hatchets are best used for crafting/splitting kindling and long periods of use. A large heavy axe, like a felling axe at 3.5lbs, is good for the rough heavy jobs of felling, limbing and sectioning larger trees.
For bushcraft purposes we spend a lot of time crafting and wanting a smaller more detail oriented axe. But, we also need the flexibility to take down some small/medium sized dead standing trees. Having this option with a forest axe is great. Firewood collection can take a substantial amount of the day. Having an axe just speeds this up and makes tasks a bit more efficient.
The small forest axe is not too heavy to carry around with you. Carrying a 3.5lb large axe on your woodland wanderings can get a little tiresome and you will end up leaving it behind. You will be wanting an axe only to find you don’t have one.
Don’t get me wrong. A 3.5lb felling axe will do the business. If you need to fell a lot or large trees there is nothing better than having a heavy head. The head weight is what does the real work. You arms are best for guidance and you shouldn’t need to over exert yourself when bringing down the axe, This leads to accidents. An axe in the leg or toe is not that much fun.
All the hard work is done when you lift the head the rest is just guidance. This is an over simplification but as a rule you shouldn’t need to force an axe.
Axe rules!
We have a simple rule that we don’t share or use someone else’s axe. This rule sounds a little unhelpful and selfish but it is the safest. Why?
Well, each one of us will become accustomed to the axe that they use. Every axe is different. The grip, the curve, the length, the weight. If you use the same axe all the time you become unconsciously very well programmed with that particular axe. Your muscles literally have a memory associated with that tool.
What happens if you use a different axe? It feels different. The reach is different. That is the dangerous or unfortunate part of it. It can be very easy to break the head off because of bad placement with a new or different axe.
Loosing an axe handle is not the end of the world. We can just make another one. Right!
Yep, we can. Except that we need to find some suitable wood, season it, shape it, get out the old handle and fit the new. Rome wasn’t built in a day!