Axes?

[N80]

I need a good axe but I have no idea what to look for or who makes good ones. I do know that most of what I see in the home stores look cheap, both the heads and wooden handles.

I have two of the Fiskars/Gerber camp axes and they are the best made, best balanced, sharpest most effectives axes I have ever used but they only come in the small size.

The handle is only about 28" long. I wish they made a full sized axe!

I want the axe for general useses like felling, limbing, some splitting etc. Single bit I think.

So who makes the good ones? What type of handle, fiberglass or wood? Any recommendations welcome.

For reference I've been using the same axe for years and it is an old fire axe that my dad used during his career as a revenuer to bust up moonshine stills. It is a very handy tool but not really ideal for basic tree work as the pike end makes it quite heavy. It is worn severely on both ends and it is time for it to retire.

 

[milkman]

I've got the Fiskars 7854 splitting axe and it too has the 28" handle. It's a quality piece although I think it would be better if the handle was about 3" longer. I thought of getting the axe, but needed the splitter. Let us know if you get the Fiskars, the other ones you see are nothing like the axes were when I was growing up.

 

[jdbower]

I'm a believer in multiple axes for specialized purposes. Pretty universally I like the fiberglass handles - they're pretty much indestructible and they absorb a lot of the impact from a normal blow and, more importantly, from a miss.

I have a cheap hatchet (Coleman?) for small stuff. It's useful for camping (obviously) but also for hacking away at roots where there isn't much clearance. or small limbs. It does suffer from a lack of weight and momentum.

I have a sharp ax with a comfy contoured handle from Lowes/Home Despot which is good for larger limbs and small trees (larger trees are best left for a chainsaw!).

For splitting I have a splitting maul (I don't have the one pictured, but it would probably be my choice now) - essentially what you get when you leave a sledge hammer and an ax in a secluded spot and play romantic music. I like the maul because it's also an 8lb sledge and it adds a little more exercise to splitting. They also have lighter splitting axes which look a bit odd, kind of like an ax with a built in wedge. Since I've got some nice iron splitting wedges (some dating back to my grandfather) having the maul is a much nicer option for me since I'd need to lug out a sledge anyway.

 

[N80]

Thanks guys. JD, that sharp ax is a funky looking thing but I may look into one.

 

[jdbower]

Hypothetically if one were not paying attention and accidentally ran over my sharp ax in a tractor about the size and weight of, I don't know, a JD 2520 with loader and backhoe while digging out stumps I believe the handle would survive. Hypothetically, of course.

 

[Bird]

I recently bought a Ludell single bit axe at Home Depot. It has a 31" fiberglass handle (distance to the head; overall length of about 34"). I do believe it's the purtiest axe, best shaped most comfortable handle I've ever seen. And I would not have bought it if I handn't had a bench grinder and an angle die grinder! It had almost no edge at all, you couldn't even cut soft wood with it, so it took me awhile to put an edge on it, and even then it just does not do a decent job of cutting. But it looks and feels good.

 

[jimmyj]

I have a bit of an axe fetish.

In addition to having multiple Fiskars, which are AMAZING, these 2 are top drawer quality.

Iltis Ox Head

FORESTRY MALL - Forestry Cruising - Mining Field Equipment and Supplies

Gransfors

Gränsfors Bruks AB

Note, the double bit gransfors is amazing as a throwing axe. It's a weapon!

These can both be ordered mail order.

 

[N80]

JD, I have hypothetically run over my Fiskars ax too and it has survived without a scratch, but I'm not sure I know what 'hypothetically' means. Does it mean when you're tired and not paying attention? If so, that's exactly how I ran over my ax too.

Bird, that is something I noticed on all the axes at the home centers. Sharp as a bowling ball.

Jimmyj, I have heard about the Gransfors. Seems like I saw something about them on Modern Marvels or some such. They were making a big deal about the angle of the cutting edge vs typical hardware store axes. I look into them. Probably pretty pricey huh?

 

[Wayne County Hose]

I have a bit of an axe fetish.

In addition to having multiple Fiskars, which are AMAZING, these 2 are top drawer quality.

Iltis Ox Head

FORESTRY MALL - Forestry Cruising - Mining Field Equipment and Supplies

Gransfors

Gr舅sfors Bruks AB

Note, the double bit gransfors is amazing as a throwing axe. It's a weapon!

These can both be ordered mail order.

Hmmm. Thanks Jimmy, I will have to get a gransfors. I throw axes, hatchets, and knives. It's hard to find a good thrower. It's actually an art that took a long time to figure out. It definately is not done like you see in the movies.

 

[jimmyj]

Yeah, the Gransfors are not cheap.

Andy, they have both hatchets and the big double bit for throwing. I have not thrown the hatchets yet but my pal got some and we're going to have some fun on the boys fishing trip soon! The double bit is shaped such that it's really forgiving, almost all angles will stick. You can throw it one handed or do the big viking double handed over the head he man throw. Lots of fun.

 

[N80]

I have not thrown the hatchets yet but my pal got some and we're going to have some fun on the boys fishing trip soon!

Hmmm. Those must be some pretty big fish!

 

[2manyrocks]

Last year, the local high school put on a production of the Wizard of Oz. The tin man was played by a son of a local preacher. There was a line in the play when the tin man was explaining what the wicked witch did to him to make him rust up: "She put a curse on my axe." It was spoken in a way that was more like--she put a curse on my ****.

If I were looking for a good quality axe, I guess I'd try to find a supplier to the logging guys or maybe a supplier to the fire and rescue people.

 

[Scooby074]

I have a eastwing 26" camp axe that i like alot. You can sharpen it to a wicked edge (almost slit my wrist once) and its Built like their hammers with a steel handle. Made in the USA too! Plus it somes with a nice leather sheath.

Dad gave me my first "hatchet" when i was around 10, it was a eastwing leather handled one.. Too bad i lost it. Was a good axe.

I also have a couple Garant traditional wood handle axes that used to be my grandfathers, made in canada, that are pretty good. I dont know what the current ones are like, even though there stamped made in canada, i think the castings are made in china.

Ive looked at the Gransfors at Lee Valley and theyre REALLY nice, but real expensive too. Theyre almost too nice to use as axes!!

 

[jimmyj]

I have that Estwing too Scooby. It's handy but the angle of the head grind is not right compared to what I prefer. Sturdy for bushwacking though.

My favorite is the iltis Ox Head. The steel rings like a tuning fork and the angle of the head is perfect for axe work. Nice and light too.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I picked two hand axe at Hechinger shortly after arriving to USA. I just made sure it was forged in USA. The handle is about third, but axe is still going strong.
For fine work I use one hand broad axe - the blade is forged to one side to give you smoother finish - I got that one from ebay from some dumb collector of old tools. Never understood collecting tools instead of using them.
For everything else I have hatchet made for pioneers. The handle was loose and I made new one from laminated hickory, but it is one of my favored tools.

 

[Egon]

I want the Axe for general uses like felling, limbing, some splitting etc. Single bit I think.

Awe, you need a minimum of three axes. A double bit for felling, heavy one for splitting and a smaller single bit one for limbing and clearing a work area for felling.

Hatchets are best left in the store as they are too short to work safely unless your extra carefully.

I've got an older, older than me for sure, double bit Axe that still has the same handle from when I was a young fellow. It only gets used for felling and it is sharp!

 

[dfkrug]

Pretty universally I like the fiberglass handles - they're pretty much indestructible and they absorb a lot of the impact from a normal blow and, more importantly, from a miss.

Interesting. I have a fiberglass axe that I use often, as well as a wooden-
handled axe that I keep on my tractor. The F/G is certainly more durable,
but I find the wood one more comfortable to use, due to the way it absorbs
vibrations. Both are single-headed conventionally shaped. I also have
numerous sledge hammers, and one of my 12-pounders has a F/G handle.
The hickory-handled 12-pounder is considerably more comfortable to use.
I have had to replace the handle, though. I got about 25 y out of the
handle before it broke.

 

[Charlesaf3]

just ordered an estwing hatchet based on the above - man I learn a lot from you guys - and the fact that estwing carpenters hammers are of such amazing quality. If the hatchet is half as good I'll be happy.

Egon is making me think about safety and hatchets now. But I usually use them for light work, stuff that's too small for a chainsaw etc. Now I have to rig up some out of the weather place to put it. Kubota just isn't great about storage on their tractors. Though maybe I'm just nuts in what I want to put on it.

 

[mrpoppy58]

I need a good axe but I have no idea what to look for or who makes good ones. I do know that most of what I see in the home stores look cheap, both the heads and wooden handles.

I have two of the Fiskars/Gerber camp axes and they are the best made, best balanced, sharpest most effectives axes I have ever used but they only come in the small size.

The handle is only about 28" long. I wish they made a full sized axe!

I want the axe for general useses like felling, limbing, some splitting etc. Single bit I think.

So who makes the good ones? What type of handle, fiberglass or wood? Any recommendations welcome.

For reference I've been using the same axe for years and it is an old fire axe that my dad used during his career as a revenuer to bust up moonshine stills. It is a very handy tool but not really ideal for basic tree work as the pike end makes it quite heavy. It is worn severely on both ends and it is time for it to retire.

N80,
T.S.C. has some good axes. But in my IHMO Collins makes the best axe in America. I think they are U.S.A. made.
Poppy

 

[N80]

Charles, if you have not used one of the 28" Fiskars/Gerber axes you owe it to yourself. They are nothing short of miraculous and the main reason I have not replaced my fire ax all these years is that the Fiskars works nearly as well as a full sized ax. They are nothing short of amazing. And since you can get one for about $35 it would be well worth it. I think they are a perfect combination of weight, balance, edge and head design. I don't think it could be improved on except, as someone mentioned, about 2-3 more inches on the handle would be great. I keep one in my truck and one on the tractor.

Egon, I don't do enough felling to need a double bit and often find good use for the flat edge. But they do look cool and I could see myself wanting one. The Fiskars is par excellance for limbing so I got that covered. I don't do enough splittling to need a wedge shaped or heavier ax. That might change if I ever get a fireplace in my cabin.

Poppy, thanks for the tip on the Collins. Will definitely look that up.

The problem I have with wood handles is that so many of them you see today look like junk. Rough, poorly finished surfaces. Wide, too straight grain looks like it would break easily. I think a really good wooden handle would be preferable to FG, but it might be hard to find a really good wood handle these days. I have always had good luck with a rubber 'doughnut' just below the ax head to protect the handle and so wouldn't hesitate to buy an ax if it had a high quality wood handle.