I have to admit to having an affinity for axes for as long as I can remember. I’m not as hardcore as the folks over at the Axe Junkies Facebook Group, but I do have around 10 of them. This year I’m determined to spend more quality time with them. You will only develop axe skills by using it and I will be finding some tasks, projects or chores that I can do with an axe.
So You Want To be a lumberjack
I have always enjoyed splitting straight grained wood with an axe or maul and when I cut down smaller trees I’ve found a good sharp axe removes small limbs better than a chainsaw. But for felling trees, I’m more of a chainsaw kind of guy. I do have a couple of the large double bit axes. An interesting side note is that each side of the head was often sharpened differently for different uses. I will give felling a tree with an axe a go this spring, you never know I might like it and it will at the very least be good exercise.
Carpenters Axe
The view many people have of an axe user is a lumberjack with a huge double bit axe. However what many people do not realize is that an axe is not just the tool of a woodsman or lumberjack, is used to be part of the standard toolkit of the carpenter. Pictured above is the Hults Bruk Carpenter Axe that I acquired this year and I will be starting with it this year. I need to clear out space in my basement first so I have a place to work. The edge on this axe is amazing, almost a mirror finish and very sharp. I’ll be looking for some project that can be made with just an axe to build my skills.
Interesting Videos
A good primer on different types of Axes by Dave Canterbury
Wrangler Star reviews a decent cheep axe
