ax head questions

so i have questions to narrow my search for a good bushcraft all in one ax head.

i'm thinking the bearded ax shape is the best, because you can choke up and use it as a knife.

im also thinking thinking that a wood handle is best, because if a metal handle breaks i cant reattach the head to a different handle.

what do you say?

a reply to: stormson

I like your train or thought here. I propose we expand the survival/bushcrafting forums.

I’m very close to selling everything off and living in the wild (with some minor luxuries from my hard work).

I don’t belong in this generation…

I have my old boy scout axe. It works well. It is hanging on the wall in the garage. I have had it for about fifty four years. I prefer the chainsaw though.

I bought a bunch of machetes a while back for whatever reason, and I use them far more often than the axe or hatchet.
They can even split wood if you hit them with something.

Yep always go with something you can replace easiest if it breaks, huge rule of thumb my man, youre on the right track

a reply to: stormson

Here's the thing about an axe blade. Really, there are two main ways of grinding one, depending on how you intend to use it. If you are primarily using it to chop across the grain, you want to sharpen it with a thin cutting edge. That's much more efficient if you are chopping limbs off or felling trees. If you are primarily using it to split wood with the grain, you sharpen it with a thick, strong cutting edge. The old timers who made their living with a double bit axe would sharpen their axes with one blade for chipping and one blade for splitting. A splitting axe blade probably would make a terrible knife blade, but a chipping axe blade could probably be passable, if you took care of it.

Council Tool makes a double bit saddle axe ground this way with a 16 inch handle and selling for 55$:

northernwoodsmen.com...

Check it out.

learned a lesson this fall, dont be afraid to spend on the one you go with. Got a Maul since it was going to be used for splitting logs serviceable for what I needed this fall, but will probably need to replace it by xmas. The handle is starting to separate in part because I went cheaper and a bigger part I wasnt that good at the start.

Got about 2 cords split now and I will say I am getting pretty good at it.

a reply to: stormson

Get a folding pruning saw and a pocket chain saw for survival.

An axe announces where you are for miles, the saws don't.

I am going on up to one week bushcraft/wild camping/stealth camping trips as often as possible meanwhile. Bought three hatchets over the time (two different cheap ones from DIY stores, modified slightly), one XForst with such a "viking" style head as "youtube bushcrafters" love them. Only carried a hatchet one time on my trips because all i need is a folding saw and a sturdy full tang knife for everything like fire wood (but even a fire is forbidden in any forest here except on private property xD) or to cut dead wood sticks for tarp shelter building, pegs or whatever.

I live in Germany and it´s not allowed to build permanent structures in the forest and i strictly follow the Leave No Trace rule anyway. It´s nearly one kilogram less weight in my backpack so i can carry more water, food or whatever. And i never missed a hatchet out there, tbh. I simply use my (25cm blade) folding saw (16 Euros) and then baton the sh!t out of my 20 Euros full tang knife with a blade spine of 5mm xD.

For survival purposes a hatchet and bow saw will serve you FAR better.

If you wanna do the whole Les Stroud Lumberjack Man thing a decent forest axe is fine. It's more about the steel quality than the shape of the blade. Gransfors Bruks makes some fantastic ones, I own a few myself.

No such thing. What is the specific intended use? Do you already carry a knife? Bevel and sharpening, weight, length…? Good steel means you can repurpose it, at least. Axes are heavy - especially a good double bit. Hatchets are also heavy. If you spend all your time above treeline, it may only be useful for bone. Even higher above treeline, and there will be no thick bone - ice axe would be of more use.

Learn how to bevel, sharpen, and master your knife first - experiment, then get good with an axe. Wood handles are comfy, but it would be lost on most - hence weird fiber/metal/composite options. Miss and you can easily ruin a good wood handle. If no experience with cutting wood, grain, etc. - you won’t be able to craft anything worthy for a replacement handle.

You also don't need a bearded anything to just use an axe head as a knife. Same way you can use a knife as an exacto blade…forget about the handle and grip the darn blade. Need to be able to sharpen it for that use, though.

“Don’t try this at home”, or just use proper care. If you can’t handle that, I don’t think you should even be driving and all that. Just buy something cheap, experiment, learn, and go from there. See what you like to do and/or use it for.

A good saw can be light, inexpensive, and easy to carry spare blades for. Good for lots of things. I can split/stack/cure/store wet and/or green wood at home…not so much on the move.

Best of luck.

Mountain men used to say that if they only had 1 tool they could use to survive with they chose the tomahawk.

It is light, it is sharp, and is versatile. A wood handle that is basically a stick, if you own a 'hawk you expect the handle to break. So easily replaced. Sharp knife edge that can be used for small work like skinning. You wont cut down the mighty oak with one but big enough to cut 2 or 3 inch branches and the like. Also a very formidable weapon. Can be used in close quarters or easily thrown.

Mountain men used to say that if they only had 1 tool they could use to survive with they chose the tomahawk.

It is light, it is sharp, and is versatile. A wood handle that is basically a stick, if you own a 'hawk you expect the handle to break. So easily replaced. Sharp knife edge that can be used for small work like skinning. You wont cut down the mighty oak with one but big enough to cut 2 or 3 inch branches and the like. Also a very formidable weapon. Can be used in close quarters or easily thrown.

a reply to: stormson

Actually a solid fiberglass handle is best...

When I worked construction the if I only had an all around hammer that didn't slip in the head, break the handle or splinter etc. I found it in the fiberglass sort.

Fortunately enough you can pour and shape grinding/filing/sanding yourself and install an ergonomic style bicycle grip if you already have a head you like or need to replace the handle.

The full metal shank sorts of hammers and axes typically split the rubber grips and the silicone grip sort slips, not to mention those that are handled with rivets often split off after heavy use needing a new rivet.

As far as a brand goes I don't have any for you; but I'd be really picky when it comes to tools as a good one should last a lifetime. Screw drivers... Rolls eyes.