ax recommendations

[joespruce]

Hello,
I am looking to purchase a good quality felling ax and would like some recommendations. I haven't seen many reviews online but Oxhead of Germany, Gransford Bruk and S.A. Wetterling all appear reputable. Does anyone have experience with these or other brands?

Thanks,
Joe

[Dodgy Loner]

I like my Gransfors-Bruks hand axe - they make excellent tools!  My felling axe is a vintage double-bitted axe that I found on eBay for about $8.  It is made from very tough steel that sharpens easily and holds an edge very well.  If you've got money to spend, you can't go wrong with Gransfors-Bruks, but if you're looking for a deal I would try eBay.  I had to made my own handle, but that's half the fun ;D

[scgargoyle]

I have a Gransfors Bruks also, the small forest ax, which is a long handled hatchet. It's scary sharp when you get it, very well balanced, and cuts very fast. It was also very expensive, but DW bought it for me!

[DanG]

I have a rather nice old felling ax that I picked up at an Antique store that was going out of business in a small logging town.  It is a double-bitted Plumb that appears to have never been used.  I'm thinkin' I paid about twenty bucks for it.  If you're patient, there are some real deals to be found.  I also have several nice old axes that I found at flea markets for as little as a dollar, with no handles.

[thedeeredude]

I have an oxhead forest ax and love it but my favorites are old kelly brand axes.

[joespruce]

I've thought about looking around for a used one but am unsure of how to evaluate the quality of the steel and measure the weight of the head.

Any suggestions?  I am comfortable making my own handle if need be.

Joe

[Reddog]

G&B had a fire at their plant earlier in the year.
Some of the supply is out or low.
So keep that in mind when looking for one.

[Dodgy Loner]

I was trying to remember the name on my old axe head and thedeerdude remembered it for me ;D!  It's a Kelly.  Very good axe head.  There are several companies that produced top-of-the-line axeheads back in the day.  Some of the brands to look for are Kelly, Collins, and Plumb.  I'm sure there are other good brands, and getting one of these brands is no guarantee of getting a good axe.  Some people do really dumb things with axe heads, like tossing it in a fire to burn out a broken handle, and ruining the steel in the process.

[Ron Wenrich]

Warren axes were pretty good.  They used to be handled by Ben Meadows, but have gone out of business. 

[thedeeredude]

I also have an axe made by a local smith between the late 1800's and 1919.  I don't use it, at all.  I bought it only because it was quite collectible and a good price too.  It is hand forged with a laid steel poll.  the handle is slim, maybe 1-1/2 inches wide.  But its light and well balanced.  To see if the steel is good, run a file across the edge, you can feel if it  is too soft, the file will cut a lot of material, if too hard the file will skimp right across.  Axes don't need any fancy power sharpening or anything, just a good smooth single cut file will do.  I like double bit axes the most.  Another thing to look out for is the thickness of the area between the eye and the edge.  Modern hardware store axes are a good 3/8" thick in there, old axes were at most 1/4 inch thick and had a slight taper to the cutting edge.  This site has good info on axes

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/Fspubs/99232823/toc.htm

As for weight, I actually prefer a lighter axe.   When you're swinging often, bringing a heavy axe into position gets old.  I think I'm done talking for now :D  OH forgot, look for growth ring orientation of the handle.  Ideally, the rings should be diagonal to the eye of the axe.   If the rings are parallel or perpendicular, it probably will not  last as long.  OK, now I think I'm done.  Let us know what you get.  And post a you tube video of chopping down a 2' diameter tree ;D

[Dodgy Loner]

Your comment about the direction of the grain is interesting.  I have heard from various sources to keep the grain parallel to the eye for optimal strength (it's like hitting a baseball bat with the label up) or to keep it perpendicular to the eye for optimal stability (this is Roy Underhill's advice).  I do it Roy's way, but I have never heard of orienting the grain diagonally to the eye.  Perhaps it's the best of both worlds ???.  I think hickory is probably resilient enough, provided that the grain is straight, to make all of the advice-givers look equally smart ;).  I split the stock for my handles, so straight grain is a given .

[moonhill]

I use an axe almost daily.  My favorite is "no brand" it has no markings.  I would recommend testing the steal with a file, if it cuts the steal with out sliding on a hard spot, that is a good sign.  This is for a use/old head.  I don't like the steal to be too hard.  If you are purchasing one of the above listed axes you can't go wrong.  A new one can be costly.  Hard spots can be caused by grinding and over heating the edge, keep it quenched, wet and cool.  A good vise and large course file will shape an edge quickly without any worries, except your fingers.  

I almost bought a manufactured handle today.  But will make one for the splitting axe.  I need to rive the wood, I most likely will use maple or ash.  I will have to check the neighbors fire wood pile.    Tim

[moonhill]

I should of checked the three replies before posting.

I like the diagonal grain option.  How about the shape of the handle.  Curves or straight?  What are some other thoughts is one way better, does it effect balance?  I also like a lighter head and a slimmer handle to absorb shock.   Tim

[thedeeredude]

I was always schooled that parallel is ok, diagonal is best and perpendicular is no no.  I figure its like a baseball bat, you hit on the tangent the rings will split apart.  I don't know for sure though.

[thedeeredude]

I like straight handles or ones with very little curve.  The manufactured handles are a good starting point but they're to DanG rough and often too big. 

[thedeeredude]

Forgot again, don't soak the head in water to make the handle fit tight, it just crushes the wood cells and makes it even looser.

[joespruce]

Let me pose a different question.

If you could get a either new felling ax, splitting ax or splitting maul for christmas what would you request? type of tool and exact model.

Keep in mind the availability of used older axes as I will likely have to try and find the other two used.

Also how do SA Wetterling axes stack up against Oxhead and GF?  They're significantly less expensive.

Joe

[isawlogs]

 DanG , I could use a few of those dollar heads , I am plumb out of um to put handles on . Take a trip up here before the snow gets too deep and bring me a few I would even be willing to give you a good deal on a handle or two.  ;D
Moonhill , if you have maple and ash to choose from ... I would sugest the ash , I have always tried to get the grain perpendicular to the eye and give the handle a shallow curve I have a thread on here some wheres where I put a handle together for a head .  : I aint real good at searching for threads ...  :-\ :
 I gave one to Sprucebunny when she came here last summer .. the head on her axe would ring like a bell , it would keep an edge for a long time .

[Dodgy Loner]

Here is your thread, Marcel

deerdude: I have heard that advice many times, but in my brief life I have seen many spectacular handle failures due to grain runout from sawn stock, but I have never seen a handle fail because of the way the grain was aligned to the eye.  Perhaps it's more important for an ash handle than a hickory handle, as ash has less shear strength than hickory.  Since ash was the preferred handle wood in the Old World, it would not be surprising for the same adviced to be passed down from generation to generation.  Old habits die hard  

The main reason I align the grain perpendicularly is because I split my hickory in wedge-shaped pieces and it's easier that way.  I've yet to wear out a handle on any tool I've made, but the night is still young ;).

[woodhick]

I have an old Sager double bit axe that's my favorite.   I agree with others that there are often good buys at flea markets and yard sales.

[timberfaller390]

You can't go wrong with an old Bluegrass ax. Snow and Neally are great too.

[moonhill]

Hickory is not found in my woods.  I have a horn beam handle on my favorite, it doesn't have a lot of give.  Ash is my first choice, but I will take what show up.  The shape will come once it is rived.  I won't use sawn stock.  Tim

[thedeeredude]

deerdude: I have heard that advice many times, but in my brief life I have seen many spectacular handle failures due to grain runout from sawn stock, but I have never seen a handle fail because of the way the grain was aligned to the eye.  Perhaps it's more important for an ash handle than a hickory handle, as ash has less shear strength than hickory.  Since ash was the preferred handle wood in the Old World, it would not be surprising for the same adviced to be passed down from generation to generation.  Old habits die hard  

The main reason I align the grain perpendicularly is because I split my hickory in wedge-shaped pieces and it's easier that way.  I've yet to wear out a handle on any tool I've made, but the night is still young ;).

Well now ya jinxed it, your handle will break next time ya use it :D  No, I remember reading that somewhere about the grain direction, don't remember where.  I don't know if there's any validity to it. I busted an axe handle at work.  It wasn't sawn with the grain exactly.  And it wasn't my fault either.  The moon was in a new phase and it was aligned with some other stuff and....well, you get the picture, it wasn't my fault ;D

[rebocardo]

I have had a Craftsman double bit axe for years with a fiberglass handle. I have used it to split birch firewood and to cut down trees. Though once I broke down and bought a gas chainsaw I started to use it a lot less for cutting down trees, especially ones over 10"  ;)

> new felling ax, splitting ax or splitting maul for christmas

Splitting maul, steel triangle head (I guess 12 pounds) with metal handle. Customer gave it to me, I was surprised how well it works. You do have to hit it very square or it bounces off. It really destroys a piece of wood and is safer then the wedges/sledge I have been using. I usually do not do overhead swings like I do with the 10 pound sledge, I just raise it up and let it fall a bit, it works well.

[Gary_C]

Splitting maul, steel triangle head (I guess 12 pounds) with metal handle.

I think they call those Monster Mauls. But be careful with those if you do a lot of splitting. Those steel handles are hard on your wrists, elbows and shoulders because of the vibrations you feel.

Best to use a fiberglass handle for splitting.