Axe Heaven

[SasquatchMan]

I haven't used a double bit axe - are they really that much better?  Everyone seems to say so...  better balance?

[oldsaw]

The cheap mild steel with a quasi-tempered edge axes are pretty easy to spot.  Instead of looking like they have  a logical, streamlined "line from back to the front, have more of a "convex" line..."big cheeks".  The better the steel, the more "concave" they seem to get.  I've got a cheap one that I got to split some wood up.  Works really well for that, and keeps an edge better than I expected, but, go into a log sideways, and many times it is only slightly more effective than hitting the log with a pillow in harder woods.  You do get a good shock coming up the handle though...the energy has to dissipate somewhere.  I keep looking at garage sales and flea markets, but only seem to find ones with too many miles or so rusty and pitted that they are beyond hope.

Double edge axes swing very nicely.  I really like them for felling if you have to.  Tend to be a thinner casting and more concave blade.  But a good quality single bit can have a good feel too.  However, I think a double feels so good because there is more weight in the same plane as the edge(s) and less weight further off the plane that would tend to "twist" if you weren't straight on your follow through.  Theoretically it shouldn't make that much difference, but you don't get the extra leverage of the little "hook" in the single axe handle which gives you considerably more leverage on the follow through of the swing.  Kind of evens out.

Maybe a double is more fun to swing, and the single is more fun to make chips fly with...but only if it is a good one.