Which axe ?

Sorry for such a minimal post with nothing to offer, but i think ATS can answer my question.

What axe/hatchet do you reccomend, bearing in mind its uses are splitting wood, chopping green trees, and a basic edge tool for when a knife is impractical?

I have sen many 'survival' axes with all the fancy bits, carbon handles and additional whistles, but im jst looking for a streight up axe that i know i can rely on not to chip, bend, dull quickly, and that i can repair if the haft does snap. Lightweight is a bonus, functionality a must

Just want something better than a woodaxe. Any suggestions?

reply to post by Learningman


Just done a quick search for you and found this little beast of a thing.
chopperoneaxe.com...
Tell me what you think of it.
My opinion Great design for just an axe, strong handle, rotating levers to force the wood apart.

reply to post by Learningman
That's a good axe but your looking for this www.pacificrimdistributors.com.au... just scroll down a bit. Fiskars axes don't break, don't bend, don't chip, don't rust, what more could you ask for oh yeah they look bad ass

reply to post by Learningman


Snow & Nealley Hatchet.
www.onehandranch.com...

Quality and affoardable. Hard edge to boot. Granted its your no frills axe/hatchet wood and steel but really thats all u need. Good luck friend hope this helped.

reply to post by YoungMind92


Wow, thats a great idea foor chopping logs! Dont think it would work for anything other than that though.
Anyone got an axe that they can reccomend from experiance?

reply to post by BlastedCaddy


They seem pretty great! I liked the fiskars axe posted by DrunkNinja above, but i think id rather have the ability to repair than put my trust in an irreparable axe that seems indestructible. Thanx BlastedCaddy

Id have to say the good ole Firemans Axe is the best

I guess it all depends on what your intending to do with this tool. Is this to carry in your BOB, or is it meant more for just general use around the camp? If your looking to carry an axe around and not looking to split logs and such I would recommend a SPAX. If you are looking for general use such as chopping wood, cutting trees etc. then I would recommend the larger Fiskars axe as posted above or another composite style axe. I know a lot of people like their wood handled axes, but what happens when that handle breaks? Can you fashion another stable handle with your whittling skills?

When I am out doing my thing,I never go for big logs because they take alot of effort to get thru.
I always go for dead wood or for smaller stuff thats easier to carry and work with.
What about a machete instead of an ax??
I am not sure what you would be using it for so its an honest question.
Is this for a bugout bag or for your home??

reply to post by Learningman


I don't know if this will be of any help to you, but this is the axe I have for my BOB. It's made by a company called Estwing. Here are a couple of reasons I like this and think it is an item you can depend on.




Estwing Axes/Wood Splitting Tools

1. My father has had one for 30+ years now....and yes he uses it quite a bit. He's a "mountain man"...a "Hillbilly" if you will. The only thing he's had to do to it is sharpen it, and of course keep it clean
2. It is one solid piece of metal. There are no pieces to break or try to repair. If you snap this in half... then frankly I would be very afraid of you!
3. They make other sizes and lengths than the one I have pictured
4. THEY ARE MADE IN THE USA

The last one, is merely a personal preference and has nothing to do with it's ability.... but the one I have, in my opinion, is one of the best axes I've ever had. I don't know about your area, but where I am they can be purchased at Home Depot.

Hope this helps some......

your choice of axe depends on where you live and whether you plan on carrying it on foot or not.
Before you invest in a good axe I would highly recommend buying and reading this book - Bushcraft by Mors Kochansky.
He has an excellent section on axe choice, usage and maintenance. there really is an art to axe use and different design axes for different jobs - there are axes for felling trees and limbing axes for removing branches, etc.

www.amazon.com...

As the above poster said - whats it for?

hard woods? soft woods? splitting axe? camp axe? Bob filler for all round general use? I use S& J axes all day in the forests limbing soft woods. never let me down and they for the money are absolute golden buy.

www.spear-and-jackson.com...

As I said before though, if you need a all rounder first look at the intended trees in your location.

Eastwing is a quality hatchet without the traditional wood handle that is dependable and rugged enough for a lifetime of proper use.

The main reason to stick with a traditional wood handle is of course handle replacement. The Gerber/Fiskar (Fiskar makes them for Gerber as well as the the camp saw with the slide out blade) composite handles and the steel tube handles are impossible to replace. That and the weight you save while carrying them translates to more work to use them.

Wood handles are the trade off. You have added weight (which means less work) and extended lifetime of use at the cost of replacing them as they break. You could go for a quality made throwing axe. Handle replacement is simple, just need a round handle of the correct diameter. You could even carry spare heads so as the blade edge dulls, you can field swap to a sharp head and save time while cutting.

However, for my opinion, a saw is more energy efficient than an axe or hatchet. And you can split firewood with a saw by sawing halfway through the diameter and then slamming against the ground or other log against the cut. In other words, the cut side faces the ground. Smaller diameters can be batoned with your knife.

Next option would be a Woodsman's Pal which performs a variety of functions for the weight.

As for myself, I am a saw and knife combination fan due to the weight, space and energy savings. However it does take more time to split firewood and you are limited to how large of diameter to use, which mean firewood preparation for the winter will consume more time. That is if you are in a long term situation. General camping and survival on the move, saw and knife. Don't forget a small file for long term situations.

Wow, thats quite a selection!
IN reply to what its fo, its both for my bag, and thus carying on foot, and for camping this summer to test my gear and see what id need.

Thanks for all the advice

I like the Gerber axes (Fiskers) they are tough and hold up well. hold an edge good too.

The handles are hollow so you could store emergency items inside if you wanted. (just have to find a way to plug the end like a whittled cork and some tape.