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Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Sat Jan 11, 2020 2:03 pm
by Woodpuppy
Just finished hanging this True Temper Kelly Perfect Jersey! Few more coats of BLO and she’ll be ready to part fibers! Took the convex edge to 1,000 grit on belts, and will finish off with Spyderco ceramics.

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Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2020 5:24 am
by ChrisinHove
It certainly cut those logs cleanly...

Proper axe, that one. Nice.

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2020 2:25 pm
by murphjd25
I don’t got any pictures today but I have the Hults Bruk Bjork and love it, and a few different ones from Lowe’s that do the job for cheap axes. The Bjork is a joy to use though. Love it.

http://hultsbruk1697.se/products/the-bjork/

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2020 2:47 pm
by Woodpuppy
ChrisinHove wrote:
Sun Jan 12, 2020 5:24 am
It certainly cut those logs cleanly...

Proper axe, that one. Nice.
Yeah, one chop cuts!

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2020 3:57 pm
by Halfneck
Gransfors Bruks Hatchet. Bought it for around $60, then they got popular & the prices almost doubled. Regardless, it's a great Hatchet & worth the money.

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2020 10:11 am
by JD Spydo
Glad you put this up for discussion because in the past two years I've really developed an interest for axes and hatchets. Even the combat grade Hawks that have gained popularity I'm finding interesting.

Also that TRUE TEMPER ax in your opening post I find most intriguing. I've owned quite a few "True Temper" tools over the years and I've never found one that didn't have great quality.

I also like those Grandfors Bruks line of tools. I've heard that Council Tool is the only USA tool company that still makes an ax here in the USA.

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2020 1:01 pm
by DSH007
My favorite axe is my Fiskars X27. They're definitely not as cool looking as traditionals, but mine splits wood like no axe I've ever used.. now if I can just keep my father from beating the **** out of it..

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2020 1:26 pm
by Enactive
I guess i have four favorite axes. I wouldn't mind getting a Plumb, Kelly, Council or Swedish made full sized axe. We've got a few beater splitting axes and mauls at the rainforest cabin. As you can see, i like my Swedish axes. I like to keep a keen polished edge on these things. Edges out:
IMG_20200113_091537.jpg
The most specialized of the bunch-- and my baby-- is a Gransfors Bruks Swedish Carving Axe. You can get these with right, left of symmetrical V-Bevel. Mine has a right side bevel for right-handed hewing work. It is an excellent tool. I wouldn't mind having one that was 60-75 percent of the weight of this carving axe. There is another maker that produces one in that size in the Swedish/ Scandinavian deep-bearded style. This would be good for lighter jobs where not all the heft is needed.

I have started modifying the Hults Bruk hatchet/ hand axe to have an asymmetrical grind. I'm not sure i will be able to achieve the results i want with the existing material. It is still useful for some carving work and is super easy to carry anywhere for kindling production etc.

The longest-handled of the four is a Swedish forest axe (roughly comparable to an American boy's axe). It has a light head and a ~26 inch handle/ haft. This one is made at Hultafors for Husqvarna.

The carpenter's axe i mostly use as a hewing and shaping axe for various wood projects. This one is also a Hultafors /Husky. This is the axe lodged in the end of this ~25 pound chunk of Douglas Fir fatwood on top of my chopping block in the garage.
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All sheathed up.
IMG_20200113_100703.jpg
This is a smaller chunk of fat wood that i just split off the 25 pounder to cut down to size to mail to a friend. If you click the image to make it full size and then zoom in, you should be able to see how translucent some of the wood looks.

The knife pictured here is my favorite model of carving knife-- it's a Morakniv model 120 with a blade length of ~2.25 inches. It is made with laminated steel. The core is a fine-grained simple low alloy high carbon steel heat treated to HRC 61-62. The cladding on the blade is a softer lower carbon steel. This improves sharpening response without substantial disadvantage.

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2020 1:30 pm
by Enactive
murphjd25 wrote:
Sun Jan 12, 2020 2:25 pm
I don’t got any pictures today but I have the Hults Bruk Bjork and love it, and a few different ones from Lowe’s that do the job for cheap axes. The Bjork is a joy to use though. Love it.

http://hultsbruk1697.se/products/the-bjork/
That looks like quite a good splitter.

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2020 8:37 pm
by Woodpuppy
I like the Swedish axes quite a lot also! I have an X25, it’s a fantastic splitter. X15 is a good camp axe, dependable and not without its own aesthetic. I’m just getting a kick out of restoring and using vintage steel. Enactive, I’m enjoying a modest collection of Moras as well the short carving knife is next in my list. My main complaint about the larger knives is just that; I want a shorter blade (but with a full handle) for carving.

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2020 9:29 pm
by Enactive
Woodpuppy wrote:
Mon Jan 13, 2020 8:37 pm
I like the Swedish axes quite a lot also! I have an X25, it’s a fantastic splitter. X15 is a good camp axe, dependable and not without its own aesthetic. I’m just getting a kick out of restoring and using vintage steel. Enactive, I’m enjoying a modest collection of Moras as well the short carving knife is next in my list. My main complaint about the larger knives is just that; I want a shorter blade (but with a full handle) for carving.
I have 3 or so of the 2.25 inch Mora 120 carving (sloyd) knives and prefer them for most uses to the longer blade 3.35 inch version which i have, but use less. The barrel handle is great.

I've stopped using BLO on handles and the like because of the heavy metals and toxins in the drying agents-- for skin contact wood I started using organic cold pressed flaxseed oil. It is spendy, but I find it worthwhile.

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2020 9:35 pm
by Enactive
Woodpuppy wrote:
Mon Jan 13, 2020 8:37 pm
I like the Swedish axes quite a lot also! I have an X25, it’s a fantastic splitter. X15 is a good camp axe, dependable and not without its own aesthetic. I’m just getting a kick out of restoring and using vintage steel. Enactive, I’m enjoying a modest collection of Moras as well the short carving knife is next in my list. My main complaint about the larger knives is just that; I want a shorter blade (but with a full handle) for carving.
Here are a couple of spoons and a knife handle that i carved.
IMG_20200113_193048.jpg

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:41 am
by Woodpuppy
Nice! Are you on BCUSA perchance? I think you’d enjoy it. There’s a >50 page fatwood thread...

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2020 9:58 am
by Enactive
Woodpuppy wrote:
Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:41 am
Nice! Are you on BCUSA perchance? I think you’d enjoy it. There’s a >50 page fatwood thread...
Thanks. I think your right, it's a fun and informative thread. I have lurked over there a bit, not so much lately but I'll take another look.

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2020 7:38 pm
by justjohn
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I have had this one since 2015 and, it is still my favorite! :D

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2020 8:19 pm
by Enactive
justjohn wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2020 7:38 pm
I have had this one since 2015 and, it is still my favorite! :D
Right on! Beauty. That is hilarious. LOLed. :D

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 7:44 am
by Woodpuppy
justjohn wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2020 7:38 pm
I have had this one since 2015 and, it is still my favorite! :D
I wondered how long that would take, with all the smart alecs on this board! :p

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:01 am
by bearrowland
IMG_20191225_093236.jpg
Got this one from my son for Christmas. It's done a great job!

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:01 am
by bearrowland
Me too!! 😂
Enactive wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2020 8:19 pm
justjohn wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2020 7:38 pm
I have had this one since 2015 and, it is still my favorite! :D
Right on! Beauty. That is hilarious. LOLed. :D

Re: Got a favorite ax? Post ‘em up!

Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 5:53 pm
by Enactive
bearrowland wrote:
Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:01 am
Got this one from my son for Christmas. It's done a great job!
I like stacked leather handles. Lookin' good.