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We almost always have a few old axes on hand. Usually these
are older Snow & Neally heads, but we have others occasionally.
Call for availability, condition, and pricing.
One of the most common problems with axes is improper grinding
and shaping. Your axe can be sharp as a razor and still be completely
frustrating to use because it's not correctly shaped for the job you
are trying to do with it. A V-shaped grind is for limbing and chopping.
A more rounded or blunt grind is for splitting. I use these
descriptions loosely. A V-grind will stick when used for splitting, and
a blunt grind will glance off when used for limbing or chopping.
This (right) is a pattern to make an axe gauge. This gauge
represents the best shape for an all around general purpose axe. I made
mine out of industrial plastic but any light gauge metal will work.
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If you use a grinder or disc sander to reshape your axe, be
sure to work bare handed. When the metal becomes warm to the touch,
it's time to cool it. If the metal turns blue, you overheated it and
drew out the temper. If this happens you can grind past it, or if it's
a small area, leave it and sharpen past it over time.
The axe is the most versatile and useful tool to have with you
in the forest. It can help you build a first-class shelter, put up a
sizable pile of firewood, drive tent pegs, split logs, etc., etc., etc.
As with all tools, when looking for an axe you should try and get the
best one that you can. The best axes made in the world were made in the
northeast before the crosscut saw came into wide use. These were
hand-forged of two pieces of steel; a harder, well-tempered piece for
the bit and a softer piece that was hammered around the eye. The axes
were the best because they were used all day, every day in the woods
and the men who used them demanded quality. The single-bit axe, or poll
axe, was the standard until the double-bit came along and began
replacing it. Not too long after, the crosscut saw became widely used,
then the chain saw. With the proliferation of the chain saw the axe was
no longer used on a daily basis, and as such there was no longer a
market for well-made axes. The modern axes made in the USA are usually
poured into a mold and tempered one hardness throughout. They're often
too soft to hold a decent edge, or too hard to sharpen with a file. In
either case, they're not good for much except splitting kindling or
cutting roots in the ground. There are still good axes available new
from Scandinavia, where the axe is still widely used. There are also
many great axe heads to be found at antique stores, used tool stores,
and flea markets that represent the highest echelon of the axe-maker's
craft. A good test for these is to run a new, sharp file along the edge
to sharpen it. If it's too soft, the file will push the edge over. If
it's too hard, the file will skip. If it's just right, grab onto the
axe with both hands and don't let go until you pay for it and get it
home.
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