Need A New Axe

[EricW]

I am in need of a new felling axe. When I left for college, my father took over my beautiful Kelley double-bit and ruined it on the bench grinder. I knew I should have hung that thing on the wall of my dorm room and kept it safe...

Unfortunately, real axes are no longer made in America, so I need to buy an axe from overseas to get one that's worth using. Do any of you have experience with Gransfors Bruk or Iltis Oxhead axes? As far as I can tell, those are the only two that are available here of any repute.

Oxhead:

Gransfors Bruk

The axes are expensive enough here that I would prefer not to be wrong and end up buying two.

Thanks in advance!

E

[JD45]

I've been looking for a "real" axe and hatchet myself. Why can't they still make all of them of proper thickness, weight, and edge angle like we did 200 years ago. The kinds that you see Roy Underhill using on the Woodwrights shop is what we need.

There is no reason for the U.S. not being able to produce a good axe for under $50.

[John Heiter]

Both of those are good heads I think. I'd go with the Gransfors Bruk though. The good Ox Head's are made by a German company Ochsenkopf which has a great reputation but I don't know if the one you showed is made by them or not. It doesn't really look like it.

Ochsenkopf Double Bit

You never said what division you want it for?

Open - Tuatahi

Limited - Ochsenkopf or GB

L-10 - Kysteel

Production - Fiskars

Revolver - ummm, I don't know

[John Dunn]

Stihl

[EricW]

John,

I'm going to be chopping in Limited, forest-fire season division. Any clue where to get the real Ox Heads in the US? That axe looks totally different.

Dr. John,

I have a Sachs Dolmar, but I don't run the Sachs during summer season unless I've got the BLM tanker truck or a PBY Catalina on standby. Spark arrestor or not, chainsaws throw sparks.

[EricW]

I don't know if the one you showed is made by them or not.  It doesn't really look like it.

Ochsenkopf Double Bit

OK, they're both Oxheads. The silver one is the throwing model. Not that I don't have neighbors I wouldn't like to chase with that axe, but I think I'll get a chopping axe instead.

Any clue where to get a Gransfors for less than $170?!

[Vlad]

http://www.knifeoutlet.com/shop/10Expand.a...oductCode=GR490 though that one looks like the throwing version, even though they look the same to me. But I dont know axes.

[Vlad]

I think this is the one you wanted? Gransfors Bruks Double-bit felling Axe for $158.

[warpspeed]

Stihl

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

John - I was thinking the same thing!

John,

I'm going to be chopping in Limited, forest-fire season division.  Any clue where to get the real Ox Heads in the US?  That axe looks totally different.

Dr. John,

I have a Sachs Dolmar, but I don't run the Sachs during summer season unless I've got the BLM tanker truck or a PBY Catalina on standby.  Spark arrestor or not, chainsaws throw sparks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd say bring a firewatch with you.

[John Heiter]

Eric,

I did a little looking and you are right. Initially I said to go with the GB because I wasn't sure about that particular Ox but, now that I am, I'm changing my vote. Go with the Ox and save $70.

Ox Head

John

[raz-0]

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=...t=1,41131,43408

looks like the ilits oxhead double bit.. a whopping $79.50, unless I am missing something. lee valley has all sorts of neat and useful stuff.

[lynn jones]

i'd go with the gibson les paul

lynn

[kimel]

My grandfather had what looked like a really long big toe on his right foot. When he was in the CCC during the depression he slipped one day and put a double bit axe half way up his foot right between his big toe and the next one over. Gnarly scar!

His CCC crew didn't have access to real medical help so the vet that took care of the logging horses kind of doctored him up and he was back in the timber the next day...more or less.

He would never let my dad or uncle near a double bit axe after that. Not that a double bit was any more dangerous or anything (he could just as easily have done the same thing with a felling axe) but he hated double bits for the rest of his life.

So I have never trusted double bits.

Bring your Gibson over Lynn. I need to fell this dead tree by my driveway with it.

[EricW]

So I have never trusted double bits.

You know, I've heard that mantra all my freakin' life about how "dangerous" double-bit axes are. A double-bit axe was my constant wood chopping companion from the time I was old enough to chop wood, which was about 7 or 8 years old. For the life of me, I can't understand why anyone would want a regular axe when a good double-bit does everything so well. Yes, even splitting...

[Bruce]

Sorry for the thread drift, but I have always wondered what the pros do to keep them sharp. Any tips?

[John Heiter]

They have them perfectly ground and polished...but mainly they get to pick and choose their wood. They won't chop anything with knots, voids, freeze rings, bark, etc. Nothing but straight grained, clear, soft wood for competition.

[kimel]

The biggest tricks to keeping an edge are:

1) Get a good axe with the right steel in it. If you bought it at Walmart, K-Mart, etc. you probably won't get an edge on it in the first place but if you do, it won't keep it. Go look at the axes mentioned in this thread. A good axe will last you a lifetime. Yeah, you will have to put a few handles in it over 50 years or so but the head will last darn near forever if you take care of it.

2) Put the right edge on it. If you don't know how, find someone to do it for you and then learn to keep it up. The right edge will take a fair amount of abuse (knots, bark, etc.) without losing its cutting ability. The wrong edge won't stay sharp very long.

3) Protect the edge when you aren't using it. Don't just chuck that nice sharp axe in the back of the truck and drive off. Don't bury it in the chopping block when you are done and leave it there. And never ever ever ever ever bury it into the dirt to "keep the edge in a safe place".

[EricW]

Sorry for the thread drift, but I have always wondered what the pros do to keep them sharp.  Any tips?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Buy good steel. The axes you see in the hardware store are generally very poor steel and are so soft they can be sharpened with a file. If you have one, sharpen it with *a file*. Never, ever use a bench grinder. The key is to have a clean, smooth, sharp edge so that the axe bites. Keeping an edge on a hardware store axe is usually an exercise in frustration. A couple hits and the edge rolls right over into dulldom. Resist the urge to make it razor sharp since it's temporary euporia.

If you buy a good axe, the steel is generally 57 rockwell, so you'll have to use a stone to sharpen it. Do NOT use a bench grinder. You will destroy the temper of the axe, just like my dad did to my Kelley. Unless you are very talented and have a wet grinding wheel, do not try to use power tools to sharpen good steel.

Yes, it takes a while to sharpen good steel, but once you get a good clean edge, all you generally need to do is the occasional touchup. I always enjoyed sharpening good steel. It took a little while, but I was very proud of my work and was rewarded for my efforts.

Never chop roots, or in the dirt, or dirt-covered wood with your good axe. Use a hardware store junker for that stuff. The whole idea behind a double-bit was to have two edges, a good edge and a "dirt" edge, so that you didn't wreck your good edge working down low or knocking off limbs. I just put two sharp edges on my double, so that I could just switch sides if one got dull.