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Comment by Tobias Gibson on November 3, 2015 at 10:32

Okay, I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to axes.  Howard, When did Collins go out of business and who is making the Collins axes that are sold through Ace Hardware.  The only true axe I own is a Collins Boys Axe purchased about 10 or so years ago. 

Not sure where it was made but it has done what I needed it to do. (cut and split wood.)  Maybe my expectations were too low.

Comment by Howard P Reynolds on November 3, 2015 at 10:06

Wowzers, Shlomo!  Skinning with a round rock?!  You sure "Neanderthal" isn't part of the family name?  Skinning with a sharp rock is reasonable, and maybe even a clam shell, but a round rock?

A sharp axe is a thing of beauty.  Most people don't expect knife sharpness in an axe, but John Juranitch (Razor Edge Systems) used to demonstrate shaving with an axe.  Work is so much easier with a razor-sharp axe,

Unfortunately, there is just no beating a chainsaw, which is why all the famous American axes (Mann, Collins, Kelly,etc.) went out of business, and I suspect Ashdown's and Blenkhorn (Canada) suffered the same fate.  

Still, nobody is going to haul a chainsaw and fuel way back in the boonies unless their vehicle is a dozer, so a fine axe will probably always have its place in the sleeping bag (should keep an axe warm in frigid weather) of serious campers and woodsmen.

Thanks for the link to Ox Head axes.  I like the OX-20 H-1257 Universal Forestry Axe.

Comment by Shlomo ben Maved on November 3, 2015 at 5:33

Howard, I carry the same style of axe, called a canoe or cruiser, but mine has a 1¾ lb head and a 24" handle.  Sufficient mass and velocity to fell trees that a "camp" knife will not be able to do without an effort and more importantly, (especially if in a survival mode) with far less expenditure of (non-replaceable) calories (energy)

To show clients, I've used an axe to skin game and fillet fish--not for the moment efficient but doable.  I've also used clam shells, sharp rocks and for skinning round rocks. All my great uncles used were a pocket knife (of various configuations but Moose was most popular) and a round rock to skin all their big game and farm animals.

My favourite axe line, bar none, is the Iltis Ox-head (Ochsenkopf) brand from Germany.  You can finger snap the blade and it will ring. Far less the a GB and great quality.  We used them in log home construction.

This link for examples not pricing  http://www.kctoolco.com/Axes-Ochsenkopf-Ox-Head-s/3911.htm

Remember, Hultafors makes Husqvarna...http://www.bladehq.com/cat--Hultafors-Axes--1995 and they're available on Amazon.com

Comment by Howard P Reynolds on November 2, 2015 at 21:45

That looks like a good price for a Husqvarna hatchet.

Featured Comment by Jeremy B. Buchanan on November 2, 2015 at 18:53

Thanks Howard. That looks like a great option. Here is the Husqvarna I was looking at. http://goo.gl/qrvuZf I will continue to check reviews and listen to any input you all have.

Comment by Howard P Reynolds on November 2, 2015 at 9:44

Axes.  I seem to have the same difficulty with axes that I do with knives.  Shlomo mentioned the problem with some "camp" knives being big and getting in the way while wearing them, and while they baton well because of the length of the blade, they aren't the best for skinning small game. 

Axes seem to present similar problems in picking the best one to strap (Molle) to your pack.  A hatchet would pack better, but it's more difficult to fell trees.  The mid-size axes (up to 19" or so, handles) might be the best option to pack for a trip to a primitive campsite, but then there are variations, such as weight of the head, style of the blade edge, and you can get splitting axes in this mid-size range.  A packable splitting axe sounds great for splitting, but not so good for felling or chopping big deadfalls into manageable logs.  Also, maybe some folks want a full-sized axe to get the power behind a swing.  Picking one axe to take with you when you bug out or go camping for a week might be just as hard as picking one knife.

Comment by Howard P Reynolds on November 1, 2015 at 10:38

Jeremy, I found one old U.S. Axe manufacturer still in business.  Council Tool Company (1886), Lake Waccamaw. NC. They make "regular axes", and upscale (expensive) axes, which are made from 5160 steel, and are hand finished forged steel.

Here's a small axe they make:  http://www.counciltool.com/product.asp?pg=product&item=20HB18 

2lb Hudson Bay axe with 18" handle  $52.05 + shipping.

Featured Comment by Jeremy B. Buchanan on November 1, 2015 at 7:00

I have been looking at small axes recently and don't really want to spend over $100 to get a decent one. I have looked at the Hulafors and Wetterling brands.I am sure they are both superior to some other axes on the market. I would love to know how the Husqvarna compares in quality to these two. Pricing seems to be drastically different. 

Comment by Shlomo ben Maved on October 31, 2015 at 23:06

On all the "survival" forums the big deal is to bâtonne wood, must be requirement for a quality knife.  It seems that all the exhibitors of this practice start out with half cord length wood and then proceed to bang the Hell out of their knives with another limb.  My question is, where do they get nice cord wood except in their backyards or a public campground.  Either that or they are phenomenal woodworkers to be able to get such clean ends to their cords.

Don't get me wrong, I bâtonne all the time but not cordwood--I make fire sticks when starting a fire (using my palm not a stick) but you don't need to cut smaller wood for a maintaining fire.  Just drag or push the longer pieces into the fire pit.  I can get enough to start a fire from the edges of a log, bark, twigs etc. not from cordwood. 

They espouse the virtues of horking big knives that weigh almost the same as an axe (if not more), with huge, long, blades that make the handles jamb into your ribcage when paddling a canoe or even driving a vehicle yet Mors Kochanski demonstrates the process with a Mora knife.

Comment by Shlomo ben Maved on October 31, 2015 at 22:33

Husqvarna axes are made by Hultafors (http://www.hultafors.com/products/cutting/axes/)

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