Hand axe for Camping

[Mack The Knife]

Sassania Industries (distributors for Victorinox and Muela in India) sold a Muela camping axe a few years ago at their Victorinox outlets, so one can almost take it for granted that importing one shouldn't be a problem. It's Cabelas that is refusing to ship it.

Perhaps, I should contact Estwing and ask them if they can send me one directly.

[S.S.Kumar]

S.S.Kumar

U can get it with Magnum arms Mumbai,and also with M. Saleh i bought one from it from Bombay seeds opps Byculla zoo for Rs 250.

Regards

Dr Narendra Yadav

Thank you Doctor, Do you know any body who will be good enough to buy one and courier to me? I will pay all expenses. Trouble is Iam sitting here in Coimbatore and my present situation is not allowing me to travel to Mumbai.
Thanks.

[Prabhath]

Rustum,

Saw an axe at the Victronix outlet in Forum a couple of months back. Did not notice the make and price but it sure looked good. You might want to try calling them or visit their outlet once.

[Mack The Knife]

Thanks Prabhath but it will most likely be the Muela, which I did own for a week or two.

Whilst I did not use this particular camping axe, I got the impression that the handle would not do a good job of reducing the vibrations and hence sold it soon after its purchase.

If I am ever at that mall, I'll make it a point of going across for a looksee. Thanks.

[Mark]

Gentlemen,

I have not found a decent modern made axe that is affordable.

In my opinion, the heyday of the axe in the USA was from about 1880 to 1950. After that, the axe (and hatchet) became a novelty and not a true tool that is to be seriously used and depended on.

I hope to be able to post pictures in a few days, but right now I cannot so it will have to wait but I can give you some examples of what owrks for me and what does not.

If I were in India I would not hesitate to commission a local blacksmith to make something. Have it be mild steel with a high carbon insert welded into the bit. For a hatchet I would strongly suggest a weight of the head between .75 and 1.5 lbs. 1 to 1.25 lb is an ideal weight but it is better to be too light than too heavy.

I do not like the estwing hachets, I don't like the balance nor the blade profile and I don't think they cut that well if one is truly using it hard. The only obvious advantage is the handles are darn near indestructable, so crappy axe or not it will at least always be there for you.

If you do not commission a hatchet to be made, my next strongest suggestion is to find an old hatchet head, clean it up and make a handle for it. I have a couple done this way and when I am able I will take some pictures and post them.

I will also post a link to the best tutorial on axes I have found, later.

[Mack The Knife]

Hi Mark,

Some interesting comments there. Which axe or hatchet (I am only interested in the latter) in your opinion is a good one to own if the cost were not an objection?

I had set my sights on an Estwing camping axe after reading a Brit website that teaches Bushcraft and where the owner prefered to use an Estwing rather than a Gransfors.

Look forward to the pics and tutorial.

Thanks.

[Mark]

Choosing a hand tool is such a personal thing it is difficult to recommend a choice to someone else. And also, people change too! I used to like the brute force and ignorance approach more than what I do now, and liked heavier hatchets than what I do now. I've never even held one of the gransfor bruks axes so I cannot comment on them, however looking at them I do prefer a thinner profile.

Here is a link to the best axe tutorial I have found, that I mentioned earlier:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/Fsp ... 23/toc.htm

There is a lot of good information in it.


The Snow and Nealey "young campers belt axe" has the shape and size that I like in an axe that is carried.


I like a straight handle, and see the swell at the end, I like a swell too as it keeps the hatchet from flying out of your hand after you have been using it for a while and your hand starts getting tired.

[sudhaiob]

Hello Mack The Knife bana
pardon my ignorance. what is the basic difference between an axe and a hatchet
Regs
sudhaiob

[Mack The Knife]

Size. A hatchet is a relatively shorter handled axe that can be used with one hand.

[Mack The Knife]

Mark,

Just saw your post dated 10th July. Thanks a ton for that link. Will read it today.

Since you prefer a narrower profile, have you tried the Wetterling? Not sure if I have the correct spelling.

[Mark]

No I haven't, and I probably won't unless someone visits here with one. I really do prefer getting older heads from garage sales or wherever and making new handles, then sharpening them properly. And I have enough of them around I don't need to buy anything new anymore!

[Mark]

OK, after a couple of weeks here are some pics as promised-

The collection of my most frequently used hatchets


This is a 1 3/4 lb head on a handle I made from a wood called "Osage Orange", which is also recommended for making bows out of but it is quite a pain to work with as there is a lot of Silicone in the wood apparently. Anyway that handle took most of a day to make! This is a great size if you need to actually clear a lot of brush, it is my favorite hatchet when I need to go and clear trails but it does get your arm tired after a while!



This hatchet head is 1 pound and a lot more convenient to use. If I am going out in the woods and I "might" need to use a hatchet (for example after an ice storm or high winds) I'll grab this one. You cannot see the grain of the handle very well, but it is Maple. This is another head that is probably 30-40 years old. It has a brown tint to it because it has a coating of linseed oil on it, which protects it from rust.


Here they are as a comparison, size-wise. The largeest axe is hand forged in the Scandinavian style (not by me) but it is too large for my tastes. Only slightly bigger and you are into a full sized axe which chops a lot better. And the Gerber is really too small to do much chopping. I use that one for butchering animals but mainly for chopping briskets that my wife buys from the butcher.

[Mack The Knife]

Thanks, Mark.