Broken Axe handle & New Axe recommendations

[RustyBoltz]

Started participating in Student Bonfire here at Texas A&M and used it as an excuse to buy an axe - an off the shelf Truper from TSC. Used it to fell a number of trees and down swing on even more throughout the Cut season. Took it out this afternoon here at the house, took a few down swings and the handle split! Like a splintered split from the base of the head down about 12" creating two pieces from one.
Since I can't contact Truper directly, I'm gonna see what TSC says about it.
In the mean time I started doing some reading and am looking at getting something better than a POS china-made axe. We use only axes for felling trees for bonfire and we clear entire forests with trees ranging from 6" - 26" dia.
So far I'm looking at the Hasqvarna All-Round, Snow and Nealley 3.5#, Stihl PA 100 Felling Axe, and the Helko Vario 2000 Universal Felling Axe.
Let me know what y'all think. I'm really just looking for the biggest bang for my buck.

 

[Honkie]

Stihl's felling ax is a thing of beauty! I also have their splitting hatchet with the 2.5 pound head. It does great at cutting duties and whacking wedges.


Kris

 

[FFemt5287]

I'm interested to see what everyone has to say, also. Right now I'm leaning heavily towards the Snow and Nealley 3.5lb, myself, but the Husqvarna is a close second.

 

[AT sawyer]

If you can find an old Snow and Nealley on Ebay, buy it, otherwise avoid that brand. I've seen properly sharpened S&N edges fold on hardwood. If money's an object, get an old True Temper Jersey head on Ebay and rehandle it. If you've got dough, any of those Swedish axes will cut well and hold an edge. Most Swedish axes arrive sharp and well profiled. Hardware store axes are blunt and nearly unusable without a lot of filing.

 

[RustyBoltz]

The husky and stihl are looking like good options - especially for availability unless I luck into a cheap used. The G&B swed blades look extremely nice but out of the price range. I read that the husky's are made from a similar steel as one of the better swed blades.
Read a bit in the "An axe to Grind" by Weisgerber who liked his Kelly axe and come to find out they have changed hands and are now under the ownership of Barcotools. Soooo... What's known about the current line of Kelly Perfect and Woodslasher axes?
Pg 8 http://www.barcotools.com/Barco Catalog TC-1007.pdf

 

[Spikem]

Fiskars is just about to start selling their new axe. It's essentially the Super Splitter with a 36" handle.

I contacted someone at Fiskars about it a week or so ago and she said they're due to start selling them on-line (at Amazon) in January. She said the MSRP would be about $55.

I'm very much looking forward to getting one of these babies. I have the current Super Splitter but the short length of the handle is scary. I'm 6'1" and I am never fully comfortable with it.

 

[TMFARM 2009]

I was going to recommend fiskars... Due to having unbreakable handle....i have a dozen axes here in shop all broken from splitting wood in sub zero temps. You just cant get a good handle anymore.

 

[rarefish383]

Google "house of handles", someone here reccomended them a while back, and they were mentioned on a custom knife site. I have several turn of the century double blades that are beautiful and need rehandled. I haven't ordered from them yet, but all I've read about them is they have a quality product, Joe.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

we clear entire forests with trees ranging from 6" - 26" dia.

OT, but this strikes me as a gross waste of resources for no legitimate reason. :bang:

Ian

 

[sunfish]

OT, but this strikes me as a gross waste of resources for no legitimate reason. :bang:

Ian

I agree...

 

[flushcut]

OT, but this strikes me as a gross waste of resources for no legitimate reason. :bang:

Ian

It's Texas they don't give a sh@t. I thought they did way with the bonfire sense those kids got squished a few years back.

 

[RustyBoltz]

I should have clarified. Student Bonfire was separated from the college following the collapse in 1999 and began again in 2002 as an off-campus event. The leadership puts out flyers in surrounding areas for land clearing. We do this for farmers who need a few acres cleared. I would say this year we cleared about 8 acres. We don't need it all but the farmers are paying us to chop down and level the allotted land. Here's an areial from this year.

But back on subject, axes, handles, opinions...go...
Thanks

 

[flushcut]

I would got the Husky route it is close to a Gransfor Burkes (sp). I have to ask why not a chain saw?

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Aha... that's different then. Probably would have been eventually dozed and burned anyway.

Ian

 

[RustyBoltz]

I have to ask why not a chain saw?

Aggie Bonfire is a 100+ yr old tradition and as such we maintain as much of the old techniques as back in the old army days including axes for felling, wearing old army surplus pots (helmet liners) and stacking the bonfire by hand without the use of machines. It's just one of the Aggie traditions that is hard to understand from the outside looking in.

 

[BaldSawRunner]

Aggie Bonfire is a 100+ yr old tradition and as such we maintain as much of the old techniques as back in the old army days including axes for felling, wearing old army surplus pots (helmet liners) and stacking the bonfire by hand without the use of machines. It's just one of the Aggie traditions that is hard to understand from the outside looking in.

Traditional? Go with a Gransfors Bruks axe. Hand forged steel, made in Sweden. Expensive though.

 

[RustyBoltz]

I would love to be able to afford a G&B but their a bit out of the price range.
I do have a question, however. I've kinda been searching for axes with >3# head and a 30-36" handle but I don't really know if I need something that big.
I had no problem swinging that 34", 3.5# Truper, but as a 5'10" guy felling and limbing Texas tress (<36" dia.), what size/type axe would work best for me?
Please educate me. Thanks!

 

[Spikem]

Get what feels good for you.

 

[upstateny]

I bought a cheep TSC $20 3lb axe. Cut the handle to 27" roughly. and love it. Take a good flat file and give it a good edge and its great. Cheep too. Looking to find something in the 5lb range tho.

I'm 5'10" 211lb and cutting mostly 30" hardwood.

 

[RustyBoltz]

Looked at a Stihl Felling axe at a local shop and was disappointed by how short it was.
I also googled "House of Handles" and found House Handle Co, is this the company you were talking about? If not, could you post a link?