Why an axe?

[Tempestv]

A rigger's ax would be a good way to go- mostly designed as a hammer, but with an ax head on the back instead of claws.

 

[kodiakyardboy]

A rigger's ax would be a good way to go- mostly designed as a hammer, but with an ax head on the back instead of claws.

That's what I have been using.

 

[rwoods]

I use a three pound drilling hammer to drive wedges, never an axe. I carry the hammer and the wedges in a 5 gallon plastic pail.

Keep in mind I am usually with 100' of my truck. If I was carrying everything through the woods I would do it differently.

Are you copying me? Or am I copying you??

Or me? I do have an axe - in the truck, but I carry the drilling hammer, wedges go in my back pocket. Ron

 

[Busmech]

?How can you write that with a straight face. It makes no sense. You're so manly you have to use some 4# dead blow hammer and then a Single Bit isn't tough enough you need a Double Bit axe and yet you have NEVER HAD A USE FOR A Single Bit???????????????

That doesn't even make any sense. Do you grunt loudly as you hold your Paul Bunyan Double Bit over your shoulder while looking down at the small people that use Single Bit axes, LOL.

You're too manly for me, LOL.

Sam

I agree, it's apparent he doesn't know the flat side of the axe is good hammer(one tool instead of two). The five pound rafting axes Bailleys sells are the perfect tool for really driving plastic wedges. Sledge hammers and mauls are only good for breaking wedges in half, if you've been hit in the shins by half a wedge you'll know what I'm talking about. I'm also talking about big trees not something you can tip with carpenters hammer.

 

[Slamm]

I can one up all of you:

I use a 12 pound splitting maul. One flat side and one sorta sharp side.

I usually grunt and growl when I'm wacking wedges.

Sam

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I agree, it's apparent he doesn't know the flat side of the axe is good hammer(one tool instead of two). The five pound rafting axes Bailleys sells are the perfect tool for really driving plastic wedges. Sledge hammers and mauls are only good for breaking wedges in half, if you've been hit in the shins by half a wedge you'll know what I'm talking about. I'm also talking about big trees not something you can tip with carpenders hammer.

What's a big tree IYO? Cause I can knock over a pretty good sized oak with a 3lb sledge. And it's alot easier and safer to carry than an axe?

I just want to know what the uses of an axe are in a felling situation? Unless youre using the axe for the felling? I'm not being an ass, just wondering.

 

[Busmech]

What's a big tree IYO? Cause I can knock over a pretty good sized oak with a 3lb sledge. And it's alot easier and safer to carry than an axe?

I just want to know what the uses of an axe are in a felling situation? Unless youre using the axe for the felling? I'm not being an ass, just wondering.

I'm talking a six foot sugarpine 200 feet tall with a back lean that would laugh at at your three pound sledge. We use five or six pound axes with 26 to 30 inch handles because as someone said we had to carry an axe by law in the nat. forest, sledge would be just another anchor with all of the other stuff we had to carry.

 

[madhatte]

I feel compelled to mention how similar the shape of the poll on a single-bit axe is to the shape of the striking surface on a wedge. It's almost like they're made to go together.

 

[Gologit]

The nice thing about an ax is that you don't have too much of your body in line with the wedge. They break and they spit out, sometimes with a lot of force. If you're doubled up and if your stacking it's just safer to stay off to one side.

An axe keeps you a little more out of the line of fire.

An axe is also handy if you want to bust out a big face or bust one into pieces to make a dutchman out of.

You can also open a can of beans with an axe. Sledges hammers make a mess.

 

[Slamm]

Seriously what is the big deal. Get an axe and use it, its two tools in one.

If you are so clumsy that you repeatedly impale yourself with an axe or you fear impalement by an axe that you carry, then I'm not sure its safe for you to be in possession of the chainsaw in your other hand.

I just don't get it,

Sam

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I'm talking a six foot sugarpine 200 feet tall with a back lean that would laugh at at your three pound sledge. We use five or six pound axes with 26 to 30 inch handles because as someone said we had to carry an axe by law in the nat. forest, sledge would be just another anchor with all of the other stuff we had to carry.

I'd say I could find a sledge in my truck that could handle that pine too. I can definetly see the challenge in that though. I deal with 4ft White Oaks and Hickorys with 100ft canopies thats are as wide as they are tall. Our trees out here present their own challenges. It's like driving a wedge between two rocks.
But I can push a 30" Oak over easily with the lil ole long handled 3lber.

I would carry an axe if I needed it, but I just don't have any use for it. I understand that some of you cats do though. It's all good.

 

[fearofpavement]

If I want an axe, I spend the 12 or 15 seconds to walk over to my truck to get it. I just never use one (but have one with my tree cutting stuff). What I am more likely to use is a machete and I use those all the time. If I pound wedges in with an axe does that get me additional punches in the man card?

 

[Philbert]

I have a Fiskars axe (not the splitting maul) that I like to carry. It's light. It drives my plastic wedges well. Provides more leverage than a hammer.

I like to use it for light limbing and sometimes clearing brush surrounding a tree or log I am going to cut. Lets me work without the noise of the saw or without wearing all of the PPE when I am trying to sort out blow down messes.

For steel splitting wedges, I use a sledge hammer.

Philbert

 

[wsg]

I don't mind using an axe for beating in wedges. If I were scared of falling on it I'd get a thick leather sheath for just the edge, leaving the other side free. Like it has been said, axes are more useful than just hammers.

 

[Slamm]

I use this yellow sledge.



Sam

 

[Gologit]

If I pound wedges in with an axe does that get me additional punches in the man card?

Only if you spend more time pounding than you do cutting.

 

[Metals406]

I was just talking with Cody T. on the phone today about this very subject.

Often times, he gets away with banging a wedge in with a cows tongue -- he uses it like a molly.

When he does need an ax, he carries a big'n with a 36" handle.

He said there ain't nothin' funnier than watching some fella beat his brains out with a hatchet or small ax, trying to jack a tree over. And all you can hear is ping-ping-ping, and the wedge hasn't moved!

I'm used to 40 lbs. of crap hanging off my body, so packing a heavy fallin' ax ain't no thing. And it'll save yer bacon in several ways -- mainly not beating yer brains out and not get'n nowhere.

Jack B. also uses his all the time to stop his back-cut from closing on him while he's sawing a tree up. Sometimes you read one a little wrong, and it'll want to sit on ya, the ax bit crammed in there can give you some time to stuff a wedge in there too.

If you don't like packing it, you can also throw yer ax from tree to tree. This can make them easier to lose though.

 

[Metals406]

I use this yellow sledge.



Sam

Cheater!! :msp_sneaky:

 

[Anthony_Va.]

The yellow sledge looks pretty effective.

 

[Bret4207]

I carry an axe. I use it for wedges, for brushing, for some limbing. I never, ever stick my saw. Okay, so I've chopped my way out a few times too. My current favorite is a 3.5lbs Conoco. I prefer a double bit Collins Legitimus, but driving a wedge with the side of a dbl just breaks the handle.