Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
My main splitting tool for years has been a 4-1/2lb axe, the head of which I found in the woods behind my old house maybe 15 years ago. It's had a bunch of handles on it, and the present one is getting a little iffy thanks to some hard wood I've been splitting. I did a bad swing the other night when I was too tired and my aim was gone, overshot the log and now I don't fully trust it. So I'll be putting a new handle on it soon, but I wanted a backup, and all you can buy anywhere is 3-1/2lb axes, which I find too light. Except I saw last year that Harbor Freight had 4-1/2 ones.
So I picked one up tonight. Made in India with a "genuine hickory" handle. Looked a little rough, but cheap enough. I put a better edge on it, smoothed the rough edges of the axe head, and rubbed the handle with steel wool. I still had enough light to knock apart some hard ash logs - and you know what? It's a decent axe. I liked the feel, pretty much like my other one of that weight, though the head profile is different. Handle felt solid so far (I would not bet on that lasting long, but we'll see).
So now I can take my time putting a new handle on the other one - and a smaller axe that needs a handle too.
So I picked one up tonight. Made in India with a "genuine hickory" handle. Looked a little rough, but cheap enough. I put a better edge on it, smoothed the rough edges of the axe head, and rubbed the handle with steel wool. I still had enough light to knock apart some hard ash logs - and you know what? It's a decent axe. I liked the feel, pretty much like my other one of that weight, though the head profile is different. Handle felt solid so far (I would not bet on that lasting long, but we'll see).
So now I can take my time putting a new handle on the other one - and a smaller axe that needs a handle too.