Best place to get a real axe?

[460Ted]

Anyone here know of a good online place to purchase a kick ass axe? None of that Homo Deepthroat, er, I mean Home Depot stuff. Thanks.

Ted

 

[Gypo Logger]

Get hold of Dennis Cahoon if you want a kickaxe axe. He has a huge collection and may part with one depending on what type you want.
John

 

[Lawn Masters]

Perhaps Baileys if you want a work axe. but of course, why use an axe when you have chainsaws?

 

[Lakeside53]

I had the same problem and have a barn full of old broken and useless Home Depot and where ever axes over the year. I decided earlier this year to get a REAL axe (one that I could actually chop a ???? tree with). Now I have three... I'm a little biased 'cos I get them at a reasonable price, but I LOVE the Stihl PA50 (axe) and PA80 (Splitting maul)..... These aren't the re-labled Fiskars of a couple of years ago. Just beautiful to use, balanced, strong and plain mean, but pricey at list. Interestingly they have "American Hickory" handles.

 

[SWE#Kipp]

Here are some Swedish axes (Gransfors) ,,here in Sweden they come with a 20 year warranty

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=1&p=20129&cat=2,45794&ap=1

They are handmade and really well balanced ,,

 

[sedanman]

A dealer by me sells the Gransfors axes. They are the most impressive I have ever used. Not competition type stuff but real working tools you could hand down through the generations. http://www.gransfors.com/htm_eng/index.html

 

[SWE#Kipp]

The splitting maul is just sweet to work with and so are the scandinavian forest axe

/Kristoffer

 

[woodsrider]

I LOVE the Stihl PA50 (axe) and PA80 (Splitting maul)..... These aren't the re-labled Fiskars of a couple of years ago. Just beautiful to use, balanced, strong and plain mean, but pricey at list. Interestingly they have "American Hickory" handles.

Lakeside, I agree with you -- I have the PA50 splitting axe and the PA20 splitting hatchet (great for kindling). Excellent quality tools, albeit pricey.

 

[Lakeside53]

Lakeside, I agree with you -- I have the PA50 splitting axe and the PA20 splitting hatchet (great for kindling). Excellent quality tools, albeit pricey.

I have th ehatchet also - gread for pounding wedges up close. Try the PA80 sometime. You'll wonder why you ever used a traditonal ("blunt force trama") maul.

 

[bugfart]

There should be a rule; If not about chainsaws, there has to be pictures included.

 

[Lakeside53]

There should be a rule; If not about chainsaws, there has to be pictures included.

try this:

http://www.stihl.us/handtools/axes.html

 

[tony marks]

what did u fellows not like about the fiskars. for me it worked fine for what i use an axe for. its not a mall . i use a mall for what it was made for. but the lite axe from fiskars sure fit my hand better than the numerouse axes ive used since i was a kid.jmo

 

[Former Saw Builder]

Axes

I'm note sure but I think OX-HEAD makes the axes for Stihl... The Stihl axes are good and the OX-HEAD axes are too. Some other good axes include...

1 - Gransfors Bruks ( Hand Forged Axes ) http://www.tools-for-woodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=481

2 - helko Vario - http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/11718

3 - Wetterling Axe - Real nice and not to high priced

Is just a few....

 

[Lakeside53]

Yes the stihl axes are made by OCHSENKOPF (Ox Head).

http://www.fine-tools.com/ochs.htm

 

[mktest]

what did u fellows not like about the fiskars. for me it worked fine for what i use an axe for.

My main problem with the Fiskars I've seen is that they are ???? ugly...Yes, I know I'm shallow I agree they are fine quality though, modern axes.

They won some sort of test here in Sweden a couple of years ago, (very) narrowly beating out Gransfors and some others. Fiskars scored highest in handle quality and ease of use, while Gränsfors had the best blade. Fiskars in the test weighed 1.5kilo, Gränsfors 2.4kilo, so there is quite a differance.

We use axes alot, some for splitting, other as "utility axes". The heads are "no name" but old and handmade, "forest axes" most of them. For handles we use american hickory. My granddad (from whom we got most axes) made some handles from local wood (some ash perhaps), but they didn't last as long.

I love old tools. It might be that modern axes with epoxy materials are better, but some people want tools that feel good. Epoxy and plastic don't. When Gränsfors in the 80s decided to "go retro" it probably saved the company, and Hultafors and Wetterlings soon followed, adding their own "retro collections".

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

I have the large splitting axe from Gransfors Bruks. I have been WAY impressed with it. Hand forged with a beautiful handle, a very nicely CRAFTED tool. Very sweet.

It's actually FUN to use.

 

[460Ted]

There should be a rule; If not about chainsaws, there has to be pictures included.

I agree: Here is a picture of my current axe. I was lucky enough to find it at my wife's house (before I married her). She got it from her Dad, and she thinks it might have been his Dad's, so it's quite old. When I found it, it had a worn out handle and the head was loose. Didn't think it was anything special until I cleaned up the head, where to my surprise was a stamp, MADE IN WESTERN GERMANY. After giving her a good polish, I found a really nice looking 2 tone hickory handle, from Ace Hardware. It took me about 4 hours to fit the new handle, but that was the ticket! Now, she is good as new, and that head hasn't moved a bit.

 

[Splunk]

Anyone know the msrp on the stihl maul and axe?

 

[Billy_Bob]

I asked where I could buy one of those axes they use at lumberjack competitions...

I was told they are custom made and cost upwards of $500.00 each!

 

[460Ted]

Yes, they are pricey, but look cool!