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axe recomendations

Started by Redbark, February 05, 2014, 05:02:16 PM

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David-L

I have lost her a couple of times but she always comes back. Axe withdrawl can really get you where it hurts.

                                                            David l



 



  
In two days from now, tomorrow will be yesterday.

Ed_K

 Paint it hot pink,you won't lose it and nobody will steal it  ;D .Mines logrite blue.
Ed K

David-L

Ed K , an oldtimer buddy says blue is the best color for working in the snow as you see it the best he claims. Is that true.

                                David l
In two days from now, tomorrow will be yesterday.

Ed_K

It is easy to see,alot better than the hot pink  ;D .Just don't let it go flying in deep soft snow,I kicked snow for 15 mins  :D
Ed K

Magicman

Quote from: Big timber little dozer on February 06, 2014, 04:09:59 PM
Am i still considered new 
:D  OK, Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Big timber little dozer.   :)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

David-L

BTLD, Welcome, got carried away with all the good axe stuff.

                             David l
In two days from now, tomorrow will be yesterday.

plasticweld

welcome to the three new guys. The real trick in using an axe in the woods is still having it at the end of the day. It has taken me over 30 years to finally find a method of carrying a axe so I could sit on the skidder, walk through brush and not loose my axe. What I use is cheap and I have found nothing that has worked any better to grab my axe yet still let me draw it out so I can pound wedges  and still holster it back up again without looking.

What I did was take some electric fencing wire and make about 8 loops around the axe handle through two holes in my belt. I have a re-enforced section of my belt that consists of another old belt that has eyelets in it. The wire forms to the shape of the axe handle, is flexible enough so the axe will ride up when you sit in the seat of the loader or skidder.

I am sure over the years I have lost more than 15 axes. I go for the $14.99 axe that Central Tractor sells and cut about 8 inches off the handle. it is a 2 1/2 pound boys axe. This leaves me a straight tool that I use to dig under logs with go get my chains under them. I always have it  with me it and I digs great compared to looking for a stick. The next thing I do is grind down the axe on the cutting surface. It comes to thick to really chop well when your getting your saw out of that limb you guess wrong with and pinched it. It is heavy enough to drive wedges. I used to use Fiskar but they are two light for really driving wedges

Redbark

I have to say, thanks to you guys, I've learned more about how to use, make and repair an axe than I thought possible.
I cut wood on my farm in the Finger Lakes area of NY. I cut access trails through my woods on foot to keep damage to a minimum so I need my axe with me at all times. I think maybe the Fiskers 15 may be a good choice. I love the handmade axes but after all, the reason I asked you guys for ideas on a new axe is because my old one is buried beneath the snow somewhere.  Redbark 

Big timber little dozer

I would say get a champion but we would all lose it so.... ::)
Yep that's what I thought

Offthebeatenpath

David L- I paint most of my woods tools blue, as I find it is the easiest color to pick out amongst the leaves, brush, snow, and dirt.  I've been told the blue it is color least often naturally produced in nature which is why our eye picks it up so well.

That said, my wedge pounding axes are usually painted red on the handle.  Maybe that's why I lost one this week...
1985 JD 440D, ASV tracked skid steer w/ winch, Fecon grapple, & various attachments, Hitachi CG-30 tracked dump truck, CanyCom S25 crawler carrier, Volvo EC35C mini-ex, Kubota 018-4 mini-ex, Cormidi 100 self loading tracked dumper, various other little trail building machines and tools...

John Mc

I use a Stihl PA 20 splitting hatchet, which has about a 20" handle and a 2.75# head.  This is not the outcome of any lengthy research, it's just what I could easily find when I lost my previous Axe.

I had switched to a stubby little hammer with a 4 pound head. I figured the weight would help when driving wedges. As it turned out, it was just too short, so it took a lot more arm power to drive the wedge.  I didn't want to go to a full length axe, since I wanted something easy to carry and to fit in my felling job box. The PA 20 fit the bill. Long enough to be able to get a decent swing with it, but short enough to be easy to carry, and the back side of the head seems to have enough meat on it to handle wedge pounding without distorting the eye.

I tied about 18" of yellow surveyor's tape to the handle to avoid misplacing it. I still lose it enough that I end up using a club cut from a limb a good bit of the time.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

goose63

Fluorescent orange if I cant see that its gone for good
goose
if you find your self in a deep hole stop digging
saw logs all day what do you get lots of lumber and a day older
thank you to all the vets

Magicman

All of my "woods" tools have a turn of 3M fluorescent orange tape.  They reflect like the truck's tail light.


 
That makes them easily found with a flashlight after it gets late.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

thenorthman

I'm a little bit color blind, pink looks brown, but bright blue just looks weird in the brush so it sticks out good.  And blaze orange is getting to be so common place that it doesn't really stick out anymore, not that it ever really did to me.  Hence the reason my tin hats are always blue. 

I should do something about my axes... spend an awful lot of time looking for them.
well that didn't work

John Mc

I need one of those things on my axe like what makes your car "chirp" when you hit the remote door lock.

I don't know why it's just axes.  I don't lose wedges, gloves, stump vises or any other tools.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

elk42

 Magicman
Good tip, I like that.
Machinist Retired, Lt15 WM 25 HP, Stihl 044, Stihl 311, Kubota M2900w/FEL, KUBOTA L4800 w/FEL,
Lincoln Ranger 10,000, stihl 034,

trapper

Quote from: John Mc on February 11, 2014, 09:32:09 AM
I need one of those things on my axe like what makes your car "chirp" when you hit the remote door lock.

I don't know why it's just axes.  I don't lose wedges, gloves, stump vises or any other tools.

Axes cost more than the other tools you mentioned
stihl ms241cm ms261cm  echo 310 400 suzuki  log arch made by stepson several logrite tools woodmizer LT30

36 coupe

I use a 2.5 pound boys axe most of the time.My 3.5 pound axe is better for limbing.I have a double bit axe my dad used.I dont like the narrow polled custom made axes or their high prices.My axe heads get a coat of orange paint.Same for chains, put in a coil and spray with orange paint.There are some very high priced axes with fancy paint jobs being sold.You dont want paint on a wooden handle.My Uncle Bud gave me his axe when I moved to Maine 45 years ago.Find an old axe that hasnt been abused, put a new handle on it.

John Mc

I like your reflective tape idea, MagicMan.  I'll have to add some of that

My idea with the 18" of surveyor's tape tied on was that if the axe sank into the snow, the end of the tape might still show (not a problem I'd guess you have too often in MS). The problem is, I probably need something a bit more durable.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Ryan D

I worked with a guy once who painted his axe with pink and blue stripes. Neither color is common in the woods and he found that having more than one color really made it stand out.

Right now I use a Fiskars X15 and like it. If we aren't cutting very big wood I just carry a Stihl felling lever. Not ideal for pounding wedges but works ok if your not wedging many over in a day.

logstomper

I've always been partial to the estwing hatchets, and hammers. They drive wedges better than any traditional hatchets you can find around here. Typically don't even have to hit hard they just drive good.  I know estwing makes larger ones also if you can find it. Always wanted to try the fiskars one. I have a small one from a big game cleaning kit it comes in handy for kiddlin And emergency needs.

redprospector

I carried a 5 lb. Collins when I was falling timber. I had that axe for almost 20 years, until I let one of my cutters use it when he lost his. He got a DWI that weekend and lost his truck, my axe, a pair of my chaps, my log tape, and a good tin hard had. The cops were pretty narrow minded, I never got any of my stuff back.  :(
I usually carry a 3 lb. axe now, since I'm not cutting many big trees.
The trick to not loosing axes is to carry them on your person, and not leave them laying around in the woods.
1996 Timber King B-20 with 14' extension, Morgan Mini Scragg Mill, Fastline Band Scragg Mill (project), 1973 JD 440-b skidder, 2008 Bobcat T-320 with buckets, grapple, auger, Tushogg mulching head, etc., 2006 Fecon FTX-90L with Bull Hog 74SS head, 1994 Vermeer 1250 BC Chipper. A bunch of chainsaws.

Quebecnewf

I don't use an axe in the woods per say. I log in the winter and cut most (if not all ) my limbs with the saw.

My logging belt contains. My logging tape , a hammer sling that holds my pulp hook , and a pouch with my chainsaw tools and thats it.

Would like to carry a axe but seems a bit of a bother no more than I would use it.
I do have an axe on my snowmobile at all times and would not leave home without it.
Quebecnewf

John Mc

The times I actually use the bit end of my axe are few and far between. I generally only use it for driving wedges.  Some elbow problems got me away from always using a club cut from a limb (though I still do it at times)
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

redprospector

I've tried the club thing on wedges a couple of times. It felt like I was getting beat about as bad as the wedges. I don't understand how directional falling can be done without wedges (and in my case an axe).
1996 Timber King B-20 with 14' extension, Morgan Mini Scragg Mill, Fastline Band Scragg Mill (project), 1973 JD 440-b skidder, 2008 Bobcat T-320 with buckets, grapple, auger, Tushogg mulching head, etc., 2006 Fecon FTX-90L with Bull Hog 74SS head, 1994 Vermeer 1250 BC Chipper. A bunch of chainsaws.

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