Axe? Please educate me

fonedork said:
I like this video cause he shows how to sharpen an axe in it. I used it as a reference and it resulted in an edge that to me seems pretty convex. Also, that axe is cool, but I gave mine to my dad after I sharpened it. Then he chopped his leg with it. Down in Florida. He’s ok now though.
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Gibby and Wranglestar in the same post
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I have two axes, this is the heavy artillery at 4.5#. Most people around here use this axe for splitting, but it's a felling axe by design. The Five Star comes stock with an extremely obtuse edge angle, (which is one of the reasons why it splits awesome) so when I originally got it years ago, I took it to the bench grinder and narrowed the bevel geometry quite a bit. Since then I've used it a fair amount, but only recently did I spend some time cleaning it up. It's polished to 2000g although I didn't worry much about removing all the scratches. It's significantly easier to clean and maintain. And I like shiny things.
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decent sized fir down across the trail. Been there long enough to dry out and harden up but not long enough to start rotting. I could tell at the first hit that I had a challenge ahead- there was really no great place to stand and half way through I was jonesin for my chainsaw. In the end, I'm glad I used caloric energy instead. Nothing like swingin an axe first thing in the morning!
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I generally prefer the 2.5# Ox Head I usually use, but for wood this hard and big, (get your mind outta the gutter) the head is a little too flexible, there isn't quite as much weight behind a hit, and the shorter handle limits where I can stand a little more
 
Lorien said:
I have two axes, this is the heavy artillery at 4.5#. Most people around here use this axe for splitting, but it's a felling axe by design. The Five Star comes stock with an extremely obtuse edge angle, (which is one of the reasons why it splits awesome) so when I originally got it years ago, I took it to the bench grinder and narrowed the bevel geometry quite a bit. Since then I've used it a fair amount, but only recently did I spend some time cleaning it up. It's polished to 2000g although I didn't worry much about removing all the scratches. It's significantly easier to clean and maintain. And I like shiny things.
soaETAA.jpg


decent sized fir down across the trail. Been there long enough to dry out and harden up but not long enough to start rotting. I could tell at the first hit that I had a challenge ahead- there was really no great place to stand and half way through I was jonesin for my chainsaw. In the end, I'm glad I used caloric energy instead. Nothing like swingin an axe first thing in the morning!
6k9W8zH.jpg


Shcn23a.jpg


QOg7gtb.jpg


I generally prefer the 2.5# Ox Head I usually use, but for wood this hard and big, (get your mind outta the gutter) the head is a little too flexible, there isn't quite as much weight behind a hit, and the shorter handle limits where I can stand a little more
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I've never seen an axe come with picture instructions before. Its like a mini "Axes for dummies" book right on the handle!
 
Lorien said:
I have two axes, this is the heavy artillery at 4.5#. Most people around here use this axe for splitting, but it's a felling axe by design. The Five Star comes stock with an extremely obtuse edge angle, (which is one of the reasons why it splits awesome) so when I originally got it years ago, I took it to the bench grinder and narrowed the bevel geometry quite a bit. Since then I've used it a fair amount, but only recently did I spend some time cleaning it up. It's polished to 2000g although I didn't worry much about removing all the scratches. It's significantly easier to clean and maintain. And I like shiny things.
soaETAA.jpg


decent sized fir down across the trail. Been there long enough to dry out and harden up but not long enough to start rotting. I could tell at the first hit that I had a challenge ahead- there was really no great place to stand and half way through I was jonesin for my chainsaw. In the end, I'm glad I used caloric energy instead. Nothing like swingin an axe first thing in the morning!
6k9W8zH.jpg


Shcn23a.jpg


QOg7gtb.jpg


I generally prefer the 2.5# Ox Head I usually use, but for wood this hard and big, (get your mind outta the gutter) the head is a little too flexible, there isn't quite as much weight behind a hit, and the shorter handle limits where I can stand a little more
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You’re a badass.
 
If you are willing to forge and hammer some out I would be interested. There may also be makers you could collaborate with and explore new territory for optimizing an axe build.

However, and with respect, noting a shakespearean caveat that there are more things in heaven and earth than accounted for in my philosophy, I have never seen a convincing stock removal or milled axe.
 
Panthera tigris said:
If you are willing to forge and hammer some out I would be interested. There may also be makers you could collaborate with and explore new territory for optimizing an axe build.

However, and with respect, noting a shakespearean caveat that there are more things in heaven and earth than accounted for in my philosophy, I have never seen a convincing stock removal or milled axe.
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Most stock removal guys and machinists are limited and constrained by their abilities and capabilities. I'm not limited by the abilities of some average schlup. I'm an above average schlup!
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
The subject came up about a CPK axe. Honestly, it sounds like fun.


Would some of you guys educate me on the subject matter and perhaps point me in the right direction? What makes a good axe? What makes a bad axe? What kind or kinds should I make?
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Since you axed: I own a small Gränsfors ax (Gränsfors Small Hatchet) that I bought for splitting the chest bone on deer. It seemed like the perfect ax for the job and for camping except that after a few knocks on bone the edge was left looking like a saw, or that’s how I saw it (get it?). Ok, so after the bad jokes, I believe a similar hatchet but well made would be great.
 
mendezj said:
Since you axed: I own a small Gränsfors ax (Gränsfors Small Hatchet) that I bought for splitting the chest bone on deer. It seemed like the perfect ax for the job and for camping except that after a few knocks on bone the edge was left looking like a saw, or that’s how I saw it (get it?). Ok, so after the bad jokes, I believe a similar hatchet but well made would be great.
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For the interim check out Mark McCoun’s hawks and hatchets. I used mine to chop off all the lower legs on my mule deer this fall and no chips/rolls/dings.

He uses 4140 I believe in a billet instead of forge welding a bit in.

Cheers
Andy
 
mendezj said:
Since you axed: I own a small Gränsfors ax (Gränsfors Small Hatchet) that I bought for splitting the chest bone on deer. It seemed like the perfect ax for the job and for camping except that after a few knocks on bone the edge was left looking like a saw, or that’s how I saw it (get it?). Ok, so after the bad jokes, I believe a similar hatchet but well made would be great.
Click to expand...

Even the really well made axes don't really have the best steel with the best heat treats. I'm sorry, they just don't. I appreciate the simplicity of the ability to sharpen your axe with a file. Like a lawn mower blade. But, if I make an axe it's going to be made of Delta 3V and I promise you it will split any green bone on any animal alive without taking any edge damage.

It will be a niche item. My raw material cost for the material alone will be around $60-$70 just for metal stock (plus carbide plus machine time, so that's just the tip of the iceberg) so it's going to be a ridiculous axe. A very niche item. But I promise to do a pretty good job with it. I understand and appreciate that geometry is everything and I'm working on optimizing that for this axe. The hard part is going to be convincing Jo to let me do this. She can see, quite correctly and objectively, that this is ridiculous. I need you knuckleheads to persuade her...
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
Even the really well made axes don't really have the best steel with the best heat treats. I'm sorry, they just don't. I appreciate the simplicity of the ability to sharpen your axe with a file. Like a lawn mower blade. But, if I make an axe it's going to be made of Delta 3V and I promise you it will split any green bone on any animal alive without taking any edge damage.

It will be a niche item. My raw material cost for the material alone will be around $60-$70 just for metal stock (plus carbide plus machine time, so that's just the tip of the iceberg) so it's going to be a ridiculous axe. A very niche item. But I promise to do a pretty good job with it. I understand and appreciate that geometry is everything and I'm working on optimizing that for this axe. The hard part is going to be convincing Jo to let me do this. She can see, quite correctly and objectively, that this is ridiculous. I need you knuckleheads to persuade her...
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Jo loves us, well most us........I’ll consider this a done deal.

You gonna have Bo be the inspiration for the handle on this one I’m guessing?
 
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