Backpacking "survival" axe vs large knife.

[BrandonEDC]

Hello. I have a 6 inch knife and am looking to add an Axe to the equation for my 3 day adventures. The purpose will be to make firewood and shelters. Also if a large knife would be better I have friends telling me to use a large knife but I fell having a medium knife and an small Axe will be a better pare. Any advise. I also cary a small folding hand saw. Just feeling a new team mate.

 

[Axe Master '94]

I rehandled/refurbished a Plumb half-hatchet that filled that niche perfectly. About a 15-20" handle, and a medium profile and a razor bevel. Could split, fell, pound tent stakes, whatever I needed. Wasn't too pretty, but was a heck of a workhorse. Sold it this summer for $60

 

[lazy otter]

Your gonna open a can of worms with this 1...lol. I have Hawks and large and med and small fixed blades and here is my advice take what you know and feel comfortable with. Out on the trail isn't the time to find out that a peice of gear isn't for you or what you want. I find Hawks and large and med blades work for me and keep weight down but you can process fire wood many ways without a ax,knife,or saw too. Also a saw maybe worth a look at too? It really is up to you and your preference.

 

[cityofthesouth]

Both! .... not both at once. They have pretty similar capabilities when they are roughly the same size and weight and so there will be people who just prefer one over the other or the unique capabilities of one are more appropriate for where they live. When I think large knife that could do small axe duties 10 inches of blade is about as small as I picture as long as it has some blade weight to it.

gransfors_aranyik by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

This is an Aranyik e-nep K-1 - they aren't wildly thick but put so much weight forward that it splits similarly to the little axe without batoning in small stuff, but eventually the axe will split better as you get into larger/harder wood. I think it's probably an energy saver for this reason. Beating on a hunk of steel with a wooden stick is somewhat fatiguing to your body parts, but also requires more effort. Once you go to an even bigger axe it's just a wood processing win - using it correctly, the axe does almost all of the work. If you are just hunting and adventuring for 3 days from the same camp, then I would take an axe and I'd even go bigger than this Small Forest Axe ... but that's probably just because I like axes.

This is an axe that I cut out of a badly damaged head that was given to me. It's just under 2.5lbs and about 3.25lbs on the stick. It's essentially a boys axe. It will outwork either of the above two, and I don't think it would be too heavy.

keenkutter_hedgepile by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

 

[BrandonEDC]

My 3 days is never in the same spot I go about 5 to 10 miles a day depending on elevation. Then set up camp I fell they both meet my needs just wondering if a large knife is silly compared to an axe. I like the idea of a bad as large knife but even randal says his junglas is more of a for looms tool.

 

[BrandonEDC]

Looks*

 

[MikeVB]

Both! .... not both at once. They have pretty similar capabilities when they are roughly the same size and weight and so there will be people who just prefer one over the other or the unique capabilities of one are more appropriate for where they live. When I think large knife that could do small axe duties 10 inches of blade is about as small as I picture as long as it has some blade weight to it.

gransfors_aranyik by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

This is an Aranyik e-nep K-1 - they aren't wildly thick but put so much weight forward that it splits similarly to the little axe without batoning in small stuff, but eventually the axe will split better as you get into larger/harder wood. I think it's probably an energy saver for this reason. Beating on a hunk of steel with a wooden stick is somewhat fatiguing to your body parts, but also requires more effort. Once you go to an even bigger axe it's just a wood processing win - using it correctly, the axe does almost all of the work. If you are just hunting and adventuring for 3 days from the same camp, then I would take an axe and I'd even go bigger than this Small Forest Axe ... but that's probably just because I like axes.

This is an axe that I cut out of a badly damaged head that was given to me. It's just under 2.5lbs and about 3.25lbs on the stick. It's essentially a boys axe. It will outwork either of the above two, and I don't think it would be too heavy.

keenkutter_hedgepile by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

Which model GB axe is that in the top photo?

 

[MikeVB]

Both! .... not both at once. They have pretty similar capabilities when they are roughly the same size and weight and so there will be people who just prefer one over the other or the unique capabilities of one are more appropriate for where they live. When I think large knife that could do small axe duties 10 inches of blade is about as small as I picture as long as it has some blade weight to it.

gransfors_aranyik by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

This is an Aranyik e-nep K-1 - they aren't wildly thick but put so much weight forward that it splits similarly to the little axe without batoning in small stuff, but eventually the axe will split better as you get into larger/harder wood. I think it's probably an energy saver for this reason. Beating on a hunk of steel with a wooden stick is somewhat fatiguing to your body parts, but also requires more effort. Once you go to an even bigger axe it's just a wood processing win - using it correctly, the axe does almost all of the work. If you are just hunting and adventuring for 3 days from the same camp, then I would take an axe and I'd even go bigger than this Small Forest Axe ... but that's probably just because I like axes.

This is an axe that I cut out of a badly damaged head that was given to me. It's just under 2.5lbs and about 3.25lbs on the stick. It's essentially a boys axe. It will outwork either of the above two, and I don't think it would be too heavy.

keenkutter_hedgepile by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

Which model GB axe is that in the top photo?

 

[triggahappy]

small forest axe

 

[Liam Ryan]

It really depends on your preferences, skills, and the vegetation you are going to be dealing with.
Personally I love axes, but I know I can't lug every piece of gear with me when I go hiking, sometimes I know the axe or hatchet won't get used.
I have a small folding bow saw called a sawvivor that works very well and weighs very little. I just got a Becker RD9 and this thing is a beast, I think this, my saw, and a smaller fixed blade or maybe a leatherman or SAK would be my choices.

 

[Operator1975]

The right axe is up to you. Not anyone else. Give multiple ones a try and see which one you like best. Some tv star, guy with a youtube channel with bunch of followers, or some review specialist can't fit you into the axe that you will ultimately want. Test, learn, choose. Hope you find the one for you.

 

[syco1138]

I've got a trucker friend multitool axe. A bit unconventional and come blunter as heck, but once you sharpen it up it's pretty good. It's worked well for me.

 

[bomber258]

small forest axe

My vote too !.

 

[smith357]

My 2hawks Long Hunter is my traveling axe, all the others stay in the cabin. Here in Ohio you are never more than a half day hike from civilization.

 

[Peak_Oil]

The right axe is up to you. Not anyone else. Give multiple ones a try and see which one you like best. Some tv star, guy with a youtube channel with bunch of followers, or some review specialist can't fit you into the axe that you will ultimately want. Test, learn, choose. Hope you find the one for you.

That's hard to do. I know I have a hard time thinking and choosing for myself. I tend to use price as a proxy for quality and number of good reviews as a proxy for my judgment. Sitting here and writing this post I know it's wrong to assume those things. Still, they are powerful and they influence me. I buy knives just to see what they're all about and then toss them in a box. It costs $10 to go to the movies, and a lot of knives are available at that price point and I can amuse myself with them for a few hours before gifting them to friends. It's not that hard to pass on a douk-douk or a Victorinox paring knife.

I'm new to the axe thing. Two tomahawks, two small camp axes, one khukri, one large chopper bowie, two wedges, one 4lb hammer, one Fiskars x25 splitting axe, one $35 electric chainsaw with two 16" chains, one 4' wrecking bar and one 2' wrecking bar. I have this gnarly stump with about six limbs arising from it. I have had the splitting axe, one wedge, the 2' wrecking bar and the 4' wrecking bar all buried in it at the same time and going nuts on all of them with the 4lb hammer trying to get that lover apart. An hour on it and I got maybe 30% of it apart. I ran out of energy before I ran out of stump. Tomorrow I will make sure that knotty twisty puzzle is solved.

 

[Subwoofer_CPF]

On the question of using an axe vs a large knife, the axe will chop better and be easier to wield. Not using your knife cutting edge to chop wood, keeps it in better condition for the tasks it is better suited to.

What I am not sure about from your question is are you comparing a smaller knife plus axe with a large knife on its own, or a large and small knife?

I also think this quandary depends on your expectations of the trip. If you expect to chop wood, take an axe. If you might need to, then take a larger knife that could do if you needed it to.

As to axe choice I can't help as I've only had cheap and nasty ones. Even these cheap and nasties work better than a large knife. The ones I would avoid are those with a very short handle. In the case of a very short handle I think you lose too much of the advantage that an axe has.

 

[Square_peg]

Hello. I have a 6 inch knife and am looking to add an Axe to the equation for my 3 day adventures. The purpose will be to make firewood and shelters.

My 3 days is never in the same spot I go about 5 to 10 miles a day depending on elevation. Then set up camp I fell they both meet my needs just wondering if a large knife is silly compared to an axe.

For that situation I'd carry a light sturdy knife like a Mora Companion plus a medium sized folding saw like a Tajima 240 G-saw and a hatchet - either a claw hatchet or a Fiskars depending on how heavy my pack was getting. I'd prefer the claw hatchet.

 

[awestib]

What do I need to do when I am outdoors with my tools? If I have to process wood, meaning felling a tree? Cutting deadfall in pieces? Splitting bigger limbs? Braking small branches only? Doing only feathersticks or shavings? You get what I mean.

The right tool for the job if possible - I know, it has been said a million times, but it is common sense.

I don't feel that a large knife can replace a well designed (does not mean expensive by the way) hatchet or splitting axe. If I likely have to split larger (6-8 inch diameter or larger?) logs, what do you exactly would do with a big knife? Batone the heck out of it? Or would you rather have a splitting axe/hatchet that does the job easily and saves energy? You have to cut deadfall into shorter logs - well have a saw handy that works well. If you have to fell a tree you need a felling axe although a (again) well designed axe/splitting axe would do the job.

I like to take my Fiskars X11 (17 inch) splitting axe. This one is well designed, thin and sharp enough to do fine work, wedgy enough to split even thicker logs with a breeze. Easily maintained and very durable. Maybe not the sexiest of all but for the size-weight ratio it is perfect.

For cutting deadfall into shorter pieces, I like my Silky saw although I am waiting for my BoB Dustrude folding saw. That one will be better for larger stuff.

For smaller/lighter work, I like a scandi type knife or a full height convex.

 

[Subwoofer_CPF]

I like to take my Fiskars X11 (17 inch) splitting axe. This one is well designed, thin and sharp enough to do fine work, wedgy enough to split even thicker logs with a breeze. Easily maintained and very durable. Maybe not the sexiest of all but for the size-weight ratio it is perfect.

You might be able to answer a question I have. In the scenario that you will need to both fell and split, if you could only have either a splitting axe or a chopping axe, which would you choose?

I've only ever had chopping axes, and wondered if the splitting axe was compromised too much by its design (for splitting) to work well for chopping?

 

[awestib]

I think a well designed axe can outperform a splitting axe (at least in the size/weight range we are talking about here), provided that you know and have the skill for the right technique. I never have figured it out really so I prefer a splitting axe. The above mentioned Fiskars is a good combination. In Alberta, even in the so called "Public use land zones", we are not allowed to cut down trees much. Therefore not much need for me. But as soon as processing wood rather than felling a tree is desired, the Fiskars excels IMO.