Camping Axe Help Please

C

CraigTbone

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Mar 4, 2019
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I have used axes occasionally for the past 55 years. But only occasionally. For my camping (not hard core hiking, pop-up trailer and now small fiberglass trailer) I used a hatchet for many years for splitting purchased fire wood once in a while.

A few years ago I bought a Collins Axe, Boys Axe from my local Ace Hardware. It seems like a good weight and haft length. A little research revealed that Collins was once the largest manufacturer of axes in the US, going back to the early 1800s.

Collins has been sold several times and is now a Mexican owned company. My axe is labeled made in Mexico.

Does any one know if the steel is good? It seems to hold an edge but I know so little about axes. I would like a good quality axe for camping. If this one is, then I am ok with it. If not I want to get a good US made axe.

Many bushcraft axes are shaped so the cutting edge is much longer than the height of the eye. My boys axe is only slightly flared. Is there a reason for the different shapes? For camping / bushcraft uses is there a preference?

I have been researching and learning about axes but I have not found any info about that detail.

Your input is most appreciated.
 
Craig,
For recreational use, your Collins will likely be fine. You may need to thin the bit form the edge back a ways to get it to cut well.

"Bushcraft" axes usually have thinner bits and cheeks for use in shaping wood or cutting thinner wood for projects- shelter, chairs, tables etc. Hence the "craft" part of the name. This makes them bad for splitting though as there is little wedge force. The question becomes, exactly how you use your camp axe? Many use them for splitting down kindling for the fire. In this case the Swedish style bushcraft axes are not as ideal as an axe with a little thicker bit.

Or you may use your camp axe to trim back branches or brambles, cut sticks for tent pegs or roasting food. For this, I like an old carpenters hatchet. I take it even further by customizing mine to remove all excess steel and mounting it on a longer handle. This give me a very light tool with a 22" handle, but it would not be good for splitting anything near wrist sized. It is good for shaving down pegs or tinder.

As your interest grows, you might hit flea markets and pick up old boys axe heads to mount. I had a pretty nice axe collection with a wide variety of axes to include Swedish and vintage American patterns and my very favorite to actually use for recreation is a 2 1/4lb head on a slimmed down 29" handle. Big enough to fell or buck up to calf size but has a 4" bit, weighs just under three pounds and is very easy to swing.

My little wonder on far right:
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Closeup, weighs 1lb 6oz.
xdWhmT3.jpg


Not the best pic but this shows the bit top down for the profile of an axe meant to throw chips from the cut and to split.
510jCLV.jpg

Sometimes in order to get this, you need to first thin back behind the edge. once done, you blend the two angles into one gradual convex arc.
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Bill

PS- If you want something store bought that makes a good small axe, Council Tools Boys axe is a good one. IF you find the FSS variant, they tend to be a little nicer.
 
Thanks for that info Bill. Most helpful.

My son was doing some research and found that the purpose of the long beard is so you can grip the haft just below the head placing your hand behind the lower portion of the cutting edge so you can make pushing cuts for fine delicate tasks.

What is the FSS variant of the Council Boys Axe?

None of the axe companies publish details of the head like thickness, cutting edge length, edge profile. That sort of info would help to determine the applicability to ones intended use. But alas, no such info.

Several of the Council axes might be good for me.
• Hudson Bay Camp Axe, 28"
• Wood-Craft Pack Axe. 24"
• Boy's Axe, 28"
But the above mentioned info would help in deciding. However it seems most Council axes are not available at this time.

I am poised to retire soon and we will be doing more travel/camping. It would be fun to practice some woodcraft.
 
The FSS variant has a head made of 4140 steel and good 28" handle. They are made in batches and quickly sell out but can be found with patience on the secondary market.

The Velvicut Bad Boy axe is another good choice. With a head of 5160 steel, 2 1/4lb head and 28" handle it is a great all around axe. Good enough for light splitting even. I would pair this with something bearded, lighter with a thinner bit- something comparable to the Gransfors Bruks Carpenter axe.

I did own a Velvicult Bad Boy but did not use it. I was impressed with its quality but I had a number of axes of the same size so I passed it on. I own a BG Scandinavian and like it very much. As will most Swedes, it has a thin bit and a 25" handle. I would like a slightly longer handle but it is much better than the BG Small Forest axe, it is more of a long hatchet. I also own the BG Wildlife hatchet and like it very much.

In practicing woodcraft, I would also recommend tools like a drawknife, spokeshave and a brace/bit. A bucksaw and a small fine saw for cutting kerfs will be useful.
I am 54yr old and look to retire out of country at 59 so I wish you luck.

Bill
 
I cannot post links to non supporting merchants but I just searched and found a place that has the Council FSS Boys axe in stock for 100.00 & the standard Boys axe for half that. A Velvicut would run 150+.

Given the choice for a multiuse axe between my GB Scandinavian and a Council FSS or Velvicut, I would be perfectly happy with one of the Councils, better cheek profile and extra 3 inches of handle.

Bill
 
My plans take me to the Philippines. I will not have a lot of use for my axes :) I will take a few but will likely use my machetes much more.

My axe collection went from over 150 to about 35 now and soon smaller yet but the opportunity to try so many has helped define the ones I really enjoy using as well as the ones that best do the work that I do. My next experiment will ne in swords. I do love things with sharp blades :)

Bill
 
How helpful is the longer beard on the Woodcraft Pack Axe compared to the FSS Boy's Axe?

Are those two axes similar total thickness?
 
The beard looks like a good compromise, enough to get your hand a little higher but not so much that full power swings are going to cant the head- loosening it prematurely. That was an issue with Hudson heads as there was not much depth contact in the eye. The pack axe has quite a bit more contact there.

I like a higher hold(more beard) but only in a light head, I will not want to use it for a lot of hard impact.

Reading some discussions sounds like the edge of the pack axe is thinned out some and is flat ground. I do not suspect it will split quite as well as the boys axe but it should be much more well rounded for "bushcratfy" uses and still has good feedback for splitting small wood.
 
I would to hear your thoughts on it. I like the way it looks and I read good reviews. When I have my next round of sell off, I may snag one and a GB Carpenters axe to try them out.
Bill
 
The Council Wood-Craft Axe arrived yesterday. It looks very well made.

Is there anything that I should do before using it?

Coat the head with anything?

Coat the haft with anything?
 
;) I would not advise eating any part of the axe lest the warning be true.

I use different products but raw linseed oil is my favorite but can be hard to find. Watco Danish oil is good as is Howards Butcher Block Conditioner and Feed-N-Wax. Howards uses oils like mineral oil and orange oil, waxes are beeswax and carnuaba wax.

Bill
 
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