Pics of my new "cleaver"- I think Dr Bill is to credit for this design. 10" blade 1/4" thick and shaving sharp. This one was a lucky grab. I admit to not being a heavy knife chopping guy so I am working on technique and getting past my hesitation to swing a heavy straight razor this hard !! Just looking for the deflection that puts it into a knee. I was really shocked and happy with how well this thing chopped! I hit everything from dead and live Locust, live Poplar and small and really big thorn tree. Not sure of the species but these have very strong thorns- my wife stepped on a branch and thorn penetrated her tennis shoe sole and stabbed into her foot.
I compared the cleaver to my GB 19" on the Poplar and it was really close- I did not count swing but seemed about even to me. To be fair, I grippped the axe at about same distance from the sweet spot on the cleaver and the stub was giving a bit more with the tree gone. If it had been a complete equal size Poplar and I gripped the axe where one normally would- maybe slight advantage to the axe. Still very impressive to this axe guy!
Chest carry with shock cord, keeps it out of the way when dragging brush:
Big thorn tree- cut off piece fell vertical beside stump
Live locust- 5 hits
Poplar 12 hits
not sure species of thorn three hits... I was a bit timid
Size on that one-
Here comes the Boom!! LOL
don't be too concerned about the carnage- my church bought this lot and wanted a nice path cleared for members to walk while visiting the land. We hope to have our own church building one day. We meet now in a tiny commercial office building. Makes for a close congregation
Bill