Ice breaking axe ;-))

P

Pipeman

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Dec 2, 2004
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Just had to post this.:D

Regards

Robin

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My backpacking friend and I were discussing exactly this for winter backpacking. Since so much fuel is burned melting snow, he destroyed a hatchet last winter using it to hammer through ice to get drinking water (and do a Hell-Freezes-Over Dive, which includes a mouth full of hot sauce and a stupidly brave dive). He said it took alot of effort, and edge, to chip through 2 feet of ice to get water access for a 9 day backcountry ski trip. In all seriousness, would you use your axe for that kind of abuse? Or would you pack the extra weight of a specific tool? Something like an auger seems more practical, or even one of those hammer-forged tool steel Grivel ice axes. I just can't bring myself to destroy an axe by smashing it up against 2 feet of ice.
 
I used to use an axe to cut holes in the ice when i was a kid, i couldnt afford an auger, and really liked ice fishing, after a few years i upgraded to a spud bar, which was a lil easier and made a nicer hole
I also learned the importance of a laynard, when the spud bar broke through the ice with a little too much oomph and slipped out of my hand, was back to the axe the rest of that year
 
Ive used an axe to cut through ice before. No big deal. Ive used my RC-3 for the same thing, to get acces to freshwater for drinking. It took a bit longer with a knife, but i got to the water in the end. I dont consider hacking through ice as abuse, as long as youre patient.
 
A friend of mine makes these ice fishing chisels, the cutting edge is a piece of 50 ton paper shear blade. This one is almost 5 feet long and Heavy.

Regards

Robin
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it's only abuse when you are chopping through something harder than your axe! What is the rockwell of ice? :-) I suppose it depends on the temperature.

I've got a big chunk of 1x1 5160 I've been thinking about forging into something like that Pipeman.. although mine won't be pimped up like that.
 
Nice spud bar Robin! Make sure we get a look at the one you are going to make Scott. I have chopped through the ice with an axe, a spud bar and used an auger to get to the fish below. When going through 2 feet of ice, all of them are a lot of work. The axe is probably the most work, but it will definitely get the job done. Never had a problem with the axe head chipping or breaking.

Howard
 
PayetteRucker said:
My backpacking friend and I were discussing exactly this for winter backpacking. Since so much fuel is burned melting snow, he destroyed a hatchet last winter using it to hammer through ice to get drinking water (and do a Hell-Freezes-Over Dive, which includes a mouth full of hot sauce and a stupidly brave dive). He said it took alot of effort, and edge, to chip through 2 feet of ice to get water access for a 9 day backcountry ski trip. In all seriousness, would you use your axe for that kind of abuse? Or would you pack the extra weight of a specific tool? Something like an auger seems more practical, or even one of those hammer-forged tool steel Grivel ice axes. I just can't bring myself to destroy an axe by smashing it up against 2 feet of ice.
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Payette, I bet a Cold Steel Spike Hawk would be great for this. Hatchet and ice pick all in one. Got me thinking now as there are lots of frozen lakes here that I'd like to fish too. I also like that it might be able to double as an ice axe like the mountaineers carry.
 
ScottRoush said:
it's only abuse when you are chopping through something harder than your axe! What is the rockwell of ice? :-) I suppose it depends on the temperature.

I've got a big chunk of 1x1 5160 I've been thinking about forging into something like that Pipeman.. although mine won't be pimped up like that.
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Hey Scott
This one is here waiting for a blade cover, he made it for his 11 year old Son. Hope it doesn't yank him down the hole, this this is heavy and shaving sharp too. Post the one you make when it's done.

Best regards

Robin
 
When I was a boy we walked to school with an axe THRU the ice......


Nice post Pipe. LOLOLOLOLOL Classic.
 
Randy, you must have attended the same school I did back there. I agree with you Robin the 0c is not bad with little or no wind. It calls for a long sleeve shirt and a wool or down vest. Twenty-three years in Alaska changed my perspective. Coloradowildman, you have found one of the several reasons that I use a moded CS Spike Hawk.

Howard
 
HandAxeProMan said:
Randy, you must have attended the same school I did back there. I agree with you Robin the 0c is not bad with little or no wind. It calls for a long sleeve shirt and a wool or down vest. Twenty-three years in Alaska changed my perspective. Coloradowildman, you have found one of the several reasons that I use a moded CS Spike Hawk.

Howard
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Howard, how does the Spike Hawk work as an ice axe and what kind of mod did you do to it? How is it as a kindling chopper? thx
 
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