The axe-ident thread

jmarston said:
Most of my cuts have been from sharpening. Almost always from rushing.

My worst accident involved one of my favourite dogs. A tree had fallen across one of my trails. I enjoy axe work and wasnt in a rush so I grabbed my freshly hung felling axe. A 3.5 lb Walters on a 32" birch haft. I was eager to get going and hadn't made a mask for this axe. No matter. The tree was only a couple hundred feet down the trail so off I went. Practicing proper, safe as possible axe carrying.
This dog loved running the trails and would run way ahead then back to check on me and way ahead again. Looking for bears or porcupine or squirrels, she loved them all. I had somehow gotten ahead of her as she was sniffing out in the woods and as she bounded by I felt her bump my axe.

I saw her stumble and heard her yelp. I though maybe she had just jammed her shoulder as she went by. My heart dropped as I got closer.

The bump had been her scalp running along the freshly sharpened bit. It split her scalp down to the bone for about six inches. I yelled and swore not knowing what else to do. I could see she was in pain but in the swearing she thought I was mad at her.

I calmed myself down and slowly walked over to her. I held the flap of her scalp onto her head, calmed her with my other hand and led her back to the house. Unfortunately I had to put her down when I got back as she had lost so much blood.

Moral of the story is don't be complacent with your guards. Even following proper carrying technique, and axe can still be very dangerous. Keep aware of potential risks at all times.
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I read this an hour ago, I am still heartbroken for you both.
I am one of those, always had a dog(s) and I get along better with my dog than my.... people.
So sorry J jmarston
 
Fmont said:
Same. Lost both my pups in two years and it's like losing a child. Just started the look for a new pup recently.
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Pup with a good home is a happy pup.:thumbsup::)

I feel for you man, I do.
Lost my 2 old girls, coon hounds, to cancer each this summer and last.
Just Jezebel for now, shes young at near 3 and fierce as a terrier comes lol!
Totally different breed from my ole girls but shes awesome just the same.
:thumbsup::cool:
 
Thanks all. She lived a good life. We live a ways back in the bush and she was very happy. It is an accident I never thought would have happened but I am very aware of potential hazards now. Don't mean to be a downer but I thought I would share as a warning. Things can happen in a split second. Thank goodness it wasn't a child.

We have a few other great dogs. Living in the bush can be hard them and we have lost a couple over the years and as life goes on, the bush will claim more. There is little better life for a dog,however. Freedom to run and chase and explore over a vast expanse of boreal forest. To run in a pack and drink from the stream and track the snowshoe hare. We had some great times together and I suppose it was just her time to go.
 
jmarston said:
Thanks all. She lived a good life. We live a ways back in the bush and she was very happy. It is an accident I never thought would have happened but I am very aware of potential hazards now. Don't mean to be a downer but I thought I would share as a warning. Things can happen in a split second. Thank goodness it wasn't a child.

We have a few other great dogs. Living in the bush can be hard them and we have lost a couple over the years and as life goes on, the bush will claim more. There is little better life for a dog,however. Freedom to run and chase and explore over a vast expanse of boreal forest. To run in a pack and drink from the stream and track the snowshoe hare. We had some great times together and I suppose it was just her time to go.
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Your words of caring and thoughtfulness I hear... You truely did and do give your dogs the best and free a life, more than our own lives even, they can have.

Thanks for sharing your experience, the tone and subject will only give us all the little voice reminder when we need it most.
 
I had a hound 40yrs ago that I still miss. He was a bluetick/walker mix, big (115 lbs) easy going dog. He went everywhere with me, including when I was logging. This is how I taught him to be safe around felling-when he was a pup I would tie him just barely past where the top of the tree I was felling would land. Then he would watch me. When the back hinge would snap and pop the tree would come down and just miss hitting him. After a good number of trees almost hitting him, he learned that when he heard the noise of the back hinge and the tree starting towards the ground, he needed to pay attention. At first I watched him. When he heard the noise he would stop whatever he was sniffing and look up and around to see if the tree was coming his way, and run like hell if it was coming at him. For years he was all over the felling operation, including where the other fallers were cutting. He never got hurt.
 
Old Axeman said:
gben--I am just a old man who spent most of his life in the backwood with a axe in my hand. What is this hipster thing? I have never seen one of those critters.
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IMG954658.gif


Lost footage of the great hipster
:D

O Old Axeman I had most recently a red tick and red bone, a few years apart in age. Both smart as whips and stubborn as mules. (@Mulemann77 no disrespect intended :))
I can greatly appreciate the training it took for your boy to learn what needed to be learned.
Blue tick and Walker...one super smart very big fella.

I dont need to identify this but will share it here quick.

I am pleased to have removed this haft from this Craftsman Michigan today without much fuss.

Buried the head and gently wiggled the tongue out. Never had a wedge, it came to me pounded tight on the haft.
I had been trying a couple of Hickory drifts I made but I couldnt pound it out...

20190817-110546.jpg


20190817-110559.jpg


:thumbsup:
 
jmarston said:
Most of my cuts have been from sharpening. Almost always from rushing.

My worst accident involved one of my favourite dogs. A tree had fallen across one of my trails. I enjoy axe work and wasnt in a rush so I grabbed my freshly hung felling axe. A 3.5 lb Walters on a 32" birch haft. I was eager to get going and hadn't made a mask for this axe. No matter. The tree was only a couple hundred feet down the trail so off I went. Practicing proper, safe as possible axe carrying.
This dog loved running the trails and would run way ahead then back to check on me and way ahead again. Looking for bears or porcupine or squirrels, she loved them all. I had somehow gotten ahead of her as she was sniffing out in the woods and as she bounded by I felt her bump my axe.

I saw her stumble and heard her yelp. I though maybe she had just jammed her shoulder as she went by. My heart dropped as I got closer.

The bump had been her scalp running along the freshly sharpened bit. It split her scalp down to the bone for about six inches. I yelled and swore not knowing what else to do. I could see she was in pain but in the swearing she thought I was mad at her.

I calmed myself down and slowly walked over to her. I held the flap of her scalp onto her head, calmed her with my other hand and led her back to the house. Unfortunately I had to put her down when I got back as she had lost so much blood.

Moral of the story is don't be complacent with your guards. Even following proper carrying technique, and axe can still be very dangerous. Keep aware of potential risks at all times.
Click to expand...

So sorry. :(
 
Smh. I went to an axe chucking joint recently and they were using really cheeky, thick bitted, yellow plastic handled hatchets with about a 50° grind. When the guy was demonstrating he had to put everything he had into whipping it at the target to get it to stick reliably. Nothing came back like it was on a trampoline like that, though!
 
Well guys not an axe-ident but an accident just the same. I'm actually very lucky I didn't lose any fingers or tips... 19 years as a builder and this is my worst accident. Still a good record... I grabbed a board I was cutting as it slipped off my sawhorses. But at the same time grabbed my still spinning skill saw blade.
20191213_124230.jpg 20191213_124236.jpg 20191213_144708.jpg
I drove myself to the hospital where I waited FOR 6 HOURS to get 4 stitches put in... the waiting was worse than the injury. Lol.
Anyway it's going to be hard for awhile for me to do much of anything axe related unfortunately. Anyway be careful fellas!
 
Yankee Josh said:
Well guys not an axe-ident but an accident just the same. I'm actually very lucky I didn't lose any fingers or tips... 19 years as a builder and this is my worst accident. Still a good record... I grabbed a board I was cutting as it slipped off my sawhorses. But at the same time grabbed my still spinning skill saw blade.
View attachment 1248620 View attachment 1248621 View attachment 1248622
I drove myself to the hospital where I waited FOR 6 HOURS to get 4 stitches put in... the waiting was worse than the injury. Lol.
Anyway it's going to be hard for awhile for me to do much of anything axe related unfortunately. Anyway be careful fellas!
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Hang in there...like what i did there?...:D

Damn Josh...lucky yes, still super unfortunate and sore i am sure.
Seriously, hang tough as I know Mainers are, all the ones i know and have known, axe season is every season. :cool::cool: more to aquire to hang and think about hanging while your not hanging...o_O;)
 
Yankee Josh said:
Well guys not an axe-ident but an accident just the same. I'm actually very lucky I didn't lose any fingers or tips... 19 years as a builder and this is my worst accident. Still a good record... I grabbed a board I was cutting as it slipped off my sawhorses. But at the same time grabbed my still spinning skill saw blade.
View attachment 1248620 View attachment 1248621 View attachment 1248622
I drove myself to the hospital where I waited FOR 6 HOURS to get 4 stitches put in... the waiting was worse than the injury. Lol.
Anyway it's going to be hard for awhile for me to do much of anything axe related unfortunately. Anyway be careful fellas!
Click to expand...
Ouch!!! That’s nasty and looks painful! I shot myself with a finish gun yesterday. First time in 15 years of carpentry. I got off easy compared to you.
 
Yankee Josh said:
Well guys not an axe-ident but an accident just the same. I'm actually very lucky I didn't lose any fingers or tips... 19 years as a builder and this is my worst accident. Still a good record... I grabbed a board I was cutting as it slipped off my sawhorses. But at the same time grabbed my still spinning skill saw blade.
View attachment 1248620 View attachment 1248621 View attachment 1248622
I drove myself to the hospital where I waited FOR 6 HOURS to get 4 stitches put in... the waiting was worse than the injury. Lol.
Anyway it's going to be hard for awhile for me to do much of anything axe related unfortunately. Anyway be careful fellas!
Click to expand...
god damn... that sucks

some times i wish this forum has a NSFW blur like reddit
 
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