What Do You Use Your Axe For Besides Chopping And Splitting?

J

joshiecole

Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
515
Hello, this is my first post in the axe forum, but I've been a lurking member for a few years.

I came to Bladeforums due to my interest in large chopping knives like Busse knives and kukris, but since then I've found that no other tool comes close to the axe for sheer fun.

What I've grown to love about the axe is the sheer number of things you can use it for, it's not just a tool for the woodpile. Whether you actually need one or not, it's certainly more fun to pack one for a camping or canoeing trip. I particularly like rough-whittling paddles. Or putting up shelters.

I'm looking for new inspirations for fun projects, so tell me what else you guys are carving, whittling or constructing with your axes, hatchets and hawks!

Here's one very small paddle, sadly the only pic I've got handy. This was done with a sanded and blued Council Tools Boy's Axe.

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Good looking paddle!
I like to carve, build shelters, gather firewood, and many other things. It feels safe to carry an axe because no matter what you can always depend on the axe.
Also when canoeing if my paddle breaks or get lost, I can always make a new one.
 
Thanks for the response Aikonen, what do you like to carve? Any pictures of carving or shelter building? :)
 
Anything really, spoons and butter knives, kuksas and axe handles.. Whatever comes to mind, but mostly things I need! Don't have any pictures at the moment
 
Besides those things you've mentioned, I like to use an axe for clearing local trails. I also make stakes for the garden and pegs for various purposes. I enjoy felling with an axe but opportunities for this are slim. I won't just go chop down a tree because I feel like it. I'll fell one that needed felling anyway.


But perhaps the highest calling of the axe is hewing. You can make rough timbers with just your splitting axe. With a broad axe you can make pretty nice square timbers depending on your skill level.


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Very nice hewing Square. This is also one of the most important uses of the axe, dates back a very long time!

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Gotta love seeing hewn timbers! I've always inspected the beams in old "pole barns" just to imagine the skill of the folks that prepared the timbers and erected these structures. Some are obviously varying degrees of rookie jobs not entirely straight or square and with rough surfaces and lots of scoring marks, but every now and again there are lovely beams that are smooth as silk and look for all the world like 'sawmill-cut and then hand planed'.
 
I don't want to change the thread but I do need to ask... What do you guys building with the hewn timber? I'd love to see more of that in another thread. Great stuff.
 
No problem NoviceWoodsman, I'm interested to see these projects too. I'm sure there are more members who have used their axes for plenty of fascinating projects! Let's see them!
 
For my part I'm interested in learning the craft log building and timber framing. I would also like to see more of this!
 
aikonen said:
Very nice hewing Square. This is also one of the most important uses of the axe, dates back a very long time!

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I like your benches. All you need is a plank, and auger and some branches for legs. I've made something similar at camp.

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Some handsome work gents. I made a boat oar with my Estwing hatchet on a wilderness canoe trip when I broke my other one in rapids. DM
 
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It seems perhaps axemen spend less time taking photos of their tools in use and more time using them than their knifenut counterparts ..
 
I have a JP Kelly double bladed Vulcan axe. One side is for splitting fire wood, one side it for brushing a trail, and the third use is for throwing. A weapon if you will. It has a 28" handle, and took me approximately 50-hours to sharpen it. I shaved with it just because I could. I have to admit that's not a very bright thing to do. The end of the handle will hit every thing in 6-feet. They say you only live once, and that could be it.
 
What stone were you using?
Hey, even if you threw it and hit the bad guy just with the handle it would knock him cold. DM
 
I'm starting to get the hang of it. Get it?? :cool:

Just kidding, I need to buy a book about log cabin building. These logs are for practice only, after that they will join the firewood-club!

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