Poll - If you only had 1 axe

[seraphim]

Can't figure out how to make a poll, so....

if you only had 1 axe (duties small splitting, campcraft, small limbing duties, and maybe carving, unlikely to be carried very long distances, but more likely to be used for a couple of hours at a time), then what would it be out of:

(I'll use GB as a reference!)

1, Wildlife hatchet sized 13-14" handle 1lb head type
2, SFA type 18-21" handle Small axe 1/2-2 lb head
3, 'Normal axe' 26" 2lb (light) head


4, Any other one (if you know of a true axe that does everything well!

Ta (deciding on a prospective birthday present from the Mrsa dnd she'll buy an axe as she expects me to use it to split firewood for home!!)

 

[Biker]

No hesitation it'd be my Goldenberg 650g take down axe. Just love that tool! I have others but that one just ticks all the boxes for me.

 

[John Fenna]

For me it is - at present - the GB SFA....

 

[Lee Wright]

Fiskars 17" hatchet, apart from a smashed edge when it was borrowed (possibly to split engineering bricks by the look of it!) It has not faultered one bit.

 

[Woodcutter]

GB SFA for me.

 

[seraphim]

What would the fiskars be? hatchet, mid sized or full sized? Also, the only 17" fiskars I can see is a splitting profile, so no good for carving or other work? (correct me please if/when I'm wrong!)

Never heard of a goldberg, can't find it on line either, sounds interesting!

 

[Siberianfury]

GB SFA for me as a single axe.

 

[Xunil]

Norlund Hudson Bay 3/4

No competition.

Something the size of the Wildlife is fine for me for most work, but if I'm harvesting a lot of bow wood I prefer a little more va va voom

 

[woof]

My cegga viking style.

Rob

 

[Everything Mac]

I've a 14" kent pattern back home which covers me for the vast majority of things I do. It has a heavier head than normal, which I quite like.

However if I had to choose an axe for everything then I'd go for a heavy head - 2.5/3lbs on a 21" handle.


edit - in fact I'd take my favourite GB:

Andy

 

[SeekHer]

I carry a local commercially made Hudson's Bay pattern axe--24" handle, 2# head--quite similar to the Gränsfors Bruks Scandinavian Forest Axe but the head shape is different.

 

[Man of Tanith]

for me its the gransfors bruk outdoor axe
more of a tomahawk in size but for the stuff you've listed i always seem to reach for this one,
cant go wrong with a small forest axe either though

 

[seraphim]

So: In summary...

Everyone likes something differtent!!! ha ha!

Didn't expect any less, but interesting to find how many people like each size of axe (notwithstanding all those exotic ones I've never heard of or which aren't available off the shelf!)

it seems that if just 1 axe, the SFA is slightly more popular as the ultimate compromise, but whilst it CAN do everything, it's beaten in each area by the specialist axe. I know the prefferred option would be a scandinavian forest axe at camp and a hatchet in the daypack, but it's the cost!!


Ta all for your input, I'm still no closer to deciding, but as I'm only 5'10, the SFA would almost do as a full sized axe for me!


Can the SFA carve at all? or if that's the preference is smaller better?

 

[Xunil]

I have a question, which ought to be relevant and help narrow things down a little.

How many folks have used axes of various common sizes often enough and extensively enough to make an informed decision ?

Don't take offence, because that's not how it's meant.

Years ago every household had one or more axes and folks were brought up with them. Not so today.

I am genuinely curious how many SFA, or Norlund, or Plumb, or Elwell owners have used anything else that makes them prefer their SFA above other choices.

A mate of mine has done very little axe work and bought an SFA on the strength of recommendation. I asked him if he would like to try my Norlund axes, or the Elwells, or...

His response was "What for - I like this one"

Fair enough, and difficult to argue with. But it does illustrate that some people have enough exposure to various axes and the use thereof to decide on what suits them best, while others may simply stop at a certain point because they are happy with what they have and see no need to take matters any further.

That's fine, no matter what the underlying rationale is, but I often wonder whether popularity of one thing is sometimes due to lack of available alternatives.

Not criticising the people or their choce of axes - just an observation on the human condition more than anything else.

I'll get my coat, again

 

[Chris the Cat]

Good points sir!
I have a few and they all have different goodpoints.
My 'fav' is my hand forged Dave Budd Trade type axe, but as yet it has only had a few run outs.
I like the head on the GB carving axe and have used that as a general purpose axe quite a bit, but if I had to reach for one right now and leave for a trip I would go with the larger of the two Roselli axes. Fantastic at processing fire wood and 'good enough' for take down.
My best.
Chris.

 

[TomBartlett]

That's a good point Xunil. I've got a wildlife hatchet and am perfectly happy with it since a) I'm not cutting down trees with it, and b) I haven't tried anything else for what I use it for (preparing firewood and carving). Would be nice to play around with some of the other options out there but it's a matter of getting a hold of them.

 

[Xunil]

Well I'm going on record here and now by stating that I am not, under any circumstances, offering my various Norlund, Elwell, GB, Plumb, Husky, S&N etc axes as a passaround for the idly curious, or the curiously idle come to think of it

 

[British Red]

I've currently got about 14 axes. If I could have only one for Bushcraft, it would be my Cegga BR Hunter.

I f I could have only one at all?


Working Axe by British Red, on Flickr

It keeps me warm at night!

 

[Ben98]

I only have one Axe and i love it. Its a Wettelings wildlife Axe. It does every thing i want it to do.

 

[PaulSanderson]

my GB SFA all the way...id take it to bed with me if the missus didnt mind! a cracking all round axe that can do all the tasks i ask of it from carving, making feather sticks to some heavier wood chopping and even taking down a standing dead tree...