25 Types of Axes & Axe Heads How to Use Each
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A double bit axe is best for chopping firewood, cutting off tree branches, and lumber cutting. A Dayton axe is a variation of a felling axe, used for chopping down trees and splitting firewood. Although it's not a tool you'll easily find today, this historic axe holds great Eurasian cultural significance. The shepherd's axe has a lightweight, smaller blade attached to a long and thin wooden handle doubling as a walking stick. Owners would take years to carve intricate designs into their sticks, and today they’re regarded as works of art.
Shaping and Sharpening the Axe Head
Remember to use proper care and precautions when storing and using your tool. The millions of cubic metres of pulpwood and timber processed by the forest industry have never been near an axe. Axes are now used instead in farming, in the home, in outdoor pursuits and so on for small jobs, just as they were before the forest industry took off.
Custom Axe Design burned in Handle!
During the Bronze Age (2000 BC – 500 AD for Northern Europe), stone axes began giving way to axes with a head made of copper and bronze. The bronze axe head was cast in moulds, allowing the design to be copied and mass produced. So if you’re in the market for a new axe, don’t overlook the design principles of our Viking ancestors. Who knows, you might just find the perfect tool for all your chopping needs.
Parts Of An Axe – A Beginner’s Guide
Carpenter’s axes are small axes – the size of hatchet or slightly large – that are specially designed for woodworking, joinery, and building with wood and logs. They often have a prominent beard and a finger notch to allow the user to wield choke up their grip and wield it with precise control. That way, a carpenter’s axe can be used for carving and lopping off ends of thick wooden beams if necessary. Proper carpenter’s axes also have hardened polls that allow the poll side to be used as a hammer.
In one hand, he holds an axe that is used to sever the follower’s ties to the material world. Ganesha has an elephant head and four arms, and he holds the whole universe within his enormous stomach. As well as being heavily symbolic, axes have also frequently appeared as attributes in various religions and mythologies. Excavations of Central European graves from the period 500–750 AD uncovered a special axe that has been named the Franziska. This axe was initially used by the Franks, before spreading to the Teutons, Burgundians, Lombards and finally the Goths. In Scandinavia it has been found iron axes from the first century AD.
By considering the weight and balance, you can choose an axe that meets your requirements without compromising on comfort and control. Firstly, think about the type of work you will be using the axe for, whether it’s chopping wood or splitting logs. It should be suitable for your strength and height, ensuring comfortable and effective use. Consider the handle material and grip for durability and comfort during prolonged use. Evaluating the blade material and design is crucial for sharpness and overall effectiveness.
The broad axe, on the other hand, was designed for use in woodworking, featuring a shorter handle and a wider, flatter blade for shaping timber. Each new design was a reflection of the Viking’s changing needs and the challenges they faced, and each design was a testament to their ingenuity and resourcefulness. What you choose for the handle is also a matter of personal preference. However, you’ll find that steel, while more durable, can make the axe more uncomfortable to use since you’ll feel every strike. The handle of a throwing axe will need to measure a certain length in order to meet the requirements set by the league or federation, which is hosting the sport.
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You can experiment making your own axe heads using scrap metal, carbon steel, stainless, and a variety of alloys. Even if you don’t have much interest in blacksmithing, you should try making an axe at least once. Many blacksmith shops and local community colleges offer courses that you can take to learn how to make an axe or knife.
As the name suggests, the non-shaft-hole axes had no hole for the handle and were generally made from flint, greenstone or slate. I know some of you might be thinking, ‘But wait, aren’t Viking axes just outdated weapons from a bygone era? ’ While it’s true that Vikings aren’t exactly roaming around pillaging and plundering anymore, the design principles of their axes are still relevant today. They would also use a type of sharpening rod made from iron or steel, which was rubbed along the edge of the blade to remove any burrs or dull spots. And if they were really in a bind, they could even use a piece of leather or a smooth rock to hone the edge of their axe. In addition to their practical applications, Viking axes have also gained popularity in the world of competitive sport.
Size-wise, it is in between that of a hatchet and a full-sized felling axe. It can be used with one hand or with both, and is good for smaller chopping and splitting jobs. It won’t be much use on larger trees, but its size makes it more manageable to camping trips. Battle axes were commonly used as weapons in warfare throughout history. These powerful tools featured a long handle and a large, heavy blade, making them ideal for chopping, slashing, and piercing. Knights and warriors in medieval times relied on battle axes for their versatility and effectiveness in combat.
Many pros recommend doing some of the welding with the drift inserted. On older axes, you may find that where the sides meet it has started to split. This split eventually can turn into a break, so it’s crucial that you ensure the weld of the steel that’s closest to the eye is well worked.
The Minoan culture flourished in Knossos on the Greek island of Crete in around 2500 BC. Knossos was probably the biggest and most powerful of several centres in the eastern Mediterranean at that time. The enormous Labyrinth palace was home to the ruling dynasty, but also the hub of political and economic life in Knossos. Colourful religious ceremonies and ecstatic cult festivals took place here. This type of axe was very common at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, for example, as documented in the Bayeux tapestry.
The blade is a curved piece of metal with a jagged edge and a sharp point that digs into the ground to stop slippage on ice. The top corner of the blade is known as the toe, whereas the bottom corner is the heel. For axe heads with only a single edge, the side that's not sharpened is known as the butt. Tomahawks were light, small axes used by Native Americans in their conflicts between themselves and against British, French, and other colonizers.
Ice axes are often constructed with lightweight yet durable materials like aluminum or carbon fiber to reduce weight during climbing. They may also have a curved shaft for enhanced grip and ergonomics, along with a leash to prevent accidental drops. An axe head pattern is the shape or engineering design of the head rather than an artistic pattern. There are over 17 different patterns for single-bit axes and 11 for double-bit models. Unlike most axes that need to be regularly sharpened with regular use, a splitting maul relies on the axe’s weight and wedge shape to chop through wood. Firemen use the fireman’s axe to smash through windows and doors during fires and other emergencies.
This is an extension of the axehead’s cheek facing downwards at an obtuse angle. This gives more contact between the axehead and the handle and improves stability. The Jersey axe’s toe, heel, and poll corners are also more angular than the rounded Michigan axe. The Jersey axe pattern, just like the Michigan pattern, is still popular nowadays in modern axes, which says something about its effectiveness.
These axes vary in price range, though typically, the more you spend, the better quality of axe you will receive. The original throwing axe was used by foot soldiers in the middle ages as a weapon in battle, which was thrown at an opponent to cause fatal damage. In recent years, axe throwing has been introduced as a competitive sport that is growing in popularity. Because of this, splitting mauls need to be sharpened much less frequently than other axes, as they can work well even when fairly blunt. If it’s too heavy, you will gain force but lose accuracy, while if it’s too light, it won’t cut very deep. For your first axe, the head should weigh no more than three pounds, and you can work up to heavier bits with more experience.
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