Buying an Axe does seem simple and easy, but it’s not that uncomplicated. With so many options available in terms of types and forms of Axes, making the right choice gets intricate. It’s not just about choosing the right Axe but also the right model! Hundreds of models are out there, and you need proper guidelines to opt for the right one!
An Axe is used for several activities, including splitting firewood, bushcraft, trekking through the woods, camping in a forest, or participating in a competition. For felling trees, an efficient Axe is the first requirement.
Before diving deep into it, let’s discuss different kinds of Axes.
Types Of Axes
Axes are of various types, depending on the work they have to perform. Some of them are as follows:
1. Tomahawks and hatchets
Old ax with wooden handle isolated on white background with clipping paths
Small size Axes are the most commonly used Axes across the globe. For anyone using it for the first time, the small-sized one would be the most appropriate option. Also known as a hatchet, these Axes can easily be used with a single hand. Where most of the time, an Axe is easy to handle with two hands, you can conveniently grip this one with a single hand.
Tomahawks and hatchets are the two types of Axes that have the smallest possible size and dimensions. Mostly, the hatches are somewhere around 18 inches long. However, their weight is at least 1.5 pounds and can go up to 2 pounds. The hatchet head is quite sharp and does the deed neatly!
If you plan a camping trip, you should have a hatchet. It would not only help you cut down small trees, but you can clear a bushy area quite easily with this hatchet in one hand!
Another great reason to have a hatchet is that it is highly cost-effective. You don’t need to spend a fortune to have one in your possession. Just remember the names of Axes, and you will be good to go!
2. Limbing Axes
These are quite reliable for various kinds of tasks. Its twenty-four inches long handle makes it easier for the user to keep a firm grip on it. Due to the convenient length of these Axes and the weight of merely 2 pounds, these Axes are quite popular amongst the masses. Though these dimensions may be A LOT for some people, others find them extremely comfortable.
The dimensions of this Axe give it much-needed versatility. You can perform a variety of functions using it. However, the most prominent act it does for you is helping you with wood-related crafts. If you like to work around wood for long hours and love to create new things, it’s high time you get your hands on these Axes, also known as climbing Axes.
3. Felling Axes
The biggest of them all, the felling Axes come in handy when the work on the wood is extremely intricate, or the project is big scale! If you want to split huge open logs, which is impossible with either hatches or the climbing Axes, the felling Axes are just the right choice.
However, as they are pretty heavy, using them is not an easy task. It takes a lot of time for anyone to grip the felling Axe, ensuring that it doesn’t go out of limits. Men who are experts at woodwork craft don’t trust any Axe other than these. Why? The felling Axe gives them the liberty to cut the biggest wood and turn it into whatever they dream of.
How to choose an Axe?
Now that you have learned about the various types of Axes, you need to understand how to choose the right one for yourself. Read the following guide, and by the end, you will be able to make the right choice!
1. Consider the handle’s material
You are going to hold the Axe from its handle. This is why buying an Axe with a supreme quality handle is very important. You need to have a tool that you can grip quite easily. Only then will you be able to complete your tasks efficiently.
Handles of Axes are made of various kinds of materials. However, the best material is surely high-quality wood! It’s easy to grip and doesn’t tire you even if you hold it for many hours.
Apart from wood, reinforced plastic and metal are also used to make an Axe handle. Compared to them both, the wood handle is the most non-slippery option that you can avail yourself.
2. Consider your own height
While buying an Axe, you need to consider your own height. It will help you narrow your search for an item you can hold and use comfortably. As a rule of thumb, if you place your Axe on the ground on its head, the handle’s base should reach somewhere around your middle finger’s second joint. It will let you know whether you can manage the size of this particular Axe or not. Your choice of Axe patterns should also be according to your own body’s capacity.
However, if you opt for the smallest option, i.e. the hatches, your height doesn’t matter. As it is already a very small tool, you won’t need an extra hand to hold it firmly. There are various types of hatchets, and you need to have the one that suits your requirements firmly!
3. Head of the Axe
There are various Axe head types, and you need to choose one amongst them according to the kind of work you want it to perform. For instance, opt for the roofing Axe if you are doing a task requiring diversified woodcuts. It has two heads, with one blade being sharper than the other. If you want to cut a very thick wood precisely, opt for the splitting Maul as its head is pretty heavy and massive
Final thoughts
An Axe is an ancient cutting tool and is still equally popular globally. Whether camping with your friends or trying to complete a wood project, you would surely need a high-quality, suitable Axe.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column]