Ah. That's the hang of the axe. That's mostly going to affect the height at which the axe will naturally land square when swung. An "open" hang like that would be best suited to striking near the ground. Many hewing axes and "turf axes" --which were used for chopping blocks of sod-- were hung open like that because of the near-ground-level blows they routinely delivered. The higher the blows you're delivering the more closed the hang needs to be to land square with a natural stroke. This also works on a similar fashion with horizontal strokes when doing things like limbing.
Dang, Jeff. Well, for one, you got the head on the bottom. You're not only going to cut your hands, you won't ever split any wood that way. I may not be the Neil deGrasse Tyson of axes like these boys, but even I can see that.
Thats just hung open. Edit This conversation is the equivalent of someone telling you they can design the esee six handle so the choil is not necessary. And you explaining that you have more control higher up and will be keeping the choil because it works. And them throwing a math book at you.
Some aspects of presentation, though with knives, gets addressed in this article, though it's nowhere near as complete as I'd like it to be. Finding time to sit down and get in a good headspace for writing can be a challenge. It's matters of presentation that are largely responsible for the shapes of a lot of traditional standardized knife patterns.
Here this may help You planning on building an axe? Can I get mine in a group buy uncoated with a choil?
I can smell an opportunity: Expat Knives next product will be a patch with an axe on it. $10 each. Who's in?
Again, serious question because I know nothing about axes: What is the difference between a single bit and a pulpwood axe and why does the different hang make it better for one thing over the other?
The more I read this thread I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. Seriously though you guys know a tremendous amount about axes. When I was young and splitting wood I busted the handle out of a maul a couple times. My daddy welded a pipe into it. I learned how to use one after that.
A large single bit is what you fell trees or buck with. So chopping down a tree or chopping a felled tree into sections. Think 3.5 lb head and 36 inch handle. A pulpwood axe has a shorter handle and lighter head. Otherwise known as a truck axe or limbing axe. Literally used to chop limbs off downed trees. A boys axe also shares handle length with a pulp axe but has a lighter head. So the angle for the bit/edge to strike square for a long handled axe when felling a tree is different than a shorter handled axe swinging at limbs on the other side of a felled tree. It gets further confused when you add in the fact a lot of people like a shorter handle on a purely bucking axe. If a dude has a chain saw and an axe and is cutting trees it is probably a pulp axe or set up like one.
To my understanding, pulpwood trees are usually between 6-12" diameter destined for wood pulp production, and a pulpwood axe is what's usually referred to today as a boy's axe. Lighter weight 'cause it's all you need to do the job. Different hangs affect how the blow lands with different strokes, and so you want the hang to reflect a blow that lands properly when used with a natural low-strain motion. As you progress through a cut, if you aren't changing your stance the presentation of the bit to the target will change. This is greater in larger diameter targets than in smaller ones. As you're deeper into the cut, a more open presentation begins to land square. Cutting at the start is easiest because you're striking a narrower surface, but the deeper you get the broader the cuts you have to connect, and that's where the most strenuous work is, as you have to connect multiple blows across the face to allow a chip to pop free.
You think you use a lighter smaller axe for felling or bucking a 12 inch diameter pine than you would on a 16 inch diameter pine? Why would you make the job harder for yourself?
I no longer want that Hoffman Camp Axe after watching you guys fight about it. I'll go buy a Stihl and a can of gas.
I beginning to understand now why I own a chainsaw. I never knew I was doing it all wrong with an axe, not to mention using the wrong axe. I would chop on a tree, it would fall over.
