Axes and mauls

[Meeks36]

I am looking for a decent axe. Most for splitting wood, will carry it camping, if anything happens then it will be used for self-defense. Not looking to spend more than $100.00. Already have cheap Wal Mart axes and mauls. They don't hold a edge very good. Looking to upgrade. Thank you.

 

[edwardware]

You want to decide whether you're splitting or chopping. A tool for one will be lousy for the other.

If you're splitting, you want Fiskars' Splitting Axe. For heavy splitting, you want their Splitting Maul. I use both, and they're excellent.

For chopping, you want a Fiskars Axe, pick your length & weight.

Why Fiskars? Lifetime warranty, and better design than any other timber tools I've ever handled.

Since this is THR, I'll add that I would take a sharp stick before I used an axe in a fight. A hatchet would be useful, but an axe is way too slow.

 

[hso]

Amazon.com › Council-Tool-Hudso...
Council Tool 2.0 Hudson Bay Camp Axe - 28 Inch Curved Wooden Handle ... - Amazon.com


Council makes a very good camp axe. I have one along with my Granfor Bruks Small Forrest Axe.

Edwardware is correct that an axe for splitting is different than one for felling or limbing and that heavy splitting is best done with a maul.

 

[crestoncowboy]

You want to decide whether you're splitting or chopping. A tool for one will be lousy for the other

Absolutely

If I'm cutting I like a good double bit. But a gransfors or helko single are good too. (ETA those are 150+ new and will still be terrible for splitting any hard wood)
Splitting I use a maul.

I haul a 4.5 lb felling axe on my atv. It can serve for splitting, felling. Driving wedges or anything else. Can stand up to being driven like a wedge to split as well. Even decapitating meat birds. Baileys (a logging shop online ) sells a decent one cheap. Just be prepared to rehang the head. The heads are good and the handles are good. They just do a poor job hanging them. We have at least 6 of them. One on 3 ATVs. One on two dozers. And one tractor. As well as a few setting around.

 

[Obturation]

The marbles axes and hatches are far better than their price suggests. Good steel and proper handles. Typically they need some final sanding and some linseed oil and a finer edge put on the working end bit other than that they're good to go. If you're the type of guy that wants to spend $300+++ on an axe from some northern forested European country then these won't satisfy you. If you intend to really use it and not baby the thing the marbles will serve you well. As for the fiskars, I can't recommend them. I have the splitting axe and the steel is complete garbage, won't hold a decent edge and it doesn't carry the weight it should- ok for occasional use but not great for a lot of work- that's from my sample size of one, others may have different models or better ones than mine .

ETA: photos

This one is a large hatchet/small axe/ camp axe. About 5 years of use, no loosening of the head and it's been great


And this little guy is good for smaller stuff, I burnt the handle to give it some character

 

[Armored farmer]

I bought a CRKT for a graduation gift. I thought it was a good quality piece.
It should be good for splitting kindling, driving tent stakes, quartering game, and self defense.
Maybe not so much for chopping trees.

 

[crestoncowboy]

As for the fiskars, I can't recommend them.

I never had great luck with them either but only used a few. A cheap axe head is a cheap axe head. The difference in most cheaper axes is how the head is hung and how "purdy" or well oriented the handle grain is. For a decent quality I'd look at council, or find an old Kelly or something. Its not like the old good axe heads are stupid expensive. Many are setting at flea markets needing a handle. As far as edge holding goes, it's not as important to me if I'm going to be splitting or hacking roots with it. Embedded Rocks, knots, and ground contact will dull the best of metals. My axes and hatchets will shave you but mauls and felling tools may not. Anything I'll use for splitting or clearing I just put a decent edge on it and go on. I have chainsaws and wood splitters for any real work anyway so if my maul or axe gets dull it wont cause me to freeze to death.

I'd take a cheap maul and a mediocre axe/hatchet before I'd use one nice one for double duty unless your burning white pine, poplar or balsa.

 

[Meeks36]

I am buying two different sorry should have put that up. One specifically for splitting. And the other is a camp axe. Budget is $200 for both. My son will be using the splitter so nothing to heavy. Already have a 12 lb mail I inherited.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Another vote for Council, should be able to find a dealer near you if you look. Pretty sure their stuff is all US made also.

 

[crestoncowboy]

I am buying two different sorry should have put that up.

That makes a huge difference. I'd get the heaviest maul he can safely swing. Others may not feel the same but I feel like a maul is a maul. I hate anything other than a wood handle personally. Wood Handles break and can be replaced. Fiberglass breaks and are less likely to be replaced. I broke a hundred I bet as a kid driving fence posts, rebar, and splitting. Mostly wood. But I remember my grandpa bought an unbreakable fiberglass handled maul. The first I'd ever seen. I cracked it with the first swing and I didnt miss either. I felt bad for a week, they didnt have much, still used an outhouse when he died. And he was mighty proud of that unbreakable red handle. Metal posts were especially bad on wood handles. Kids miss and crack handles...sometimes on purpose when they get tired. Lol. I'd stay away from the triangle shaped (one is called a lickity splitter for example) or winged mauls for hardwood like hickory, locust, gum, etc. I like a plain old maul.

For 200 bucks you can buy a high browed gransfors, helko, or council (probably the three most recommended brands by most people) and a cheap maul. Maybe two. And still have gas money for the chainsaw or wood splitter that you will want to use.

 

[mcb]

Sorry OP do you want a full size axe and maul or a hatchet? When you say camping I think of portability and would want one small hatchet that would be able to cut and split just enough wood for a cook fire. On the other hand is a full size axe with a 30-36 inch handle and full size 3-4 lbs head is a very different beast.

One thing to look at in you budget might be:
https://www.fiskars.com/en-us/gardening-and-yard-care/products/axes-mauls-and-machetes

The make axes from we-little to nearly full size chopping axes. They also make a nice selection of spliting axes and mauls.

 

[JohnB-40]

Estwing E45A (long handle). Will last a lifetime and still made in USA. I'm still amazed after 25 years what this smallish axe will chop and split. In a bygone age you would have been king of the Vikings armed with one.

 

[WestKentucky]

A hand axe or hatchet is what I like best for spontaneous work. It’s enough to get by on but not enough to build a cabin on the lake with. The beauty of a hand axe is that most of them have a blunt backside or sledge head. If you get to a point where you need a full sized axe for splitting you can more easily and precisely direct a small tool and then use a rock or log section as a nail on that sledge head and drive it deeper for splitting or whatnot. Plus it’s lighter and more compact so it’s faster, and easier to pack.

Disregard. Reading further through the responses this is irrelevant.

 

[WestKentucky]

I bought a CRKT for a graduation gift. I thought it was a good quality piece.
It should be good for splitting kindling, driving tent stakes, quartering game, and self defense.
Maybe not so much for chopping trees.View attachment 909032 View attachment 909033 View attachment 909034

I didn’t know they made axes and hatchets. They look nice and are more affordable than I expected.

 

[Meeks36]

This is my current set up for wood splitting. The duck tape is for when my son misses.(he's 10)
And the mail I inherited needs some work.

 

[Gordon]

This is my fireplace (insert) splitter in Oregon. It is much better than any axe I have it splits 10" dia oak /madrone pieces pretty well
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D32B7TK

 

[Zaydok Allen]

This is my fireplace (insert) splitter in Oregon. It is much better than any axe I have it splits 10" dia oak /madrone pieces pretty well
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D32B7TK

View attachment 909070

I'm no axe or hatchet guru, but I carried a hatched and used it VERY frequently as a professional forester for 12 years. It was an Estwing. It had to be sharpened about once every year. I have no idea what steel they use, but they are reasonably priced and stood up to frequent use hacking branches off trees that needed measuring.

I'm sure there's better ones out there, but it's the brand I have experience with, and they are widely used by woods working folks.

 

[troy fairweather]

was going to try one of these but don't have land I can use it on right now, should be good Swedish steel. There is a nice smaller one as well, maybe better for what you want.

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...9vb9T9giJ0pvAfdy2VUil_biEkZbrEvBoC__8QAvD_BwE
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...BqlZhnwyjXTjsWXGTPUtPRccPZzSPrZRoCTgcQAvD_BwE

The estwing are good to, if you can go up to $150 you can probably find a grand forest bruks axe.

 

[Armored farmer]

I didn’t know they made axes and hatchets. They look nice and are more affordable than I expected.

I dont know about their steel, but I liked the looks of it.

 

[hso]

Love my Grandfors Bruks Small Forrest Axe -


Very fond of my Council Velvicut Hudson Bay -http://counciltool.com/shop/velvicut/velvicut-2-premium-hudson-bay-bush-craftcamp-axe-with-sheath-24-handle/

 

[Dibbs]

"Carry it camping". That covers a lot of territory. IF you are referring to backpacking, I would go with the Fiskars or Estwing hand axe. IME, most places you backpack into have an abundance of deadwood available for fires. Anything bigger is just dead weight.
OTOH, car camping at a public campground is where a maul really shines. There is absolutely no wood available at most drive-in sites, and I've come across
unsplit logs, many a time, which merely needed splitting, to become viable firewood. Go with a decent maul, I used to carry two, in the back of the truck, because you break a handle, now and then. Never got out the full size ax much. You may want to look into a 36 inch bow saw.(FISKARS, again) YMMV.

 

[bannockburn]

Still using an old Norlund Voyageur hatchet that I found at my Grandparent's house long ago. At the time the handle was missing and the head itself was in serious need of being refurbished. Got a handle at Sears, fixed up the head, and have been using it around the yard and "Back 40" for many years.

 

[rust collector]

Another consideration for a light and handy axe is the Cold Steel https://smile.amazon.com/Cold-Steel...keywords=cold+steel+axe&qid=1587176698&sr=8-1 I am not a logger, but this has served me well. I will also second the Marbles hatchet recommendation if a shorter option is desired.

 

[mcb]

A bit over the OP's budget but this is my newest felling axe I got for Christmas. A Best Made American Felling Axe, 4 lbs head 35-inch handle



It only took a little bit of work with a diamond file to make it nice and sharp.



It goes with me every time out to the hunting property. It a beast, I took a ~8-inch Tulip Poplar down in ~12 strokes.

Found this one in my grandfathers garage after he passed. For as long as I could remember it had a broken handle, repaired with tape so I hung in on a new handle. It's a Lakeside that I believe was original sold by Montgomery Wards.

 

[entropy]

Not the best felling axe, but my son uses his for clearing small trees for shooting lanes:


And looks Viking doing it! I tried mine in the yard for pruning tree limbs, but my Gerber sawback machetes are more useful, as is my SOG sawback Kukri.