Lots of good points.
Most of all I like the reliability of an axe. Moving parts and fluids introduce all kinds of failure modes, many of which are difficult to overcome without substantially more resources than are needed to maintain an axe.
What is it with axes?
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Most of all I like the reliability of an axe. Moving parts and fluids introduce all kinds of failure modes, many of which are difficult to overcome without substantially more resources than are needed to maintain an axe.
the axe is for recreation....great stress relief and no pieces to lose like checkers or monopoly
Member III
I always have one. Its my main tool for spitting firewood and dealing with "light" deadfall. Plus its relatively safe and VERY effective for wearing out the kid. I also carry a small cordless chainsaw and a bow saw. They're similar tools for similar jobs, but there are some times when having someone on the bow saw and someone else on the chiansaw makes sense when there is a ton of downed trees.
Its also nice having the back up... like this weekend when I was turning around on a trail, bounced off of a rock and the bottle of bar oil i keep in my trashbag POPPED as I gently bumped into a rock bigger than my jeep much to the amusement of my cohorts.
Its also nice having the back up... like this weekend when I was turning around on a trail, bounced off of a rock and the bottle of bar oil i keep in my trashbag POPPED as I gently bumped into a rock bigger than my jeep much to the amusement of my cohorts.
Advocate I
I used to carry an axe and a hatchet when out in the wild as part of my basic camping kit. At some point I included a folding pruning saw. But all were mostly used for field dressing/quartering large game and typically when camp was in one spot for the entirety of the trip.
Now that I almost never get out to hunt, and spend time doing this "overland" thing, I just bring the folding saw and a boys axe. Has worked fine to clear tight spots on overgrown or seldom driven trails.
And as luck would have it, one of my friends usually has a chain saw and splitting maul, and strong young sons to do the hard work if so encountered.
I'd say it is situational. I don't bring the axe to Pismo beach or the like, but tuck it under the back seat when headed out to the Sierras. The boy's axe is more manageable in size and weight, although more work for anything serious.
According to the BLM directive @M Rose posted, I need to up my shovel game. I don't think my WWII entrenchment tool meets the length and width criteria.
But something is better than nothing if things get rough, and there is some versatility to an axe. I suppose that is the point of it all.
Cheers
Now that I almost never get out to hunt, and spend time doing this "overland" thing, I just bring the folding saw and a boys axe. Has worked fine to clear tight spots on overgrown or seldom driven trails.
And as luck would have it, one of my friends usually has a chain saw and splitting maul, and strong young sons to do the hard work if so encountered.
I'd say it is situational. I don't bring the axe to Pismo beach or the like, but tuck it under the back seat when headed out to the Sierras. The boy's axe is more manageable in size and weight, although more work for anything serious.
According to the BLM directive @M Rose posted, I need to up my shovel game. I don't think my WWII entrenchment tool meets the length and width criteria.
But something is better than nothing if things get rough, and there is some versatility to an axe. I suppose that is the point of it all.
Cheers
Don’t get me started on these short tee handled shovels, nobody that knows how to dig a hole or them selfs out of being stuck likes them. Me, I take a garden shovel and a army shovel. I do love seeing one with the edge still painted or better with a new sticker on it hanging off the rack.
Traveler I
So although many peoples reasons are good for carrying a axe I carry one for a very basic reason... to split wood or take a chopped piece and split it smaller granted I don’t carry a full size axe only a 24inch one or so. I can cut a log with it or use it as more of a hatchet so it’s perfect for my needs.
Influencer II
Axes are light, relatively small and easy to carry. They can serve multiple purposes and are more or less cheap to buy and can last a lifetime, they don't need fuel and they don't smell...
With a sharp axe and a good breakfast you get rid of a tree pretty quickly.
With a sharp axe and a good breakfast you get rid of a tree pretty quickly.
rsweet
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We were really lucky and ust got sponsored by Stihl today. They supplied us with two Stihl lithium saws. One for quick removal of little branches, small limbs that will scratch the life out of the vehicle, and the other for firewood and removing fallen trees blocking the route.
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Donegal Overlanding
Donegal Overlanding. 5,241 likes · 44 talking about this. Its not all fairytales and dreams. Here, we tell it like it is.
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Get chainsaw chaps and face mask. I have a good scar when I was doing a “little thing”. Always wear chaps and facemask.We were really lucky and ust got sponsored by Stihl today. They supplied us with two Stihl lithium saws. One for quick removal of little branches, small limbs that will scratch the life out of the vehicle, and the other for firewood and removing fallen trees blocking the route.
View attachment 169084Donegal Overlanding
Donegal Overlanding. 5,241 likes · 44 talking about this. Its not all fairytales and dreams. Here, we tell it like it is.
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Thank you for posting the pic of your axe and shovel. That happens to be the type of shovel I was looking to get for my truck, and I had not even thought about them sharp pointy bits needing a blade guard. I guess it is another small project I will have to look into. on a bright note, a couple of those small projects will give me another episode worth of filming to do.
Enthusiast III
I think it depends on where you live. I've lived in California, Texas and Florida and I never needed a full size axe. I always had a nice camping axe, a machete, a wedge and a weighted hammer with me and that worked for everything I needed. I could see possibly needing one up north where the forest is more dense and trees probably a bit thicker/stronger/older. I went out with my brother in Michigan a couple times and he had a manual wood splitter for making firewood. Even then, we were just smart about what type of wood to pick up and what to hack.
Out of curiosity, what diameter of logs are people processing for firewood (when camping) that require an axe to split them? How are you cutting the logs into sections beforehand?
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For what it's worth, a maul, or a small sledge and a wedge. The maul is wider than the axe and much more effective. The hammer and wedge are much safer.What else do I pound stakes into the ground with... if not my axe?Honestly, I carry an axe to split firewood for the fire..... I don't really know what other tool can do that job besides an axe.
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Safety has absolutely no place in the bushes or in conversations like these......
astroflashjones
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Advocate I
We have a lot of dead fall pine out here. Doesnt take much to split but having an axe is handy if you have a chainsaw to cut rounds. A maul is good for some of the older, knottier stuff but that stays at home.
Thank you for the details.
In my area its pretty easy to find logs/branches < 8" which can easily be cut up with a hand saw and that don't require splitting (other than kindling). I haven't had to deal with larger logs, but interesting to know that they are common in other areas.
