Axe ... best one ?

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Molly Hatchet:

I like the E (military try fold shovel, serrated one side sharpened on the other) although I've never hatcheted with it I believe when the time came it would do it.
It looks like with a little imagination you can make a land anchor out of it too.
Tough <sp? as nails has about as many uses as a swiss army knife!



Axe:

I get the fiber pro, I'm just like lightening when I'm chopping wood!




































































































Never hit the same place twice!
 
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the Max is an *ok* axe. It is a lousy shovel. I've only used the rake once or twice (campfire maintenance) and never used the other tools (hoe? adz? I don't do a lot of agriculture while wheeling)

I carry mine in the drawer as a just-in-case tool, but very rarely use it. Most of the time I grab a machete or a shovel.

If I lived somewhere where fallen trees were more commonplace, I would probably get a "real" axe instead of the Max, but for a vehicle that is either a daily driver (and you don't want to waste a lot of space with tools) or an expedition rig (where you don't want to waste a lot of space with tools) the Max is a good-quality multi-purpose tool that can help eliminate two or three other tools.

The plastic handle is pretty comfortable in the hand, and durable. The leather cover is a nice touch. But like others have said: multitools usually do everything ok, but nothing well.
 
Thanks for the info on the Max, it has cool factor but maybe like you said a machete, shovel and axe might be better (less expensive???) options.
 
I hate to seem like I'm bad-mouthing the Max.... it is very versatile.

If I were driving a "nice" car with limited trunk space, I would probably keep a Max in it as it covers a lot of different tools without filling the trunk.

Having said that- for an off-road vehicle I'd rather just have the three tools (machete, axe, shovel), each one full-sized and purpose built. Besides, with multiple tools you can have more than one person working on a recovery (one guy chopping branches to shove under the tire that the other guy is digging out, for example). On that note: I do have a Max and do carry it along with a machete, and shovel, exactly because in a pinch the Max can function as an additional shovel (or hoe, or rake...) But they do cost a lot more than a decent axe.
 
18" Estwing for the truck. Gransfors Bruks for work ( I'm a timberframer / log builder). For hand saws that cut like a chain saw try a Silky Gomboy- www.silkystore.com
 
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All axes were not created equal:

talon3.jpg


In my opinion.
 
I've had a Fiskar for quite some time, used it when snowmobiling and 4x4ing. Had no complain. Would cut through anything. I actually liked it!
Until I lost it during a night recovery. Came back the day after, and still couldn't find it. :(
I'll get another one at some point.
 
I bought a Gomboy folding saw (210mm) about 20 years ago and I use it on every camping trip. The folded length is less than 12" and the blades just don't ever dull. It's the best saw for small limbs and I've only replaced the blade once. The first blade snapped off about 1.5 inches from the end when I let someone borrow it and they tweaked the blade while sawing. Excellent, Excellent pack saw for the money!
gomboy210_large_teeth.jpg



 
Re:axe

I have a swedish fire fighting axe that lives in my 55 along with a full sized forest service shovel used in fire fighting, The handel is longer less bending when diging and the blade stay's sharp. Yep sharpen thoes shovels no reason to make work out of a job.

Chance:cool:
 
I fixed hiking trails for several years in wilderness areas and could only haul hand tools. Basically an axe is an axe, the biggest factor is simply weight of the head. The cheaper ones will go duller sooner but it really doesn't matter, not for something on the trail I think as they do not see much regular use... I used a Swedish Sandvik axe for years. I think it was a 2.5 lb. Smaller ones are harder to use on larger logs. If it were me I'd carry at least a 2lb and a full size handle if you want to use if for downed logs... Collins are also great, as someone mentioned. If it is a 1 piece molded it might be rust proof but a POS axle typically..
 
Those axes became popular during Vietnam and are now real popular by troops in Iraq.....you can guess what they're used for from there.......
 

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