Axe abuse?

[OldJimbo]

I got to see the video. it was trivial tapping through some cedar... thin stuff and easily split. Not quite like pounding in big wedges to split a six foot trunk.

 

[ChrisKavanaugh]

In reply to an earlier post Judy Kavanagh makes INCREDIBLE stuff. We do disagree on who spells the name correctly Yes, The film shows he wasn't doing anything incredibly dangerous. And yes too, it generated this discussion and might stop the untaught from doing just that. Teachers are supposed to learn from students who carry their studies forward.

 

[pumbaa]

I think that the technique of using the axe as a "hammer" may have come from way back . Years ago "carbon steel" was rare and expensive , so blacksmiths would forge weld a strip onto the edge of a piece of iron to make an axe head (the carbon steel being the "hard" blade). A chisel was made in a similar manner , leaving the soft end for hitting (hence the mushroom effect from repeated use) . This means that neither items would shatter or chip .
Today it is far easier and cheaper to make the whole axe head from carbon steel , so the back of the axe head is likely to be hard .
I personally dont like the idea of the blade going past my ear (i like them where they are) , or worse imbeeding it in my forhead , so i never reverse an axe or use double edged axes , bilhooks or machetes .
But if you HAVE to bang steel on steel , use a piece of wood in between . It might be less efficent , but its a lot safer .
Pumbaa