Budget Axe
- Thread starter Donny
- Start date
Hi Donny,
I use a budget axe which cost me £2 from makro, with hickory handle. I sharpened it up and its fine for splitting logs and taking small branches off logs etc.
Why not find a sunday market and have a mooch round to avoid the high postage costs due to the weight of the axes.
I hope to buy a quality axe one day but it is a little way down my wish list at the moment.
car boot sales may give you the chance to get a bargain used axe.
Hope this helps
Bodge
I use a budget axe which cost me £2 from makro, with hickory handle. I sharpened it up and its fine for splitting logs and taking small branches off logs etc.
Why not find a sunday market and have a mooch round to avoid the high postage costs due to the weight of the axes.
I hope to buy a quality axe one day but it is a little way down my wish list at the moment.
car boot sales may give you the chance to get a bargain used axe.
Hope this helps
Bodge
I agree. Go to a car boot and get an old axe. Many of them have very good quality steel and nice handles or you could fashion your own.
George
George
Sounds good to me, I could get a much better quality second hand one for the same price, or even less.
Hi Donny,
Heres a piccy of my two smaller axes....
The one on the right, started life as the number two in your list, though it was a whole quid cheaper (yup, one pound and ninety nine pence) - with it I've learnt how to use, sharpen and rehandle handaxes. The other is a Cegga/British Red axe which I'm not affraid to use as I did my apprenticeship on the cheap model.
I'm with the other guys, save your money and buy a cheapy which you can learn with and then when you are confident - get a real belter!
ATB
Ogri the trog
PS don't decry the number 6 either, I've been thinking of making one with a short handle for carving!
Heres a piccy of my two smaller axes....
The one on the right, started life as the number two in your list, though it was a whole quid cheaper (yup, one pound and ninety nine pence) - with it I've learnt how to use, sharpen and rehandle handaxes. The other is a Cegga/British Red axe which I'm not affraid to use as I did my apprenticeship on the cheap model.
I'm with the other guys, save your money and buy a cheapy which you can learn with and then when you are confident - get a real belter!
ATB
Ogri the trog
PS don't decry the number 6 either, I've been thinking of making one with a short handle for carving!
no offense to any chinease/taiwanese members, but all the examples you posted are the same old same old rolson/black spur/cheap and nasty crappy type stuff all produced as far as I am aware in the far east from sub standard materials, compltete waste of time, materials, production and transport energy etc PLUS they agressively under cutt good quality english/german/american tool manufactiresrs as well. I'd say aviod these "axes" like the plague they are s###e, save up for a garnsfors bruks, wetterling, or even roselli (I just got a roselli and I've been using axe's for nearly 20 year's) if thats your thing, or get an old english kent pattern made by brades, ellwell gilpin etc and fit a new custom handle. I mean just this morning I went out and found an elwell 2 1/2 pound kent axe head, elwell slasher head, and a heavy cross peen blacksmiths hammer head I paid £12, and that was over the odds, but whatever they are of a quality that isnt made any more, I was glad to have them. The bloke said here theres another hook for sale I said no thanks mate, bulldog arent a very good brand. I also got 6 bottlers of strong sweet norfolk cyder for a tenner, so a good morning really, plus my youngest who went out with me learnt some new word's as well "sky" 
I have plenty of air dries ash just itching to be carved into handles. Check out old jimbo's pound and shave method, it isnt that hard to do your own handle, this is my latest one I did 2 day's or so ago its for splitting fire wood, an old hand forged French felling axe. The small log on the floor isnt my chopping block by the way, (that is in my shop at the moment). Under those concrte slab's is about 10 inche's of ruble and concrete, its a solid surface to chop on.
I use all wood wedges to fit, not metal ones if you replace an axe head the metal tends to mangle your drill bits
PS I didn't want to sound too negative, you can get some good stuff at car boot's. One of my favourite axe's is a sandvik 600 (about 1 1/4 pound) I got at redcar racecourse for next to nothing. Its steel is just as good if not actually better than my £60 roselli (although the roselli is way ahead design wise and feel wise for carving shaping and trimmining which is mainly what I use an axe for)
I have plenty of air dries ash just itching to be carved into handles. Check out old jimbo's pound and shave method, it isnt that hard to do your own handle, this is my latest one I did 2 day's or so ago its for splitting fire wood, an old hand forged French felling axe. The small log on the floor isnt my chopping block by the way, (that is in my shop at the moment). Under those concrte slab's is about 10 inche's of ruble and concrete, its a solid surface to chop on.
I use all wood wedges to fit, not metal ones if you replace an axe head the metal tends to mangle your drill bits
PS I didn't want to sound too negative, you can get some good stuff at car boot's. One of my favourite axe's is a sandvik 600 (about 1 1/4 pound) I got at redcar racecourse for next to nothing. Its steel is just as good if not actually better than my £60 roselli (although the roselli is way ahead design wise and feel wise for carving shaping and trimmining which is mainly what I use an axe for)
I agree, boot sales can be a good place. I would avoid anything new and look for an old rusty one as quite often a gem lies under the red stuff!
Kris
Kris
Yeah, another boot sales fan for good cheap kit.
Bought a small miners axe for 4£, unfortunately the cocobolo handle had been abused somewhat by someone putting nails in the eye, but still worth the 4£ after rehelving.
Bought a small miners axe for 4£, unfortunately the cocobolo handle had been abused somewhat by someone putting nails in the eye, but still worth the 4£ after rehelving.
I agree with the boot sale's idea but it might be a bit difficult finding a boot sale this time of year.
I would say you're better off buying an axe 'face-to-face' if you know what I mean. You really should be handling an axe before buying it (there are a few exceptions) so that you can check that it is aligned properly and the helve is sound.
This - http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23822 is a thread detailing how I improved a £15 axe I got from Homebase. It's not difficult and I found it very rewarding.
I would shy away from buying a cheap axe online. Some cheap axes are great and there's always a chance you'll find a hidden gem, but I personally wouldn't want to buy an axe for those prices that I'd never seen.
I would say you're better off buying an axe 'face-to-face' if you know what I mean. You really should be handling an axe before buying it (there are a few exceptions) so that you can check that it is aligned properly and the helve is sound.
This - http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23822 is a thread detailing how I improved a £15 axe I got from Homebase. It's not difficult and I found it very rewarding.
I would shy away from buying a cheap axe online. Some cheap axes are great and there's always a chance you'll find a hidden gem, but I personally wouldn't want to buy an axe for those prices that I'd never seen.
Try telling them that around here! I hate boot sales, but they can provide a good find. Trouble is these days they want £20 instead of 20p and half the stuff is from market traders anyway! OK, rant over
Kris
Donny my advice to you is to save your money and use it towards a structured axe training course if you want to use an axe.
I was taught to use an axe when i was a Sapper and have the city in guilds certificate to prove it but it dosen't make me axe proof or tree proof.
Axes are very dangerous tools that can bite you when you least expect it,felling trees is one of the most dangerous jobs one can do and every year kills men and women who have been doing it for years.
If you do a decent bushcrafting course you will know what a real axe is like and you will know what to look for before buying one.
I no longer carry an axe in Britain as my leuku is a far handier tool for me,i only carry a full sized felling axe when i am in Canada as it can be used for felling, breaking through ice for fishing or as a maul.
Better to buy one good axe rather than buy a dozen gash ones before you find a good one.
Don't be fooled into thinking that you need to rush out and buy a Gransfor so that when you go to the next moot you will fit in with all the other cybercrafters. A belt bristling with axes and knives dosen't make you a woodsmen,be yourself mate and save your cash until you definetly know what you want.
I was taught to use an axe when i was a Sapper and have the city in guilds certificate to prove it but it dosen't make me axe proof or tree proof.
Axes are very dangerous tools that can bite you when you least expect it,felling trees is one of the most dangerous jobs one can do and every year kills men and women who have been doing it for years.
If you do a decent bushcrafting course you will know what a real axe is like and you will know what to look for before buying one.
I no longer carry an axe in Britain as my leuku is a far handier tool for me,i only carry a full sized felling axe when i am in Canada as it can be used for felling, breaking through ice for fishing or as a maul.
Better to buy one good axe rather than buy a dozen gash ones before you find a good one.
Don't be fooled into thinking that you need to rush out and buy a Gransfor so that when you go to the next moot you will fit in with all the other cybercrafters. A belt bristling with axes and knives dosen't make you a woodsmen,be yourself mate and save your cash until you definetly know what you want.
Donny,
My advice is along the line of Ogri the Trogs. Don't be frightened to buy a cheap axe and learn from it.
BUT buy it in person. I did an article called "selecting an axe" - and what it says about checking the fit and alignment of the handle, grain straightness etc. are as true about a cheap axe (indeed more so) than a hand made one. It'll be blunt as a blunt thing so teach yourself to sharpen it - again theres an article around on "how to sharpen an axe". At some point you will damage the handle - so learn to re-handle it properly (yeah, again theres an article).
At the end of all this your axe will have paid for itself many times over in the lessons you have learned from it. Then perhaps its time to find a nice Elwell head and put all those lessons to good use or to invest in a great Cegga, GB or other current good make.
I'm also prepared to bet you will be happy to try these things on a cheap axe where you will be more nervous of an expensive one.
Good luck
Red
My advice is along the line of Ogri the Trogs. Don't be frightened to buy a cheap axe and learn from it.
BUT buy it in person. I did an article called "selecting an axe" - and what it says about checking the fit and alignment of the handle, grain straightness etc. are as true about a cheap axe (indeed more so) than a hand made one. It'll be blunt as a blunt thing so teach yourself to sharpen it - again theres an article around on "how to sharpen an axe". At some point you will damage the handle - so learn to re-handle it properly (yeah, again theres an article).
At the end of all this your axe will have paid for itself many times over in the lessons you have learned from it. Then perhaps its time to find a nice Elwell head and put all those lessons to good use or to invest in a great Cegga, GB or other current good make.
I'm also prepared to bet you will be happy to try these things on a cheap axe where you will be more nervous of an expensive one.
Good luck
Red
All the advice is great. Thanks! My main purpose for an axe at the moment is to practise wood carving. I like artistic things you see and I can't wait to try it. Luckily I have a tree feller/surgeon who lives just around the corner from me and he always has an abundance of logs from all kinds of trees. So i'm not looking for an axe for felling trees myself just yet!
I'd be happy to have a cheap axe, but one that will keep a fairly good edge and actually be of use to me. Buying a good quality old axe head seems a great idea and making a handle myself would be great, so i will keep this in mind too.
Ogri the trog, I like what you said about buying that cheap axe, learning how to use, sharpen, and then rehandle/head it. Am I right you used the handle from the axe and bought a decent head for it? Was that cheap axe any good when you bought it, would you recommend it? I wouldn't buy an axe from the internet without some sort of recommendation. As said by many of you above, it is much better to buy an axe face to face, but for the time being, I would rely on a simple recommendation as this is just my first axe. On another online tools shop, that axe has the best rating out of all the axes (of the same price) they sell also...
I have just remembered that my Grandad (who quite conveniently lives nextdoor) has an old hand axe. I'm sure he doesn't use it anymore, so I may be able to use that anyway.
I'd be happy to have a cheap axe, but one that will keep a fairly good edge and actually be of use to me. Buying a good quality old axe head seems a great idea and making a handle myself would be great, so i will keep this in mind too.
Ogri the trog, I like what you said about buying that cheap axe, learning how to use, sharpen, and then rehandle/head it. Am I right you used the handle from the axe and bought a decent head for it? Was that cheap axe any good when you bought it, would you recommend it? I wouldn't buy an axe from the internet without some sort of recommendation. As said by many of you above, it is much better to buy an axe face to face, but for the time being, I would rely on a simple recommendation as this is just my first axe. On another online tools shop, that axe has the best rating out of all the axes (of the same price) they sell also...
I have just remembered that my Grandad (who quite conveniently lives nextdoor) has an old hand axe. I'm sure he doesn't use it anymore, so I may be able to use that anyway.
It looked exactly the same as the Blackspur photo, but I don't remember that name, I'm sure it was something different. Like "Triggers broom", it still has the same head but has been through several handles.
The place I bought the original item from also sells replacement handles, so after I had it a while and damaged it through learning, I bought a few spare handles - I often have a rummage through the box to find one or two with good grain orientation, just in case. They aren't the worlds best quality but perfectly good enough to learn how to put a new handle on. Last time it was in bits, I set-to with an angle grinder to mimic the shape of the Cegga for no other reason than to see if it would improve the handling as I still use it regularly for splitting fire-wood - a task that the Cegga is far above!
As to a reccommendation for the original item - yes, why not - It behaved exactly as I would expect a £2 axe to behave. Though as British Red points out - the lessons it has taught me would have bought quite a number of GB's, that would have been damaged very early in their lives if not for the cheapie.
ATB
Ogri the trog
Oh right, did you mean the blackspur (#3) or the other (#2) as you said number two in your first post hehe... the handles are very similar though
Just a cautionary tale about buying axes and hatchets off the Internet (Ive bought all of mine so far by this method). This is an axe that was, I thought, something of a bargain. I ordered it from a respectable retailer, and when I complained about what had turned-up they assured me that it was genuine stock from the manufacturer (and I believe the retailer). Its Swedish, a well known maker, but the makers stamp is missing from the head. It may well be genuine, it has the makers logo on the handle, but not on the head. It may be a 'Swedish' axe, but I dont think the head was made in Sweden.
Ive chalked this one up to experience, as the cost of returning the axe to the retailer was almost as much as the axe cost to buy including shipping to the UK.
And the grain configuration of the handle doesnt make it any more attractive:
If anyone thinks that theres anything I can do to regrind this axe (with hand files) to make it useable, then Im open to advice from those who know more about these things than I do.
Cheers all,
Paul.
PS: Dont ask me who the retailer or manufacturer are, Id like to save them the blushes!
Ive chalked this one up to experience, as the cost of returning the axe to the retailer was almost as much as the axe cost to buy including shipping to the UK.
And the grain configuration of the handle doesnt make it any more attractive:
If anyone thinks that theres anything I can do to regrind this axe (with hand files) to make it useable, then Im open to advice from those who know more about these things than I do.
Cheers all,
Paul.
PS: Dont ask me who the retailer or manufacturer are, Id like to save them the blushes!
Oh right, did you mean the blackspur (#3) or the other (#2) as you said number two in your first post hehe... the handles are very similar though
Sorry Donny,
Definately the number two - it was painted with the gold paint, head and handle - didn't take too long to scorch off with a blow torch.
I've just remembered a web article about re-profiling an axe head, but I can't for the life of me find it again now. The guy took a reasonably well known, but mistreated axe, and used an angle grinder to slim the cheeks and recondition it into a very usefull piece of kit.
If I come across it again I'll post up a link.
ATB
Ogri the trog
Hmm not sure about the angle grinder but theres some great info on Old Jimbo's website!
Paul - the bevels on that are sortable, but don't forget GB and Wett sell replacement handles! If its not what it purports to be, I'd call trading standards. Wetterlings do sell cheaper machine made axes as well as hand forged ones. That bevel looks like it was ground with an angle grinder and a brick though. Its sortable - I've dome worse - but its a lot of work
Red
Paul - the bevels on that are sortable, but don't forget GB and Wett sell replacement handles! If its not what it purports to be, I'd call trading standards. Wetterlings do sell cheaper machine made axes as well as hand forged ones. That bevel looks like it was ground with an angle grinder and a brick though
. Its sortable - I've dome worse - but its a lot of workRed
