Carrying a small axe?

[Tiffers]

I have a rather nice little gransfors mini hatchet and I was wondering, whats the best way to safely carry it when wandering through the woods? In the booklet that comes with it, they show a method of threading the strap on the cover through your belt. In this way it sits on your hip, facing backwards.

I was going to make a new cover for it and wondered what people recommended as a way of carrying it as this will of course alter the pattern of the cover.

Any help appreciated

Cheers!

Tiffers

 

[Abbe Osram]

I have GB and carry it in the ruck sack. The GB sheads are not good around the belt as I lost mine nearly hacking me in the leg. Here the pictures can show you what happend. I walked through the woods and something opened the axe shead.
Since then I am having the axe NOT on the belt anymore.

then it opened and the axe fell on my boot.

cheers
Abbe

 

[Tiffers]

I had a feeling someone might have reported that the axe had come loose when carried Iike that. I wonder if its something to do with the fact that you are carrying it on your left side facing forward. This means the popper is also facing forward and when pushing through undergrowth, it can be pushed open. In the book they demonstrate it being carried on your right side with the popper facing backwards. This is less liable to being pushed against.

Tiffers

 

[spamel]

You could carry it with the handle poked through your belt and the cutting edge of the axe hooked over the belt, but then again, it's just safer to stick it in a daysack or cradle it in your arms. If you hold it, and stumble or fall, just throw the axe out of the way. Obviously, don't hurl it 50 metres at a bunch of scouts, but just out of the way so you don't fall on to it!!

 

[British Red]

Hi Tiffers!

It can still happen worn on the right side. To be honest, I now generally stick to either the ixe axe loops for my day sack if I'm taking the Scandy or I'll wear my Roselli on my belt because the buckle based design is just so much superior to the GB design. I don't know if you know the Roselli sheath, but it has a proper belt loop on the back and a buckle over the top of the head to keep the axe

I'll post some piccs if you want? I know you can make something like easy enough

Red

 

[pierre girard]

I have a rather nice little gransfors mini hatchet and I was wondering, whats the best way to safely carry it when wandering through the woods? In the booklet that comes with it, they show a method of threading the strap on the cover through your belt. In this way it sits on your hip, facing backwards.

I was going to make a new cover for it and wondered what people recommended as a way of carrying it as this will of course alter the pattern of the cover.

Any help appreciated

Cheers!

Tiffers

When carrying an axe, I most often carry it in my pack with a friction fit birchbark sheath. If carrying in on my person, usually for short distances, I slide the haft through my belt in the small of my back - no sheath. Never had a problem with this.

PG

 

[Tiffers]

Hi Tiffers!

It can still happen worn on the right side. To be honest, I now generally stick to either the ixe axe loops for my day sack if I'm taking the Scandy or I'll wear my Roselli on my belt because the buckle based design is just so much superior to the GB design. I don't know if you know the Roselli sheath, but it has a proper belt loop on the back and a buckle over the top of the head to keep the axe

I'll post some piccs if you want? I know you can make something like easy enough

Red

Pics would be brilliant, cheers Red

Tiffers

 

[British Red]

Pics would be brilliant, cheers Red

Tiffers

Check back in an hour!

 

[British Red]

Righto Tiffers,

Heres the axe on my belt

Now the axe is a more bearded shape than A GB so it sits in held by its beard and the buckle.... like this

The belt loop and buckle is the same piece of leather - heres a picture of the back

Now, whilst a GB doesn't have that pronounced curved bit, there is more than enough beard for a similar design to work I think. If not, you could adapt it so the sheath is enclosed and drop the handle through a small haft sized hole in the bottom and buckle over the top. Heck you know more about this than me - hope the piccs offer some inspitration

Red

 

[Tiffers]

Thanks Red, thats given me some inspiration. As I dont like too much stuff around my waist (there is already more than enough of me there!) I think I can make something safe as a dangler, using a similar principle.

Thanks for your help guys

Tiffers

 

[Abbe Osram]

I had a feeling someone might have reported that the axe had come loose when carried Iike that. I wonder if its something to do with the fact that you are carrying it on your left side facing forward. This means the popper is also facing forward and when pushing through undergrowth, it can be pushed open. In the book they demonstrate it being carried on your right side with the popper facing backwards. This is less liable to being pushed against.

Tiffers

That is possible. But then there was as well the problem of the sheath falling of the belt being open too while I was working with the axe. No, I dont like having stuff around my belt, the only stuff I have hanging there is a knife. The axe I keep in my pack and I am happier that way.

cheers
Abbe

 

[jason01]

Must admit I hate the idea of an axe at my waist, seems like an accident waiting to happen what with a razor sharp edge and a gangly shaft to get tangled up YMMV, prefer to carry it head in hand blade forward or even better strapped to my pack or inside it.

The Gransfors sheaths have always seemed woefully inadequate to me, for a quality tool you'd think they could supply something more substantial.

Abbe, you beat me too it, great minds and all that

 

[British Red]

Thanks Red, thats given me some inspiration. As I dont like too much stuff around my waist (there is already more than enough of me there!) I think I can make something safe as a dangler, using a similar principle.

Thanks for your help guys

Tiffers

Your welcome - need to keep you sweet after all.....well sweetly evil at least!

R

 

[Toddy]

I'm not fond of those stud closed sheaths at all. I much prefered the older type where the axe 'dropped' shaft first into a sort of box or slot shaped pouch with a hole in the bottom to acccomdate the haft. These sheaths had a fold over flap that tied down over a toggle, though I suppose velcro or a stud would do.
I don't like carrying things around my waist when wearing trousers, I prefer a strap over one shoulder andacross my chest to the opposite hip. Failing that the axe is in my pack.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Tiffers]

Your comment about having stuff slung across you Toddy reminded me about the bag I normally have with me when I go out and about in the woods. Its something I knocked up about 8 years ago from some scrap leather thats full of character. I was aiming for the rough and ready look when I made it so its not a polished beauty. One thing it is though is the perfect size for my hatchet to sit down the inside edge

I'm happy

Tiffers

 

[Toddy]

Now that's rather nice I do like it, and very practical too.
When you're sewing something like this do you use clamps? My leatherwork is sound enough but it's nowhere near as neat as yours.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Tiffers]

I seem to recall doing that with seat clams but cos I was looking for a slightly more rustic look I didnt bother marking the stitches, I did it by eye. It works out at 7 stitches the the inch as regular as you like I guess doing it every day for pretty much the last 17 years kind of beats it into you

Tiffers

 

[Longstrider]

You could take a look at the mask I made for my SFA Tiffers. It holds the axe far more firmly than the mask that came with the axe, and can be mounted on either a horizontal belt or a vertical strap, making it easier to fix to the outside of a variety of packs. Because of the design, the axe is held pretty well even if the pop stud is undone. It's easy to put the axe in and get it out, but it doesn't fall out on it's own.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=10904

My guess is that you could copy the pattern and do the whole thing a hell of a lot neater than my sausage fingers ever could. One tip though for anyone using this pattern, the welt has to be tapered to make it fit properly. I did this by using one full welt piece and then adding a skived section at the top and at the bottom to make the whole welt taper.

 

[Tiffers]

Thats really nice looking Ls I dont know about sausage fingers, looks like you have made a nice job of that

Tiffers

 

[Carcajou Garou]

GB Hunter, tomahawk size, I will slide it under my belt/sash in the small of my back most times. If I have a pack with me I may put it in the pack espeacialy when in and out of the canoe. Larger axes carried either on a pack or in my hand when on trapline. CG