First axe - Carving primarily, firewood if needed - Which?

[SimonMast]

Hi fellas,

So I'm fairly new to all this stuff, really. Been whittling since I was a wee lad, was a Scout. Never did anything other than whittling sticks and making fires, though. Recently been getting back into it, and wanting to have a go at kuksas and such....

Anyway, that's what I primarily want it for. I'm not going to be going into the woods every other weekend felling. However, I also don't want to completely rule out anything 'bigger' until I have the funds for something more suited to that. I'm a Scouter (in training!), and I don't want to opt for anything that won't be up to/will make cutting up firewood unduly arduous. I'd like to be able to make short work of what's most likely to be available, and still be able to deal with a trunk if that's what's on the wood pile. Etc.

Tl;dr: I need a good all rounder. Or, I think I do.

But which? I've found Robin Wood's thoughts on the matter (and his site in general) very useful, and he of course advocates the GB Swedish Carving Axe over the SmFR. But is that a bad choice as a first axe/for what I want one for?

Etc

Anyway, sorry for the long post. So far I have the following in the running:

Swedish Carving
Wildlife
Small Forest

And of course, any suggestions you have. Thanks!

 

[Mesquite]

Personally, if you're wanting to do carving then the swedish carving is what you should go for.

However, if you intend to use the axe for general work plus carving then I'd go the the SFA

But... what you could do is get the SFA then get yourself a kentish pattern axe head for a couple of pounds from a boot fair, rehandle, sharpen it up and use that for carving

 

[SimonMast]

That does sound like a fun idea! I'm not entirely sure of my ability to rehandle an axe (even if just for carving!) just yet, but I'd definitely like to have a go at that at some point...

 

[Mesquite]

That does sound like a fun idea! I'm not entirely sure of my ability to rehandle an axe (even if just for carving!) just yet, but I'd definitely like to have a go at that at some point...

There's plenty of threads where people have done it and you've already mentioned Robins blog site. He's got a good article about how to rehandle an axe there

 

[vizsla]

I personaly love my swedish carving axe and it does a fair job at spliting wood too but in my opinion axe have been one of those things that iv struggled for years to find one im happy with so its possibly hard to say which youd prefair some love the sfa some dont etc. But id say if its the first decent axe youv had youd love any of them cheers

 

[nunzionuk]

My SFA does a good job, its just me who cant carve

 

[heath]

I have the swedish carving axe and love it, but to be honest it's a bit heavy and i don't get the chance to carve often enough to build the strength. I also have a wetterlings (very similar to the wildlife) which performs well at carving and fire prep. I love the aysymetric grind on the carving axe as it works a bit like a side axe, but after reading robin's recent posts that mention 'other handedness' i can see the drawback. Too be honest i would go with the wildlife hatchet or something similar like the wetterlings. I'm quite tempted by one of these:
http://www.woodsmithstore.co.uk/sho...s+Middle+Carving+Axe,+Double+Sided+Sharpened/
it's the wildlife head with a nicer handle. They also do it with an aysymetric grind.

 

[Hoodoo]

The Swedish Carving axe is a great axe for a very experienced and very productive carver. It's a heavy hand axe and designed for working wood down very quickly. It takes some well-trained muscles to use it at it's maximum potential. I think you would be much happier, though, using a Wildlife hatchet for carving. I know I am. Personally, I prefer a Wildlife-sized hatchet or smaller for woodcarving.

 

[Siberianfury]

i dont like the swedish carving, even for carving, i find it easier with the sfa to be honest, even better than that is the wildlife which i prefer over any other axe for all tasks apart from felling.

 

[markheolddu]

Hi Simon lovely as the GB axes are and I do love them, I think you would (to start with) be better off with a cheap axe. Then use it and learn to sharpen it properly. It wont be time or money wasted as you will have a greater understanding of what you need the axe to do. Dont discount a small or light axe, I have seen a GB Mini used to great effect by an experianced axe user.

Mark

 

[FGYT]

the GB Carving axe i find to be a Great help when carving you can do 80-90% of a spoon in a fraction of the time you would use a knife

Due to its weight and the fairly thin edge it cuts deep and fast

other axes will help but i found that most lack the head weight at this size i.e. hand axe size

and the shape with the pointed top on the bit is good for concave carving

its extra weight makes splitting easy and bite deep if felling small trees (folding saw is better ) tho it takes a little time to get uses to the off center grind

are they worth the money ...well maybe,,,, maybe not

as said a heavy kent pattern with a short handle can be had for a fraction of the cost if you can fit a handle ( not difficult and only a few £ if it goes wrong) and regrind the bit to a finer hand biased edge

I ahve also used my £2.99 Argos axe but the lack of weight is noticable

ATB

Duncan

 

[Everything Mac]

+1 on what FGYT said.

The Swedish carving axe is a CRACKER! you can get it with a normal grind too.

 

[robin wood]

I'm with all of the above. You can see there is a certain amount of personal choice. I find on courses probably 2/3 of folk are comfortable with the weight of the carving axe and 1/3 better off with something lighter. I offer the wildlife hatchet for this but think the Husqvarna hatchet looks a good alternative for small hatchet. I love cheap axes whether cheap Chinese axes (eg argos axe) or old car boot sales ones which I put handles on. The drawback of this for a beginner is that you need to learn not only to do light sharpening but you have to do coarse grinding or at the very least very heavy filing. If you think you'll see that project through it is highly satisfying to use a £3 axe that you have made good, if not there is no shame in buying something that works well off the shelf. £80 for a craftsman made axe with a sheath to my mind is very good value, compare it to typical custom bushcraft knives at £250+

 

[SimonMast]

Thank you all! I've read all of your comments, and they are very insightful.

A few more thoughts, then...

- The Wildlife axe is more and more looking like a good choice. I like to think that I could get to grips with a heavier axe given some practice, but I'm similarly very sure that I will always have a use for a packable/light axe that will do most if not all of what I want an axe to do. This isn't going to be the last axe I ever buy. (unless I manage to chop both arms off or something)

- However... That Middle Carving Axe looks very interesting, and barely costs more. Forgive my ignorance, but I don't really understand what it is about the different handle that makes it better for carving - Would anyone care to elaborate/comment on that?

- I have also taken on board that I oughtn't to discount a cheap axe. I do question my own ability to grind one up even vaguely well, but my main thoughts have more to do with the fact that whilst I'm one to eschew 'throwaway' purchases when I can, the money I'm going to be buying this with has been given to me to buy a Christmas gift. A really great tool that I can use for years to come would be a nice use of the money, I think. But the option is very much still open. I just might wait and spend some spare cash on it later if that is the most sensible option.

- I also resonate somewhat with Robin's comment about the price comparison with a custom knife; I'm not sure what I would spend on it, but I don't imagine that I will be in the market for anything like that in the immediate future. Thusly something that could cover for heavier knife duties would be handy.

 

[Everything Mac]

I've used most of the GB working axes. Not had any experience with that one though.

The handle on it is the same as the swedish carving axe, which I really like. It's very grippy.

The head looks like the one from the wildlife hatchet??

I reckon you would be on to a winner with that one mate!

Andy

 

[SimonMast]

OK, well...

It looks like I'm going to aim for the middle carving axe - It looks perfect...

However, I have 'redeployed' my cash; my father-in-law has worked in some time to give my bike some much-needed maintenance, and to that end I have purchased a few things that it needed.

In the meantime, I have half a mind to reconsider my views on cheap axes, particularly as I've just found a nice piece of silver birch.

But is there anything cheap that I could sharpen up with files and sandpaper? I (definitely) wouldn't fancy my chances with dremels and grinding wheels, and I'm not going to pay anyone to do it.

 

[woodspirits]

as already mentioned cheap axe heads, or those with a wonky handle can very often be re-tightened with a hardwood wedge, can be picked up at most boot fairs. elwell amongst others are a good find. if your going for a shop bought carver, i use a gb kubben choked up its very light and accurate for fine work and shave sharp out of the box.

 

[robin wood]

The "middle carving axe" is really just a wildlife hatchet. The Swedish carving axe is available with a cheap copy lathe handle or a carved red beech handle for a few quid more. The wildlife hatchet gets the red beech handle and is then called a carving axe, it's no more suitable for carving than the wildlife but I do like the faceted red beech handles, from an aesthetic more than functional point of view.
If you are good with your hands then sharpening a cheap axe with a file should not be too hard.

 

[Nonsuch]

I would seriously look at the Husquvarna hatchet. I have carved a bow and a canoe paddle with one and get on with it better than any other. It is also a great splitter. Half the price of GB and my favourite of all the axes I have.

 

[SimonMast]

as already mentioned cheap axe heads, or those with a wonky handle can very often be re-tightened with a hardwood wedge, can be picked up at most boot fairs. elwell amongst others are a good find. if your going for a shop bought carver, i use a gb kubben choked up its very light and accurate for fine work and shave sharp out of the box.

Thanks. I have to say, having had a little look on the bay, that it might be fun to do a restoration project. Especially if I can find a nice piece for the handle. The Kubben looks really nice as well; I really like the belt hatchet too...

The "middle carving axe" is really just a wildlife hatchet. The Swedish carving axe is available with a cheap copy lathe handle or a carved red beech handle for a few quid more. The wildlife hatchet gets the red beech handle and is then called a carving axe, it's no more suitable for carving than the wildlife but I do like the faceted red beech handles, from an aesthetic more than functional point of view.
If you are good with your hands then sharpening a cheap axe with a file should not be too hard.

Thanks, Robin. And thanks for your site, too - Your work has really inspired me. But I might go that way if I can do it with just a file; the reason I question this is that a lot of places where I've seen this question raised, it's usually said that it's a project for grinding wheels and dremels...

I would seriously look at the Husquvarna hatchet. I have carved a bow and a canoe paddle with one and get on with it better than any other. It is also a great splitter. Half the price of GB and my favourite of all the axes I have.

Thanks for this. Having said the above, I have to say, that is tempting. I don't have that money now, but I'll certainly have it before I have more!! I'm sure that it would be more than adequate for a hack like me.