i would buy a GFB axe.
expensive, but very good quality. it is a tool that you will have for many, many years...
expensive, but very good quality. it is a tool that you will have for many, many years...
First axe - Carving primarily, firewood if needed - Which?
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I can't say much about which axe you should get because I am not sure what is available in the UK. However, there are a few general considerations I want to mention:
1. There is no axe that will be good at everything. A light axe will have a very hard time felling trees of any size, just like a heavy axe will be hard to control with one hand without much practice. For carving at home, I use a Husqvarna hatchet (http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2010/10/husqvarna-hatchet-review.html). I also use it when I will be out for a short time and will not have to process much wood. If I am going to do any more serious wood processing however, I use at least a boy's axe (http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/06/council-tool-boys-axe-review.html). I am not a big fan of the SFA, as I find it to be too much of a compromise.
2. You should not need a grind wheen to work on any axe. A file should be enough. Here is some info on how I do it: http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/08/axe-maintenance-and-repair-part-4.html and http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/08/grindingre-profiling-axecontinued.html
3. You have to know how to work on your axe. If you actually use it, you will have to do it sooner or later. The only way you can buy an axe and use it for years out of the box is if you don't actually us it. For example we used to (and I still do) change the handles of our axes each Spring. Here is an example of how it can be done: http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/08/axe-maintenance-and-repair-part-2.html and http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/08/axe-maintenance-and-repair-part-3.html
Anyway, I'm not sure if this is much use. I find that an axe is much like a pair of shoes. You have to try it out and see what feels comfortable to you.
1. There is no axe that will be good at everything. A light axe will have a very hard time felling trees of any size, just like a heavy axe will be hard to control with one hand without much practice. For carving at home, I use a Husqvarna hatchet (http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2010/10/husqvarna-hatchet-review.html). I also use it when I will be out for a short time and will not have to process much wood. If I am going to do any more serious wood processing however, I use at least a boy's axe (http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/06/council-tool-boys-axe-review.html). I am not a big fan of the SFA, as I find it to be too much of a compromise.
2. You should not need a grind wheen to work on any axe. A file should be enough. Here is some info on how I do it: http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/08/axe-maintenance-and-repair-part-4.html and http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/08/grindingre-profiling-axecontinued.html
3. You have to know how to work on your axe. If you actually use it, you will have to do it sooner or later. The only way you can buy an axe and use it for years out of the box is if you don't actually us it. For example we used to (and I still do) change the handles of our axes each Spring. Here is an example of how it can be done: http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/08/axe-maintenance-and-repair-part-2.html and http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/08/axe-maintenance-and-repair-part-3.html
Anyway, I'm not sure if this is much use. I find that an axe is much like a pair of shoes. You have to try it out and see what feels comfortable to you.
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