Nessmuk axe questions?

[Minotaur]

So ok this is British Red's very very nice double headed axe.



And Heinnies have this for sale but not sure about the grinds.

I have a whole in my kit axe shaped, and was thinking of going for something like this, and I only really want one axe.

The questions : -

1. What are the different grinds on a Nessmuk? Pictures please! Grinds confuse the hell out of me.

2. Is there any big problem shorting an axe handle? Going from full length to 3/4 for example.

3. Are there any woods to avoid for handles? It would be nice to use Yew, so it would match my Mora.

4.

If I brought something like this, sorted the grinds, and re-handled it (somewhere between 18" and 24"). Will I end up with something nice to look at but a nightmare to use?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[British Red]

That Marbles is a piece of cr** - I had one - avoid!

The two grinds are a fine (acute) one for cross grain cutting and a coarser one (obtuse) for splitting / ground work.

The important thing about the head is weight. Mine is under a pound. On a bigger helve of 18" I think up to 2lbs / 1kg would be manageable - more I feel would be unbalanced.

HTH

Red

 

[outpost31]

I second british reds opinion avoid the marbles one,the reeves one on the other hand is a work of art worth every penny and my constant companion.

 

[canoe]

Stay away from the Marbles made in China. The original Marbles axes are top quality in material and workmenship. They have reached collector status and most nice ones are pretty pricy. Mr Reeves builds a quality axe. My first choice wood for the axe is Hickory followed by Osage. Some of his other woods are pretty but not up to hard use. His prices are excellent for what you get but he is about 1 year behind. If you have to have one "Michiganknives" has some available. for a price. This thread got my interest, the Adirondacks is home for me.

 

[sam_acw]

Nessmuk had to try on many occasions to get his axe made and had real trouble with custom makers! I doubt it's much easier now.
If you can find a good axe maker to have a go it would be well worth it - this style axe is very small which would be part of the challenge for any maker.

 

[Minotaur]

The Michigan knives page for any interested.

He seems to make handles out of Hickory, White Ash, Osage Orange, Black Walnut, and of course the very nice Curly Maple. Would have thought Yew would work as well.

British Red, what might be a stupid question, but how important is balance?

It does seem the commercial ones are at least 3lb plus.

 

[British Red]

A 3lb head is a felling / working axe - it makes a fine two handed axe on a 3 foot helve but its much too large for a small hand axe on a 15" helve

 

[flexo]

dick pronnecke's was not full lenght,neither it was a hatchet...

 

[Hoodoo]

dick pronnecke's was not full lenght,neither it was a hatchet...

No, it certainly wasn't a hatchet. It might have been cruiser length but it definitely wasn't a hatchet.

 

[flexo]

No, it certainly wasn't a hatchet. It might have been cruiser length but it definitely wasn't a hatchet.

oups! i guess my fingers notched!
it wasn't a full sized,and wasn't a hatchet,for sure! sorry !

 

[Minotaur]

No, it certainly wasn't a hatchet. It might have been cruiser length but it definitely wasn't a hatchet.

Cruiser length?

 

[Hoodoo]

Cruiser length?

It looks like a cruiser to me. There is a good pic of it in his book with him holding it in front of himself. pp. 74-75.

 

[sandbender]

A picture of Dick Proenneke's tools.

Probably smaller than your average cruiser but certainly not hatchet sized.

 

[British Red]

Minotaur:

A cruiser is a type of axe with a double bit and straight helve (usually 24"-28") in the 2.5lb range. Originally used tto blaze trees for felling and, I suspect as a limbing axe. It is, to a Nessmuk what a scandinavian is to a wildlife hatchet

Red

 

[Hoodoo]

The axe on the left is a full-sized double, the middle is a cruiser, and the right is a Nessmuk style hatchet.

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[jerryo]

Nice thread and some really useful info too. I have a reeves on order myself but have quite a wait yet to go.. i think it will be a really useful tool when it finally arrives!

 

[Metis Man]

I use an Ox head axe about 5lbs head and use a file to sharpen it it has a nice thin profile. not a splitting axe it is made to cut. I generally don't like 2 headed axes. I can take down a big tree very fast i used it for Staking mining claims and blazing lines.

 

[Everything Mac]

I've been warned off a marbles axe a couple of times now.

but what exactly is wrong with them?

Andy

 

[British Red]

They are absurdly tiny with a helve as thick as a marker pen

 

[Minotaur]

A picture of Dick Proenneke's tools.

Probably smaller than your average cruiser but certainly not hatchet sized.

You know what we have to do now: -

1. Gouge, or curved chisel
2. Not sure if this is sandpaper, a line, or both.
3. Chisel
4. Draw Knife
5. Drill
6. Some sort of marking compass?
7. Mallet
8. Folding Knife
9. ?
10. Some sort of marking compass?
11. Think this is one of those Carpenters axes.
12. Cruiser Length Double headed Axe

The axe on the left is a full-sized double, the middle is a cruiser, and the right is a Nessmuk style hatchet.

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The heads are different sizes, so bet there a reason behind it. The middle one is more what I have in mind.

The big thought that springs to mind is grinding a Modern production axe down that much, would it screw the temper?