Saxon felling axe - maker?

[Rhodri]

Rod I am sure all native peoples no matter what period they lived in felled trees using whatever tool was at hand - Robert Rogers made a whole raft by burning down trees - never underestimate mans ability!!

But for general bushcraft in this country it would be considerd a no no to fell trees on most occasions - thats one of the reason we go to Sweden for example so we can learn and practice this skill - but again it would be wrong to suggest or put the idea in peoples heads that they should do so in this country where doing so could lead to criminal prosecution and if carried out badly or carelessly scared and infected woodlands.

Gary,

Your first paragraph - Very true. I think about this sort of thing a lot. In this country you only have took look at monuments like henges.The age old "How did they do that" question. What really boggles my mind is the digging... I've been in field monument ditches 2.5m wide and nearly 2 deep in Kent. Hundreds of metres long and in solid chalk geology. All done with antler picks and leather buckets... Took some doing... I have trouble sorting things like that out with teams of a dozen people and a 17ton machine

Your second paragraph - Couldn't agree more. Be responsible and safe before anything else. I have limited opportunities to fell anything. There's the fruit of my house's previous owners Leylandii fixation - an ongoing grudge match that it feels like I'm losing . I'm also occasionaly in the (unfortunate) position where I work on sites that are being cleared prior to development. Very very rarely woodland, but occasionally there are a few trees on land to be developed that would otherwise be cleared by machine. I wouldn't dare touch them on my own, but one of the guys who works with me is an ex-landscape gardener and tree surgeon.

Cheers,
Rod

 

[Paganwolf]

Oops. Sorry didn't mean it to sound that abrupt. No offence? Electronic communication might be a "marvel of the modern age" (or something like that), but I do like to look 'em in the eye - people know what your on about then...

BTW when I say felling I probably don't mean huge stuff, but I've found split planks that have come from about 30cm ish trees quite commonly. They had to get 'em down somehow...

Cheers,
Rod

LOL post went up twice mate and that all i could do to get rid of it, sorry, diddnt sound abrupt to me

 

[Rhodri]

Hi all,

Sorry for resurrecting this thread but I'm err... reasonably excited (note thinly disguised understatement).

Stephane Anken ('Tacol' over on BB) has started work on this axe I've been after. I sent some design specs and drawings yesterday and he replied with a photo this morning of the thing half made! Looks fantastic too

Stephane has been a pleasure to deal with and looks like a real artisan from pictures of his previous work (http://homepage.hispeed.ch/stephaneanken/index.html).

Can't wait to get my sweaty mitts on it now

Cheers,
Rod

 

[Marts]

Hi all,

Sorry for resurrecting this thread but I'm err... reasonably excited (note thinly disguised understatement).

Stephane Anken ('Tacol' over on BB) has started work on this axe I've been after. I sent some design specs and drawings yesterday and he replied with a photo this morning of the thing half made! Looks fantastic too

Stephane has been a pleasure to deal with and looks like a real artisan from pictures of his previous work (http://homepage.hispeed.ch/stephaneanken/index.html).

Can't wait to get my sweaty mitts on it now

Cheers,
Rod

Hi Rod
I think you've got a ")" in the link there mate.

 

[Rhodri]

Hi Rod
I think you've got a ")" in the link there mate.

Sorry. Overexcited...

http://homepage.hispeed.ch/stephaneanken/index.html

 

[scruff]

i see u got ur tailor made chopper!

how u finding it?

 

[Rhodri]

It's finished (see my shiny new avatar) but I haven't got my hands on it yet. Just paid Tacol for it this morning.

Will try and post a review when my garden has felt the brunt of it...

Rod

 

[scruff]

ahhh i see

yeah i'd clocked the picy in another thread so i thought i'd 'axe' how u were getting on

i look forward to reading the review (lots of pics please)

by the way wots been the turn around for getting the axe made?

has it been forged using traditional methods?

 

[Rhodri]

by the way wots been the turn around for getting the axe made?

has it been forged using traditional methods?

Just a week (!) from the time I gave him the design specs to completion. Amazing I thought.

As for forging, this is from the maker's post on BB:
"This is a custom job and a challenge I accepted a couple weeks ago.
On the basis of an archeological drawing, I had to reprooduce a saxon period axe.

no need to tell you how much I enjoyed to forge it. Many of you guys know my interest for axes

it is made from spring steel forge welded on itself. I choose this because the person wanted to use it as a real tool.

The head is 17 cm long, 12.5 just for the blade length.
The edge 7cm oil quenched and tempered until a light straw yellow.
I choose an ash wood for the handle because I had no oak. it would have been too time consuming to carve it from a bigger piece."

We had to compromise a little 'cos I want to use it hard as well. Sounds like ther will be no problem there as Tacol also said "Oh I have to add that it was tested by me in the most violent way. it's good stuff !"

By the way Stephane (Tacol) was a pleasure to deal with. A nice bloke who knows his stuff and enjoys it.

I may as well mention the cost... This was also unbelievable IMO. He charged £55 (plus postage from Switzerland £17). Fifty notes for a bespoke tool like that is a serious bargain

Cheers,
Rod
(A very happy camper)

 

[scruff]

wha! i cant believe it!!!

thats an amazing price for a custom made tool!

i should av bid my time before getting my roselli (can i hear groans form all those GB lovers?!)

thats cost me about the same price

ah well....something to think about for crimbo.

i wont ask anymore questions (just yet) its probably torture for u waiting for it to come(?)

the haft should be fine in ash. if not i guess it should be pretty simple to replace in oak, it being straight and all.

wow i jus cant believe it...

...i really hope u enjoy using it when u get hold of it.

ps. welded spring steel, is that a similar process used in "viking" sword making? i hear they twisted the metal too??

 

[Rhodri]

is that a similar process used in "viking" sword making? i hear they twisted the metal too??

Yep, most were pattern welded - a number of smaller steel rods of different properties twisted together and forged into a single piece.

 

[scruff]

ahh i thought so.

i hear that such swords could sometimes split if they were poorly made, have u ever come across any 'in the mud'?

 

[sam_acw]

Sorry to dig up an old thread again but.....
Could you post some more pictures or information about how this axe is to use please