SFA Head alignment problem.

[The Cumbrian]

As I'm the only one so far who's used the axe in question, I'd like to clear a few things up.
Firstly, although I have a normal job and a normal house, I use an axe almost every day from October to April to split logs and chop kindling for my woodburner. For this I use an axe made by CK with a similar length helve to the SFA, but with a heavier ( perfectly aligned ) head, that I paid less than £20 for.

When I bought the SFA, I was looking for an axe about the same length that I had at home, but with a lighter head. After reading lots of reviews on here and elseware, it seemed that in the size that I wanted. the SFA was the canines cahoonies.

I duly ordered the axe, and when it arrived I used it to split a few logs at home ( which, although it's not designed as a splitting axe, it did well enough with seasoned, sawn logs ).
After this, it was stored with my canoe camping kit and taken, but not used, on a few trips.

When I eventually started to use it for chopping fine kindling, the misalignment of the head made itself immediately obvious. Quite a few people here have said that the alignment of the head isn't too important. All I can say is that if it isn't, why is the importance of the alignment stressed in the Axe Book provided by GB, and how did I notice it, when I'd never checked an axe's alignment until I used mine and felt that it wasn't right?

In my opinion, the argument settler is the above photo. Not only does it show the misalignment, but it also shows the difference in the thickness of the metal on either side of the head. Would you be happy if you'd have paid nearly fifty of your Hard Earned Notes for something like that?

 

[johnnytheboy]

I'm gonna regret saying this as i'm gonna get pelters but i agree, i use hand tools on a daily basis at work and when i get home chopping wood for the fire, i had an old axe i got given which was no bother at chopping logs and splitting rounds and kindling. With everyone going on about GB axes i thought the wildlife hatchet being about the same size as my other one would be a good replacement. The thing is its not, it just isn't a good allrounder, splitting wood is brutal as it gets choked on the cheek of the axe. I got the bushcraft book by mors kochanski as recomended on this forum and that more or less says the same thing that that shape of a gb axe is not a good allrounder, I am better off with one like the bahco stlye head.

The thing i noticed about your axe is the handle sticking up through the eye has the corner missing, is this because your axe came off what you were cutting chipping this wood? My GB came off a branch i was trying to cut into my foot, all be it a stupid place to put my foot i always wonder if it was because the head is misaligned not hitting the branch where i expected and deflecting into my foot, because of this i lost confidence in the axe.

I recon that the axe will serve a pretty good purpose in someone like robins hands, when i see the video on your site robin there is no doubt you are a master with the wood but for what i need it for chopping fire wood rattling about the campfire etc i need something a little more rough and ready. The thing that really worried me was when i read the axe book it says not to use the poll as a hammer as it could open the eye up but by heck robin you don't half give that carving axe a pounding with the baton, are the carpenters axes made stronger than the other ones? that is impressive

 

[robin wood]

The thing that really worried me was when i read the axe book it says not to use the poll as a hammer as it could open the eye up but by heck robin you don't half give that carving axe a pounding with the baton, are the carpenters axes made stronger than the other ones? that is impressive

I think they are advising not banging it against metal, I don't think any amount of whalloping with a wooden maul would open the eye, at least I have never seen it happen and as you can see I do whallop them.

 

[johnnytheboy]

Its a good website you have, for anyone not seen an axe in proper use http://www.robin-wood.co.uk/gwvideo.htm that is a propper whacking it gets. I fancy one of your spoon carving courses, will run it past the better half over the next few months, see if i can get the funds authorised.

 

[robin wood]

Its a good website you have, for anyone not seen an axe in proper use http://www.robin-wood.co.uk/gwvideo.htm that is a propper whacking it gets. I fancy one of your spoon carving courses, will run it past the better half over the next few months, see if i can get the funds authorised.

Who was it who said "better to beg forgiveness than ask permision"......not me. actualy i think it was Ranulph Fiennes