So - what you're saying is that even a reeeeeeeally good defense attorney has trouble overcoming stupid?
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So - what you're saying is that even a reeeeeeeally good defense attorney has trouble overcoming stupid?
Some cases are just "slam-dunk" depending on the team you're on........ I'm 66% on murders, though!
I just got this tiny little belt hatchet for my truck BOB using Amazon book points.
http://www.amazon.com/Schrade-241OT-...2265880&sr=8-1
Gonna take it out this weekend and test it on some storm fall. The knife isn't anything too interesting and the snap does not hold it in the sheath. But the hatchet seems fair. We'll see how long it holds an edge.
Edit:
I took that little Shrade hatchet out and wailed on some 3" white oak branches clearing up the last of the ice storm fall. It held up very very well. It went through the smaller maple stuff in one or two swings. The handle is a little short for a good swing and you end up letting it slip to the last finger grip but the edge stayed sharp for a good 6 hours of solid clearing up and only needed a minimal honing. A nice little hatchet.
I find estwing axes are brilliant
Just about anything Estwing is good stuff. I've used Estwing hammers for over 30 years. I carry the Sportman's Axe in my pack.
Estwing - YES. Wstwing - NO.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick
I have a gransfors bruks hatchet and LOVE IT. It's small, and lets me use it on the porch or at campsite with ease.
I also have 2 splitting axes and 2 chopping axes from Fiskars and let me tell you for the $ they are AWESOME. If you are 6' or more they may be slightly short but other than that, awesome! VERY VERY sharp. If you read some `tree cutting` forums even they love them.
Even compared to $100 axes/splitters they are awesome.
I HIGHLY suggest you get one, look on ebay and amazon best prices so far I've found.
This thread, which has become a very popular sticky, was started two years ago by one of our member's who is no longer with us. (carcajou garou) August 25th marks the 2 year anniversary of the birth of this thread, and August 5th the 2 year anniversary of his join date. I'd like to honor his memory somehow. any ideas anybody? :cool2:
I think you just did. I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but enjoyed going back and reading some of his posts.
im thinking about getting a wetterlings 19" bushcraft axe. on the product description it says that the handle is ready for a coat of linseed oil. my question is, is for protection? and should i put it on before i start using it? oh and one more...can i pick some up from a hardware store?
Yes to both of your questions.
Edit: I should have said yes to all three of your questions.
Homedepot and Lowes have it even
You might find it labeled "flax seed oil". You need to be very careful with it because any rags you use can go up in flames all by their lonesome if you just leave them in a pile in a garbage can or other type of receptacle.
thanks for the help guys. how much do i put on? should i put on multiple layers? do i need to wait a couple of days to let it soak in and dry? sorry for all the questions guys, i just wanna make sure im doing it right. thanks for all the help again!
Are you sure you want to use linseed oil on it? If you plan on using the axe a lot then you really don't need to do anything with it. The oil from your hands will coat the wood. However, if you are going to use it only on occasions then oiling the handle will protect it from moisture and insects.
I've used both pressed and boiled linseed oil. The pressed gives a more golden color while boiled is much darker. The problem with pressed oil is it doesn't dry very well. The boiled linseed oil will dry harder but much darker.
My grandfather used a mixture of pressed oil and turpentine in a 50/50 mix for his handles (he used it on his metal tools, too.) It dries crappy and takes several days so he usually took some light steel wool and rubbed it down after a few days and then applied True Oil over the top. He would also pin the head to the handle and drill the butt of the handle, add oil, then cap it. The idea was the oil would migrate up the handle. I have no idea if it does or not but he must have believed in it.
Dang lot of work doing that but he used his axes every day. Why not just use True Oil on it and be done with it? You can even get True Oil in spray form today.
You can do it a couple of different ways. You can soak the handle for several days then clean it up or you can apply thin coats. If you go with the linseed oil then let it soak. If you use the True Oil you can apply it in coats until you are happy with the result. You don't have to steel wool in between coats unless you just want to.
By the way, don't use paint or varnish on your handle unless you just want a pretty. Paint will cause your hands to blister when using the axe and varnish will be slick as snot if it gets wet.
Remember any rags that you use with linseed oil can self ignite so I generally rinse them in water before discarding.
thanks for the info rick. i think im gonna try the true oil out. i dont plan on using this axe everyday, probably just a couple times a week if that. dont know if ill be using it enough for the oil from my hands to coat it. we'll see.
Let me know how it turns out. I have a couple of very fine axes I inherited. I have a splitting axe that needs to have the handle replaced but I've never been able to bring myself to do it. It was my grandfathers and he put the handle on himself. The other is a double bit felling axe of his that has a crooked handle. It's really kind of funny to look at because it has a terrible bow in it. He called it a two faced (double bit. Get it?) cripple and would always make a face when he said it as if it were a spiteful neighbor. He said he used it to cut the limbs on the opposite side of the tree. The bow in the handle is so bad he might have. I think he hung on to it 'cause it was a great conversation piece. Worthy of discussing over a snort or two. That's just my theory, anyhow, and I'm sticking to it.
hey rick im having some trouble finding that true oil stuff. ive been to the home depots near my house and they dont seem to carry it and none of the workers seem to know what the heck im talking about. they keep on showing me finish for wooden floors or for outdoor furniture. i dont know if i can use any of that stuff?
You might check gun stores or wood hobby stores. Tru Oil is often used to finish gun stocks. If you're inclined, there are probably a ton of places to get it on line.
I'm surprised that Home Depot doesn't stock it. Here's a link:
Amazon has it:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...B7XA37EBWKQHXM
Midway is a little more:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=152772
I think I got the last bottle at Wal-Mart. You might give your local Wally a call. Here's the Birchwood Casey web site.
http://www.birchwoodcasey.com/sport/index.html
thanks again rick and crash! i think im gonna check out wal-mart and if i have no luck i will check out those links you guys sent me.
Hope and Coot - What do you guys use on your axe handles? Do you treat them or just use au natural?
I just go naked........The one thing I do is soak all wood handled tools in water before using. It swells the head a bit, and the handles are far less brittle. The owner of a tool rental co. taught me that. You don't need to soak it for very long either. I never refinish the handles, sometimes I'll sand it lightly, very lightly. Also I have gone to Estwing tools with all steel handles, and plastic or fiberglass on the mauls, when replacing old tools.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick
i was chopin a log about 6in thick last night with my new 19in wetterlings and the handle split down the middle!
Ok my 2 cents on axes. Saws do ok if ya like to work hard sawing. I tryed to do all my camp wood with a saw one time and went back to the one easy chop of an axe. Ever try to split a 8" log with a saw? My base camp has a saw and small axe and a large axe for large log splitting. They make diffrent size tools for diffrent size jobs. Same reason they make diffrent size knives. If I was backpacking then of coarse I go lite as possible and the saw is very quiet to use but to say one tool is the answer to all situations I think not.
I report you decide.
Hard to argue with that logic. I carry a Gerber Sportsman saw, an Estwing Sportsman axe, a RAT 7 and a Mora 780. Different tools for different jobs.
OH!!! I have the best axe/saw EVER! Gerber makes it. It's the Gator Axe II and it's awesome. For me, it's all about quality and weight. If it's going to weigh me down, I don't care how it works. I will look endlessly for something the EXACTLY fits my needs. This axe has a smaller version of the traditional gator saw, in the handle. 2 for 1 baby!
For those of you that have an Estwing,this is what I did to mine to make it easier to use one handed .I used hockey tape.And yeah,I can see my toes too!
Slap shot and he scores!
Good idea.
I cut the handle down on mine and regripped it in leather.
http://www.screwfix.com/sfd/i/cat/16/p2639216_x.jpg
Ha ha.That's good.Beautiful work,every bit as good as the factory!:clap:
Reading through this thread I thought I would mention how to sharpen an axe. The topic was danced around so much it makes me wonder. Only one guy said use only a file, the way I do it. The edge of an axe takes a pounding and sharp edges are thin edges and cannot take a pounding. Axes are not sharpened like knives. The first thing to know sharpening anything is to push into the edge. Going the other direction will leave a thin burr that breaks off easily. First I file sides at 30 degrees or in line with angle of axe. It will become apparent quickly that it would take a long time to remove knicks at this angle but it must be done for subsequent sharpening like knocking down depth gauge when sharpening chainsaw. After a reasonable amount of filling at that angle fill directly across edge of axe to remove knicks. This will flatten out edge. When they are removed, file the thin flat edge at a 45 degree angle to get edge. This is a stronger angle that can take the pounding. I never heard of anybody using diamond embeded sharpeners or leather straps to sharpen an axe but I would be interested how you do it not just that's what you use.
it seems very stable and the end of the axe head can't be loose.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick
30 plus years of use and the head on my Estwing hasn't loosened yet!Quote:
Originally Posted by SurvivalFaith
http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/gg346/akmofo/134.jpg
Ive been using a saw/large knife combo for a couple of years now. Seems a lot more efficient and lightweight that carrying an axe, although i have very little experience with axes. Am i just ignorant? An axe seems way too dangerous considering i have know one to teach me how to safely use it. Plus, full body motion swings seem like they would take a lot of energy, with a knife all you are working is your arm to smack at your blade.
I like it! Now if I can find one! A bit much to carry on a day trip though....Quote:
Originally Posted by Alaskan Survivalist
Dip netting opens on the Kenai river on the 10th of July so I figured I better clean up my Estwing to clean all the fish. I’ve mentioned before that I modified my hatchet to serve as a knife as well. It works much better than trying to use a knife as an axe. This is an Estwing Riggers axe which is like the carpenters hatchet only with a longer handle. I’ve had this one for 30 years and as you can see it gets used.
http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/g...o/IMG_1256.jpg
I’ve been maintaining this way since I’ve had it. I use a die grinder with a Scotch Brite sanding disc to remove pitch, rust and whatever gum that builds up.
http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/g...o/IMG_1257.jpg
I then go over the whole thing by hand with a Scotch Brite pad to get an even finish and get places hard to get to with die grinder. The whole job can be done by hand it would just take longer.
http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/g...o/IMG_1258.jpg
The grooves in the hammer head are to grip nail heads when struck. If they become worn I use a triangle shaped file to restore them. I do not use this to hit metal unless it is a nail or I am trying to shrink sheet metal. This time they are still in good shape so I just used a wire wheel to clean the grooves.
http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/g...o/IMG_1259.jpg
Now for the sharpening. As I stated in comment #233 begin by taking out 30 degree material. You will note that on the upper edge I have rounded it and extended the 30 degree grind around the corner. This is what makes this the best survival tool there is and I mean this particular one because you cannot buy them like this. This portion of blade is sharpened as a knife is and used much like an Ulu.
http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/g...o/IMG_1261.jpg
Then as I described in how to sharpen an axe I flatten blade to remove nicks except for the upper portion of blade. Then the lower section is filed on a 45 degree angle for strength and the upper portion is done with a stone and sharpened like a knife.
http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/g...o/IMG_1264.jpg
I made a leather cover to protect the edge years ago and the file and stone are part of my kit.
http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/g...o/IMG_1268.jpg
I know my ways seem strange but that’s because they don’t come from a book. Faced with the situation I worked with what I had. Sometimes you will find improvisations you come up with are better than anything else available and stick with them. This Riggers Axe has proven itself over and over.
It cleans up real nice.
I have a small WW2 hatchet from germany made of 1 piece of metal with hammer on the back and and screwdriver on the handle. It was so small that it was pretty much useless for any real forest use... I understand why the GIs had better foxholes then the germans lolll.