felling axs

[tenngun]

I'v seen in books two handed axs that look like over sized tomahawks.By the AWI I'v seen the Kentucy ax ie the moderm ax.HBC sold a Modren looking ax by the mountian man time.Does any one make or carry a two handed ax,a felling ax style.What time do you cover and whats it looklike.A light moving scout,trapper ect would only need cut firewood for camp,and only need a belt ax.A more slow moving man might need a bigger ax,and it might look good in camp. :idunno:

 

Gransfors Bruks Scandinavian Forest Axe. The only axe you will ever need.

 

[necchi]

The Felling axe does indeed have some early history, 17th century stuff.
http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/pdfpubs/pdf99232823/pdf99232823Pdpi72pt03.pdf

The deal I've seen/heard around the vous` at least is a straight handle, not the curved one so common ,,
I've been packing one for camp for years, and it get's used, sometimes the "wood provided" can be pretty well picked over for small stuff and needs splitting.

 

[Jim Blair]

Those two handed axes that look like tomahawks are called Spanish Pattern felling axes.They can be found in round eye and tapered patterns.They were made well into the 20th century by companies such as Collins.The round eye was so the user could make a handle simply and easily out of materials found in the woods i.e. any suitable branch.One of the last places they were a major sales item was in S.America.

The American style of felling axe came into being circa the 1750s.The curved handle started being seen around the 1850s by most guesstimates.

Here's a little disertation on axes you might find interesting-

http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/07/introduction-to-axes-part-2-history-of.html

Pictures of axes and handles recovered from the steam boat Arabia sunk in 1856-

http://www.pbase.com/hockingphotos/image/127454386

Interesting axes for sale.Also check out e-bay.The Gransfors axes are top of the line but a little out of my price bracket.

http://www.timelesstools.co.uk/axes.htm

 

[Elnathan]

A felling axe is just an axe that is designed primarily to drop trees, as opposed to splitting, hewing square, etc. These days they tend to have a relatively narrow bit, compared with the usual dual-purpose hardware store axes, and beveled on both sides.

During the 18th century, they seem to have come in pretty much every style and eye design that hatchets/tomahawks came in, except for the spike, hammer-poll, and pipe variations.

If you are looking for a modern repro, Avalon Forge offers some: http://www.avalonforge.com/MainTools.htm
No idea about the quality.

BTW, I suspect that full-sized axes were fairly common even in the wilderness - Horses were pretty common along the frontier in PA and parts south by the early 18th century.

 

[tenngun]

Yes I have seen lots of drawings of stright handled axs,many of the wedged flat eye "kentucy pattren"although I dont know when they first were used

 

[Loyalist Dave]

You might be looking for a "Jersey Pattern" axe, and you will need to put a straight handle on it to be "correct" if it doesn't already have a straight handle.

They are still made. Here's one by ACE, here's one by Council Tool with a straight handle, and here's one by Collins.

The Gransfors Bruks Scandinavian Forest Axe is a fine axe, as are all of their products, but it's a limbing axe, not a felling/splitting axe.

LD

 

[Jim Blair]

Neumann's Collectors Ency. of the AR has some pictures of axes excavated from known camp sites.The "Kentucky Pattern" is among them.

Axe patterns,for your enjoyment-
http://www.roseantiquetools.com/id6.html

 

[Jim Blair]

The local farm store had Collins axes awhile back,they were made in China.I see the one in that link is made in Mexico.

 

[Birdman]

for years I have carried , I guess you would call it a 3/4 ax, handle is only 24 inchs long,but there are times out on the trail that length n power of swing came in real handy, I guess you would consider it more a camp axe size as its a bit heavy n awkward to carry if hunting or just woods running, in the long run it is much better at felling bigger limbs n splitting larger pieces of timber for the fire. Once ya get used to it, it becomes one handy tool around camp, AND if need be could be a real mean weapon in a git down fight

 

[Jim Blair]

For any of you having trouble locally finding straight axe handles or other odd handles for old tools checkout this e-bay store-Hickory Handle Store

 

You might be looking for a "Jersey Pattern" axe, and you will need to put a straight handle on it to be "correct" if it doesn't already have a straight handle.

They are still made. Here's one by ACE, here's one by Council Tool with a straight handle, and here's one by Collins.

The Gransfors Bruks Scandinavian Forest Axe is a fine axe, as are all of their products, but it's a limbing axe, not a felling/splitting axe.

LD

The title to the OP's thread does say Felling Axe, however his post states what would describe more of a camp/limbing style axe.

For that reason I mentioned the GF Scandinavian Forest Axe as it will fit the bill for multiple uses. I have read that the Gransfors Bruks forgers do not care to make the American Felling Axe. They feel that the Scandinavian Forest Axe can do it all. It might take a bit longer to chop down a large tree, but it will get the job done......therefore there is no reason why it can't be described as a felling axe.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Actually what he asked for was Does any one make or carry a two handed ax,a felling ax style.What time do you cover and whats it looklike."

It might take a bit longer to chop down a large tree, but it will get the job done......therefore there is no reason why it can't be described as a felling axe.

Well if that's your logic, any axe could be called a "felling axe", as they all will eventually down a tree. :grin:

Now I haven't had a chance to actually speak with those that make the Scandinavian Axe as you have, but all of the places that market that axe have "..., designed for limbing felled trees, splitting sticks and chopping limb-sized wood for fires. Traditional Scandinavian Forest Axe is a professional-size limbing axe with a thin, curved 3-1/2" face sharpened specifically for cutting fresh, resinous wood. Handle is 25" long; head weighs 2 lbs."

No doubt the Scandinavian Forest Axe is a good piece of gear, but the company apparently doesn't intend it to be used for felling, and they make plenty of axes, such as their Large Splitting Axe which has a head weight and handle length like that of an American pattern felling axe.

LD

 

The company makes what sells. Americans want a larger axe (thus they make the American felling axe). However, as I stated I have read the forgers feel that the Scandinavian forest axe is more than enough axe to do it all.

 

[crockett]

I'll share what little I know on axes. I think originally they all lacked a poll and had a round head, the so called "Squaw Ax" -that's how these tools are listed in the inventory records of the fur companies. It is a smaller version of this that a lot of folks carry and throw at Rondy events.
I was watching a TV show a few years ago on Amazon Indians and they had a NEW round head ax. Who makes it? I don't know. The Collins Ax Company left Collinsville CT and moved to Mexico but I tried to get information so as to contact them and find out if they made such an ax but was unsuccessful.
The "American Ax" as I understand it- that is- the axe with a square poll on the back of the head- that originated in America during colonial times and became ever more popular. The Jersy style- with the two "ears" I think that is early and my feeling is the ears add more surface area to keep the head on tight. Straight handles were used up to about the Civil War when the curved "Fawn's Foot" style started to be seen. As stated, straight handles still exist but aren't common.
That Ace (Collins) Jersey axe head- the price is right and the head doesn't have any unusual contours that would make it look non-pc. Put a straight handle on it and you're good to go.
Collins themselves are PC. They started in Hartford and moved to a new factory in their own "factory town" Collinsville, CT in the late 1820's early 1830's. They were there around WWII to the best of my knowledge. I have a Collins broadax stamped CAST STEEL HARTFORD but on dating it I don't know if the old stamps were still used after the company left Hartford. IAE a Collins ax pre dates 1840.
A "Felling" axe. I always thought that was just an axe with the primary bevel ground thin so the ax would bite deeper into the wood. You could nick such a blade on rough work like loping off branches, splitting wood, etc so the fine edge was used for felling trees only. The logic behind the double ax was one for felling and a more blunt edge for rough work but I know of at least a few examples where lumbermen ground down both edges and used it for felling with two good edges. As stated- It is my impression the double bitted really got going in the mid-1800's when places like Michigan began major logging operations.
On thinning the bevel, today the thinning is even along the length of the bit but years ago at least a few axes had what I would call a "scallop" grind. The middle of the bit was ground down into a dished shape so the bevel in the middle of the bit was thin and would bite deep but the top and bottom corners had a more blunt bevel to prevent damage at the corners. MAN, it is A LOT of work to grind an axe into that shape but I did it on one, Looks cool but if an axe is really kept ONLY for felling the trouble of the scallop grind seems sort of specious.
If you do put a straight handle on your axe you can age the ax head to make it look a little older. Since an ax head is pretty small you can even brown it and boil it in a frying pan on top of a stove to "rust blue" it. At least I have.

 

[Sunday Mule]

X2 I have this axs and its all that I need.

 

[Jim Blair]

Axe heads recovered from the British sloop Industry wrecked in 1764-
http://www.uri.edu/artsci/his/mua/IndustryFind/IndustryFboxes.shtml
http://www.staugustinelighthouse.org/LAMP/Research/british_ship

 

[tenngun]

These are sharp,50cmx46=220inc or so...I think this might be hand ax size...but wouldn't you like to have one.