Thread: Stubai vs Narex Carpenters side axes and Granfors Burks vs Hultfors

Originally Posted by Kate84TS

best side axe as I at the point where I need one to clean up rough split timber staves and boards.

I will leave the side axes for others to comment on, but also consider an adze for cleaning up rough wood.

I like my Japanese adze (chouna) for doing that work.

In use, but that is not me.... )
https://vimeo.com/14085159

I wear safety boots and shin pads when adzing!

Get just the head and add your own handle when it gets here. The style of handle I added is like this....

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...3_eSQXUBEY_-vA







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That first link should have just been

https://vimeo.com/14085159

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Kate I have no experience in this area at all, but I have had experience with another Hultafors product, which was an articulated wrecking bar. The second nail I pulled with it fractured the v-slot to the point where it will no longer pull out nails with that head size (and it was only a little 2" jobbie).

I guess what I'm saying is that I would be concerned about their steel quality, even though it's Swedish (or has it come from "somewhere else"?).

Originally Posted by NeilS

That first link should have just been

https://vimeo.com/14085159

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Holy Moses. I think that guy with bare feet rivals the person who showed me how to cut tiles with an angle grinder by holding them down with his bare feet.

Regards
Paul

I used to turn a lot of spindles from split blanks, so it was highly desirable to knock off the really daggy bits before putting them on the lathe. I used a very ordinary-looking thing that was either given to me, or I picked up somewhere for next-to-nothing (I know I wouldn't have parted with any real money for such a sad little thing.. ). Then about 10 years ago, I saw this shingling hatchet for a reasonable sum, & thought it might do the job better: Shingle axe.jpg

My original intention was to make it into a side-axe by re-forming the bevel on one side only. However, apart from being a very tedious chore, this would've wasted a lot of metal, so I just sharpened & used it as-is. Given the symmetrical eye-bulge on the head, I also wonder if I would gain much more control for shaving cuts if it were sharpened from one side only? head.jpg

I got used to the thing and it does a good enough job, & in any case, I haven't done so much turning these last 4 or 5 years, so I'd forgotten about my 'side axe's' shortcomings until this thread.

So I took a look at the Narex, & it's certainly more like what I had in mind originally. Not sure what you meant by "light", Kate - did you mean the overall weight, or the thinnish blade? At 1.25Kg, it's getting on for twice as heavy as the shingling axe (750g), & I'm not sure that would suit me. I don't think you need a heavy or specially hard axe for trimming & shaving green or semi-green wood. Green wood, even Ironbark, is relatively soft and far easier on cutting edges than the same woods when dry. The game-plan is to remove lots of wood quickly, but with a reasonable degree of control, so lots of close-spaced shallow cuts followed by a shaving cut or two to remove them is the way I do it, & a light (but sharp!) tool is a lot less tiring to use for any length of time in this situation.

Cheers,

Neil,

I have wanted a Japanese Chouna for ages I have read about these from Robin woods site and seen them for sale in the US however they are very hard to get a hold of and not that cheap. around $400US. The curved handle gives them a lovely spring action in the blade which helps release the shavings when cut. Watching Japanese carpenters is really inspiring I would love to do so work with traditional timber framers over here in Aus. However I see Chouna too large for small blocks and boards for bigger work they are fantastic.

chat soon Kate

Hi Ian,

I have as small axe the same as yours however mine is fitted with a curved handle set up for carving (not by me) that I am looking at changing to a straight handle when the original fails. I totally agree that sharp and light beats heavy any day. The style of axe pictured is a fantastic style and in my opinion not worth altering. I see the need however have an off set eye and single bevel blade perfect for shaving work like a paring chisel with a 100/90mm edge like you found when making spindle blanks. I also have a lover for sharp! blades the is produces a shiny cut cross section I know if have it sharp.

I looked at the Narex it does seem light near the eye and poll which was my concern as Its also about then the wight is in the axe I actually like then thin blade. As when we look at the mechanics involved its about mass behind a cutting edge and when we want control we put that mass closer to the hand. The Narex and the Stubai look to be of the same geometry and over very much the same same. But the weight of the Stubai is about 900g total and I agree 1.25 is too heavy for finer work. So it would be a little heavier than my current as but would also have a good heft for chopping work. My preferred weight is between 800/900g for chopping work and 400/570g (20oz) for fine work.

Single sided vintage axes and axe heads come up for sale regularly online.
Often for much better prices than new.
Worth a look.

Originally Posted by hiroller

Single sided vintage axes and axe heads come up for sale regularly online.
Often for much better prices than new.
Worth a look.

I guess if you can pick up a likely axe or head cheaply, it's worth trying, G. Being an old phart, I'm not much of an online shopper, I much prefer to handle anything I was considering, to get a vague idea of whether it's likely to be a good-un or not. Apart from getting a feel for the general heft, a head that has a really dull 'thunk' when struck instead of a nice ring is unlikely to take & hold a decent edge, or so my old pot taught me. On the limited experience I have, that seems to hold, but I won't make any claims for its absolute reliability..

As I said before, you probably don't need the world's best axe to cut green wood successfully. Technique matters most, and that only comes from practice. My father could pick up a dog of an axe or hatchet & make it do amazing things, but I've simply not spent the countless hours he spent chopping & hacking his way through acres of bush. Why couldn't I have just inherited some of his ability? I'd be well satisfied with that..

Cheers,