Thread: Looking for a nice axe

The best 'racing' axes had a hand forged blade rather than just a ground down cast steel head - there is at least one maker somewhere down south, but you would have to check for details with the wood chop crowd.

And, yes, they do break easily, particularly if used for cutting dry wood.

If you want a really good axe, then Gransfors-Bruks seem to be making a quality product. Lee Valley stock a fair range of the axes, and Highland Hardware have the entire range available for order, including the historical reproduction axes - not always in stock (they usually get the entire range in for Xmas) but they indicate a 6 week or so wait for out of stock items. They are handforged and the reproduction axes have a separate hard edge fusion welded into the softer body.

You should do a 'net search for 'Gransfors' and 'axe' - then compare prices & shipping as it varies a lot. At 6'3" you may also be looking at a new haft too to keep everything in line.

get yaself a good old plumb for sure mate.

i have 3 that belonged to my grandfather and uncles when they had the mill up here.

dont waste you money on a kelleys style one are useless. not balanced properly.

youll also need a good spoty handle find one with rings running the ful lenght of the handle that is paralell with the side.

If you google the Tassie woodcutters - name eludes me at the moment - and they probably have a website & links to what you want.

Cheers

I have my Grandfathers favourite axe, a plumb; and he wore out only two heads and three handles so Plumbs must be good!!!

go kiwi!

http://www.tuatahiaxes.com/

Originally Posted by Calm

If you google the Tassie woodcutters - name eludes me at the moment - and they probably have a website & links to what you want.

Cheers

I beleive it might be Foster here is his website or there re the O'Toole men from Melbourne.

cheers

Have a look at Sneddens axes. http://www.ruralfencing.com/

prozac

I have a couple of plumbs here at home a couple of old Kelly's that I have picked up ove ther years and they all swing nicely and are well balanced. Hytest rate fairly highly also but my grandfather had and old brades, made in England that he did a lot of his work with. I have it now and its a great old axe. I reckon that you can't go past a good quality older axe as they seem to feel better than many of the cheaper ones on the market and I think better they are better balanced.

a good axe is hard to find.

just the way its n the handle trows it out. it needs to be about 1" from the sholder. i have seen some people with then up near the end. i have even seen them on upside down.

you may think the axe is well balanced but untill youv used one thats just right ya dont know what ya missing.

another thing people do is sharpen and dont remove the bur. it will cut good for the first chop but after that.

get a second hand one not a new one. sompthig made now for people to chop firewood with can posibly be as good as on made 100 years ago when people used them to make there living.

I just bought a Plumb double bit axe from an old cockie in Victoria. It has a beaut feel and an excellent spotty handle. It has the words Log Master in scroll on one blade. I have attached a photo for feedback as I do not know a lot about double bit axes, and bought it on its condition and the Plumb reputation.

I think he may have a Plumb Speed Axe as new for $125. If you are interested I will try and get some photos for you?

prozac

I don't know what make it is, but you are welcome to mine when I've retrieved it from between my mother-in-law's shoulder blades!

if you are felling do not buy a double bit axe. the balance is not right for felling. they are only meant for choping fallen trees and even then not really good.

I have found most "nice" axes come with an operator