There is an art to properly using a splitting axe you can’t just drop the axe into the log and expect it to split the wood! They have a larger, wider head, and often weigh quite a bit more. Unlike felling axes, splitting axes are intended to cut into wood with the grain. Splitting Axe / Maul A vintage Chopper1 splitting axe You can also use them to chop up logs and remove tree limbs, though they may be oversized for this task.įelling axes typically weigh between 3 and 3.5 pounds and have a handle that’s 28″ to 36″ long. They have a moderate-to-light head to keep the cheeks thin, so each strike has a good bite depth. Felling Axeįelling axes are intended to chop across the grain. So, don’t use the back of a hand axe to hammer stuff into the ground unless you want to deform the eye and damage your axe. Hand axes are very similar to hatchets but with one major distinction: They also have a hammer poll so you can hammer tent pegs into the ground.Ī hatchet can weigh from about a pound to over 2 pounds and has a handle 18″ or shorter. They can fell small trees or turn small logs into firewood. See our list of the best bushcraft axes on the market! HatchetĪ hatchet is a one-handed axe intended for a variety of tasks in the woods. Typically, they are used to take a tree and turn it into usable wood. Now, let’s delve into specific axe types! Tool Axes Forestry Axes Use a dedicated self-defense tool for that! While some axes can be used for defending yourself, it’s generally better to stick to their relative specialties. Provided they are properly sharpened, of course. Even with modern power tools, axes are still preferred for many activities.īig axes allow you to strike forcefully while small ones can be suitable for delicate work. This setup provides a great amount of force focused on a tiny part of whatever you hit. That wedge is the axe head while the lever is the handle. Whether it’s a tomahawk or an adze, here you’ll learn about every type of axe! What is an Axe?ĭistilled to the simplest form, axes are wedges attached to levers. Interested in learning all of the different types of axes? Look no further! You won’t want to cut down a tree with an ice axe or hew a log with a fireman’s axe. There are all sorts of axes in the world.įrom pickaxes to forest axes, these tools come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.