What is it with axes?

MMc

MMc

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San Dimas, Ca.
First Name
Mike
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McMullen
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I live in California and most of my travels are in the west and Baja MX I have been traveling for 45 plus years off road. I have never needed a axe.I use a hatchet and carry a collapsible bow saw that I have used on occasion. When I come on down trees if I can’t pull it off the road or go around , I turn around. If I am going to a place that I know has down trees I bring along one of my chain saws, when in I am unsure how big the trees are the 24” bar goes. I understand using a axe cut wood is the oblivious answer but I never had to. Also a axe is a really labor intensive way to cut a tree, give me saw. I have a buddy that always took a double sided axe, when he saw I could split more wood faster and easier with a 4# hammer and a wood bomb he quite bringing it. I have been splitting firewood for more years than I have been driving. I see folks recommending a axe as part of recovery gear and don’t get it at all. Please help me understand.
 
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MMc said:
I live in California and most of my travels are in the west and Baja MX I have been traveling for 45 plus years off road. I have never needed a axe.I use a hatchet and carry a collapsible bow saw that I have used on occasion. When I come on down trees if I can’t pull it off the road or go around , I turn around. If I am going to a place that I know has down trees I bring along one of my chain saws, when in I am unsure how big the trees are the 24” bar goes. I understand using a axe cut wood is the oblivious answer but I never had to. Also a axe is a really labor intensive way to cut a tree, give me saw. I have a buddy that always took a double sided axe, when he saw I could split more wood faster and easier with a 4# hammer and a wood bomb he quite bringing it. I have been splitting firewood for more years than I have been driving. I see folks recommending a axe as part of recovery gear and don’t get it at all. Please help me understand.
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The axe isn’t for cutting trees... it’s for digging trenches, snapping roots and making the ground easier to move with the shovel... also BLM requires it when traveling through BLM lands during fire season. In some National Forrests it’s also a fire tool requirement. Maybe @Kent R has some better info on why and how to use an axe in aiding fire suppression.
 
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Up here in BC in the spring I use my axe regularly, there are tons of small trees down. A few whacks with an axe and I can pull them to one side, and off to one side. It works well to delimb to get a chain saw in too.

But totally different environment than you have in California.

For splitting I have a Fiskers splitting axe.
 
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M Rose said:
The axe isn’t for cutting trees... it’s for digging trenches, snapping roots and making the ground easier to move with the shovel... also BLM requires it when traveling through BLM lands during fire season. In some National Forrests it’s also a fire tool requirement. Maybe @Kent R has some better info on why and how to use an axe in aiding fire suppression.
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I have never heard or seen the anything like that from BLM or FS in that regards and I know a bunch of rangers. If I was going to use something for trenches and all it would be a Maddox. Thanks.
 
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We carry a wire saw and a machete. An axe is relatively heavy and voluminous, and (more to the point) I haven't needed one in 48 years of "overlanding". When we have had to deal with fallen trees we've used the machete or the wire saw (except for one occasion prior to getting the wire saw, when we had chosen not to take a machete in case we were stopped at a police checkpoint in a city where this might have been considered inappropriate. We dealt with the fallen tree with a leatherman - 2-1/2 hours' work - and bought a machete at the next village).
 
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I think it's just a matter of what someone is use to. I have carried a medium sized fire axe for a couple of years and am glad I had it on our last month long trip through the PNW and Pacific Coast Highway. We came across a down tree on the Lost Coast Trail/ Usal Road and didn't have a chainsaw. The way the tree had fallen we couldn't winch it out of the way without cutting it first and both the wife and I refuse to quit and turn around. So we broke out the axe and five hours later we were back on our way.

With all this being said though we will be buying a chainsaw and still keeping an axe. Axes have they're place, I spent too many years in the military and Law Enforcement which taught me always have a plan B....
 
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M Rose said:
The axe isn’t for cutting trees... it’s for digging trenches, snapping roots and making the ground easier to move with the shovel... also BLM requires it when traveling through BLM lands during fire season. In some National Forrests it’s also a fire tool requirement. Maybe @Kent R has some better info on why and how to use an axe in aiding fire suppression.
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This sounds like a good enough reason for me to add one on certain trips.
I carry a medium Fiskars splitting axe for firewood needs on most trips already.
 
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MMc said:
I have never heard or seen the anything like that from BLM or FS in that regards and I know a bunch of rangers. If I was going to use something for trenches and all it would be a Maddox. Thanks.
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Magic Mike said:
I think it's just a matter of what someone is use to. I have carried a medium sized fire axe for a couple of years and am glad I had it on our last month long trip through the PNW and Pacific Coast Highway. We came across a down tree on the Lost Coast Trail/ Usal Road and didn't have a chainsaw. The way the tree had fallen we couldn't winch it out of the way without cutting it first and both the wife and I refuse to quit and turn around. So we broke out the axe and five hours later we were back on our way.

With all this being said though we will be buying a chainsaw and still keeping an axe. Axes have they're place, I spent too many years in the military and Law Enforcement which taught me always have a plan B....
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In the PNW, during fire season chainsaws (gas or Electric) are restricted to times of the day, and when a certain fire level is reached can’t be used at all. Right now every Forrest in Oregon is in phase 3 so no chain saws until rain. (Exception is Rangers and fire crews).
 
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M Rose said:
In the PNW, during fire season chainsaws (gas or Electric) are restricted to times of the day, and when a certain fire level is reached can’t be used at all. Right now every Forrest in Oregon is in phase 3 so no chain saws until rain. (Exception is Rangers and fire crews).
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Well there you go, an Axe it is! :---)
 
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trikebubble said:
What else do I pound stakes into the ground with... if not my axe? :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing: Honestly, I carry an axe to split firewood for the fire..... I don't really know what other tool can do that job besides an axe.
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this ^^^ for everyday use, an axe is a great hammer plus a a firewood splitter. The other mentions of helping build a firebreak or dig a ditch are great but most of us will never do that. An axe is a great tool.

The past few years of fires in BC mean I no longer build a campfire. The risk is just way too high. But an axe is a great tool.

But yes, I agree with the original post, an axe is about as useless as a highlift jack. There are always better choices.
 
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I carry a Fiskar splitting ax and a chainsaw every time we go to our cabin. 50% of the time I have to stop to remove branches or trees. I only use the chainsaw a couple times a year but my ax gets used every time. Felling branches, splitting firewood. As for trenching, wherever I've lived, its been far too rocky to think about using an ax.
 
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MMc said:
I live in California and most of my travels are in the west and Baja MX I have been traveling for 45 plus years off road. I have never needed a axe.I use a hatchet and carry a collapsible bow saw that I have used on occasion. When I come on down trees if I can’t pull it off the road or go around , I turn around. If I am going to a place that I know has down trees I bring along one of my chain saws, when in I am unsure how big the trees are the 24” bar goes. I understand using a axe cut wood is the oblivious answer but I never had to. Also a axe is a really labor intensive way to cut a tree, give me saw. I have a buddy that always took a double sided axe, when he saw I could split more wood faster and easier with a 4# hammer and a wood bomb he quite bringing it. I have been splitting firewood for more years than I have been driving. I see folks recommending a axe as part of recovery gear and don’t get it at all. Please help me understand.
Click to expand...

the main reason behind using an axe is it's versatility, but in the end it is just a tool yes you can carry a chain saw, but then you need fuel/batteries for it. you can carry a bow saw but while a saw CAN split wood, the axe will do it better. A single axe can do the work of a saw, a splitting wedge and hammer, (if you are really good with it) a knife, in a pinch it can be used as a digging tool (though MOST would consider that to be abuse), it can be used for driving stakes, etc. In the end it largely comes down to a matter of personal preference. When considered to be an essential camp tool, the truth of the matter is said tool is not really "bring an axe" it is "bring something capable of splitting firewood, felling a tree, driving tent stakes, etc". You CAN bring several different tools to do all those jobs (and more), or you can bring an axe (and yes a hatchet is just a small axe, so you are carrying a form of axe in your camping gear... it can do anything an axe can do, but may require more or less effort to do so depending on the task.) personally on foot I carry a hatchet while in a vehicle (canoe or truck) I carry a mid size camp axe (as well as other tools in both cases)
 
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For me having done trail work for the Forest Service I always have a Pulaski with me. It's a shovel and an axe and even a hammer. Hell I even grab it for yard projects and chipping ice off of the front steps...
 
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