How do you used axe?

Answer 1

First, axes are not intended to be used as manufactured, but usually need the bit (front portion of the axe) ground down and sharpened. The term "an axe to grind" referred to the common and laborious task of grinding down an axe to make it useful for felling trees. Felling axes have thin bits, as thin as one quarter of an inch 2 inches back from the cutting edge. This allows the axe head to penetrate deeply into the wood with less wedging than an axe used for splitting wood, which should have a wedging effect. A heavy axe used primarily for splitting wood is called a maul. The poll, or rear of the axe, should not be used to strike anything hard, such as a splitting wedge, as the main body and poll of an axe are softer steel than the bit, and the axe can be badly damaged. To fell a tree, a wedge shaped cut, or notch, is made in the side of the tree in the direction you want the tree to fall. If you want the tree to fall to the north, cut the notch in the north side. The notch should be about one thrid the thickness of the tree, although this can vary. The notch helps guide the fall of the tree, but will not make a tree fall north is it is leaning south!. What I have found easiest is to cut a small notch, with the bottom level, and make it bigger by chopping the top of the notch, occasionally chopping the bottom to release the chips. Once the notch is cut, make your back cut on the opposite side of the tree from the notch. The back cut should be slighty higher than the notch. The back cut should extend into the tree until a hingle of wood remains, roughly an inch thick, between the back cut and the notch. Less of a hinge is needed for a thinner tree, and more of a hinge is needed for a thicker tree. Wood is most easily cut with an axe at an angle to the grain, not directly across it. Axes can and should be kept razor sharp. It is a cutting tool.