An Axe - Seriously?

htek

Observer
In my relatively short time as a part of this community, I have seen a number of posts and pictures where someone has an axe mounted next to their shovel or hi-lift. To be honest - what for?

I have spent plenty of time in the woods using a chainsaw, bow saw, hatchet, folding saw, or a splitting maul - but never once found myself thinking, "wow, an axe would be really handy". Sure, an axe has it's place - but I just don't think it's a necessary part of the overlander's toolkit. A bowsaw is smaller, lighter, and (I think) more practical when it comes to overland travel. Maybe it's just me, but it seems to be more for the "expedition bling" factor than anything else...

Seriously, what is everyone using there axe for? I carry a bowsaw for clearing trail obstructions and the occasional instance where I might need to collect some wood for a fire. I don't really see why an axe would be a better choice when you factor in the size, weight, and mounting complexity. Maybe you guys are having lumberjack competitions around camp each night??

Am I wrong? Someone enlighten me.

-JM
 
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Corey

OverCamping Specialist
One word, zombies

Seriously, they are a valuable tool.
I use to carry one on the rear of my rig on the rack with a shovel too, and the Hi-Lift on the front bumper.

Axes can be used to cut firewood, clear a downed tree on a path, ect, and take out the occasional zombie.
Although I would rather use my AR15 for that.

And yes, I have an old bow saw too, but I like the axe.
It is also good for splitting kindling from larger pieces of wood.
 

Chili

Explorer
Depending on where I camp I have use for an axe for chopping firewood. Particularly in CO on BLM land. I also bring a chainsaw. I cut rounds from fallen trees and split the wood with an axe. Sure, I could spend much more time and effort collecting small wood and cutting it with a bow saw, but I would rather spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time doing "camp" work.
 

htek

Observer
I'd rather chop my firewood then saw it......

I'd rather split my firewood with a hydraulic splitter and take some with me as opposed to spending my evenings in camp chopping... Obviously, my approach has drawbacks... But a lot of where I travel doesn't have suitable fuel wood laying around, so I find myself almost always taking some wood with me. Maybe I am just strange like that...

-JM
 

lowenbrau

Explorer
I carry a Stihl chain saw to clear trails and cut firewood and a Fiskars axe to split it with and occasionally use the blunt end to bang on bent metal bits.

Bow saws are like bow drills. Every boyscout should try one to prove the concept and then use a chainsaw and gasoline and a zippo to make fires from then on.

I use a short barreled Remington 870 for the zombies.
 

Chili

Explorer
I'd rather split my firewood with a hydraulic splitter and take some with me as opposed to spending my evenings in camp chopping... Obviously, my approach has drawbacks... But a lot of where I travel doesn't have suitable fuel wood laying around, so I find myself almost always taking some wood with me. Maybe I am just strange like that...

-JM

Again, it depends on the circumstances. Going back to my annual CO trip. The BLM asks that you not bring in firewood that isn't local for risk of bugs / disease that could threaten the local forest. When I stay local I bring my own wood. And I can't afford a hydraulic splitter. :eek:
 

htek

Observer
Bow saws are like bow drills. Every boyscout should try one to prove the concept and then use a chainsaw and gasoline and a zippo to make fires from then on.

No question, a chainsaw it the best solution. It's just a rarity that a chainsaw is warranted (for me)... With that said, a quality bowsaw can cut with impressive speed and surprisingly little effort.

I think the intent of my question may be getting lost here... If you are going out for a week-long on a trip, everything is a compromise right? I could fit my roll-away toolbox and floor jack in my truck in case I need to make a repair - but does that mean I should? No, of course not... so I take a smaller toolkit that can get the job done, albeit not as easily.

Maybe it's just me... For various reasons, I simply don't find myself bucking alot a large firewood for a campfire.
 

lowenbrau

Explorer
No question, a chainsaw it the best solution. It's just a rarity that a chainsaw is warranted (for me)... With that said, a quality bowsaw can cut with impressive speed and surprisingly little effort.

I think the intent of my question may be getting lost here... If you are going out for a week-long on a trip, everything is a compromise right? I could fit my roll-away toolbox and floor jack in my truck in case I need to make a repair - but does that mean I should? No, of course not... so I take a smaller toolkit that can get the job done, albeit not as easily.

Maybe it's just me... For various reasons, I simply don't find myself bucking alot a large firewood for a campfire.

Yup. It is all about where you are going. I only bring a 1l bottle of water because there is running water everywhere up here. I bring a chainsaw because mountain nights will drop below freezing 11 months of the year and the warm month will blow down huge swaths of trees across the trails. I don't bring a chainsaw when I go to Pismo beach.
 

WJinTRSC

Adventurer
Simple. An ax is light, small, easy to pack/stow, uses no fuel, spills no fuel, has no moving parts to break/replace/maintain, and can live in a vehicle full time. Any newb can go out and buy a decent ax for wheeling and be able to clear fairly good sized downed trees over trails. I've had one in my trucks since my first wheeling adventures began. Used them countless times and with a good one, it's really not that much slower than a chainsaw if you actually know how to use it properly; cutting a V-shaped notch into the tree and working your way around the tree.


Just go get yourself a good Fiskars/Gerber Brand.

Indestructible, ridiculously sharp, and super light weight. Sears carries them as well as many other stores and you can find them in every variation/size imaginable. I have three; my first one, one for backpacking, and the big one that lives in the Jeep.
 

BigAl

Expedition Leader
OK, I'm sold... who can recommend a quality axe :sombrero:

For zombies you don't mess around, P U L A S K I
Think double tap, split and scoop
UNQ_760-30362.jpg
 

PirateMcGee

Expedition Leader
In my area an axe and shovel and 5 gallons of water are required to be in/on your vehicle during fire season when traveling off pavement
 

keezer37

Explorer
Pretty fun thread, zombiewise.

You bring up a good point. Though I never thought about carrying an axe in my truck, I never gave it much thought seeing them on others.
I help my brother cut wood every year as he burns wood almost exclusively in the winter. We never, and would never consider bringing an axe. My goodness, when I think about the energy we expend cutting with a chainsaw, cutting and humping wood. An axe! No way.
Folding saw & bow saw. If the wood be mightier than the saw, seek other wood for fire. I'm sure it depends on where you're at but I've always just collected fallen dead wood for fires.

Perhaps one day a huge fallen oak will be lying across my path and zombies will coming up behind me. If so, I'll be wishing I had a chainsaw and Deep Woods Zombie Cream, not an axe.
 

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