12 Best Wood Axes (Review) In 2021

An axe is an incredibly versatile and useful tool, especially if you enjoy camping trips and will always ensure that you have a good supply of camp firewood. It’s also a useful means of cleaning through a forest if there are any obstructions in your path. As energy costs are skyrocketing, lots of people are also opting to go back to the good old days of an old fashioned log fuelled fire, so axes are in fact more popular than ever before. Let’s take a look at some of the key considerations when purchasing that new wood splitting axe.

Features To Look For In Wood Axes

There are plenty of crucial points to consider if you are looking to invest in a new wood chopping axe. Below we’ve listed out some of our suggestions of the critical criteria to consider before you go shopping for a new axe.

Job Type-It’s a good idea first to get real about the types of jobs you’ll be using your new axe for as well as the varieties of wood you will most commonly be working with. If you’re dealing with larger pieces of wood and felling trees, you will need something more substantial whereas if you’re splitting and chopping up smaller sized and softer variants of wood you can go for something more lightweight and smaller in size. Make sure you think about the job types first as this will to a certain extent determine the type of blade and handle that you ultimately go for.

Axe Weight-The weight of the axe and especially its head is directly relative to its overall performance. Heavier heads may well be more effective and deliver higher output, but they will also require more energy and exertion to hold, raise, operate and swing. A lighter axe will be more flexible and allow you to work for more extended periods without fear of fatigue so weigh up what’s most important. Power and weight or efficiency and accuracy.

Handle Length-The longer the handle, the more dynamic and forceful the swing will be but the less control you will have. You ideally need to find that sweet spot that works best for you between force and accuracy. The standard length for example of a felling axe is 36-inches, but unless you are taller in stature, you might find this unwieldy to use. A more appropriate length, ie more likely to be 28-inches deliver the oomph you require but also with the right level of control.

Handle Material-As you will have seen already from this best wood axes review, handles can be made from a variety of different materials including wood and fibreglass as well as plastic and also steel construction. Manufacturers may also additionally seal the handle with a lacquer finish so that aesthetically it looks more appealing and also provides a good, reliable and ergonomic grip. A popular choice is to go for a wooden handle made from hickory or ash as both these materials are long-lasting and also offer excellent quality and durability.

Grip-It’s vital that your axe feels comfortable to operate and hold and that you don’t feel like it will slip out of your hand when in use. Plenty of axes feature shafts that have slip-resistant, textured coatings or which have been ergonomically designed to comfortably and securely fit in your hand. If you are a novice, then it’s definitely a good idea to go for an axe that has a dependant and secure grip.

Solid Piece vs. Multi-Piece-Some people prefer the flexibility to have an axe where the handle and head can be detached to enable easier sharpening of the physical axe head. However, you do run the risk of the head flying off unintentionally if it’s not been adequately secured, so a one piece is safer and also more robust in that respect. The overall function won’t be affected, so it’s really a matter of personal preference.

Ease of Maintenance-It’s a good idea unless you are a big fan of honing, preparing and repairing your tools, to go for something that’s relatively low maintenance and that is designed to stay sharper for longer and require limited on-going maintenance. As a minimum, we recommend that you routinely check that your axe head is tithe screwed to your handle and that you administer a light coating of tool oil regularly to keep your axe head seasoned and free of damaging rust.

Types:

Let’s take a quick look at the different kinds of axe heads commonly in use and what type of work each of them is most appropriate for.

Splitting Axe

These axes, as the name suggests, are purposefully designed with one critical task in mind, to cut wood effortlessly. They generally feature a large and heavy head, forged into a concave shape with a slim edge so that they can cap along the grain of the wood to split it neatly in half. That concavely shaped design means that the axe head doesn’t annoyingly get stuck inside the wood but cleanly and precisely splits the wood instead.

Splitting Maul

A splitting maul is instantly recognizable because of its longer style handle and an axe blade which is sharp on one side and blunt on the other. It’s a mighty axe that can easily cut through more substantial pieces of firewood and generally will weigh between 8 and 12 pounds. They’re heavy and require a good, solid and confident technique to operate efficiently.

Felling Axe

This style of axe is synonymous with lumberjacks and the traditional profession of wood cutting. Felling axes are super sharp and tend to be at least 28 to 36 inches in length with a head weighing up to 4 pounds. They’re relatively heavy but not as cumbersome as a splitting maul and are much more manageable, more effective and quicker to use.

Hatchet (Camp Axe)

A very popular style of axe, a hatchet is a more lightweight and versatile tool, especially popular with campers and fans of the outdoors lifestyle. They feature a sharp edge on one side and a flat edge on the other which can be used as a hammer if necessary. A hatchet is a really versatile and multi-tasking tool that can be used for many situations, making it the perfect survival tool. They’re great to take with you on hunting, hiking and fishing trips.

Wood Axe FAQ

Tips For Splitting Wood With Axe

So you’ve gone ahead and invested in one of our axe recommendations, and you’re about to go away for the weekend on a camping trip, survival style, where you’ll be able to pit your wits and wield your axe, against the local trees in order to create chopped wood for that campsite fire.

Let’s explore then some of the top tips for getting the most out of your new axe when it comes to expertly splitting wood.

• Do a quick visual check of your axe to ensure the head and handle are intact
• Seasoned wood will split easier but green wood won’t need stacking first
• Don’t split wood that has nails in it
• Avoid wood which is particularly knotty or curvy
• Where possible, we recommend you use a chopping block
• Place the wood you are chopping on its end first
• Always swing using a straight-armed action with your feet slightly apart
• Raise the axe about your head and swing it in a straight forward movement
• Don’t rely on your body strength, instead use speed and momentum
• Don’t worry if it takes you several swings to split
• Be patient and repeat the process as many times as necessary

With practice and patience, you will soon go from a wood chopping novice into a seasoned and professional lumber-jacking Pro!

Q: What is the difference between Chopping and Splitting Axe?

A: A chopping axe is characterized by having a lighter head as compared with some of the other models and also will feature a much sharper edge and will deliver an action which cuts against the grain of the wood. A splitting axe on the other hand typically features a duller blade that cuts with the grain and is better suited to prepare kindling and chopping limbs off smaller trees which have already been felled.

Q: How should the Axe be stored?

A: It’s always best to store your axe in a dry place at normal room temperature and humidity. You don’t want the axe to either rust order out and potentially shrink.

Q: How should I sharpen my Axe?

A: The process of sharpening your axe will depend upon the extent to which the axe head itself is physically worn down. Below are some recommendations according to various scenarios and the amount of physical wear and tear.

• If the damage is fairly significant, then it’s best to sharpen your axe with an emery wheel
• For regular wear and tear or minor damage then you should be able to hone using a bench grinder instead.
• You can also sharpen by hand using a vice, an appropriate file and finishing off with a whetstone.
• In all instances, we recommend that you use protective gloves and always safety goggles to protect your eyes.
• You need to ensure that your axe has been cleaned and polished using steel wool before you commence sharpening it.
• Once you are happy with the newly sharpened edge, we recommend you wipe the blade clean and then add a protective coat of machine or a beeswax and oil solution to prevent rust from forming.