I mostly use mine to clear buck-brush. Thin diameter green springy brush that will grow anywhere not cultivated here. Like wild blackberries and hedge-rose mixed in with spindly sapling-like brush that gets 8 ft tall. And for cleaning up branches that fall/trimmed/became my problem (Thanks illegal dumpers, ya'll just make my day! ) This ranges from hedge, walnut, cedar, maple, elm, catalpa, and so on. So hardwoods to softwoods. 1" to 6" pretty much if its bigger around than about a softball i get an axe.
apparently axe is supposed to be capitalized. Spell-check says so! lol

Thanks for all the information.