I am searching for a good bushcraft/ camping axe. Most of my camping is with our tiny trailer but we enjoy cooking over a fire as well as the ambiance. Mostly the axe would be used for splitting purchased fire wood to more useful sizes, down to kindling size.

My current axe is a boy's axe (Collins) purchased at my local Ace Hardware store. 3.6 lb total weight, 28" long. It seems to do what I need but I am trying to learn more about bushcraft skills and might want to purchase a more high end axe.

My searching on this forum and the web has not found the info I am looking for. Does anyone know of any texts on what design features should be in a bushcraft/ camping axe? As well as how to use the axe effectively?

The next question I suppose is suggested / recommended brands. I would like to buy an American made axe but probably not custom made. Budget, about $150 max but negotiable depending on what is recommended.

Any assistance is most appreciated.

Council, Eastwing and Vaughn (some, not all) are the only production companies I am aware of that still make axes in the U.S.

Thanks Doug.

Estwing fan here. I have used one of their hatchets for many years for camping chores; I believe their larger models are well regarded.

For larger jobs, I really like to use a Pulaski - a great chopper and hewer and also excels at grubbing in the dirt. Absolutely indispensable fighting wildfires.

It's a big topic. Axes designed for felling trees have a very thin profile compared to axes designed for splitting wood. Marrying both is a voodoo art. I find that thin profile axes like Estwings are lousy splitters if your wood has knots or is not perfectly cured; but you can do a lot of camp/hunting stuff with them that a fat axe cannot.

A different approach to consider: a lot of old axes had very high quality steel compared to the big box store junk you see now. The owners paid top dollar for steel that was intended to work every day and get things done. The steel is of better quality and temper than many blades around now. The best axes/hatchets I own have been plucked out of thrift shops, estate sales, swap meets and junk piles for prices ranging from $10 to free.

When it comes to survival equipment, there is a heated debate around the very real risk of injury (esp. when tired, dehydrated, stressed) vs. the obvious all-around utility of an axe. I've had enough close calls to believe this is a real concern.

P.S., I love pulaskis as well, for their endless all-around usefulness. The Leatherman of axes!

The hardware store boys axe that I have been using is almost rectangular in shape. I seem to have read that is called a Dayton pattern.

While many bushcraft type axes flare out so the cutting edge is wider than the eye (hole for the handle).

What are the advantages for the two patterns?

What shape is preferred for a light weight medium/small camping axe?

I doubt that there is a real, significant difference. Sharp axes work better than dull ones, regardless of the shape of the head.

Here's a good publication an axes by the US Forest Service:

"An Ax to Grind: A Practical Ax Manual"

https://www.fs.fed.us/t-d//pubs/pdfpubs/pdf99232823/pdf99232823Pdpi300.pdf

Thanks for that link haertig. I am not finished reading it yet but so far it is very i formative.

Great link! And it's deeply gratifying when an expert author agrees with me, haha!

"Most axes with broken handles are thrown out
or relegated to a dusty corner of the garage and
replaced with a new ax from the local discount
store. Often the ax heads thrown into the
corner are of much higher quality (better steel,
craftsmanship, temper) than most generic axes
sold by mass marketers today."

This reminds me of an incident when I was working. At the park where I was assigned, several pulaskis with broken handles had been discarded in the trash. This made sense in a way because the labor costs to rehaft the heads was more expensive than simply ordering new ones from Gov't supply. But I lusted for a pulaski, unavailable from commercial sources at the time, so I retrieved one and fixed it up on my own time. Mission accomplished.....

Excellent!

The Boy's Axe that I bought from Ace Hardware about 5 years ago is marked "Collins Axe", and "Made in Mexico".

I know little about axes. Collins was once a major manufacturer of axes I believe. Though I thought I read that it closed. Were Collins axes high quality? Is there any reason to believe mine is good quality steel? It seems to hold an edge ok but I have not used axes much.

I found my father's Plum axe recently. It must be 60 or 70 years old. The head looks nicely forged. But the grain in the handle is at least 45° off.

Council boys axe or their velvet cut , Made in USA . Plumb was a good company in the day should be good one
As a side note on safety once when I was with SAR supporting the Pikes Peak Marathon one of the volunteers chopped off his thumb tip about a 1/4 inch with a hatchet that was being used to chop up power bars, elevation and direct pressure did not work had to evacuate to hospital.

Here is a brief history of the Collins Co. Other References are shown if you google "Collins Axe." https://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2010/12/brief-history-of-collins-axe-company.html

I purchased Collins machete about 1990 in Oaxaca, Mexico. Cuts OK but fairly indifferent steel.

Something to think about is the type of sheath. I have some nice axes in leather sheaths. I usually stored them away from the sheaths, but I moved to a new home in 2019, got caught up in some post move construction, and months later, by the time I unpacked the axes several of them had rusted from the leather contact.

They were stored in our house basement which definitely not humid (our sump pump has never run in the 7 years since we had it built, as predicted by the soil expert associated with our septic system build).

I'd much prefer a kydex (or plastic) sheath, but for some reason those are not very common.

What a superb reference! I appreciate the historical perspective and the cutting edge research!! Thanks!

This puzzles me. I have Estwing hatchets which spend nearly all of their days in leather sheaths. They are years old, at least twenty or so - no rust.

i also have a Buck 105, purchased in 1972, also kept sheathed in leather, (it is on its second sheath, as a matter of fact) no rust or corrosion.

Over here in the Europe the Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe kind of became ubiquitous with bushcrafters. Mainly due to Ray Mear's TV shows.

Always thought it was little small sized. But then spent several autumn/winters doing actual coppicing and felling of trees, not really what it was made for, and because my tool of choice for green wood is a Yorkshire billhook which is longer and heavier.

Favourite axe was a 3.5lb Sandvik with an ash handle, from back in the day when Sandvik made hand tools.

Same here. My Estwing axe had no rust issue, but all of my Snow & Nealley axes started to rust. I assume it's a difference in steel.

I used WD40 and very fine sandpaper to remove the rust (didn't have Scotchbrite pads). Still a few dark spots, but happy it wasn't worse.

For recent onset surface rust on things (I don't have an ax to be specific about that tool), I have found that those Bounce Dryer Sheets (antistatic things) are good for cleaning it off. They don't rip, and have enough toughness to the fibers to make very good super-mild abrasive wipes. We use discarded dryer sheets to clean many things - bathroom sinks, tubs, mud/dirt on shoes, the stovetop, etc. They are some of the best cleaning rags around - and they're free if you would have instead discarded them after using them in your dryer. They are not absorbent, but they are good scrubbers that you can follow up with a paper towel if needed.

They're also handy if you have longer hair and live in a cooler/dryer climate to get the static out of your hair (I use a fresh, clean one for that task however!)

If you reload ammo, a dryer sheet is a great addition to your brass tumbler to clean things out. I made the mistake once of ordering tumbling media that had some red rouge mixed in with it. That turned out to be a royal mess. Dryer sheet to the rescue for cleanup!

Thanks very good info

Well, I ordered a Council Wood-Craft Axe, 24" haft. Will see how it works out!

The Council Wood-Craft Axe arrived yesterday. It looks very well made.

Is there anything that I should do before using it?

Coat the head with anything?

Coat the haft with anything?

The sticker on the haft "WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm" is curious and sort of humorous.

I’m a fan of a wipe down with a Tuf-Cloth) for steel tools in general. And I found this article that seems pretty sound: http://hultsbruk1697.se/blog/2018/05/02/axe-maintenance-care/ .

Craig, it's a tool that is meant to be used. Don't abuse it, but don't turn it into a shelf queen either. Looking forward to your report!

That sounds like the infamous Prop 65 California warning. It is on just about everything in this state and it is now so universal that it is essentially meaningless.....

Yep, I get prop 65 on absolutely everything. And I'm a long way from Long Beach.

Fear not doug. I am a user, not a collector! I take care of my tools but do use them appropriately without hesitation.

I just do not want to find out in the future that I did not maintain it properly.

How about the leather cover?

Hi,
wax your leather? https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/corrosion-from-leather-sheath.957283/#post-10885249



Here is a gateway thread rabbit hole
Why I Hate the Husqvarna 13" Hatchet-- Review

https://www.youtube.com/c/SkillCult/search?query=hatchet
...
Commonly Axed Questions: BEST FIRST AXE? Start With This.
HUSQVARNA FOREST AXE: Grinding the Bit To Chop Well, & Why Most Axes Don't
Expensive Axe Buyer's Guide: (SPOILER ALERT, Don't Buy One)
Failure By Design, Axe Handle Design Mistakes and Improvements, *Spread the Stress*
Axe Myth, Grip and Control, Thin v.s. Thick, Tradition v.s. Modern
This Axe Grind Dummy Rule is Kinda Dumb
COMMONLY AXED QUESTIONS: Straight vs Curved Axe Handles, Oh, the Controversy!
AXE BUYERS CHECKLIST, #1: Damage and Wear
...
https://www.youtube.com/c/SkillCult/search?query=safety
How You Will Cut Yourself Splitting Kindling, & How Not To, Hatchet Safety
Best Axe Use and Safety Videos

well into camping season, if only the beginning of summer... how's that axe working for you?

I have several Collins company hatchets, and for splitting - combined with a rubber head mallet you can't beat it for splitting. When you need to make kindling, lay your wood on its side and split longitudinally.

A good hatchet, a folding buck saw and a sharp fixed blade knife is all you need. ...Oh, and a lighter.