The Axe

I have, in the past, overlooked the importance of an axe/hatchet/tomahawk as an essential piece of gear for the woods. I carried the Bark River Mini Axe (seen here with the Mini Canadian) for quite some time. I suddenly realize that it's great for what it is but not ideally suited for the kind of hard use a tool could see in the woods.

This past week saw my Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet put to use several times and, frankly, I'd be lost without it. Several other axes were present and even a tomahawk. Interestingly there were three or four Gransfors axes and hatchets, one Wetterling, and the Hays Knives Montana Hunter tomahawk.

I used the poll to hammer stakes to lock down a pole bed, cut down several saplings, harvested plenty of dead wood for firewood, and even did a bit of carving. I split down some seasoned hardwood to build a fire for firing pottery. I even used the underside of the bit as a hook to drag a dead poplar back to the tipi.

Don't get me wrong, the ML Knives Kephart was an absolute champ. (I'll write more about it later.) The axe/hatchet is something that I'll now take much more seriously and look to improve my collection of Gransfors Bruks axes with the addition of a Carpenter's Axe in the near future.

Thanks for reading,


B