Reddit reviews The Ax Book: The Lore and Science of the Woodcutter
We found 6 Reddit comments about The Ax Book: The Lore and Science of the Woodcutter. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
31 chapters in allHundreds of illustrationsCook8-1/2" x 11"134 pp.
Terrible advice, that. On both accounts.
If you plan on simply sticking the ax head in a fire to burn the remainder of the previous handle out, you're in serious danger of losing the temper on the head and subsequently ruining the edge when you attempt to use the ax after re-handling. Much better to drill a majority of the wedge wood out, and then pound the old handle wood out with a drift (a dull fullering chisel will work in a pinch) and a hammer.
It's also not entirely "straight foreward" either, an ax needs to be hung properly to really make it an effective and lasting tool. I would suggest a fair amount of study first. A shoddily put-on head is both incredibly dangerous and a real pain to work around.
Here's the section on re-handling in an ax in a manual from the FHWA archives, it's a pretty good explanation from what I can glean. If you'd like a little more in-depth publication, i'd suggest The Ax Book by Dudley Cook.
I'm not Nick but I've re hung a whole lot of axes.
OP Link/Seymour does a nice job on replacement handles. Typically from hickory. I prefer them waxed to lacquered and buy a few at a time so that I can pick the one with the clearest, straightest grain.
Bernie Weisgerber here gives a nice primer. For further reading, The Ax Book by D. Cook is an excellent resource and a great read.
A worthy endeavor, but in the interim, do have any good links to videos or literature that show axmanship, technique, and safety? Personally, I can't recommended The Axe Book by Dudley Cook
That or any literature or videos from the USFS
The Ax Book
Includes some mad safety tips, yo.
It kinda sounds like he has a lot of stuff and that you don't necessarily know every tiny thing he has / uses / lurves, which is understandable, because people who really think on their EDC-type stuff often buy and trade a lot of crap. I'd almost suggest trying to get out of the EDC-items box and getting him The Axe Book or Back to Basics, both of which cover skills around outdoorsy things. AB will cover how to cut down all kinds of trees with an axe; BTB covers all kinds of homesteading, food growing, basic skills required for such. Both have lots of neat illustrations and seem to come from pretty competent writers. The Axe Book has made me want to get a decent axe, which obviously isn't an EDC item, but it's a nice to have one. If you get something like that, just keep in mind, axes aren't made out of stainless steel, so he'll want some mineral oil / gun-lube type oil to keep rust away.
Otherwise there's always Celox and an Israeli combat bandage for the 'super bad emergency contingency' part of one's EDC. I like to have something like that in my day bag or in my car, just in case.
A brief overview:
First, read the sidebar. It's right over there to your right. Go ahead. We can wait. After you do that, this is a brief history of the Kelly Axe Company. I myself recently found an old Kelly Perfect axe in my late grandfather's shed. There is a really good video called "An Axe To Grind," produced by the US Forest Service that details hanging and sharpening an axe. There is also a really good book that's worth picking up. Also, you can check out Wranglerstar on YouTube. He does lots of tool restoration. I do warn you, though, he's a deeply religious guy, and not afraid to tell you about it. That kind of thing can get under people's skin. As for a handle, I'd recommend making one yourself. The first one will be a PITA and will probably wind up getting changed for your second one, but the feeling of empowerment you get from that experience will change your worldview.
To your questions specifically: