Hunting ax for centuries remained the same companion of man. With the development of tourism, special tourist or hiking axes appeared, but the task of this tool remained the same.
A hiking ax will be needed for various purposes in any foray into nature, even if you do not plan to build a hut or a ship on the lake in the forest. Even if someone prudently grabbed a saw into the wood, you still can't do without an ax. We list for what purposes you may need an ax:
- Extrude stakes to set up the tent. Even a small tourist hatchet can handle it. Severe hunters can make pegs with their hunting knife, but for a tourist this procedure can become very traumatic;
- To drive just made pegs. Here the hunting cleaver is unlikely to help, although it is not a problem for a peg to score a peg;
- For chopping branches tourist ax is perfect;
- Cut down different poles;
- Arrange a hut or chop fir pads for bed;
- A hunting ax can easily chop the carcass of an animal (a small tourist ax can hardly cope with this task).
Indeed, the ax is not only a multifunctional tool, but also a very effective weapon. There is a known case of the Second World War, when one soldier of the Red Army dispersed a detachment of 50 Germans, and he killed about half using an ordinary ax. In the days of ancient Russia, the ax was the only weapon and tool of the peasant, with whom he did not part. With an ax he could cut down a hut, protect his family, and go to the robbers.
Hunter or tourist, which one is better?
There are often disputes, which ax is better to take to the forest: hunting or tourist? Many do not know that there is no clear division of axes into such categories. An ax that can be used to build a hunting shed or a backfill is not suitable for skinning. If it is sharpened to razor sharpness, to cut logs with it means to immediately spoil the sharpening. If you focus on the functionality, the ax for the hunter should cut the carcass and cut the meat, and the ax of the tourist should be ideally suited for cutting wood. It should be noted that an experienced hunter or tourist ax is always perfectly sharpened and differs only in the choice of the angle of sharpening.
If the hunter plans to carve the carcasses and remove the skins on each hunt with an ax, then you need to sharpen it until the razor is sharp, and the blade must be wide. If you like to go camping for a week without taking a tent with you, then you will need a massive ax with a long handle and quite heavy.
For an average tourist or a hunter, you need a universal ax, weighing 600-800 grams, with an ax about 70-80 centimeters. The less time you plan to spend on a hike, the easier and shorter an ax can be.
Types of axes
The main part of the ax is its blade. It should be made of high quality steel, which must be properly hardened. If the quenching technology is not observed, the blade will be either brittle or soft. This ax does not work much.
When choosing an ax, you need to pay close attention to the quality of steel. This is especially true when buying a Chinese or domestic ax. In the case of a Chinese product, you should not count on high-quality steel at all, and when buying a domestic ax you should choose among several copies. Check ax blades for sound. You need to click the nail on the blade, and listen to the sound. If it is ringing and ringing, then the ax can be taken. With a quiet and deaf sound, you need to immediately put such an ax aside.
The weight of the ax must be chosen individually. For small works, the weight may not exceed 800 grams. Carpentry axes weigh up to 1500 grams. Specific - up to 3500 grams.
Axes are:
- Hiking or touring;
- Hunting;
- Carpentry;
- Construction;
- Cleavers;
- Butcher.
This hunting ax is light, with a notch in the cutting part. Its weight does not exceed 800 grams, since the equipment of the hunter should not be heavy. The blade of this ax should easily chop the meat and chop the carcass. In general, the hunting ax is very similar to the Russian battle ax of 11-13 centuries.
The tourist ax has a shorter most often rubber grip and can be all-metal.
The ax handle can be made of wood or of impact-resistant plastic. The plastic handle does not crack, but it costs much more. If such a handle breaks down in the forest, it will not be possible to replace the handle on the spot. Wooden handles do not have this drawback, and with the help of a knife you can easily cut a new ax handle (naturally, upon arrival home you will need to replace it with a dried tree).
Ax sharpening
The most important condition for the quality of the ax is the correct sharpening. Many "experts" recommend sharpening an ax at an angle of 20 degrees, achieving razor sharpness. This is a completely wrong approach! The blade, hitting a strong knot, can get a hole, and if you accidentally hit a nail, then the blade will definitely be damaged. There are no knives or axes capable of shaving the hair on the forearm while cutting the nails. A chisel cuts metal not because of high-quality steel, but because of a large sharpening angle.
Ideally, the sharpening ax should be oval. An ax, sharpened in this way, will remain sharp for a long time. They can chop wood and meat. Usually, the ax grind on an electric sharpener, but in field conditions a rough grinder will work.
The best hilt for the tourist ax
The ideal handle for the ax is made of birch. The tree should be dried (preferably the lower part of the trunk). Birch handle is light and durable. With proper operation will last at least five years.
The shape of the handle should be straight, at the end of the desired bending or thickening, for better fixation of the ax in his hand. Many choose beautiful lacquered hatchets, which is highly undesirable. Such a handle will easily slip out of your hands and fly in an unknown direction.
The length of the handle should be at least 70 centimeters. Most tourist hatchets are equipped with short hatchets, which makes them unsuitable for use in the forest.
The ax is mounted on the ax handle as follows. For starters, it is desirable to strengthen the ax handle at the bottom. Many USSR axes had a beard that adjoined an ax handle. You can put an iron plate between the ax and the handle, covering it with skin afterwards.
How to put an ax on the ax
There are many secrets associated with the attachment of axes on the ax. Many people wedge an ax with an iron wedge, and then they wonder why the ax begins to shake. The wedge must be solid wood.
In order to avoid deformation of the toporishcha associated with a change in humidity, the ax should be placed on a perfectly dried ax handle. Having bought it in the store, it is better to throw it into the heating radiator for the whole winter, and plant it in the spring.
For a tighter “ax-grip” ligament, the place where the ax will be implanted should be smeared with epoxy and wound a piece of skin there (some use a gauze winding in several layers impregnated with epoxy instead of leather). Before driving in a wedge, it must also be thoroughly lubricated with epoxy.
The most reliable is wedging an ax using three or five wedges. In the case of the use of three wedges, one of them is driven in along the center, for the entire width, and the other two are above and below it. Before driving in wedges, it is better to lubricate with epoxy.
The method of using five wedges is of two types:
- In the first case, one longitudinal section is made for the entire length and two transverse, at an equal distance from each other. This method will allow you to ideally fix the ax on the ax, the main thing is not to forget about epoxy resin;
- Very rarely, there is a mounting option for five wedges, when two vertical wedges are made and three small horizontal wedges between them. In this case, two large wedge turned at an angle of 90 degrees to the ax handle.
The best way is the option with five wedges. There is another little secret. After the wedges are in place, you can shed the epoxy on the top of the ax. It will fill all voids and give solidity to the compound.
The best manufacturers of tourist axes
The best serial axes, well-proven in the work, produced by the company "Fiskars". Its axes are quite expensive, but their lineup is wide enough and everyone can choose a suitable ax by weight.
Good axes makes the company "MORA". True variety of models, this manufacturer is no different.
Nowadays, the industry produces many different types of axes. You can choose a good copy at specialized exhibitions, you can also order a handmade ax from blacksmiths. Choose an ax in accordance with your tasks, and he will not let you down in any situation.
