BASIC AXEMANSHIP
(Page 2 of 4)
January/February 1971
By Mark Gregory
I hone one blade edge of my favorite axe razor sharp and, with it, I can slice off a two-inch limb with one blow. The opposite edge of the blade is never sharpened quite so drastically and is used for everything from splitting to cutting roots.
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Sharpening an axe blade is no mystery but does take a bit of patience and time. Merely file the nicks out of the blade (keeping the existing bevel), then hone with a round axe hone.
And there's the catch: It takes a lot of elbow grease to put a sharp edge on a blade and most beginning axesmen just won't take the time. A seasoned woodsman, however, knows that a really sharp edge makes a safer axe: It's the dull blades that glance (rather than bite in) and make the bad gashes on legs and feet.
While you're putting an edge on your axe, check the head and see if it's loose. If it is, drive a wooden or metal wedge into the head end of the handle.
Hang your axe up in the cabin when you're not using it. Never leave it leaning against a wall or sticking in a live tree. An axe can be an extremely dangerous hazard either way and, in the second case, the tree will be permanently scarred and-possibly-killed.
An axe left sticking in a block of wood may be picturesque but is also very dangerous. This is hard on the blade, too, as it draws moisture from the green wood and can be come rusted and pitted. The best idea (for both the blade and innocent bystanders) is a sheath that is kept on the blade at all times the axe is not in use. Such a sheath should be kept well oiled with a good grade of gun oil.
Although an axe can be used (and is, often, by farmers) to chop holes in ice, the blade should always be warmed first near a fire or by blowing on it. A cold blade is extremely brittle and can break quite easily.
Before you do any work with an axe, make sure the area around you—the ground, overhead, left, right, front and back—is completely clear of brush, branches and debris. The smallest limb can catch the blade and jerk you off balance and the tiniest twig under your feet may roll, cause you to fall and badly injure yourself.
Plant your feet firmly in a comfortable, wide stance and look directly at the place you plan to hit with the blade. Hunting archers have a trick of concentrating on the smallest spot they can see, rather than the overall target. If you do the same you'll come closer to hitting the mark.
Grasp the axe handle about two inches from the end with both hands close together. Position the blade on the spot in front of you and—with a smooth swing—pull the axe back, letting it swing up and past you on one side. You'll have to swing the axe up to keep it going but when it reaches the top of its arc it will start to fall of its own accord. All you have to do then is guide it for an easy, effortless cut.
