BASIC AXEMANSHIP
(Page 3 of 4)
January/February 1971
By Mark Gregory
The way not to handle an axe (and often tried by beginners) starts with the axesman picking the tool straight up in front with one hand on the end and the other in the middle of the handle. Folks trying this method usually slide the middle hand back to the end of the handle at this point as they lift the axe straight above their heads. With a mighty heave, they then "force" the axe down, nearly always missing the mark and wearing themselves out with the first blow.
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Using a natural swing, the axe does most of the work. You provide only a bit of help at the start and, with some practice, even an out-of-shape beginner will be surprised at how long he can "work" at this without getting tired. The trick is to establish a rhythm that suits you and that you can keep going until you finish the job.
One summer I worked as a laborer pouring concrete street gutters. This requires miles and miles of forms and thousands of stakes to hold those forms in place. The mallet swing of the stake drivers is exactly like the motion I'm describing here for axe work. With this easy approach, the 68 year old, 120-plus pound man I worked with could drive stakes all day just as fast as I could position and hold them. He never missed (believe me, I know) and you could count cadence to the blows of his mallet. Although this idea applies most directly to chopping rather than splitting or lopping off limbs, the principle carries through and you'll find yourself using much the same rhythm for these jobs.
When felling trees, first make sure that everyone else is out of the area. Then determine the direction in which the tree leans (and they all lean a little). It will be easiest—but it's not necessary—to fell the tree in the direction in which it leans. Once you've decided the way you want the tree to fall, make a cut on that side of the trunk.
Make this cut somewhat more than half way through the tree. Then start another cut on the opposite side of the trunk and a little above the first cut. Keep chopping until you hear a crack . . . then lay down your axe and run as fast and as far as possible. That may be a slight overstatement . . . but never, never stand behind a falling tree. The butt can kick back and kill you faster than you can possibly move out of danger.
With the tree down, you c an begin trimming off limbs. Start at the base and cut toward the top. On larger trees, always determine beforehand if the tree will roll or fall toward you when a limb starts to break. Many log gers have been killed or maimed this way.
Once the branches are removed, you're ready to cut them and the main trunk into desired lengths. If the tree is extremely large and you've had a bit of axe practice, stand on top of the trunk—with feet spread wide and firmly planted—and chop on the side of the log between your feet. For smaller trees use the same principle and, standing on one side of the trunk, reach over to chop into the opposite side.
