Axes, Hatchets, and Saws

Reviews - Axes, Hatchets, and Saws

Having always had fascination with axes, hatches and tomahawks, I was overjoyed when given the opportunity to work with SOG’s latest tactical masterpiece, the F18-N, or it’s more common name, the Voodoo Hawk.

Read more: SOG Voodoo Hawk!

Reviews - Axes, Hatchets, and Saws

There is a saying attributed to Zen Buddhism that goes “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water”. For those of us who enjoy the solitude of the out of doors, we understand the meaning of this in our bones. The still of the woods and the physical and emotional fulfillment of the simple chores allow your mind to open and relax.

Read more: Fiskars X17 Splitting Axe

Reviews - Axes, Hatchets, and Saws

The last time I acquired a Fiskars full size ax was in a trade several years ago (for $5 and a hat!) and I have not regretted it since. As well used as that ax was, when I gave it a little TLC on the edge it was chopping better than any I had ever seen. I have used that ax to split quite a bit of wood in the intervening five years and it’s still going strong. Good trade.

Read more: Fiskars X7 Hatchet Review

Reviews - Axes, Hatchets, and Saws

I have had a fun time over the last few months working with the Condor Woodworker Axe, both out in the woods and in my own backyard processing firewood and getting ready for the winter ahead. As most people who know me will tell you, I am a big fan of axes and hatchets and never head out too far into the wild without one of my hatchets with me.

Read more: Condor Woodworker Axe

Reviews - Axes, Hatchets, and Saws

Like many war veterans, my father didn’t really like to talk about his experiences to his family, trivializing his involvement any time it came up. I was well into college when I realize that Guadalcanal was something more than just a name spoken in the same fashion as ‘toaster oven’. So the times when I could hear a story or two were rare. The specific story that came into my mind when I first laid eyes on the Cold Steel Spike Hawk tomahawk was stolen when I was a child, by hiding myself in the shadows at the top of our stairs when my uncles were over for a late night visit.

Read more: Cold Steel Spike Hawk Review

Reviews - Axes, Hatchets, and Saws

Just about any outdoorsman worth their salt has a knife of some sort on them when they hit the woods, and that’s probably the primary tool that most of us use on a day in and day out basis. Depending on the size and type of knife you carry you can often make it “work up” and pinch hit for bigger tools when it comes to fire prep and shelter building. Sometimes though, you just need a little more oomph for chopping wood, but that extra chopping power comes at the cost of size and weight of the tool.

Read more: The Pathfinder Scout Tomahawk

Reviews - Axes, Hatchets, and Saws

With summer well behind us, the color of the changing leaves brings one thing to the forefront of my mind – firewood. Growing up in a rural setting as I did, I was taught at a very early age to help my father cut, split and stack firewood. Along with lessons on how to sharpen the chain saw, and how to make a free standing wood pile not fall over at the first strong wind, was care and maintenance of the most important piece of equipment, the axe. So I was very excited to head into the Western PA forest to try out the CAS Hanwei Danish Axe.

Read more: CAS Hanwei Danish Axe

Reviews - Axes, Hatchets, and Saws

I was recently given the chance the review the new Gerber Gator Two-Fold saw, and I jumped at the chance.  One of the pieces of gear I’ve never really had enough time and money to really test are the various mid sized folding saws that are available. 

Read more: Gerber Gator Two-Fold Saw

Reviews - Axes, Hatchets, and Saws

An axe is probably one of the most basic, yet most useful, tools that a person can have along in the outdoors. Whether it's for gathering firewood, building a shelter, or clearing downed trees off of back roads, it's one of those tools that when you need it, you really need it!  Finding a size that will let you do serious work while not weighing you down too much on the trail, or taking up too much room in the truck cab, is always a lesson in compromises.

Read more: The Trail Boss: Cold Steel's Bush Axe for the Masses

Reviews - Axes, Hatchets, and Saws

Yes, I did it just for you.  I went out and braved the elements this weekend just to provide you with some helpful information for the next time you're out in the woods.  It was a harsh 65 degree day today with a strong breeze whipping the autumn leaves about the landscape, but I didn't let it keep me from doing my job.  I pressed onward and I hope you appreciate the sacrifice that I made.  Recently, I received a couple of items from Marc Kochan of EDC Depot, and he wanted me to give them a try and report my findings back to the Woods Monkey crowd.  I was more than happy to oblige, and I started off with the Pocket Chainsaw that they have on their site along with a bunch of other great gear.  For those of you that spend a lot of time in the woods and like to have the right gear on hand for things like cutting and chopping wood, this item is right up your alley.  It's a high quality cutting tool that you can use for just clearing limbs from your favorite stand or it can just be part of your emergency kit for those times when you need to improve while out in the great outdoors!  But, before we get to the Pocket Chainsaw, I'd like to bring up a little information about Marc and about EDC Depot.

Read more: EDC Depot's Pocket Chainsaw