help! I need an axe for felling mid size-near 20 inch tree. Which one must i choose!!

[junior]

i need an axe for cutting the trees, with other meaning falling them from ground. there are many kinds of them, wedge type, single side type, double sided type, and many others. can you help me which one must i choose. i think the best one is the double sided and thin profiled types for well balance and deep impact capability. do you know anything about them. there are two kind of double sided and thin profiled types. there are lots of them in english terminology, logging axe, falling axe... i am confused. one type is this http://cgi.ebay.com/Plumb-Puget-Sou...ryZ41182QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem another is http://cgi.ebay.com/1-OLD-FALLING-L...ryZ39729QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem and the other is http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-HSB-Ax-...1QQihZ011QQcategoryZ39729QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem similar but different one http://cgi.ebay.com/FULL-SIZE-MICHI...6QQihZ013QQcategoryZ39729QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem all of them are different and which one is best for falling an alive tree. i think these kinds are not proper for it http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Ax-Spil...3QQihZ016QQcategoryZ39729QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem also an interesting stye is in here with straight knife http://cgi.ebay.com/hatchet-old_W0QQitemZ160074964637QQihZ006QQcategoryZ39729QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem and what does this mean "forest axe", is there any city axe:nono http://cgi.ebay.com/DOUBLE-SIDED-FO...ryZ39729QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem and also here is an interesting strange sheet metal type http://cgi.ebay.com/DOUBLE-EDGED-BO...ryZ39729QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
and here one but i think it is not for felling, sport or anything maybe? http://www.fine-tools.com/G307330.htm

for example according to this site http://www.endtimesreport.com/woodcutting.html the right one in this picture http://www.endtimesreport.com/pictures/double-bit-2.jpg is for falling and the left one is for limbing, but you see above in ebay they introduced as felling axe. on the other hand according to this site http://www.vannattabros.com/saw5.html falling axes are this http://www.vannattabros.com/adospics/axe.jpg (above in ebay link there is one called falling logging axe, and it is very similar, you can see it, the 42 inch handled one, red handle.)
so friends can you help me??? (and you must say about it's handle's length and the ideal weight of head for this job, i see a 42 inch handle, is it ok or long, must be 36 or 42 or much more or less? also tell me the best steel type, vanadium, molbdenum, cast iron, cast steel,etc. Tell me)(if you know about a web site that guys knows better, you can tell me there)

 

[Steve Frazier]

An axe for felling trees??? No one does that anymore!! The only thing I use an axe for is limbing the tree once it is down, it's faster than a chain saw. Get yourself a good quality chain saw, for about $500 US you can get one that will last a lifetime with the proper care.

 

[Countryboy]

You need to get one of these. Its alot easier on the ol' back :yup .

Try this site STIHL.

 

[digger242j]

Junior, I'm starting to wonder about you....

 

[Dozerboy]

If your going to get a saw do it right and get a Husqvarna/Husky.:thumbsup

 

[junior]

you are right, we are using husky for that job. the thing is that my uncle said that the new area with the pine trees(pines, so that you can not use hand saw too because of resin) are in a national park with an animal conservation zone. bears, deers and other animals are there and it is prohibited to make noise there. so nobody want to get the job.
(if you can look in google earth it is 40°56'31.54"N 31°44'31.00"E or you can look whole area http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php/Number/530858 , we will be around there! , the place is absolutely fabulous; http://www.fotokritik.com/fotografl...a_id=&sure=-1&kriter=-1&ara=yedigoller&pgNb=1
http://www.fotokritik.com/fotografl..._marka_id=&sure=-1&kriter=-1&ara=yedig%F6ller you can change the page from below the page 1 2 3 4 5 .... )

on the other hand all of them are not 20 inch, it is the biggest ones, they are between 8 and 20 mostly 10 -12 inches.

i don't know are there any hydraulic or anything else tools for cutting especially portable like chainsaw, do you? (but i don't buy a one if there is, no need to pay lots of money to use in short period, axe is best for it!)

i found this http://cgi.ebay.com/HYDRO-AX-FELLER...0QQihZ008QQcategoryZ61788QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem but it is too much cost:yup , but is a great machine, to cut mid size-nearly big trees like a cheese.(i don't buy this one also but any ideas about this nice machine, we don't see these kinds of machines here, all are stihls and huskies)

At the end, axe is the best way, any ideas about choosing good one, any website to help me!

Junior, I'm starting to wonder about you....

:bouncegri

 

[Wolf]

national park

So you can cut the trees in the national park, as long as you don't disturb the bears?

 

[junior]

I must say that we have permission, we don't make murder, only cutting the trees marked before! that trees must be taken to supply enough rain, air, sunlight between trees and also for soil. on the other hand when you take an old and incapable tree, you can plant 3 young tree in the same area, and in 5 to 8 years all of them can accomplish their own job like the old one. so when we cut them, in 5 years the young trees is capable of three times of the old one like producing o2 , in 15 years this increases 9 times by 3 times each. so we are not murderer, we are helping them. (and also we are not shaving the area, our ratio is 25/1 to 60/1 according to area, but never much.)

according to my researches, i eliminated axes to two category, this is one type; http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120077776804&fromMakeTrack=true
And another is this; http://www.vannattabros.com/adospics/axe.jpg

i need a help for this, each axe says that it is falling axe, but which one is better, i don't know.

 

[wrenchbender]

I think if I was going to cut trees manually it would be with a two man crosscut saw:crying But I would be the one marking the trees while my two new operators broke in the new equipment:thumbsup

 

[junior]

I think if I was going to cut trees manually it would be with a two man crosscut saw

pine resin:Banghead

 

[Dusty]

gum cutter? its a wood workers spray for saws

 

[wrenchbender]

gum cutter? its a wood workers spray for saws

It's like pam for the saw:yup

 

[OzDozer]

Junior - I never knew there were so many varieties of axe! .. the double sided ones are interesting, I've never seen a double-sided axe in Australia. I'd guess they are more suitable for the softwoods of the Northern Hemisphere. We have some of the toughest hardwoods in the world, in Australia, and all I've ever seen is the single sided axe .. and I've made more than a passing acquaintance with axes ..

Regarding tree-cutting, many sites concentrate on the dangers, and correct methods of falling, rather than the axe. I won't go into that here, I hope you understand the dangers and the correct technique of falling trees.

This following guy has a good 'write-up' on axes .. http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/gransfors.html

Here is a 'blade' forum that has an 'Axe, Tomahawk, and Hatchet' forum .. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=669

Don't pick an axe that is too heavy, 2½ to 3 lbs is plenty heavy enough. A heavy axe will make you tired at the end of a long day .. and heavy axes are best for limb trimming. The handle is a critical part of an axe .. the material, and the grain, govern how an axe behaves, and how long the handle lasts.

Hickory is about the only wood to have for a handle .. and it must be straight grain. The head must be aligned with the handle .. many cheap axes have heads that are not aligned with the handle. Ensure you treat the handle with linseed oil regularly, to preserve it, and prolong its life.
A long handle gives you more swing, with greater hitting power .. but needs more room to work. If you are working in cramped quarters, a short handle is best.

Also, the method of head retention in critical. Heads work loose when the wood dries over time, and with use. Wedges are the tried and proven method of retention.
Some companies use a poured synthetic resin for head retention .. this is O.K. until the wood dries .. then the head comes loose, and there is nothing you can do with it.

Re the head material .. cast iron is cheap, but hard .. and chips if you strike something hard. Alloy or stainless steel is best, but lots more expensive. A good head is thin for a sizeable distance back from the edge, to assist with penetration .. but it takes good steel to be able to make a head in that design. Cast, cheap axes, are always thicker in the head, and don't cut as quickly.
Also, great care must be taken with sharpening, because sharpening must not heat the head material, or it will lose it's tempering (provided you bought a good quality axe, that has been tempered!). For this reason, professional axemen use hand oilstones for sharpening .. not powered grinders, that generate a lot of heat quickly.

Care of a good axe is a whole new ball game. Ensure it has a sheath to protect the (sharp!) edge .. and do not let the axe endure extremes of constant wetness, or extreme heat. The handle will suffer from these extremes.
Always examine trees before cutting, to ensure someone hasn't either left something metal in the tree, that the tree has grown around .. or driven nails into it!
I would not be buying a used axe, unless I could personally examine it. They could be in poor shape, and you only find their condition by examination.
Loose heads .. cracks in the head .. chunks out of the edge, twisted or split handle .. wrong type of wood in the handle .. the list goes on ..
Good luck with your purchase .. you seem to know what you want, and you've done your research .. I hope this has been some help .. :thumbsup

 

[junior]

ozdozer, thank you very much, you certainly help me very much, again thank you!:notworthy

 

[RonG]

My dad worked in the woods all his life and did not have much good to say about double bitted (two head) axes.
It goes without saying that us kids worked in the woods too as we got big enough to help.
The double bitted axe will have two bit profiles usually,one for chopping and another for limbing.We had some around but I don't ever remember carrying them in the woods to use.He used to sharpen and repair axes for others in his blacksmith shop and I think that is why I used to see them around.Guess who got to turn the grindstone??)
His arguement against them were that they were dangerous.If you happened to set one in a stump for temporary storage as was common to help keep track of your tools a double bitted axe could be a hazard if you fell on it whereas a pole axe (single bitted) would be much less likely to cut you.
It was not unheard off to lose your grip on an axe handle by striking a deflecting blow and there again a double bitted axe flying out of control poses a greater risk than one with only one head.
We never had chain saws back in those days although we had heard of them,I am not sure that dad would have used one if someone gave it to him.Maybe it would have scared the horses too,who knows?)
We did most of our sawing with a buck saw but also had a crosscut saw if we needed it.You can drive a bucksaw by yourself so that was one good reason to have one,you couldn't depend always on us kids to be much help in the beginning.
To get around the pitch issue you would put more "set" in the saw when it was filed and the should help with the hanging while using it.
I left the farm as soon as I was old enough to get out on my own because I knew that I could not do that for a living.I joined the army,went to heavy equipment school and the rest is history.I see the woods operations now and wish I would stayed with it as it is mostly automated but you can't go back.Ron G

 

[Grader4me]

I just have to throw this in here...Years and I mean years ago we were cutting bushes along the roadside using axes. One of my co -workers had a bit of a temper to say the least. One day while swinging the axe the handle hit him in the groin causing him...well everyone knows how that would feel.
In a fit of temper he grabbed another axe and chopped the handle off of his so that there was only about 4 inches of handle left. There he said... this f##**** handle won't strike me in the n##s again.

Supervisor made him use it the rest of the day:yup