Types of Felling Axe

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Every tool has its own identity by name and appearance, but many people cannot distinguish between many tools due to function and appearance resemblance.

People are taking many works from one tool in many countries because they don’t have enough money and knowledge to buy a special tool for a special purpose. This same practice transfers to their children that’s why they don’t know, what’s a name and how to use that tool but people know very well in developing countries especially in agricultural countries

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As you know felling axe is the type of axe that is used worldwide due to its functionality, but people don’t know its type due to unavailability in the local area. Every country is making their best felling axe, according to their public requirements like shape, appearance and handle type but the goal is same to chopping and felling the young trees


Many of the early axes were probably manufactured in the British but after that, they transferred to North America and France. The innovation in axe, hatches, and knives came from both developed countries France and North America.

Different parts of the felling axe were focused by different countries like English country is focused on the flat and straight handle, but America focused on the curved handle. As same as different dissimilarities were found in many axes that are explained below.

North American Axe

This type of axe has been changed slightly in terms of size, shape and weight from the traditional American axe. Traditional American axe has a curved handle with the head that look like double bit axe because poll extended three to four inches beyond the curved handle.

North American Axe dimension

If we see the overall width of the head vary from seven to eight inches. W shape curved was found below the head that fixes on the curved handle. The overall length of this axe is 33 inches that produce efficient force and swing to cut the trees.

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Drawknife shape is used for making the handle sometimes people called it curved shape handle This traditional axe has great power to fell the heavy tree.
This axe took a revolution in American axe by increasing the weight of fell trees for sending timber from America to British.

A chisel hole is made in the low carbon steel for this tool. Different practice is applied like edge cutting, welding, heating and clean to make the efficient head.

Handle making and attachment

Red ELN wood is used for handle making with 8 to 10% of moisture after cutting. After making both the handle and head, annealing is a very important step to making the best axe.
A sharpener is used for sharping the both handle and head to close fit each other. After sharping, the handle is tightly punched in the head hole then the wood is locked with the head

Wood glue is applying for to best annealing. After annealing, the axe should place in the tung oil bath at least for 24 hours to fill every pore remaining in the axe, and the handle is getting protected from the shrinkage of the wood
On the other hand, the New North American typical axe also has a poll extended beyond the curved handle, but it is one to two inches as compared to the traditional axe

Head North American Axe

Overall head width is 8 inches with L shaped curve on the bottom that is fixed with the curved handle. Making this tool is as same as mentioned above but some dissimilarities are found according to their function, shape, and appearance. Mostly it uses for copping and cutting young trees but stuck in hardwood

Double bit felling axe

Double bit felling axe is the evolution of axe history. The first double bit is found in the 18th century. This axe changed the life of forest workers by reducing their effort and time. The axe used by the worker in the forest varies in weight and length having 4 pounds to 5 pounds and 34 to 36 inches.

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Head sharpness and dimension

One edge of the head blade is for felling the tree-like has a sharp end, but another side has blunt end having six to seven inches but now people are reducing to use due to having many other tools.

Uses of Double bit felling axe

In contrast with professional use, people use it for fun. Modification applied in double-bit to use for throwing purpose. Handle and center of gravity are well-positioned to rotate and reach the target in uniform manners.
32 inches for length and 5-pound weight is well enough for throwing an axe on the target and also fulfills every rule that is required during throwing the axe.

Now, many countries have started the game at the national and international level for throwing axe. Mostly double-bit uses after a little bit of modification

English Felling Axe

This axe is like a monster because of its weight, appearance. People consider that only a healthy man can swing it because its weight varies from 7 to 8 pounds. This axe can cut every type of tree.

English Felling Axe dimension and uses

The straight handle is the identity of this axe. Poll extended on the head from the straight handle also find not like traditional. Overall size of the head from 7 to eight inches with the curve on the bottom side blade

French Felling axe

This type of axe is simply different in terms of appearance from the other felling axe. Originally this axe is made in the 17th century, but good thing is that no change has been found for three-century gaps.

French Felling axe dimension and uses

This monster axe is 31 inches long with four pounds of weight. The head section has no poll extended on the straight-handled axe. Most people took this axe during ship traveling but now it is used for cutting heavy and dense wood due to its sharpness and strengthens.

Swedish felling axe

This axe is easy to handle due to its low weight from four to five pounds and length vary from 32 to 34 inches included head section. A very pleasant long grip to swing for cutting the trees. A sharp blade can cut every type of tree.

All felling axes are above 300 dollars but if you want to buy best felling axe under 100$ you can easily buy from amazon

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