Draper 1.25lb Hand Axe with Steel Shaft

[jansman]

I got this Draper 1.25lb Hand Axe with Steel Shaft and to be honest at the moment seems like good quality for money. Don't get me wrong - If I had to chop wood everyday I'd go for better quality, bigger stuff, but buying just in case if I need it once half a year in my garden - in this situation there was no point to pay too much.
The rubber on shaft seems to be holding well.

I have one of these.I have owned it now for 15 years I guess.it gets used for cutting kindling and splitting small logs ( I hit the log and then hit the axe head with a lump hammer) the shaft is now a little bent and battered,but it refuses to give up!

I bought a replacement two years ago and it remains unused.In my real time experience I would say you made a good purchase.

[JDandCoke]

Thanks Jansman

I tried to chop small pieces of wood today and it cuts really well for a small axe. I bet it would be good to chop wood for fire etc.

[ForgeCorvus]

Thanks Jansman

I tried to chop small pieces of wood today and it cuts really well for a small axe. I bet it would be good to chop wood for fire etc.

Thats what its ideal for, its not a carving axe or a felling axe and its definitely not a splitting maul.
And as I said before you can neglect it or abuse it and it'll still work as well as ever.

So, important questions..... Hows the edge and are you OK with sharpening it?

[JDandCoke]

So, important questions..... Hows the edge and are you OK with sharpening it?

Haven't tried to sharpen it as it came sharp already

[jansman]

Granted,the big stuff I use a proper Maul ( and lump hammer) ,but that little draper hatchet does the biz! As for sharpening it,I just pass it over the bench grinder. Brutal but swiftly effective.

[ChefSimon]

Ok 4 pages of decent reading, plus a couple of chuckles, now for another question.

I'm wanting to add an axe to my kit (bushcraft) for when I'm out in the woods. I've a budget of around £50 & my points of interest in it are:
*short handle (12/14 inch)
*Good weight to use ratio (doesn't weigh a ton but has 'some meat on the bones')
*Rugged (not one of these fancy artistic things you see that are more suited to the zombie apocalypse than wood work)

Before we get into the whole knife/Machette conversation again, I've knives already which I do use but want something a bit more grunty for the initial chopping.
Current knives:
*British Army Bayonet with fully loaded frog.
*Gerber LMF2 (my go to blade)

The budget is just a guide, nothing's set in stone. I just want to strike the balance of weight/usability/practicality etc not just go for one as it's the cheapest or most expensive.

Cheers folks.

[sethorly]

2 highly rated bushcraft axes as at end of 2016: (disclaimer, I haven't (yet!) used either of them)

Hultafors Classic Hunting Axe http://www.mytoolshed.co.uk/p1014844/Hu ... GwodanAOOw

Gransfors Small Forest Axe http://greenwood-direct.co.uk/index.php ... 0wodUnMNHA

They are both affordable and you can fit them in a typical 35 litre pack to keep them out of the elements, or they could ride on a belt loop etc.

[JDandCoke]

Don't get me wrong guys, but what is "hunting" axe? Is it just a name to sound fancy? as I cannot see hunting with axe.

[Jamesey1981]

Don't get me wrong guys, but what is "hunting" axe? Is it just a name to sound fancy? as I cannot see hunting with axe.

It is intended to be useful to hunters.

I have a knife called a Buck Alpha Hunter, you wouldn't use it to kill an animal, but it is shaped like a skinning knife and has a gut hook.
http://www.knivesandtools.co.uk/en/pt/- ... handle.htm

Not for hunting with, but for taking hunting.

ChefSimon, if you're in the market for a small high quality axe I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Gransfors Bruks wildlife hatchet, lovely tool and a nice size, pretty light head but they're sharp enough and well designed enough to punch above their weight a bit. I would say the small forest axe is a bit big if you're after a small camp axe kind of thing, although they're very nice, they're just longer than you specified.

You do pay for the name a bit with gransfors bruks though.

[sethorly]

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