Draper 1.25lb Hand Axe with Steel Shaft

[ForgeCorvus]

I'm not a big fan of hand axes. I prefer the added utility of axe-machetes. If you're pruning up a tree it's handy to have a blade by the handle.

A what?
I don't know of these, a link if you could please

[Citizen H]

Hello there.

at that price it wont break the bank,......... however, most modern tools are coming in from China with not a particularly good steel...... I have one that's similar, the rubber grip twists on the shaft and the bit hasn't been hardened enough so it wont stay sharp for very long.

so now by personal preference I have a vintage bill hook (auction site find) that cost £5 ideal for splitting small logs, try looking around a few boot fairs or antique fairs older tools tend to stand the test of time, try looking at other options as I also have a condor machete that wins hands down on all bush craft tasks, this I would fully recommend.


hope this helps "H"

[Yorkshire Andy]

So what would you guys suggest as good cheapish axe? I dont need one at the moment, it has to be garden tool/shtf use

Estwing... Not sure which type but I really want one they have been on the go years

[grenfell]

I've used both steel and wooden shafted axes and to be honest I'm happy with both. You'd seriously have to abuse the steel one to actually damage it although it's fairly commonish for the rubber handle to come loose. It can always be glued back on but it's bound to happen just when you need the axe and don't have the glue but do have some gaffer tape and end up wrapping said tape around it just temporary and six months later the tape is still there but now getting considerably frayed..... or so I've heard
I do also like a wooden handle and the really good thing about them is that you can shape one to suit your own needs. I have one that is curved slightly away from the line of the blade and another which is made from a naturally cranked piece of wood that gives it an almost pistol type of grip. Then I have others with a more convential shape.

Edit
Just noticed that citizen h has also mentioned the rubber grip coming loose already.

[munchh]

I was seeing alot of people on youtube using this sort of thing, one of my favorites is Dave Pearson, or as he is known "reallybigmonkey1".

He is not you 7 min video, 10 times a week, make more money off watches type of youtuber, he makes real videos and leaves in all his mistakes so you can learn from them, anyway check out this video on his machetes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtlpAM8XzBQ

I have recently bought a "bolo" which is a small machete to try it out, im still testing, but i love putting old axe heads back to use so i'm not decided yet, although they are pretty useful.

[piglet]

So what would you guys suggest as good cheapish axe? I dont need one at the moment, it has to be garden tool/shtf use

Estwing... Not sure which type but I really want one they have been on the go years

I have an Estwing double.
The blades are a little on the small size.
And i would not say it feels particularly well balanced, being slightly handle heavy.
But it is solid and will put up with a certain amount of abuse.

I like the double head but think it would feel nicer to use if the handle was wooden\lighter.

[sethorly]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=axe+m ... 20&bih=971

You can pick them up cheaply wherever. I have one with a two-handed rubber grip, which I find myself using often, and with the axe and machete blades on the same side.

[ForgeCorvus]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=axe+m ... 20&bih=971

You can pick them up cheaply wherever. I have one with a two-handed rubber grip, which I find myself using often, and with the axe and machete blades on the same side.

Thats a..... Well...Ermm......... Cutting tool?




If I didn't want to carry an axe I'd have a billhook.... Mind you, my lightest hatchet weighs 17oz

[grenfell]

I can't help but think that reading this alongside the zombie knife thread and then looking at the tools in forge's post that I'd go for the bill hook too. Ok so they are both classed as tools and do the same job and it could also be argued , with some logic , that a bright orange handle would make it easier to find should you drop it or lay it down for a while in the grass it still seems to me the bill hook has agricultural written all over it whereas to the layman ( and possibly a police officer too) the other one screams something completely different.
Actually I have axes , a bill hook and a machete in the van. The axes both have wooden handles , one is really sharp and is used only for shaping timber , the other is a rougher cheaper job again wooden handled that might get used to chop a root or whatever . The bill hook is , well , a bill hook not much else to say and the machete is a cheap plastic handled one that is now far from straight but still does the job.

[JDandCoke]

I'll go for axe anyway rather than machete. I try to prep reasonably. This week I bought shovel, crowbar, still need wood saw, metal saw, axe, spade. These are tools I'll need sooner or later in my garden/around my house anyway. A machete is last thing on my list. Can be useful to have but not necessary, I don't have bush to get over around my house or anywhere near
Talking about machete as a weapon - even in case of shtf - after shtf the law will be restored and whoever uses machete against other person may be in deep problems, and it seems to me that lot's of people buy machete just as defence weapon. I prep rather reasonably.