THE COMPLETE OUTDOORSMANS HANDBOOK.pdf - Doczine

CHOOSING AN AXThe first step in learning to use an ax is to choose a proper one. My recommendation for all-aroundoutdoor use is a single-bitted ax weighing about three pounds, with a thirty-inch handle. Stay away fromaxes that are much heavier than this because they are meant for heavy-duty wood chopping and littleelse. Also stay away from twobitted axes - ones with two blades. They are loggers' axes. The threepoundax I am recommending can be used not only for chopping wood, but also for driving tent pegsand for dozens of other chores around camp. If weight is a factor, you can go to a lighter ax, two-and-aquarteror two-and-a-half pounds, with a shorter handle of about twenty-four inches. Such an ax is abetter bet than a hatchet. It will do everything that a hatchet will and more, but a person of smaller,lighter build may find a smaller and lighter ax more manageable and more comfortable to use.When buying an ax, don't skimp on quality just to save a couple of dollars. That is poor economy. Whenchoosing an ax, sight along the blade to make sure that the handle is not warped or that the blade is notset off too much from the center line of the handle. Make sure that the head is attached securely to thehandle by being firmly wedged.Look the handle over carefully. Make sure that the grain runs parallel to the sides. Avoid axes where thegrain in the handle twists too much. This could mean serious structural weakness. The best ax handlesare made of hickory. Never buy an ax with a completely painted handle. Paint can hide flaws andweaknesses in the wood. Remember, an ax will last a lifetime if you take care of it. Your choice shouldreflect this.Every ax should have a leather sheath for the head, not only for safety, but to prevent nicks on thecutting edge. Most axes, when they are bought, have too thick a blade and the cutting edge has too quicka taper to cut well. It should be ground down a little. If you do this on a power grindstone, keep the bladecool by dipping it continuously in a bucket of water. If you let it overheat, you will draw or ruin thetemper. An ax can be sharpened quickly on an emery wheel, but eventually this ruins the blade. Coarsesharpening can be done with a fine file. Then switch to a coarse stone and finish sharpening with amedium stone. The best stone for ax-sharpening is a round one. It has no sharp edges to rub through apacksack, so you can carry it with you whenever you take the ax. An ax should never be left lyingaround. It can cause accidents or accidents can happen to it. Keep it hung in its sheath or sink the bladeinto the top of a stump.The handle of the ax is its weak part. At home it is easy to replace - all you have to do is buy a new one,drive the stub out of the ax, insert the new handle, and wedge it firmly onto the ax. But if your ax handlebreaks deep in the bush, that is a different matter. Stones and hardwood pegs may be used to drive thebroken stub of the old handle out. If this doesn't work, you will have to bum the stub out. Bury the, axhead up to the eye in loose earth. Build a fire around it and keep burning until the stub bums off andbecomes loose enough to be driven out. To improvise a temporary handle, use any hardwood. To drivethe sap out of green wood to toughen it, roast the wood in warm coals. This will season it somewhat.