Best Axe for Splitting Wood, Camping, & Throwing

Tree Felling With An Axe

Cutting down a tree with an axe can be fun, a felling ax is also a good way to finish the last bit of a chain saw cut. For a felling axe, you want one that is strong and durable and light enough to cut sideways instead of up and down.

The Husqvarna S2800 is a good choice for splitting apart logs. A powerful and versatile axe, it can cut through even dense wood fairly easily due to the non-stick coating applied to the ax head. By reducing friction and allowing the cutting-edge to penetrate the wood more easily, the S2800 makes wood splitting quick and easy.

The head design is especially suited for felling trees. The axe also has a shaft that focuses the energy toward the cutting edge. And with the balance point positioned close to the head, the S2800 has excellent balance and weight distribution.

What To Look For In A Axe

Fiberglass/steel vs wood handle

Wood-handled axes have a tendency to break easily and aren’t really suited for regular heavy use. Leave a wood-handled axe outdoors often enough, and it will break sooner or later. It can be really frustrating when you haven’t used your axe in a while, only to find that the handle breaks when you give it a good swing. Fiberglass-handled axes are a much better choice for heavy-duty work. They are very low maintenance, and you could safely leave them outside the tool shed without any issues. They are usually more comfortable on the hands as well, so you can use them for longer periods. So get a light fibreglass handle or a forged steel handle.

Axe Head

At the very least, your axe should be strong enough to handle any task you throw at it. The very best axe heads are made of forged steel, which is about the strongest and hardest material around. A good axe with a forged steel-head will be able to cut through the densest wood with ease without showing the least sign of wear-and-tear.

Steer clear of axes with heads made of recycled metal. More often than not, such heads will chip or break, and some have even been known to split in half after a few solid chops.  

Weight

Power at the expense of weight, so don’t be surprised to find that the most powerful axes have heavy heads as well. If you really are dead-set on getting the most powerful axe you can, you will have to suck it up and manage the weight somehow. But if you are willing to give up a bit of power in exchange for easier handling, you should be able to find a fairly lightweight ax that still provides adequate power for heavy jobs.

Balance

Apart from weight, the balance and weight distribution of an axe will have a significant effect on handling and ease of use. This is one factor that often sets good axes apart from mediocre ones. A well-balanced ax will be a joy to use, enabling you to swing with ease. Conversely, a poorly-balanced axe will result in bad form and misplaced chops and simply won’t feel right when in use.

Furthermore, a heavy but well-balanced axe will actually be easier to use than a lightweight but a poorly-balanced axe. Properly balanced, a slightly heavier axe will provide the best combination of power and easy handling.

Durability

The durability of the axe head should be a foremost consideration. After all, this is the part of the axe that will bear the brunt of the impact. But consider the durability of the other parts of the axe as well. One-piece designs tend to be a lot more durable than axes put together from different components. In general, one-piece axes provide longer and more reliable service than axes that have a few different sections glued or welded together.

Size

A short-handled axe will actually be easier to handle than a long-handled ax …within reason. Although a long handle will enable you to swing the axe with more power behind your stroke. Choose a handle length that will give you sufficient chopping power yet remains easy enough to handle. This will give you the best of both worlds in terms of efficiency and manageability.

The Price

There’s no getting around it: the best axes will cost more than a cheap wooden handle axe. But you definitely won’t want to get the cheapest axe you can buy, as these will likely result in quality and performance compromises. As with all tools it is best to set your price point and choose the best quality axe you can get at that price. Don’t get an ax that will require you to replace the handle later on.

Tips For Using A Axe

Using an ax is easy after you learn the fundamentals. The first and most important thing to learn is hand positioning.

If you are right-handed, place your left hand just above the end of the handle, with the palm slightly turned towards you. Place your right hand up toward the neck, a few inches below the head. If you’re left-handed, simply reverse your hand positions.

Keep a firm grip on the axe but don’t grip it too tightly. As you swing the axe toward your target, your top hand should slide down the handle toward your bottom hand at the end of the swing.

Try to develop accuracy before you work on strength. You could generally work more efficiently with accurate hits even if you don’t swing as hard as you can. As you get better at consistently hitting your target, you can try to put more strength into your swings. Let the weight of the head do the work.

Axe Comparison

Conclusion

The felling Axe is The Husqvarna S2800 it is an effective wood-splitting ax that can handle the toughest jobs with ease. For sheer power and durability, this one is pretty hard to beat. Even so, it is remarkably easy to handle due to being lightweight and having good weight distribution. Husqvarna also makes chainsaws and string trimmers as well.

The Estwing Camper’s Axe E45ASE wins top marks for versatility. Built to withstand the rigors of outdoor use, it can handle more delicate clearing jobs as well. You can even use it comfortably for long periods due to the excellent shock-reduction grip. Estwing also makes popular hammers used by many builders.

The Browning Shock N Awe Tomahawk is a tough and impressive-looking implement that delivers performance at par with its appearance. For throwing and small splitting wood jobs, it is a cinch with its curved penetration spike.