Thread: A word to the wise. Quality axes

I have the biggest of the ones you show, you are right about it being handy and taking a nice edge, I also am in the process of restoring my grandfathers old 1950’s Plumb, handle has long gone and was so rusty I did not even know it was a Plumb when I started, but it’s getting there.

My latest axe is a Tuatahi Work Axe, it has redefined for me what an axe can be, it’s not light (3.1 kg), and came unvarnished so just going through the linseed regime (once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, repeat). The handle is a little on the rough side, but that should aid in grip, if it produces any hot spots I will sand it a tad.
The edge is unbelievable 11 degrees per side, it easily slices paper like one of my knives.

Truely a thing of beauty and power...not cheap though, for the price of this I could get 11 axes at mitre10...of course then I would have 11 crap axes.

Best axes I ever encountered were in zamosc Poland, where Ukrainian blacksmith had forged heads from shorts of railway iron into double headed jobs. Beautifully done but my hosts were anti Ukaraine on a/c of ww2, and would not let me buy. Nyet! Nyet!

Originally Posted by Shelley

I have the biggest of the ones you show, you are right about it being handy and taking a nice edge, I also am in the process of restoring my grandfathers old 1950’s Plumb, handle has long gone and was so rusty I did not even know it was a Plumb when I started, but it’s getting there.

My latest axe is a Tuatahi Work Axe, it has redefined for me what an axe can be, it’s not light (3.1 kg), and came unvarnished so just going through the linseed regime (once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, repeat). The handle is a little on the rough side, but that should aid in grip, if it produces any hot spots I will sand it a tad.
The edge is unbelievable 11 degrees per side, it easily slices paper like one of my knives.

Truely a thing of beauty and power...not cheap though, for the price of this I could get 11 axes at mitre10...of course then I would have 11 crap axes.

My second work axe should arrive next week, they are bloody good. The handles are ‘as turned’ and pretty rough alright but don’t take much sanding to come right. I’ve got a couple of plumbs and a few Kelly axes and one black prince which probably gets the most use, all with tuatahi handles as I like the oversized end on them

That’s a good idea, been searching in the usual suspects for a handle but have not found one with good grain, might grab a tuatahi one for the plumb.

Originally Posted by Shelley

I have the biggest of the ones you show, you are right about it being handy and taking a nice edge, I also am in the process of restoring my grandfathers old 1950’s Plumb, handle has long gone and was so rusty I did not even know it was a Plumb when I started, but it’s getting there.

My latest axe is a Tuatahi Work Axe, it has redefined for me what an axe can be, it’s not light (3.1 kg), and came unvarnished so just going through the linseed regime (once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, repeat). The handle is a little on the rough side, but that should aid in grip, if it produces any hot spots I will sand it a tad.
The edge is unbelievable 11 degrees per side, it easily slices paper like one of my knives.

Truely a thing of beauty and power...not cheap though, for the price of this I could get 11 axes at mitre10...of course then I would have 11 crap axes.

I can second the Tuatahi quality. I thought I knew my axes until I bought a Tuatahi!

Funny I was just talking about Vikings and this thread jumps up

Originally Posted by Southcity

I can second the Tuatahi quality. I thought I knew my axes until I bought a Tuatahi!

Saw one of those axes the other weekend by an old axeman and farmer. Never thought an axe could be sharper than a cutthroat razor.

Have any of you fulla's got the large splitting axe? Had a look at one this morning and wasn't entirely convinced. Nice looking axe but didn't have much weight to it and had a rather slim blade. Quite the opposite to an american(?) maul. Looks like it would get jammed quite easily in some of the knottier stuff. Thought I'd ask on here before I forked out for one.