Axe

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A metal axe

An axe is a tool used to shape, split or cut wood, and as a weapon. The axe has many forms and specialised uses but generally consists of an axe head with a handle, or helve.

Materials needed

  • Large rock with perpendicular edges. Alternatively, a river rock, round shaped and smooth to the touch.[1]
  • Green wood, meaning that it that has been recently harvested and therefore has not had an opportunity to dry, or from a young or small tree. This will ensure the wood can be bent and shaped without breaking.[1]
  • Cord, made of bark or wet rawhide.[1]

Crafting instructions

Shaping and sharpening the axe head

To craft the axe head, hit off a piece of the source rock for the head with a hammering rock that can be held comfortably in your hand and with an even rock face, striking the upper edge of the former with the latter. While hitting it, you should focus on striking off flakes and slabs of rock, using swift hits. You might want to wear safety eye and hand protection for safety to protect yourself from flying rock shards. The stone head should be around the size of your palm or a little larger, and it can take several hours until the source rock has the ideal size for the head.[1]

If a river rock is used, its grains have to be slowly removed to prevent it from damaging or splitting. Hit a small area of the rock at a time, using short and swift strokes to peck away the river rock carefully. The work might take several hours.[1]

Once the rock has been pecked down to an appropriate size, you will need to form the cutting edge of the axe head, sharpening it. The head should taper down toward the edge, and the edge should be a similar thickness to a metal axe, with a narrow edge. Hold the axe head vertically, resting on the wide side of the rock, and use the hammering rock to form a narrow end of the axe head by hitting it with small and short movements. Afterwards, polish and sharpen the axe head on a stone with water, since it helps that it stays sharp and durable.[1]

Attaching the head to the handle

To insert the axe head, split the axe handle, trying to make a symmetrical split and that is not leaning to one side. This can be done by using a knife or a sharp stone. A method to attach the axe head to the handle is splitting the handle down the middle, forming a gap large enough to fit the axe head. Gently slide the axe head into the split once it is large enough to fit the head. If you are using a knife, you can carve out a symmetrical split in the handle, ensuring that the width of one both sides of the handle are the same. Alternatively, if the wood is very flexible and soft, the top of the handle can be soaked in water until it is it is soft and pliable, making sure that it does not break, and afterwards it can be bent it around the axe head, attaching it to the handle.[1]

Whether method is used, the axe head needs to be secured to handle with cord to prevent it from falling out when the axe is used. The cord can be made of bark or wet rawhide. To ensure that the cord is strong and durable, it should be twisted by looping one piece of cord over the other to form the twisted cord; it should be long enough to wrap around the axe head several times. Wrap the cord tightly around the axe head, crossing the cord over so it forms an "X" shape on the axe head, repeating the process twice and then tying the cord around the handle several times.[1]

If there is access to fire, the head can also be secured in the handle without cord by burning a hole through the handle. Following this method, you need to use a sharp rock and a piece of wood to hammer in a hole a few centimeters or inches from the top of the handle, or make one with a knife; the hole should be wide enough to fit the head. This can be measured by holding the head against the side of the handle and marking its width on the handle. A long piece of wood then needs to be heated up with fire until it is burning and smoking. Blow on it until you have a hot point, and run the point around the handle's hole to smooth it out and shape it, so it fits the axe head well. Once the hole is shaped, place the head into the hole with the sharpened edge facing upward. Use a piece of wood to knock the axe head into the handle. Hold the axe head with a hand and make a few swift knocks on the head with the piece of wood until it is in place. You should check that there are small gaps of space between the sides of the head and the handle hole. Small gaps prevent the handle from splitting when the axe is used.[1]

Care

The following are some recommendations to use and take care of the axe:[1]

  • Chip at a right angle, a few degrees off of 90º degrees of the wood. A steeper angle prevents side-slap (when the axe head hits against the handle and object), which can break the stone head. Stone axes are unlike metal axes and cannot be struck at the same angle. Swing the axe slightly off of a direct vertical drop if the wooden piece is sitting horizontally. An anvil (a wooden block) can also be used underneath the object, which help keeps the object from bouncing and increases the efficiency of the axe.
  • Use a leather sheath to transport the axe, which prvents nicks and can protect the axe from objects falling against it.
  • Use oil in the handle to prevent it from drying too fast and from damaging. Extra virgin oil is recommended. The handle can also be oiled twice before storing.
  • Keep the axe head secure, which must remain tight against the handle. A loose head can cause side-slap, which in turn might break the handle from the dual impact.
  • Replace the axe head exactly as it was if you need to remove it.
  • Peck and ground down any nicks or gouges in the axe to preserve the cutting angle. Stone axes usually get nicked or gouged when used on a rocky surface.

Safety

A safe distance between bystanders of around 3 meters (10 feet) should be kept, since stone axes cause debris to fly further than metal counterparts, up to almost 12 meters (40 feet), with varying speed velocities depending on the axe size and swing force that can cause serious injuries.[1]

Dependencies

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 "How to Make a Stone Axe", Wikihow, Retrieved on 6 April 2022
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