Axe Recommendations?

[Greg Haugen]

I'm looking for a good axe for doing the rough/prep work for spoons and bowls' exterior.

Any suggestions?

[john brenton]

If I had the money I'd get one of these:
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...29&cat=1,41131

[John Schreiber]

Can a man feel lust for an axe? I've had one of these on my wish list since they only cost $140.


http://www.gransfors.com/htm_eng/pro...slojdbila.html

I did find a nice curved edge axe in an antique store and love using it for carving and general woodworking. The real thing comes in a right and left handed version so that it splits the wood away toward your strong side while you brace the work in your off hand.

[John Todd]

The axe is very nice and will serve you very well. I have one and use it for similar tasks. Granfor makes excellent quaility products.

[Kevin Adams]

Greg, you'd be hard pressed to find a better carving axe than the Gransfor model mentioned. I also have a nice small ("baby") axe that Drew Langsner sells on his site. It has great control for working on smaller pieces, especially spoons.

http://countryworkshops.org/Axes.html

Have fun!

Kevin

[Kari Hultman]

I second all the Gransfors Bruks suggestions. I use the Swedish Carving Axe for roughing out spoons and it's fantastic.

[David Keller NC]

If you'd like one that's (slightly) less pricey but still has way better steel than the hardware store variety, Pfiel makes one that's really nice:

http://www.woodcraft.com/Catalog/Pro...8-2c64ad335689

I have one, and the balance is excellent, and the tool steel will hold an edge really well. That's the principal complaint I have with the $10 variety from the Borg - the edge goes from sharp to "working dull" in about 3 strokes.

If you really want to go cadillac, these are the only ones I could say I lust after (the Svante's baby):

http://countryworkshops.org/Axes.html

[Steve Friedman]

With all due respect to Lee Valley (where I have spent thousands of dollars) I would urge you to consider buying from Drew Langsner at www.countryworkshops.org. As you can see from the web address (and website), Country Workshops is a non-profit chariitable organization that Drew founded in 1978. It would be impossible to overstate the importance of Drew's efforts to keep the craft of hand carving bowls and spoons alive. Without him, I am not sure whether many people in North America would have even heard of Wille (or Jogge) Sundqvist.

As for axes, I have the GB Sloyd/Swedish Carving Axe and the baby axe, but would love to get a broad axe. I had the opportunity to try one at Country Workshops and really liked it for rough hewing the outside of bowls. If the log isn't straight, I find that I keep scraping the outside of my thumb with the sloyd axe. I think the baby axe is a little too small for bowls, but perfect for spoons.

Happy Carving,

Steve

[Kevin Adams]

Steve,

I couldn't agree with you more. I love LV as well (just unpacked something from them with the free shipping offer!), but I support Drew whenever I can. He has worked tirelessly for so many years to keep these crafts alive, including introducing the US to some of the best traditional craftpeople in the world. The list of people that have taken or run classes there is unbelievable, from Wille and Jogge Sundqvist to Dave Sawyer to John Alexander to John Brown to Peter Follansbee. I have quite a few of his tools, books, and videos, and am very much in his debt.

BTW, he keeps talking about coming out with some new axes and I would love to get a nice broad axe from him, too.

Thanks.
Kevin

[John Herbst]

Can a man feel lust for an axe? I've had one of these on my wish list since they only cost $140.


http://www.gransfors.com/htm_eng/pro...slojdbila.html

I did find a nice curved edge axe in an antique store and love using it for carving and general woodworking. The real thing comes in a right and left handed version so that it splits the wood away toward your strong side while you brace the work in your off hand.

A bunch of friends all chipped in and bought one of these for a buddy who was leaving the city some years ago - it's such an awesome tool. Perfectly balanced, and very versatile.

EDIT: Wow, this is my first post?!? Talk about lurking.... LOL

[Jim Hoti]

for now, I use a nice Broad Hatchet (good mass) and a Norlund Hatchet to do the rough cutting. Got both of ebay for around $20 apiece.

[James Owen]

I'm looking for a good axe for doing the rough/prep work for spoons and bowls' exterior.

Any suggestions?

Another vote for the Gränsfors Bruks Swedish Carving Axe; their Carpenter's Axe is also very nice.

No direct experience with it, but based on using their adzes, bench chisels, and carving tools, I would expect the Pfeil axe to also be very good.