Axe Safety: A Summary of Important Techniques

[@rt66rc86]

Thanks Ben! Knowing and practicing proper Axemanship in this day and age is more important than knowing how to run and maintain power saws!

[@MrDunk66]

Ben. Firstly, thanks sharing this knowledge. Love the channel. I have a tree to cut up soon and this safety checkup is invaluable. Took notes like a school kid. Cheers 🇦🇺

[@michaelsinclair8279]

Cheers for this one, nice refresher for me and a timely reminder for others now we have a bit of time on wir hands.

[@maltepabst3140]

Nice video, my dad just got injured by testing our new fiskars x 25 axe so he wanted to show me how to do it but it didnt end well😂 but he’s all right now. It’s always good to get a refresher on safety I’ve definitely been having a different respect since it happened, but I’m still a bit scared so thank you because this video helped

[@KevinsDisobedience]

“You don’t have a very good day after that.” 🤣 That’s an understatement, but also how quickly things change when swinging an axe.

[@8triagrammer]

He's British - they LOVE understating things. I love it.

[@KevinsDisobedience]

Glad to see you back in the woods.

[@jouzel8951]

Nice work! Great saftey video.

[@BillOdyssey]

I'm looking fwd to the Ben Scott Axe book with multi angle diagrams if pos... That popular buchanen smith one is toss

[@jeffreyrubish347]

Great summary! Thanks.

[@vinniesdayoff3968]

Good video as usual Ben. I reckon one of the more dangerous activities people get up to is splitting kindling. I've seen some dodgy advice and read some scary stories in the comments. Good way to lose a thumb.

[@benscottwoodchopper]

That video from the series Alone of the woman severing a tendon is the prime example ive seen

[@vinniesdayoff3968]

@@benscottwoodchopper I didn't see that one. I got fairly tired of watching that show.

[@benscottwoodchopper]

@@vinniesdayoff3968 yeah it was kinda dragged out, here is the clip. Survival expert lol kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5CXYqB9YrKiptU

[@vinniesdayoff3968]

@@benscottwoodchopper `Good sweet J***s ! That's what you call an expert okay. It looked like she had never in her life split kindling. That is exactly what sissy sticks were invented for. It makes you wonder why people watch another ham fisted female on KZbin who I won't name. I suppose she does take her clothes off every now and again.

[@vinniesdayoff3968]

Also it shows the KZbin bullshit preoccupation with splitting wood that will burn just fine as it is. These people never heard of twigs.

[@bengg6772]

Hey Sorry another question about safety : to Split with a short handle some recommand to put the log in thé ground and to go on the knee. Dis you have any opinion about this ? Thanks you

[@benscottwoodchopper]

yes when using very short handles it is sometimes a good idea to kneel

[@bengg6772]

@@benscottwoodchopper Hello thank you as usual :) I have tested too (low force, low speed) with a middle size handles (50cm) and I have the feelling the axe has less chances to hit the body, and more chances to go in the ground.

[@projectmalus]

Cutting on two or three feet of snow makes me safer! I just drive that 3 lb right thru the birch, maple or spruce into the 'ground" as it were. A person would really have to try, to get kickback. Plus the road doesn't get plowed and the closest neighbor is 3 miles, so there's an extra note of caution. I've learned to watch out for things under tension :) and practice being careful of that femoral artery. Thanks!

[@alldaytony2751]

That's why I lay a half cut log on the floor and split that way. That's when those 30 inch handles come in handy. Been more than a few occasions where the axe has bounced back.

[@bengg6772]

Hello, Me again :D About thoses protection, chainmail, do you remember where you buy them ? (or did you know where I can buy in Europe ) Thank you again

[@benscottwoodchopper]

best to ask someone in your country who does timbersports, mine came from an american seller

[@thevirginiabushcrafter8833]

Very God Advise.

[@dennisobrien3618]

One thing I see on KZbin is people trying to fell by imitating timbersports competitors with a highly angled upswing. While this works for competition, where the participants have lots of training, the average person would probably be better off to cut the bottom of the felling notches close to perpendicular, with perhaps a slight downward angle, so the notch ends up roughly 45°. This is well demonstrated by "The Axman" video, which everyone should watch as part of learning to use an axe. I'm pretty sure it is on the playlist that Steven Edholm recommends for "Cordwood Challenge" participants.

[@benscottwoodchopper]

Yes i agree, an axe glance to the foot is bad enough, those upswings have the potential to hit you in the face or chest. Bad practice too, vey difficult to cut an accurate hinge as well

[@ThrowingItAway]

Where do you get your chain socks?

[@benscottwoodchopper]

a few people sell them, such as tuatahi, but the bets I think are from William Simcox, email: [e-mail]. Should be in the ballpark of $160-220

[@deathbyastonishment7930]

Hey mate, doesn’t a “chisel” grind refer to the tool only being ground on one side? Asymmetrically. But your edges are ground on both edges right? So what do you mean?

[@benscottwoodchopper]

Its an unfortunate clash of terms, in timbersports, a chisel axe grind refers to what most would call a flat grind that runs along the edge evenly. Tuatahi have a grinds chart on thier website

[@deathbyastonishment7930]

@@benscottwoodchopper I see, any idea how they gained that name? thanks for the response

[@benscottwoodchopper]

@@deathbyastonishment7930 no idea, but here you can see the different types 033e31c1-8e66-4805-9f57-b13f4f18b184.filesusr.com/ugd/c294ae_b90651abbc92434e920781e74519449c.pdf

[@woxiduswoxidus1167]

Very desirable video! Did you recommend to wear any protection and safety? Do you plan videos on splitting safety? On one "funny" youtube's videos girls get ricochet axe from wood into head...also known fatal case due to blood loss when during splitting part of wood injured carodid arthery on neck.. nonetheless machete looks like more dangerous for user..