Ochsenkopf Review: Part II “The Tune-Up”

In this video, I basically rebuild this axe. I aggressively thin down the handle, hang the head, sharpen the bit, and treat the wood.

[@benscottwoodchopper]

Looking good! Ochsnekopf steel to me feels very similar to council tool, and I havent had any issues with either. Interestingly I have heard that gransfors axes with hard steel were not liked in Finland because they had a higher tendency to chip in the cold, billnas axes have the softest steel I have ever used. The Iltis axes were very popular in Canada, perhaps for the same reason. I think there must be a sweet spot, and that harder is not better. I hate it when steels are too hard to file easily because it means you cant repair the edge quickly in the field and you need a belt sander to effectively reprofile them

[@KevinsDisobedience]

Thanks. I have a Council Velvicut and it is a little harder than this, although not hard. I have an old Council splitting axe that the file won’t even, but I agree somewhere in between is ideal. I’ve never owned a Gransfors, although I do have a vintage cruiser coming in the mail I just bought from EBay, so I’ll have something to compare it to. Anyway, I’m eager to use the ochsenkopf. Maybe tomorrow.

[@jeffreyrubish347]

Enjoying your vids. I'm 63, rotator cuffs (and everything else) not what they used to be so I mostly get vicarious chopping 🙂

[@KevinsDisobedience]

I’m only 36, but been working construction since 14, so I can kind of already feel what it’s going to be like in 30 yrs. lol. Jk. I’m thankful for my health. Hope I can provide some more vicariously entertainment for you. God knows I love watching it.

[@seff2318]

That’s gonna be sweet, great job! I had to use mine and tune it (canada model) a few times before I was 100% happy with it but she sings regardless. I love the super wide bit on the europe. We’ve been dying to see how they perform because no one in our little group has bought one yet. As for the steel, harder doesn’t always mean better with axes. For the iltis line the heat treat protocol and steel is executed with cold temperatures in mind as axes can shatter if the temperature dives low all of a sudden. They have a really distinct ring to them that’s not only indicative of a well done high carbon steel but an elastic one at that. Steel undergoes plastic and elastic deformation, you want the ladder so it will spring back to shape without breaking or being too malleable. I can’t wait to see how it performs for you.

[@KevinsDisobedience]

I was seriously considering the “Canada”. I’m kind of partial to flatter bits and usually steer away from anything even remotely curvy, but this whole project is an experiment, so we’ll see...plus I wanted that wider bit for limbing. I’ll take your word on the steel. I just know that sometimes soft steel performs well. That said, I have an old splitting axe (the one in used in the Day in the Woods vid) with steel so hard I can’t sharpen it with a file-it just skates. Only stones will touch it, but I almost never have to touch it up-a strop is all it requires. 🤷‍♂️

[@feralgrandad4429]

Top job 😁

[@realsunfish]

kevin, I'm thinking of getting one of these and I'm wondering why you didn't just drastically thin that swell below the head to save cutting off the head and losing length off the handle?

[@KevinsDisobedience]

You definitely can. I just didn’t trust the hang. Once you take the shoulder out you can’t really jump it down anymore. The bigger problem I have with this axe is the super soft steel. But others that I trust love them.

[@kashmir08]

Какой фирмы станок для заточки?

[@KevinsDisobedience]

You mean the angle grinder? Metabo

[@kashmir08]

Вы мне на вопрос ответьте пожалуйста

[@miguhunt8201]

Senseless vid

[@KevinsDisobedience]

Sorry

[@alx252]

Looks very fragile now. But that's the US style of handle. Also the hang looks very strange and fragile from a perspective of a person who used the German style handle all his life. Maybe it's less in the real function and more on what we are used to.

[@KevinsDisobedience]

Yeah you guys like them thicc over there. I couldn’t use it for more than an hour that way. But to each his own.

[@alx252]

@@KevinsDisobedience ... I have the big brother of this axe, the big supplier, and this version has a really massive handle as well, I'll try to modify the handle toward the shape you did, to get a better feeling and understanding for the advantages of the slimmer handles. We will see what I'll prefer afterwards ;)

[@KevinsDisobedience]

Basically the idea is thin it down so it’s flexible. That way the ha due absorbs the shock and not your arms, but I just prefer the feel regardless of the advantages. I have two videos on axe handles explaining my thoughts. One of my main points though, is just that people prefer what they’ve grown up with.

[@Tony.795]

@@KevinsDisobedience I live in Switzerland and all of the intact vintage axes I've seen had a drastically thinner handle than what we see today as well. It's quite cool to see originals that the old timers used and probably customized.

[@KevinsDisobedience]

Yeah, there’s no doubt those guys preferred much thinner handles. It’s just a shame we can’t get a production company to make us some decent ones nowadays. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.