The Forest Service Boys Axe by Council Tool: PART 1

Tuning the FSS Boys Axe by Council Tool.

[@davidthomas5997]

I am always fascinated by your sharpening capabilities. That is a skill that eludes me somehow. Those boys axes are very cool and make me want to go out and bushcraft somewhere. Thank you for presenting your goats. They always make my day.

[@urbanlumberjack]

Thanks for watching! I really enjoy sharpening, It’s very relaxing for me and helps me ease the mind

[@YankeeWoodcraft]

I have one of the original issues about 10 years ago. Got it for $29 when my $150 Swedish Axe arrived with a warped handle and the edge chipped on the first use and it took them 6 weeks just to respond to my return inquiry. The replacement was also faulty, but the FSS that I got temporarily was still going strong and I never looked at Swedish Axes again especially since the FSS arrived perfectly hung, nice and straight and had an edge that took a beating and never failed. I now stick to Council Tool. I have every Boy's Axe they made (Bad Boy Velvicut, standard red painted, Sport Utility and the FSS).

[@nils1253]

Looking fwd to part 2! These are great axes. I have a FSS with “perfect” 90 deg grain handle, bit disappointing, but works so far. Also my sports utility version came with the same “perfect” 90 deg grain. Replacement handles are hard to come by here in EU. The FSS is the better axe with a thinner bit and high-ish centerline.

[@urbanlumberjack]

Thanks for checking out the video. Replacement handles are getting harder and harder to come by.

[@brettbrown9814]

I appreciate all the research you put into your videos to share factual information with your viewers. Looking forward to Part 2. Great idea using a magnet on your work bench!

[@urbanlumberjack]

Thanks man! With some tweaks it should be a good sharpening jig.

[@MattKeevil]

Seems like a great axe and I didn't know that Council Tool had switched to a different steel. I enjoy the goat interruptions

[@urbanlumberjack]

Goats keep me on my toes for sure! Pretty sure they just used 1080 for this line of axes and their firefighting axes like pulaskis. Need to check on the specifics though.

[@T_Goff]

www.fs.usda.gov/t-d/programs/fire/documents/5100_9D.pdf The Forest Service specified 1080 steel since at least 1999. Would be interesting to find the older specs to see what the vintage FSS steel would be.

[@urbanlumberjack]

That's interesting. If somebody knew the exact answer about the steel that would be awesome.

[@ciphercode2298]

Bought mine a few years ago from omaha knife,paying extra for custom sharpening they offered. Its been a fantastic axe. Holds an edge well,fantastic handle,great balance. I usually use a axe puck stone ti touch mine up after use. I limb and drive felling wedges with it. Its a good kindling splitter too. Im not a bushcrafter or professional feller,just a guy who burns 4 cords of wood a season. I keep an old council rail splitter double bit and stanley 4lb axe for other light stuff. Most of my firewood hets split with an 8lb fiskars maul

[@urbanlumberjack]

That’s awesome! Omaha knife was great, I was sad when the owner passed.

[@ciphercode2298]

@@urbanlumberjack yeah,I had no idea until I saw your video. They did well by me

[@Master...deBater]

I recently purchased a True Temper FSS boys axe...really nice little axe!😊

[@urbanlumberjack]

Those are great! Top notch quality

[@T_Goff]

Great videos! I enjoy the same Council FSS axe. I really like the FSS axes as they make excellent users. If a FSS cruiser would be rereleased that would be amazing.

[@urbanlumberjack]

Thank you! A cruiser would be awesome.

[@Joey-L]

Looking forward to part 2 !!

[@mmiller73]

I have this axe and love it! It’s a 28” handle though, not 24”.

[@urbanlumberjack]

Haha oh no did I say 24 inch handle! It’s on a 28.

[@drunknnirish]

I know its months later but I really wish I would have picked one of these up while they were available.

[@urbanlumberjack]

They are great axes! Hopefully some come up for sale on the secondary market or council does a new run

[@kurts64]

Seems like a good deal. 1080 would be a great steel for a pro use work axe. Bring on part 2👍🪓

[@urbanlumberjack]

I’m really liking the steel. I’ve used this axe almost everyday the last month or so and really enjoying it. It has eye ridges which is pretty cool!

[@Sharpbevel]

Great video as usual. Thanks for posting.

[@urbanlumberjack]

Thank you!

[@handymanmaloy]

Lookin like John snow

[@urbanlumberjack]

Winter is coming!

[@richardkut3976]

Good info & demo, thanks.

[@bolandjd]

Great video! Where did you find those? I tried to get one when Whiskey River had a few for auction in Dec, but got outbidded. I shoulda tried harder! Maybe they’ll do another full run sooner or later. At least the standard Sport Utility Boys Axe is still pretty nice.

[@urbanlumberjack]

I got these at that sale auction. I had the opposite problem. I bid on three hoping to get one and nobody outbid me! Haha well I have three boys I guess so it’s perfect.

[@bolandjd]

@@urbanlumberjack I kinda thought that’s where you got them. LOL! I should have done what you did. I just got too busy with work to check back and bump up my bids. Anyway, you’ve got some lucky boys if they all get their own FSS axe! That’s great.

[@72dodge340]

Ha, that's funny... I got the other one in that auction with the damaged label and half heartwood. I have 2 nice ones, 1 from each gen, so wanted this one as a user, and it's a good one for that.

[@KevinsDisobedience]

Good info on the history and steel. Yours comes loose yet?

[@urbanlumberjack]

lol it did and i rehung it. Solid as a rock now

[@pocket83squared]

You can really swing an axe. Most of the comments one'll get around here will be about how you're doing it wrong, but man, I wish I could hit a target the way you do. It might have something to do with my elbows going bad. My firewood gets split entirely with the axe. It's a pretty heavy head. But at this point, I try not to swing it unnecessarily, so as to leave usable work remaining in my elbows for the hatchet, hammer, mattock, shovel, rake, and digging bar. Good luck to us both in our battle against the natural world, eh?

[@urbanlumberjack]

Thanks for the kind words! It is definitely a battle against nature, the most enjoyable kind (most times…) nothing beats wood heat, it’s the way we were meant to live!

[@ericbrabham3640]

You have sharpening skill. That wipe on mystery blend on the handle ? Looks like a mix of pine tar and linseed oil ?

[@urbanlumberjack]

It’s the best thing I’ve used. I might do a video on it. This is pine tar, natural linseed oil, beeswax, and a little bit of tung oil. When I have the raw materials I boil down oak bark to extract the tannins and it’s really nice for applying a very natural dark color to handles.

[@townieoutdoors8121]

Do you have a axe sharpening sharpening video ?

[@urbanlumberjack]

Not yet! I would like to make one soon though.

[@aliaskong1723]

Are they forged or stock removal.

[@urbanlumberjack]

These are forged

[@francissobotka8725]

Trust 4130

[@buddysumner4022]

🤣😂🤣 the little goats are awesome

[@urbanlumberjack]

They are probably my biggest challenge working out back! So fun but wow do they love to bring the chaos