Axes and Mauls

Buying guide

Choosing an axe

A general-purpose axe with a flat poll is the most useful on a tree crew because it can drive wedges as well as cut. Splitting axes have a wider, wedge-shaped head that pops rounds apart instead of sticking. Fiber handles shrug off weather; hickory handles are traditional and easy to replace.

Keep the edge sharp and covered with a sheath when not in use, and check that the head is tight before each job.

Care and safe use

Swing with a clear area around you and your feet set wide. When splitting, place the round on a solid chopping block rather than the ground so a glancing swing hits wood, not your shin. Keep other crew members well outside the swing zone.

Sharpen with a file or stone, keeping the original bevel, and do not grind so hot that the steel loses its temper. Store the axe with its sheath on, and replace a handle that is cracked or loose in the head. A well-kept axe is a tool you will hand down; a neglected one is a hazard.