USE OF AN AXE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 193, 1 September 1937, Page 10

USE OF AN AXE

"BIG

SMOKL"

Here are furtlier ideas on liow to us» an axe. Tbey are taken from "Gilcraft's Pioneering" as were last week's notes Stand on finn ground. — Make sure, tbat your feet are firm before begmning to swing an axe, as it is very easy to loose your balance. It is better to stand square to your job, too close ratber tbau too far. Wben scouts are using a felling axe for tbe first time it is better to put np some kind of i'ender in *out of tbeir sbins to protect tbem. Rest wben tired and mask tbe axe in a convenient log. Note tbis. as if tired you will miss your aim and may damage yourself. Wlien felling a tree sbout out to warn anybody nearby as it begins to iali. Before making tlie tinal cuts, bowever, it is best to stop axmg and look around to see jf anyone" is too near. As tbe tree starts to fall sbout "timber". and step to the stde to watch tbe direction of the fall. Wlieu tbe tree lias been felled. seo tbat tbo trunk will not roll before letting anyouo apixroacb it. Wlien. tbo tree falls. it may rest on a brancli or Hinb, and wben tbis breaks, or is cut, tbo trunk may roll ovcr. It is important tliat sucb a brancli sliould be cut at once, if xiossible, so tbat tbo trunk may rest stable for tbe remainder of tbo trimming operations. FinalJy, so far as safcty rules are conccrned, it is essential to remember to use common

sense. Wben using a liand axe tlie blow sbould not be delivered straiglit dowu at riglit augles to tlie stick, but at an angle oi about forty-live degrees to it. Small brancbes can be cut at one blow, larger ones will need several cuts, al?tcrnate]y rigbt and left, making a Vsbaped cut. As mentioned before tbo stick sbould be laid across tbe far edge of tlie chopping-block, and all blows directed downwards. In splitting it is better to iay tbe brancb flat on tbe block, steadying it with tbe left band, and work gradually from tbe far end towards you. Wben pointing a stick, rest tbe end to be pointed on tbe block, and direct all blows downward. (A good tip where a number of stakes have to be skarpened, is to burn tbe ends in a good lire so tbat they are charred evenly all round Tbe removal of the charcoal portmn leaves a fine pointed stick, witli a pr«aerved. surface,) Wben using a band axe to lop off small brancbes tbe cut must be made on tbe opposite side from you and with tbe grain. Tbe proper way to use a felling axe is to plac© tbe left band on tbe "grip", wben workiiig riglit-lianded, and tbo riglit liand 011 tbe slioulder of tbe liaft just beliind tbe liead. Tbe axe is tben raised sa tliat tbe bead is above tbe riglit shoulder, feet apart but square with tbe job. Tbe axe is tben brougbt down on tbe log at an angle of about i'ourty-five degrees, tbe rigbt liand at tbe same time slidiiig down tbo bait towards tbe left band. in. tliis way tbo rigbt band tbrows the axe and tbe left liand guides it. After tbe cut tbo rigbt band slides up again to the first position as tbe axe is again raised. Wlien working left-banded tbe position of tbe hands is reversed, and tbe axe is brougbt up over tbe lel't shoulder. In order to make a back-banded cut. tbat is a cut from the lel't wben working right-baoided, the axe is raised above tbe rigbt shoulder as before, but as it is brougbt down tbe left kueo is bent slightly in, tlie rigbt band tlirown over to the left, and tbe left liand tbrown over to tbe rigbt, so as to change tbe angle of tbe blow from one of forty-five to one of one hundred and thirty-five degrees. Your bead should be kept well down, and the eyes on tbe cut all tbe timo you are working, Tbere is no usq slogging witb an axe; all tbe blows sbould be easy, so aS to let the weight of the axe do its own work. Tbe widtb of tbe cut at tbe surface of tbe log sbould equal the final depth of tbe cut, or "kerf" as it is technically called. Tbis short description of bow to uso an axe covers all normal practice. It gives .you an outline of the theory. It is absolutely essential to be taught by demonstration and practice, and not by tbeory, and so it is not intended to go i'urther witb the theory of axemanship.