BASIC AXEMANSHIP

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When it comes right down to basic survival, there is one tool that definitely outclasses all others and that's a good double-bitted axe. In fact, with a sharp axe there's not much you can't do in the way of providing food and shelter . . . even to making a new axe handle if the old one breaks. This tool must be kept sharp, however, and you must know how to use it correctly. Otherwise, an axe can be extremely dangerous, as many would-be woodsmen have learned by badly gashing a leg.

Growing up on a Missouri farm, I learned to use an axe at an early age; there was firewood to cut, brush and hedgerows to clean out and fenceposts to cut and split. I learned much from a part-Cherokee uncle who, shunning the rest of the world, made a living doing a little trapping and dog training (hunting dogs) for city folks. To watch him cut and split a pile of logs was sheer joy. The axe was an extension of his arm that did his absolute bidding and never seemed to tire him.

You should know the first rule of good axemanship if you're interested in mastering this tool: Buy a quality axe that is well suited to the jobs you'll put it to.

There are many styles and manufacture of axe and, sad to say, many are of poor quality. Stay away from surplus stores and bargain military axes. They're made of inferior metal and their edges become round as donuts after a few blows. There is absolutely no way you can sharpen such a tool and keep it sharp.

If you want a bargain "cheap" axe, watch the country auctions. An axe may be old and its handle may be cracked or loose . . . but if the head is n't cracked or broken, the axe can be easily repaired and it will probably sell for less than a dollar. (Such an axe was likely bought new from a small town hardware store so, if you can't find a bargain at an auction, try the local outlet in any small farming or mountain town.—JS)

As for axe "style" or design, decide what you want the tool to do and then try to find the ideal axe for the job. If you plan mainly to split fireplace logs, for instance, get a single-bit (blade) axe with a fat, wedge-shaped blade. It won't stick in the log ends so easily and the extra weight of the head will help provide splitting force. For tree felling or building a log cabin, get a heavy (3 1/2 pound) double-bit axe with a long handle. This combination will almost swing itself through long hours of work . . . especially if you keep both blades extremely sharp and thin.

I've used many axes and my all-around favorite for anything from cutting a sapling to splitting a few fireplace logs to providing shelter and fire while camping is a small version of the double-bitted Hudson Bay style. I prefer a handle about six inches shorter than standard. For me, this is a beautifully balanced tool but you must realize that an axe is a very personal thing. If you plan to use one much, try several styles and weights to find exactly the one for you.