When doing DIY (Do It Yourself) projects that involve wood cutting, shaping, or splitting, there are several types of axes and hatchets that are commonly used. Each tool has specific uses depending on the task at hand:
Hatchets are small, lightweight axes designed for one-handed use, making them perfect for smaller tasks or for use in confined spaces.
- Camping Hatchet: A small hatchet with a short handle (typically around 12-14 inches) and a broad blade. It's ideal for chopping small branches, splitting small pieces of wood, and general-purpose cutting.
- Carving Hatchet: A hatchet specifically designed for wood carving, featuring a thin, curved blade with a sharp edge. It allows for more precise control when shaping wood.
- Roofing Hatchet: This specialized hatchet is used primarily for roofing jobs and features a hammerhead on the back for driving nails. Some have a magnetized face to hold roofing nails.
Axes are larger tools designed for two-handed use, (although one handed axes are available), providing more power and control for larger tasks like felling trees or splitting logs.
- Felling Axe: A long-handled axe (typically 28-36 inches) with a thin, sharp blade designed to cut across the grain of the wood. It's used for felling trees and chopping large sections of wood. We stock a range of felling axes with both Hickory and Fibreglass shafts.
- Splitting Axe: Similar to a felling axe, but with a wider, wedge-shaped head that is designed to split wood along the grain rather than cutting across it. It is ideal for splitting logs into firewood.
- Carpenter’s Axe: A medium-sized axe with a straight edge and a flat butt for pounding. The blade is typically thinner for fine, controlled cutting, and the tool is used for tasks like shaping and trimming wood, or even precise hewing in carpentry.
- Broad Axe: A large axe with a broad blade and a flat side, used primarily for hewing logs into square beams. It's often used in timber framing and traditional woodworking.
As well as different weights of axes and hatchets you can also choose between a hickory wood handle or a fibreglass shaft, Rapid Tools Direct has a selection of each. If you are still unsure what axe or hatchet you need call us on 01536 446396.