Double-Bit Ax

The ax is one of the oldest tools serving as a sign of war and labor since the Neolithic period. The industrial world has embraced the double-bladed ax fully. It was known to be a fantasy or heroic weapon wielded by mighty warriors.

What is the point of a double-bit ax? One is sharpened at a wider angle, making it more difficult to ruin. The other option is to use a more refined edge when the edge is not in danger of being damaged. Because of the symmetry, it feels more balanced. They are, however, much more dangerous.

Continue reading to learn more about double-bit axes, their benefits and drawbacks, and when and why you should use them. I figured that you would love to know the history of the doubt-bit ax. So, I will start with that.

The Double Bit Ax

In late Colonial America, a new type of felling ax appeared. The ax had a gracefully curved handle and a muzzle counterweighted on the side opposite the blade. The European ax was very different. It has a straight handle attached to the back of a long narrow blade.

The new ax, for better or worse, turned forests into farmland. It had a profound impact on the new continent.

Any existing technological canon did not bind Americans. Hence, a new ax. Experimentation was a source of pride for our forefathers, and it always paid off handsomely.

Around the time of the Civil War, artisans developed a second radical ax-head design. The double-bitted ax. Lumbering grew in importance in the North, and the legend of Paul Bunyan emerged to reflect it.

Bunyan was the prototypical lumberjack with this new ax. He was deforesting America from Maine to Minnesota, taking woodcutting to a new level.

However, this new ax necessitated new skills while still the cutting quality. Its aerodynamics are such that it produces very little drag if you know how to swing it cleanly. Allow it to catch a gust of wind, and it becomes dangerously unstable.

This new breed of skilled workers, the Northern lumberjacks, kept one side of their ax sharp. It allows the other to be nicked and blunted. The purpose of the sharp blade was to cut cleanly through the wood.

They would rotate the handle and use the rough ax blade if they saw anything suspicious, like a tough knot.

Experts in Europe examined the new American ax once more and declared it uncomfortable. This time, however, they did not change their minds.

The new ax also did not make it very far west of Minnesota. Though Paul Bunyan’s double-bitted ax became a significant chapter in the ax’s history, it was an isolated chapter.

The Use of Double Bit Ax

A double-bit ax has a cutting point on both sides of the head, rather than just one. One side is usually sharp. The other is duller and more rounded for splitting. One can use a double-bit ax for almost any reason using this tool.

Double-bit axes, on the other hand, can be sharpened on both ends. It makes them suitable for rush cutting and slicing jobs. If you use the second form, your tool can stay sharper for longer.

The heads of double-bit axes are usually made of steel, while the shafts are typically made of wood. Axes made entirely of steel are used in more recent designs, although they are less common.

1. Chopping Down Stray Tree Branches

It can quickly remove stray tree branches that are in the way of your home or garden. When you need to cut down a neighboring tree, a double-bit ax is a tool for the job.

It is due to its cutting ability. Those tree branches will be yours in no time.

2. Trimming, Cutting, And Shaping Woods

This kind of ax is popular for trimming, cutting, and shaping woods for art projects or furniture. You will need enough wood to make furniture or an art craft if you need a piece of wood.

The sharpness of its bits is sufficient to do minimal damage to the wood when it is being sliced.

3. Cut Lumber

When cutting timber, you can use this type of ax because it has two edges.

• Thicker, more obtuse angles.
• Sharper, thinner angles.

A double-bit ax is one of the tools used by woodsmen to complete their tasks quickly. A double bit is a razor-sharp tool that is suitable for cutting wood.

4. Firewood Chopping

Axes will help you chop firewood for cooking and heating. A double-bit ax comes in handy when you need firewood because of its defined sharpness and cutting accuracy.

It is because it has double ax pieces, which are much heavier than other ax forms. The force produced by its weight allows for a faster and more precise cut.

5. Woodsman Sport

It is now a famous woodsman sport. The player will throw a double-bit ax to the center of the target to gain points.

Since the sport was created with an ax, the double-bit ax was selected. Since it has double blades, the ax’s head is strong enough to maintain a balanced grip on the body. The heaviness adds up to great force when you throw it.

Smaller jobs, such as sharpening sticks, can be accomplished with a double-bit ax if necessary. Keep in mind that these are only for general-purpose double-bit axes. Certain specialization methods are only produced for specific applications.

Other Things You Can Do With Different Axes

Axes come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Depending on which one you select, you can use them for a variety of tasks.

• Hand axes – Small-scale wood tasks such as felling small trees, splitting firewood, and hewing small lumber are all possible with this tool.


• Forest axes- These heavy-duty axes are designed for felling trees and other large-scale woodworking ventures.


• Miner’s ax – Mining axes have a long and thin double-bit head by nature. They are made for mining in close quarters, such as for copper or ore.


• Felling axes- Felling axes are ideal for cutting and chopping projects because of their flared head and thin, sharp point.


• Splitting Maul – These axes are the polar opposite of felling axes; they are made for splitting rather than cutting or chopping.


• Pickaxes – A pickax, like mining axes, is designed to be a double-bit by default. It has been used for landscaping and breaking down materials like rocks for a long time.

What You Should Not Do With A Double-Bit Ax

You can use the double-bit ax for several tasks. But, there are some tasks you should not use it for. 

For recreational use, such as throwing, I suggest you do not use a double-bit ax. A tomahawk or throwing ax will be more effective in these situations than a double-bit ax.

Tomahawks are also the best weapon for close combat and self-defense. They are made to be as light as possible. You may feel like it is an extension of your arm, making them easier to use in tight spaces.

A hatchet is a better weapon to use if your project needs a smaller tool than a hand ax. Hatchets are smaller than hand axes in terms of scale, weight, and girth. It makes them ideal for felling saplings, chopping small trees, cutting bushes, and splitting firewood.

Instead of the standard hatchet with one cutting edge and one hammerhead, double-bit hatchets are also available. They are much more similar to axes.

Benefits And Drawbacks Of Double-Bit Axes

Benefits

1. Excellent for ax throwing

The heavy head of the double-bit ax makes it ideal for ax throwing. The ax head is more symmetrical, which provides better balance, and the extra heft leads to more force when hurled.

To get a double-bit ax to stick to the mark reliably, you will need a little more experience and power. As a result, there are not many ax-throwing competitions that allow double-bit axes.

Keep in mind that a double-bit ax has two edges, which necessitates the use of more strict safety precautions. The usual safety precautions apply.

• Wear the sheath while holding the ax.
• Leave enough space around you when working.
• Always put the ax away correctly when not in use.

2. Versatile uses

A double-bit ax is two axes in one. Their double-bit makes them a versatile tool for your home, garden, or farm.

Each side of the ax head has a distinct feature. One of the blades is sharper than the others, allowing it to cut deeply through the grain.

The other blade is rusty, making it a blunt weapon for cutting through the grain. Double-bit axes have become a valuable weapon for skilled loggers due to their unusual versatility.

3. Extra heft

The ax head has two blades, making it a little heavier than a standard splitting or felling ax.

Although its portability suffers, as a result, it makes tasks like splitting wood and felling trees simpler and more enjoyable. It is not always the case, however, as there are double-bit axes with hatchet-like dimensions.

Drawback

1. Availability

These axes are mostly only used in the lumberjacking industry. This type of ax is less commercially available than axes with a conventional head.

2. Weight

Double-bit axes are typically heavier than their conventional counterparts due to the dual heads. It makes them more cumbersome and exhausting to use.

3. Safety

Double-bit axes are more dangerous than axes with just one sharp edge since both sides of the head are sharp.

Conclusion

A double-bit ax, in the end, gives you two cutting edges for the price of one. On one head and handle, you have double the pieces. One bit is held sharp, and the other is used to chop through dirt and rocks.

Professionals usually use the double-bit ax, but that should not deter you from purchasing one!