19 Different Types of Axes And Where to Use Them

What is an Axe?

The axe has always been a tool integral to human life for thousands of years, and for purposes that may be more than lumber. Axes have been used to cut, shape, and split wood, for purposefulness as ceremonial and more, and as weapons.

Even with the variations that exist today, an axe, by its definition is simple: a weighted head on a handle.

In fact, the lore of the axe began well before handles were even created. Early humans used simple hand as we know them, made entirely of stone, which date back 1.5 million years.

It is not until around 6000BC that people began hafting axe heads, meaning they attached the ‘axe’ with handles made from whatever wood and binding materials they might have had at the time.

Eventually, as people improved their abilities to work with metals, axe heads eventually advanced as well: initially using copper, then bronze, and with subsequent advancements today.

When it comes to mechanics, the axe is an ideal example of a simple machine. An axe is a wedge (in fact, a dual inclined plane) making it far more advantageous in splitting wood. An axe allows its user to apply pressure along its sharpened edge, meaning cutting timber is far easier than it otherwise could be.

The handle also plays a tremendous role in leverage. The user can swing to produce the most amount of force with each swing. Sometimes, for finer, controlled work, users will “choke up” on the handle placing their grip closer to the axe head.

The “choke up” option is useful for some controlled work, but if you were applying your axe to felling trees using a double-bitted axe, you would be more inclined to use the length of the handle for the most power.

At the same time, axe design is not one-size-fit-all either. Cutting axes range similar to axe design depth in wedge angle and cutting axes have a small angle depth to cut.

Whereas splitting axes are larger in dimensions compared to that of the cutting axe. Larger, heavier axes are made for driving wood apart.

Most axes are double beveled with equal mimicry of blades on both sides. But there are specialized axes, such as broadaxes with a single bevelled axe head and offset handle. This configuration protects the user’s knuckles when having to create a finish.

This was particularly important when axes were common in the workshop of every carpenter or joiner, and not just out the forest like today.

Modern axe construction is typically with steel heads and made from woods like Hickory in the United States, and Ash in Europe and Asia.

Today synthetic handles, and synthetic with plastic or fiberglass sources are also quite common. Today’s axes are very specialized, and equally vary in size, shape and use.

If you consider the terminology, this explore could create some confusion as well. Some users may use the term hand axe at time; this could mean “small, hand handled axe,” as opposed to that which was a simple/hand stone axe without a handle.

Hatchets are typically smaller, shotgun-style, single hands axes with a hammer head type on the reverse side, making a hand axe a single useful multi-purpose tool.

Things You Should Consider When Searching a Perfect Axe

1. Handle.

Axe handle selection can be influenced as well. There is a surge of rubber handled axes available primarily in major retail outlets. In my opinion, nothing can compare to the wood handle, for its comfort, feel and lasting quality.

When discussing quality, hickory or ash have to be the ticket, durable and comfortable.

2. Weight.

The weight of the axe head is important too. If it’s too heavy you may be able to get more weight into your motion, however, you will quickly realize your accuracy diminishes. Conversely, axes that are too light will get you limited depth of cut and little to no effectiveness.
 
As a beginner, you should keep the head under three pounds. After you get accustomed to swinging, you can start to experiment with heavier axe heads if you wish!

3. Size.

There is much disagreement over what the best handle length, and to be honest it is primarily based on what you intend to use the axe for. If you are looking at a felling axe, then a longer handle will offer you more swing and leverage. If you are looking for more control, especially for carving, then you should consider a shorter handle.

Most full-sized felling axes are around 36 inches, but most people would not want a handle any longer than that. If you are around six feet tall, a handle of about 32 inches seems to balance the combination of power and control.

Types of Axes

There are many types of axes, they each have their own design, purpose, and history:

1. Tactical Axe

The tactical axe, commonly identified as a tactical tomahawk, is a comparatively new development in the world of multi-purpose tools.

Their versatility has led to the growth in interest of tactical axes among not only those in law enforcement and military services, but among private security personnel and members of the broader survival community as well.

Axes are different than most other tools in their adaptability in that they provide more than just chopping or splitting wood – they can accomplish other things, such as shaving, carving, and any other tasks you would do with an edged tool.

The handle design creates comfort with its ergonomic characters or, in some cases, multiple grip options depending upon the work.

When working with a full axe, or a smaller hatchet, there are often some extra ounces on the tool which is somewhat by design because the extra weight makes anything like chopping much more effective.

2. Grub Axe

A mattock is a multi-purpose hand tool that is used to dig, pry and chop. It looks similar to a pickaxe; it has a long handle and a strong head.

A mattock head is typically a combination of either a vertical axe blade with a horizontal adze (cutter mattock) or a pick and an adze (pick mattock). In North America, a mattock is sometimes called a “grub axe.”

The name “grub axe” really defines the main use of the tool; it is ideal for grubbing in heavy, compact soil and rough terrain.

Mattocks are invaluable as garden hand tools because they are perfect for digging planting holes or breaking up established root systems if needed. Mattocks are remarkably versatile tools for all sorts of outdoor and horticultural projects.

3. Felling Axe

Felling axes are specialized tools, particularly designed for the act of cutting down trees and splitting logs. The blade of a felling axe generally weighs between two and four pounds with a long handle.

The extended handle is not just for looks, it can help the swing of the axe by giving the user better leverage so they can produce a more powerful and more efficient swing. That means that with every cut made with the axe, it goes deeper and overall makes the work less tiring overall.

The handles are traditionally made from hickory wood as it is both strong and durable, but there is one aspect to consider: the wood grain should run parallel to the length and and follow the natural curve of the handle.

Mind you, this small detail will help considerably in preventing any breaking and also adding to the overall product lifespan.

If you look at the traditional shape of a felling axe, you will see the blade is long and narrow. This design was not by chance, rather it was designed for heavy duty and aggressive cutting which made the felling axe the perfect tool for chopping down trees.

In the colonial period, for example a place like James Fort where the palisade walls were constructed from upright logs, tools like felling axes and broad axes are indispensable implements which proved not just helpful but absolutely essential in completing the job.

4. Forest Axe

Forest axes are heavy-duty tools specifically engineered for felling trees. Unlike the smaller axes you might take with you camping, forest axes are large, significantly weighted tools that are impractical for travel, but suitable to be left at a cabin or permanent outdoor tool kit.

The long handles provide leverage for cutting through very large timber and the blade itself is sharp and flared, generally having a gentle curve on the end for efficient cutting.

What really differentiates the forest axes from other axes is that they have a long, rounded cutting edge and a big flat head. Again, this is not by accident, but a specific form of axe for cutting against the grain of the wood fibers, which is exactly what flipping timber over in order to fell a tree or limb it requires.

While a splitting axe is used with the grain of the wood fiber, the forest axe is suitable for power and precision work in bringing down big timber and shaping that timber, once it is down.

5. Hudson Bay Axe

The axe is one of humanity’s oldest and most adaptable hand tools, with a history dating back literally thousands of years.

Historically, people have relied on axes to shape and split wood materials, harvest timber, or even as weapons for combat or ceremonial purposes as a mark of status.

One distinct example of an axe is the Hudson Bay Axe, with origins derived from Northern Spanish “Biscayan” designs near the French border.

The Hudson Bay Axe was widely distributed by French traders who shared this common tool as part of their exchanges with Native Americans in and along the Hudson Bay area, the St. Lawrence River, and many other trade routes.

Even in this day and age of power tools the axe continues to stand on its ground. Many people wouldn’t trade a well made axe for a chain of chainsaws; simply for the principal that it doesn’t require gasoline or electricity and, with proper upkeep an axe could last a family for generations, making it a family heirloom.

6. Hatchet

A hatchet is a tool known as a hatchet from the Old French hachete, which is a diminutive of hache “axe” from its Germanic parentage.

A hatchet is a tool to be wielded with one hand. It has a single sharp blade on one end to cut and split wood, and then normally a hammerhead on the other side.

When most people envision a generic axe for yard work, they are usually imagining a hatchet. Hatchets have a wide price range – you may find a simple hatchet for a few dollars while high-end hatchets can cost up to $100.

Hatchets are smaller than most other axes and their thicker handles can often come from tough woods, like hickory.

One thing that you will notice if you pick up a quality hatchet is that the head has a careful weight, with a flared part that tapers down to the sharp blade.

The balance of the tool is not just a detail – a well-balanced hatchet will require less effort and feel more natural so you can swing the hatchet accurately and complete the task in minimal time.

You may use a hatchet for felling small trees, but people primarily reach for a hatchet to chop or split logs. A hatchet is a good, versatile tool for lighter outdoor work.

7. Splitting Maul

Splitting mauls are tools specifically designed for separating logs into firewood. Structurally they are very similar to felling axes, as they often consist of a long wooden handle, which is essential for generating enough force with each downward swing.

Swinging a splitting maul is different than swinging a felling axe, as the direction of the force should be down, not side-to-side when splitting.

The splitting maul is also set apart from the felling axe because it cuts along the grain of the wood in the downward direction. With a felling axe, you cut across the grain which allows it to be chopped off. However, the splitting maul pushes against the grain allowing the wood to actually split.

The head of the splitting maul is also heavier, often weighing around eight pounds, which contributes to its splitting force.

The head is shaped like a large wedge, with a sharp edge on one end and a flat surface on the other end. As a matter of fact the sharpeness of the blade is less important than you might think, because it is wedged shaped and the force is from the weight of the maul that causes the splitting.

However, this is why splitting mauls do not need to be sharpened often, and can still work fairly well even when the edge is considerably dull.

8. Broad Axe

If there was anything you were going to build in early America—a home, a barn, or even a small shop—there is a good chance that you picked up a broad axe.

Broad axes were one of those essential tools that could lay the foundation of all the construction that included, homes, barns, and various buildings. However, to clarify, a broad axe is different from a felling axe (the axe you would use to cut down a tree).

What makes a broad axe a broad axe? A broad axe head is broad, and thicker than a felling axe. Broad axes offer two types of cutting properties for shaping logs: hewing.

A broad axe’s blade will sometimes have one side of the blade flat, with the other bevelled and sometimes sold as a single bevelled or chisel-edged axe (or a basil-edged axe, this last reference is of more recent origin).

A double-bevel broad axe, has bevelled edges on both sides of the blade that form scalloped cuts, not flat. Thus the typical handle of a single bevelled broad axe will have a curved handle away from the flat side of the blade.

This is a little tricky, the designer of these axes was positioning a person in the best position to do the hewing by working nearly flat to the surface they are flattening.

But, you can work a broad axe from only one direction and, therefore, they may only be used for either right or left-handed applications. The double-bevel broad axe has a straight handle that can generally be swung from either side, thus it is less limiting.

So how did everyone use these tools? If you were going to prepare a log, the double bevelled axe was not only easy to hew, it allowed you to chop and notch logs. The process typically followed the same steps each time. First, you would,”score,” notches into the side of your log down to your guide line.

Second, you would “joggle,” the notches you have just cut, (yep that is the term,) Good Luck! Finally, you would broad axe away the wood to your line – ending with the intended flatten surface.

9. Carpenter’s Axe

Carpenter’s axes (or carpenter’s hatchets) are small, but not much bigger than a typical hatchet. They are used by traditional woodworkers, joinery and log building.

What is really distinctive about carpenter’s axes are the shape of the blade and environmental context of beards and finger notches, which allows the user to choke up on the handle, providing more control for precision cuts.

Unlike felling axes, the carpenter’s axe is designed for fine detailed work with a thinner blade, with a long straight cutting surface and low bevel angle primed for dry wood. The handles are also straight not curved, which may feel funny to axe users who are familiar with swinging a chopping axe.

The straight handle is actually totally appropriate, by keeping the handle out of the way you foster making smaller more accurate cuts. This is how the carpenter’s axe is able to be used for things like trimming the end of a plank at an angle, or even attempting a little woodcarving.

Another benefit of a straight long edge, is how stable it is when you are right under the cutting position. It is easy to eyeball the blade for those cuts of precision.

As for the back end, otherwise known as the poll, is typically used as a hammer. And when you pick up a brand new carpenter’s hatchet, you will typically find a nail pulling groove at the poll, which lends even more functionality to the tool.

10. Miner’s Axe          

During the Middle Ages, miners in Europe used this size of axe while they worked underground, searching for silver and copper ore. The axe additionally featured a long, thin head to help miners work in cramped conditions.

Over time, the axe moved from more than just an essential working tool. It developed an importance as a status symbol, with miners embellishing the head of the axe with custom engraving and other methods to show pride in the work they did and the craftsmanship.

11. Double Bit Axe

A double bit axe has two edges for cutting so it is capable of being used for various purposes. It works well for outdoor tasks that involve cutting, chopping and splitting wood.

Many trades people will keep one edge sharpened to a fine edge which is specifically for chopping or splitting wood, while the other edge will be blunt and duller for logs. The blunt edge does not need to be tapered and it may even do damage from exceeding impact if used for splitting.

As mentioned, one of the advantages to opting for a double bit axe is that you can keep and maintain the edge differently for each side.

This means that you will have less tools to carry into the bush which is a huge bonus for those trying to minimize weight, particularly when camping or backpacking. In the end, the type of double bit axe you choose will mainly depend on your own preference and expected work.

12. Viking Axe

The Viking axe was a fixture of Norse life, both as an important tool, and useful weapon. Almost every household had a wood cutting axe, to be used every day, and these axes could be used in an urgent situation as powerful weapons. Norse artisans also produced a range of additional axes specifically for fighting, separate from these everyday tools.

Axes were important weapons during the Viking Age. Popular imagination has the Viking axe quite large or unwieldy, but that is a bit of a misrepresentation. A well-forged Viking axe could weigh under two pounds, and was surprisingly well balanced.

This was yet another reason for all warriors to carry an axe into battle, they were light and nimble for the warrior. Axes come in various sizes, however, on average, battle axes for the Norseman were designed for two hands, many could be 55 inches long.

The most recognizable part of the Viking axe is the “bearded” blade—the lower part of the axe head extends down towards the handle like a hooked beard—this allowed the warrior to hook their opponent’s ankle to knock them off balance or catch the edge of the shield to pull it away from them.

The blade was honed to a razor edge and the head could slash as cleanly as a knife. The blunt end could deliver a hard knock to an enemy’s face, potentially somewhat more humiliating than fatal. Nearly all axe heads were forged from iron, and handles were wood.

Viking axe heads are not found on battlefields any more, but they are interesting objects for historians and archaeologists to study. They help explain the level of skill used, strategies and day-to-day realities of people who lived many centuries ago.

13. Tomahawk

The tomahawk, a unique style of single-handed axe, holds important connections to Indigenous peoples and nations all across North America.

Unlike a standard hatchet, a tomahawk is more appropriately defined by its culturally-specific straight shaft. In the 1600s English borrowed the term “tomahawk,” directly from the Powhatan language (an Algonquian language from Virginia).

Traditionally tomahawks functioned as practical, multi-use tools for Native American societies – one of those all-purpose colonial tools.

As European colonist groups arrived and began to express interests in trading relationships with Native groups, soon they realized that along with it’s use as a tool, the tomahawk began to expand as a usable weapon in contact – close quarters hand to hand combat.

Additionally, the introduction of tomahawks with metal heads were modeled on the Royal Navy’s boarding axes which made them highly sought after trade items that Indigenous people acquired and exchanged for food and supplies.

14. Pick Axe         

A pickaxe, pick or pick-ax, is one of those classic hand tools that you are likely to immediately recognize by its T-shape. The head tends to be amde of metal and sits cross ways at the end of amde long handle.

Traditionally, wood has been the most common handle material used but nowadays you will find picks with metal handles or even fiberglass, where the latter is gaining favor because of the durability.

If a standard pickaxe comes to mind, it is more likely what is called a pick mattock. The head displays a sharp point on one side to break up tough materials, or pry them apart. The other side, usually an axe shaped with a broad blade, has uses like chopping through roots, skimming or hoeing.

Most mattocks will also illustrate a slight curve along the length of the head that illustrates it’s balance and efficiency of use. Most pickaxes with a flat blade side also show that style but instead of one flat axe end, will have two pointed ends with one point longer than the other referring to it as a pickax. 

In terms of usage, the pointy side does the heavy breaking and prying work with the flat blade side for chopping or clearing use.

Interestingly, pickaxes go way back as they originally designed as a simple farming implement in Prehistoric times. Over time, the user demonstrate an ability to adapt the tool for many other uses mainly starting with farming tools such as the plough and mattock.

However, beyond farming, pickaxes are widely used in construction and mining and at various points in history has been used primarily as a tool of war.

15. Roofing Axe

There are a few specialized tools in the roofing world, like roofing hammers and roof hatchets, that professional roofers are great at using. They aren’t just any old hammer though; they are specialty tools designed for residential roofers to cut shingles as well as drive nails.

A roofing hatchet is called many things: roofing axe, roofing hatchet, roof hatchet. It is something that has been a part of the tool belt for specialized roofers for eternities past.

With the invention of new gadgets and devices, lots of professional history has been made by the time-tested roofing hatchet, and there are lots of experienced roofers that will utilize this tool because it’s tried and true.

Besides the longevity of the tug, another of the many benefits of the roofing hatchet/axe: it is a multi-functional tool. Anyone that has worked on the roof knows that juggling a bunch of tools is lame.

The roofing hatchet simply eliminates the guess work and multitasking by combining two main functions: On one side is a sharp blade used to cut shingles to the right sizing.

On the other side is a hammerhead to nail down the shingles. Some models even include a magnetized hammerhead which you can stick a nail to the front of and drive in without having to balance the nail with your fingers!

There is also a very neat little feature on the blade side, a small projection called a shingle gauge. It simply hooks over the front edge of the shingle you just installed with the hammerhead pointing up.

After that, when you position your next shingle so it touches the hammerhead, it accurately provides you with lines for evenly spaced rows without a measuring tape!

In summary, the roofing hatchets and axes pack a surprising amount of features into one tool making life on the roofs easier and more accurate!

16. Hunter’s Axe

The hunter’s axe is a specific type of axe made for a hunter’s specific needs. It is different than a standard axe because of the following: the poll of the axe is made thinner than a standard axe head and the poll is bolstered in the gently rounded, Burnished Edge sometimes referred to as a flay poll.

The rounded edge on the poll of the axe is very helpful when skinning animals, and one of its most valuable attributes is that this helps limit the damage to hides. Standard axes also have sharp-cornered, straight polls which can damage hides.

Besides the function of a hunter’s axe being the processing of game, it can also chop wood and bone and that makes it useful and necessary gear for a hunter.

Chances are a well-made hunter’s axe also has a “handled” that is grooved to help ensure grip and control when hands become wet or slippery with the products of rain or animal blood.

Such detail is disregarded by the novice but can help your performance in the field when things need to be done right.

It should be noted that these axes are not commercially available or widely available in some stores. Acquiring one generally means contacting or visiting a specialist blacksmith or forger with experience in making this model axe.

While a regular axe might be ok for the basic work of chopping, it continues to fall short in the more subtle dimensions of animal preparation, which leads to a strong case for the special status of the hunter’s axe amongst experienced hunters.

17. Throwing Axe

A hurlbat—known as a whirlbat or whorlbat in some older reference materials—is a weapon with rather unclear origins. In older descriptions of the hurlbat, it is considered a type of club, either to be held in the hand or perhaps thrown at another.

Strangely, in more recent references, the word seems to have flipped directions and is most often used to describe a throwing axe.

The throwing axe was a traditional weapon for foot soldiers in the Middle Ages and was thrown across the battlefield with explosive intent to maim and kill their opponent.

According to an article on Fox News, axe throwing is making a resurgence in popularity, albeit not as a skill of the battlefield, but as a sport with the recent growth of the sport of axe throwing being seen in Canada and parts of the US.

In the current day, there are all sorts of axes currently used in sport throwing. The one commonality with all of the axes is that they are built tough. Axes face a tough workout from repetitive throwing regardless of the throwing style, and so aren’t built to be fragile.

If you ever check out the leagues or federations which set axe throwing rules, you will see that they specifically mention required lengths of axe handles.

There are also several levels in the axes as far as expertise is concerned. Beginners and/ or beginner throwers may just want to cut to the chase and purchase a basic entry level axe, whereas more experiences throwers tend to invest in high-end or professional level throwing axes.

There is certainly a price escalation in axes; generally higher quality axes cost more, but most enthusiasts would say that the more you spend on an axe, the better performing axe you take home to throw.

18. Crash Axe

The crash axe is a specialized tool that is ideally suited for emergencies, and although we hope to never have to use it, it’s nice to be able to have and use one in an emergency situation.

The crash axe is fundamentally designed for versatility, and you can think of it as a multi-use tool that can serve as a lifesaver, not just an axe.

Most current crash axes are made with a titanium handle to allow for a lightweight yet tough structural handle that will enhance maneuverability of the entire tool.

You will tend to find that axe heads are interchangeable, using a stainless-steel axe blade, or pike shape depending on the need (occasionally the same time— with a pike and serrated edge).

There are designs out there, where the designer has made the problematic metal-cutting claw and wire-cutter part of the hilt allowing it capability to deal with obstructions in a number of ways.

Although you are most likely to hear the term “crash axe’ in the aviation emergency context. You will find a crash axe secured in the cockpit, especially in the case of an aircraft that will seat more than 20 passenger seats, because it is specifically made for the situation that gives rise to a crash.

The blades can be made either smooth blade or serrated, but they need to be sharp enough to cut through sheet metal.

This is not for theatrical reasons; being able to cut through a fuselage will often make the difference between flight and restrained action—whether rescuers are trying to get the aircraft open from the side or if the passenger need to evacuate and the door is blocked.

Additionally, a crash axe is not just a cutting tool, it can also be used to pry gaps open, split through the interior walls or to chop into the overhead storage lockers—basically, anything that might obstruct escape in the case of evacuation.

Some designs have a notched blade that allows it to hook onto a sheet of metal, and some designs have a pointed pick on the head, which provides added functionality.

You will find that almost all crash axes are made entirely of metal, which will easily withstand the very worst the environment and tool conditions can throw at it.

As I hope is obvious, you will not see crash axes usually lying around in most people’s garages—these are only for use by emergency crews and aviation areas.

19. Adze

An adze (or “adz,” depending on your source) is a type of hand tool that has been used in woodworking since the Stone Age.

You can think of them as something like an axe, and there are some similarities, but the key difference is in the blade. An axe is held parallel to the cutting edge, while a firm adze is held perpendicular to it.

This one small change means the main purpose for an adze is not cutting branches away from a tree, but rather smoothing or carving wood by hand, alongside uses in agriculture and gardening, where an adze can be used for digging or hoeing.

Throughout time there have been two main types of adze based on whether the user stands while using it. The first is the hand adze, which is essentially just a shorter handle meant to be swung in one hand—i.e., the tool you would pick up when precision or control are more important than power and efficiency.

The second is the foot adze, which has a longer handle but also allows you to use both hands and generates more power as you swing with your body weight. Generally, with a foot adze, the blade makes contact approximately around your foot or shin, so it is a much more powerful tool.

Another tool worth noting is the mattock, which looks much like an adze, though it has two blades, one perpendicular and the other parallel to the handle.

This small change at the blade makes the mattock a multifunctional tool for digging and chopping. This also shows how one slight modification in a tool’s design can greatly change its overall utility.

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