Mini Brush Axe?

Fleas · Mar 20, 2023

TIA
This thing might go by various names, but has anyone ever seen a one-handed version of exactly the same shape (just smaller)? It has an inner and an outer cutting edge.

It's not a sickle or a machete.
The handle is much longer than the blade. The blade is thick enough to hack on heavy brush.

Maybe I dreamt it and it's my million dollar idea.

-F

11053 · Mar 20, 2023

Haven't seen the one handed version with double edged blades-only single edge.
Fiskars has a nice one handed version if you don't need double edges.
Also called a ditch bank blade/tool.

noapathy · Mar 21, 2023

I think I saw one of those in one of The Witcher video games.

Fleas · Mar 21, 2023

11053 said:
Haven't seen the one handed version with double edged blades-only single edge.
Fiskars has a nice one handed version if you don't need double edges.
Also called a ditch bank blade/tool.

I found that one. It's a bit short.
Maybe I'll try to make one. ???

-F

11053 · Mar 21, 2023

Maybe get one of the wood handled version with the longer double edged blade and cut down the shaft to work better with one hand?
The fiberglass shaft version likely could easily get cut down too.

milehi · Mar 21, 2023

I have one that I made. It has a 20" square blade, sharp on one side and dull on the other side so I can hammer through larger stuff. The handle is two handed but short enough for one hand. I'm not at home so no pics.

ilmfat · Mar 21, 2023

Not double edged, though. But tough and decently light. I also use the unsharpened side for smacking stuff. Breaks the little tinder shoots off nice without cutting into the log/branch and ending the swing.

Disclaimer: I don't work on live trees. Only firewood.

Fleas · Mar 21, 2023

I may have found something close enough...

...but it's discontinued.
...and it was almost $100!

Maybe it's not a million dollar idea. 🤔

-F

ilmfat · Mar 21, 2023

This one is less than $100.

Arborist Store

Specializing in professional quality equipment for Arborists and Forestry professionals since 1966.

thearboriststore.com

jimPacNW · Mar 21, 2023

for small one-handed stuff, I can't imagine it's 1/10 as fast as a hedge trimmer.
- my 90 yr old dad also calls that a 'brush hook'.

Fleas · Mar 21, 2023

jimPacNW said:
for small one-handed stuff, I can't imagine it's 1/10 as fast as a hedge trimmer.

My machete can cut up to about a 2" grape vine in 2 swings if I hit it just right. Something a little heftier, but not HUGE should do nicely.

I see a lot of nice trees that are getting choked out. A few strategic cuts have yielded some great big balls of wild grape vines falling from the canopy after about a year of drying out.
I have also seen a few grow 5 heads where I cut off one, so this might not be a perfect solution.

There are also some heavy poison ivy vines out there as well.

-F

noapathy · Mar 22, 2023

Thai Aranyik Machete? Different shape, but short like you were talking about.

SouthSoundRider · Mar 23, 2023

Just carry around Thor's hammer...if you are worthy.

Fleas · Mar 24, 2023

So, after I mocked up something for the sake of proportion...

I found some stuff laying around. ...just not any proper tools.

Right now, the blade might be a tad heavy/wide, and the handle just a couple inches too long, but think of it as a 3-bladed tool: the hook blade, the back blade, and the end blade. I like the idea of the end blade.

There are still parts missing, blade shaping, handle shaping, and I will be busy with other stuff next week, but it's a start.

...and, if nothing else, it'll be great for decapitating zombies. 😄

-F

ilmfat · Mar 24, 2023

Bad ass, dude! Respek.

PDKL45 · Mar 24, 2023

They're often called billhooks, but in NZ English they're commonly called "slashers," although I guess it depends on the shape? A billhook has a distinctive shape like an old school weapon. I grew up using them in NZ, though, where the curved variety is really popular, because you can get through vines and flexible vegetation with them. We called them slash-hooks when I was a kid, the outer edge was never sharpened and there was no one-handed version. They're two-handed tools, because you hold the end of the shaft with your right hand, and start the swing with your left hand just below the cutting head. At the point of impact your left hand should have slid down to meet your right hand, while guiding the flight of the tool. Like a golf swing, it had more to do with good technique than brute force. I'm thinking a one handed version would be really hard on the rear of your biceps if you used it all day. The two handed shaft and the swinging motion went quite a way to easing muscle fatigue.

noapathy · Mar 24, 2023

Fleas said:
So, after I mocked up something for the sake of proportion...

I found some stuff laying around. ...just not any proper tools.

Right now, the blade might be a tad heavy/wide, and the handle just a couple inches too long, but think of it as a 3-bladed tool: the hook blade, the back blade, and the end blade. I like the idea of the end blade.

View attachment 2028847

There are still parts missing, blade shaping, handle shaping, and I will be busy with other stuff next week, but it's a start.

...and, if nothing else, it'll be great for decapitating zombies. 😄

-F

How's the blade held in?

Blackies Pasture · Mar 24, 2023

I have seen a tool like that (in the first post wish) in Belize carried by the sugar cane harvesters.

wschruba · Mar 24, 2023

Blackies Pasture said:
I have seen a tool like that (in the first post wish) in Belize carried by the sugar cane harvesters.

This tracks. Some of the Caribbean people who lived in my neighborhood growing up had similar things they called "cane machetes".

Fleas · Mar 24, 2023

noapathy said:
How's the blade held in?

I have a way to go yet. Commonly, there would be 2 side plates bolted through the handle and the blade. I don't have all the pieces yet.

-F

Mini Brush Axe?

Fleas

11053

noapathy

Fleas

11053

milehi

ilmfat

Fleas

ilmfat

Arborist Store

jimPacNW

Fleas

noapathy

SouthSoundRider

Fleas

ilmfat

PDKL45

noapathy

Blackies Pasture

wschruba

Fleas

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