You will learn more about self-reliance from watching old instructional videos like this, than anywhere on the internet. Knowing how to use an axe and other non-powered tools is crucial for self-reliance.
An excellent excellent video - better than anything modern that I've seen. The mechanics the men display are not seen often now. Easy looking well placed swings, no wailing away.
nah, the axe is a thousand times more useful even in a wood shop to trim down piece of wood with surprising precision in the hand of an expert. A chain saw is just not suited for fine work.
Jim Thode, Thank you very much for your efforts to keep the art of woodmansship alive. I've had the experience of learning from you on your crosscutsawyer website and have come to appreciate all you do. Please keep the up the good work. You are truely an icon in the crosscut saw world and I've become a gracious fan due to your caring and knowledge sharing. Once again, Thank you.
A few comments on this video and technique demonstrated. First, they are taking nice, easy swings letting the shift in body weight (from one foot to the other) do the work in conjunction with axe head. Second, they are using a decent size weighted axe head that's not overly cumbersome for the axeman but also not so light as to be flung at great speed. Third, because of the first two, less chance of glancing blows. Fourth, when bucking on the ground, notice the axeman is standing to the side of the notch and not directly behind the axe swing. He makes a small notch first with all the cuts either away from himself or perpendicular to the long. NEVER did he make a cut toward himself when bucking on the ground. When standing on TOP of the log, he did make cuts in both directions however, this brings me to the Fifth point which is when bucking on top (or felling a tree) make a smaller notch first, which creates a deeper notch and helps prevent the blade from glancing out of the notch and towards the feet. In conclusion, this video demonstrates an anerobic vs aerobic exercise. If you are huffing and puffing and out of breath, then you are probably doing it wrong. If you slow down and take your time, use a properly weighted axe and observe the above guides, your axemanship will become effortless and will have no problem chopping wood all day if necessary.
I'm no axeman, though probably one or two generations removed. The point I'd like to make is that modern vocational training does not cultivate the same level of competence. Especially at 12:56 Such technical and nuanced use of a tool would never fly in modern schools.
Thanks for sharing this. Great information, and a great old training film. My guess is that the film was later than the late 1940s. I see what I think is the red of Permabond on the axe at about the 8-minute mark and again at 18:18. Plumb started using Permabond in 1955, so my guess is that the film is from sometime soon after that.
+Christopher Land Could be a Permabond or maybe just red paint. It is hard to see details with the poor quality but looks like one of the photos show more red then just the epoxied handle end. I was thinking late 40's because chainsaws were quite popular by the mid 50's and replaced essentially all hand tool cutting methods. Jim
+Jim Thode Jim, I wonder if this film wasn't in response to the loss of axe skills brought about by the widespread use of the chainsaw. At any rate, it is a great old film, and I appreciate your sharing it. Chris
Curiously, I met all of those requirements before age 15. With the exception if chainsaw use. I sharpened them for my dad but didn't use one until I was 17.
