Lots of folks say that one should carry an ax when wheeling. Why? Now, I'm not ignorant of axes. In fact, I own three--a 3/4, a full and a hand ax. I teach Boy Scout leaders how to use and care for them, in fact. And while an ax does look cool when being wielded (just ask any Boy Scout which he'd rather be learning to use!), they're awful darned hard work. What is it that an ax is doing that a boring, but highly effective, bow saw can't be doing?

 

An ax can do things other than chop wood because most of them also have a flat surface you can pound with thus it not only provides wood but also can knock stuff loose or tap things back on. It takes the place of carrying a sledge and saw providing both in one tool. Personally though I have a heavy machette. It not only is much better for collecting smaller stuff but also can chop through heavy wood requiring less room to swing as well. I also carry a small colapsable saw as well as a hammer. A real good case for an ax is long term survival though. If I were stuck out in the boonies for a long period of time an ax is a lot easier to sharpen than a saw blade and if necessary when the handle (only part that can break) breaks I can fashion a new one from available materials.

 

I suspected as much. I've always felt that using an ax in this manner (not a hatchet, which is properly engineered to be used as a hammer) was unsafe. But, in an emergency . . .

As for an ax during an extended wilderness stay: Hmm. Nope, Bow saw. Once I got the shelter built I wouldn't be using the saw that much. Fire would be from deadfall; stuff I can easily break up and catch on fire. I certainly wouldn't want to be wielding an ax in a survival situation: Too much risk from sweating and then hypothermia (number one killer of folks in a survival situation). Also, if I decided to move on, carrying a bow saw would be a lot less weight and bulk.

I'm no Les Stroud (Survivorman), but I've experienced a month's worth of survival training and living at three locations (basic in Washington, water in Florida, and jungle in the Philippines), and I take Boy Scouts out each January for a wilderness survival experience.

 

I ride with a pulaski strapped to my front bar.
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I keep a bow saw and a BFH inside too. It's not like I'm carrying the stuff in my backpack.

 

Last year we went to Colorado in early June. We traveled some trails that had trees over them, I guess we were some of the early ones to travel them since the snow had melted. Had we not had axes we couldn't have made it. A bow saw isn't a bad idea but I'd hate to bread the saw blade, which would be much easier than breaking an ax head, that's my thinking.

 

I have a tomahawk that goes with me outdoors, seriously. It's sort of a bearded axe with a hammer-pole on the other side. It's tomahawk size, so you cant chop down a huge tree with it; but, it works great to chop camp-fire wood, hammer in tent stakes, and...well...it's a tomahawk.

It was made by fortturner dot com, if anyone is interested.

 

I don't know how many of you guys around here are military or prior service but those that are can back me up on this. Anytime a vehicle leaves the motorpool to go into the field environment it has a complete set of "pioneer tools" attached to it. This includes a sledge hammer, shovel, pick axe and an axe. These are there because you just never know what difficulties you might encounter when traversing rugged terrain.

 

Untill the need came to chop through ice to try to fish, fend off an attacking animal, and even split wood do get to the dry interior stuff after a weeks rain. Not to say a saw is not handy and I carry one but given a choice between the two the ax is more useful all around and as I said there is a lot less to go wrong with it. Not trying to be Tarzan here or anything but if you have an Ax you can actually use it to hunt with and it also allows you to make sharpened stakes without dulling a knife except to put a fine tip on it. Now if you consider how often you will be in this type of situation when out wheeling it sounds silly but overall when it comes to tools for survival an ax ranks up there with knife and multitool in usefullness if not higher than the multitool where a saw is a lot lower due to the single use aplication.

 

Good points all in this thread. I think I'll carry an ax. But, maybe a bow saw, too (even though I won't hang it off the outside of the Jeep!). Thanks, everyone!

 

and with an axe like that strapped to your Jeep I bet you get a lot less people flipping you off while on the road.