An axe can easily be knocked out and fall. A potential source of injury and a damaged axe. The axe belongs on the floor under the block or in its mask or holder, or may be on a large surface.
Have a look at these photos and you will see that bits of wood have stuck to the axe. If there is any moisture in the wood this can start rusting as well. These bits of wood are really stuck and do take effort to remove. The other problem with this, is that the could stop the edge biting into the wood. The skipping axe is another potential injury, very small, but lets keep the odds in our favour.
You will see that the axe in the above picture has its whole edge in the wood. I have been told by many different people about injuries caused by the tip only being in the block. The hand or a digit can get caught between the block and the inclined axe edge. Go on set your axe in a block and see what happens if you reach, for say, a knife on the block, not looking properly. The digit will get trapped and badly cut. Really not nice. Now who would set an axe in a tree trunk at 6 foot above ground? You know, to keep it safe. Do you want this falling on your head or shoulder? Again I heard of someone doing this and then stringing up a hammock on the same branch, caught his hand between axe edge and tree.
What stories do you have about your axes? How do you keep them safe? Finally what are the most stupid things you have seen or heard? Do let me know, and post a comment. When I first started teaching at camps and festivals once or twice people would chop the axe into the ground "to keep it safe". The horror, the speechlessness, the time then spent grinding out the damage.
On another note my friend barn and talented spoon carver has posted a video on axe blocks, well worth a watch.
My Axe Blocks from barn carder on Vimeo.
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Thanks for this Post, it will stop me from getting used to leaving the axe in the axe block. I started doing this as I don`t want to leave it on the floor with children running around. I will have to keep putting the mask back on :(
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine took a chain saw and cut a slot into the block to hang his axe into, holding it there with a special contraption. Fast to use and it does not come out if not intended. Pitty is it does not work with gränsfors axes.
Regards Fred
Interesting points. I was always taught that when tools are finished with they are put away clean, dry and safe after use. Most quality bought axes will come with a safety sheath of some description. I have a couple of pictures on my blog with an axe in a block they were placed for photographs only. Good post.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, I like your blog Waldgeistman.
ReplyDeleteThe slot in the block is a great idea and I have one on my tripod vice I use for fan bird demos at shows.
I had a real scare a few years ago when working on the shave horse. The chopping block was 2 feet away from me and was a 3 legged one. I left the axe on top, guess what the dog ran under it for some reason and I saw the axe fall on Milos back. I thought major injury, but after checking him over I found no cuts on his back. Half an hour later Dan said the dog was bleeding, sure enough we found a 30mm cut in his paw that was as deep as it could go before cutting through tendons and bone. How do I explain I nearly killed the dog to my wife? All was well after a couple of staples were put in and a not insignificant vets bill.
A big wake up call, it could very easily have been a lot worse.