When the blade gets dull, well, you can fix that: A bench grinder can be used to sharpen a dull axe head, and some rust soak will have it looking new. But a when the handle cracks or is damaged ...

Removing rust, carving new handle ... ourselves from wet-dry sandpaper cutoffs from an automotive shop. Then the honing process takes place with a strop. Rehandling the axe happens by using ...

You can usually be sure that standing dead trees will have a nice dry core, especially black ... A Hudson's Bay Axe has about a 24-inch handle and a 2-pound head. Although not marketed as such ...

But the right axe for splitting wood can prevent all of that. One with a comfortable and ergonomic handle, heavy head, and sharp blade will make the job much more efficient and enjoyable.

Choosing the right axe may be more complicated than it appears, however. The length and design of the handle, for instance, can affect how a person uses the tool. The weight of the head helps ...