I was thinking about showing you a cool Axe today. But then I quickly remembered something: There’s a lot more to them than knowing that the sharp in goes into the tree…

Some months back I was reading Mors Kochanski’s Bushcraft. In it there’s a pretty good section on Axes and how to use them. It made me realize just how little I actually knew about them. I was then reminded of the time I took a class on chainsaws. What I figured would be a class of a few hours-long was actually two full days long. And there could have been more still. Who knew!

So instead of gear for your hands, todays gear report is two pieces of gear for your mind on dealing with your wood…

The Ax Book: The Lore Science of Woodcutter

The Ax Book is a thorough guide to cutting wood with hand tools.The author explains how to use various types of axes, hatchets, mauls, saws and wedges to take down trees and prepare firewood. In addition he shows every aspect of dealing with wood from the forest right to the hearth or stove.

 

Homeowner’s Complete Guide to the Chainsaw

Taking the fear out of chainsaws by emphasizing safe handling practices, this resource aims to put raw power in the hands of everyday yardworkers. With step-by-step color photographs throughout, 12 of the most common household chainsaw operations—such as cutting firewood, taking down small trees, trimming branches, grooming hedges, and making lumber—are tackled with expert advice and sure-handed guidance. With an additional section devoted to chainsaw types, potential buyers can also assess which size and type of chainsaw best meets their needs. Also included is an appendix that has useful technical information and identifies the parts of a chainsaw and how each functions.