fell:felling

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fell:felling [2025/12/05 10:12] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1fell:felling [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Felling axes & crosscut saws+This topic is part of [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. 
 +====== Felling axes & crosscut saws ======
  
  
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-## What are felling axes and crosscut saws?+===== What are felling axes and crosscut saws? =====
  
 Felling axes and crosscut saws are edge tools made from tool steel (hardened to maintain a sharp edge for longer). They're the manual tools for cutting and chopping wood that have evolved over thousands of years and become in their own way extremely sophisticated and efficient. Essentially, they are an alternative to [chainsaws](/chsw/chainsaws), without the engine, moving parts and burning of fossil fuels - but the cutting technology is no different. Felling axes and crosscut saws are edge tools made from tool steel (hardened to maintain a sharp edge for longer). They're the manual tools for cutting and chopping wood that have evolved over thousands of years and become in their own way extremely sophisticated and efficient. Essentially, they are an alternative to [chainsaws](/chsw/chainsaws), without the engine, moving parts and burning of fossil fuels - but the cutting technology is no different.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Using felling axes to make a wedge-shaped cut on the side of the tree facing the direction in which it's going to fall.+_Using felling axes to make a wedge-shaped cut on the side of the tree facing the direction in which it's going to fall._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-### Axes+==== Axes ====
  
 Axes have been around longer than saws. A felling axe is a cold, brutal lump of steel on the end of a stick, with a razor-sharp edge. It has exactly the right weight over the length of the tool so that when swung, the edge is driven into the wood with a huge amount of force. The profile of the tool is honed to give exactly the right combination of cutting and wedging. For example, a cut-throat razor is very fine and only cuts, whereas a splitting axe or maul (used for splitting logs rather than felling trees), is very wide and only splits like a wedge. A felling axe is a combination of these 2 functions - first the cut, allowing the axe to penetrate into the timber; then the wedge, splitting a chip of wood out of the cut. Axes have been around longer than saws. A felling axe is a cold, brutal lump of steel on the end of a stick, with a razor-sharp edge. It has exactly the right weight over the length of the tool so that when swung, the edge is driven into the wood with a huge amount of force. The profile of the tool is honed to give exactly the right combination of cutting and wedging. For example, a cut-throat razor is very fine and only cuts, whereas a splitting axe or maul (used for splitting logs rather than felling trees), is very wide and only splits like a wedge. A felling axe is a combination of these 2 functions - first the cut, allowing the axe to penetrate into the timber; then the wedge, splitting a chip of wood out of the cut.
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-### Crosscut saws+==== Crosscut saws ====
  
 Crosscut saws are usually operated by two people - one at each end. They're used for both tree felling and cross-cutting. They come in a variety of lengths and tooth configurations. The easiest to maintain is the peg tooth configuration - the same as on a normal panel saw. The only company still manufacturing crosscut saws in the UK is [Flinn-Garlick](http://www.flinn-garlick-saws.co.uk/), and they only manufacture saws with this tooth arrangement. Saws come in a variety of lengths depending on the wood you're cutting. The smallest can be around 3ft (1m). Crosscut saws are usually operated by two people - one at each end. They're used for both tree felling and cross-cutting. They come in a variety of lengths and tooth configurations. The easiest to maintain is the peg tooth configuration - the same as on a normal panel saw. The only company still manufacturing crosscut saws in the UK is [Flinn-Garlick](http://www.flinn-garlick-saws.co.uk/), and they only manufacture saws with this tooth arrangement. Saws come in a variety of lengths depending on the wood you're cutting. The smallest can be around 3ft (1m).
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 <caption> <caption>
-Felling axe vs splitting axe, or maul: the felling axe has a very sharp, thin blade, and is lighter than a splitting axe, which has a heavier, thicker, wedge-shaped blade for splitting along the grain rather than across it; a splitting axe also has a hammer opposite the blade, for hammering in wedges.+_Felling axe vs splitting axe, or maul: the felling axe has a very sharp, thin blade, and is lighter than a splitting axe, which has a heavier, thicker, wedge-shaped blade for splitting along the grain rather than across it; a splitting axe also has a hammer opposite the blade, for hammering in wedges._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## What are the benefits of felling axes and crosscut saws?+===== What are the benefits of felling axes and crosscut saws? =====
  
 Go to any woodcraft fair, and it's highly likely that you'll see a comic demonstration involving a contest between a chainsaw user and a two-person crosscut saw team cutting logs of the same diameter in two. It's usually a very close call - sometimes one wins, sometimes the other. There are some additional factors behind this simple contest. The first is that in reality, if this contest was run over the course of a day, the chainsaw operator would win. However, for a more detailed comparison, we should factor in the embodied energy of the equipment, plus the fuel used in the chainsaw versus the food going into the people doing the cutting. Go to any woodcraft fair, and it's highly likely that you'll see a comic demonstration involving a contest between a chainsaw user and a two-person crosscut saw team cutting logs of the same diameter in two. It's usually a very close call - sometimes one wins, sometimes the other. There are some additional factors behind this simple contest. The first is that in reality, if this contest was run over the course of a day, the chainsaw operator would win. However, for a more detailed comparison, we should factor in the embodied energy of the equipment, plus the fuel used in the chainsaw versus the food going into the people doing the cutting.
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-### Self-provisioning+==== Self-provisioning ====
  
 If you have the tools and the skills to keep them sharp and maintain them, you can provide firewood and timber for yourself and your loved ones, save money and potentially gain an income from your community. If you're felling and cutting up the odd tree, as on a smallholding - if you do without a chainsaw, you might spend £170 on the axe and the saw, which will last for the rest of your life (and maybe your children's). The chainsaw, plus protective gear and certification course can come to over £1500. Then the chainsaw will break after a certain number of years use, and of course there is the consumption of fuel over its lifetime, with the accompanying monetary and environmental cost. If you have the tools and the skills to keep them sharp and maintain them, you can provide firewood and timber for yourself and your loved ones, save money and potentially gain an income from your community. If you're felling and cutting up the odd tree, as on a smallholding - if you do without a chainsaw, you might spend £170 on the axe and the saw, which will last for the rest of your life (and maybe your children's). The chainsaw, plus protective gear and certification course can come to over £1500. Then the chainsaw will break after a certain number of years use, and of course there is the consumption of fuel over its lifetime, with the accompanying monetary and environmental cost.
  
-### Decentralising power away from corporations+==== Decentralising power away from corporations ====
  
 You can help cut off some flow of wealth to corporations by removing the need to buy chainsaws or fuel. You can help cut off some flow of wealth to corporations by removing the need to buy chainsaws or fuel.
  
-### Building community and preparing for any potential collapse scenarios+==== Building community and preparing for any potential collapse scenarios ====
  
 Low-tech timber felling and cutting would be invaluable skills in a time of collapse. Low-tech timber felling and cutting would be invaluable skills in a time of collapse.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Using a crosscut saw to make a felling cut towards the cut made with felling axes on the other side of the tree.+_Using a crosscut saw to make a felling cut towards the cut made with felling axes on the other side of the tree._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-### Environmental+==== Environmental ====
  
 No fossil fuel or electricity required, or factories and supply chains for chainsaws. No fossil fuel or electricity required, or factories and supply chains for chainsaws.
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 Axes can be purchased second-hand at woodcraft fairs, or second-hand tool shops, market stalls or online; or new from a variety of UK blacksmiths specialising in making tools. Saws - again, second-hand as above - or new from Flinn-Garlick. Axes can be purchased second-hand at woodcraft fairs, or second-hand tool shops, market stalls or online; or new from a variety of UK blacksmiths specialising in making tools. Saws - again, second-hand as above - or new from Flinn-Garlick.
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-### Maintenance+==== Maintenance ====
  
 Regular maintenance and sharpening is essential, as with any tool. The felling axe is easily maintained by use of a hand sharpening stone, which can be carried in your back pocket; and the axe can be used to fell the timber to make its own handle replacement for that time in the future when it might become broken. Axe handles are usually from ash if made in the UK - it's the timber with the most reliable combination of strength and flexibility. Hickory is used in the US, or where available (hickory is stronger than ash). New axe heads can be made by a good local blacksmith who is able to make tools. Regular maintenance and sharpening is essential, as with any tool. The felling axe is easily maintained by use of a hand sharpening stone, which can be carried in your back pocket; and the axe can be used to fell the timber to make its own handle replacement for that time in the future when it might become broken. Axe handles are usually from ash if made in the UK - it's the timber with the most reliable combination of strength and flexibility. Hickory is used in the US, or where available (hickory is stronger than ash). New axe heads can be made by a good local blacksmith who is able to make tools.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Success.+_Success._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-### Techniques+==== Techniques ====
  
 With axe felling, there is serious potential for injuring yourself. We advise people to learn how to do it first. Online research and reading are good, but preferably go on a course - to do it in the presence of someone who knows what they're doing. See [here](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/using-axe.pdf) for more on using an axe. With axe felling, there is serious potential for injuring yourself. We advise people to learn how to do it first. Online research and reading are good, but preferably go on a course - to do it in the presence of someone who knows what they're doing. See [here](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/using-axe.pdf) for more on using an axe.
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-## Further resources+===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/gardening). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 - Appropedia: [Wood Harvesting with Hand Tools](https://www.appropedia.org/Wood_Harvesting_with_Hand_Tools) - Appropedia: [Wood Harvesting with Hand Tools](https://www.appropedia.org/Wood_Harvesting_with_Hand_Tools)
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-## Specialist(s)+ 
 +===== Related topics ===== 
 + 
 +- [Tree/woodland management](wodl:woodland_management) 
 +- [Chainsaws](chsw:chainsaws) 
 +- [Biomass boilers](biom:biomass_boilers) 
 +- [Blacksmithing](blck:blacksmithing) 
 +- [Green woodworking](grwo:green_woodworking) 
 +- [Hedges](hedg:hedges) 
 +- [Masonry stoves](msry:masonry_stoves) 
 +- [Round wood timber framing](rwtf:round_wood_timber_framing) 
 +- [Roundhouses](roun:roundhouses) 
 +- [Rustic furniture](rufu:rustic_furniture) 
 +- [Wood stoves](wdst:wood_stoves) 
 + 
 +===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
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  • Last modified: 2025/12/05 10:12
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