The Power of the Pocket Ax

It should be of no surprise to anyone that I am a knife nut. If I am not playing with them, I am sharpening them. If I am not doing that, I am making sheaths for them.

If you ever happen across any knife or bushcraft forum, you are bound to come across a recent argument on the age old topic of what is better: “A large knife, or an ax?” For the uninitiated, when I say “ax” I do not necessary mean a full size felling ax. The smaller “pocket ax” is still an ax. I have a problem with calling it a hatchet.

Opinions are going to vary based on location. For example, I really do not think that you would want an ax in the jungle. But, I have to admit, for all the things that I can think of, and that I regularly do, I have always preferred the large knife. It has just seemed more versatile to me.

Over the past couple of years, I have learned more and more about what you can really do with an ax. Even a small ax. It became clear that my original assessment was not really accurate. I mean, how can I compare two things If I don’t know as much as possible about one of them?

Reading Old Jimbo’s website, I came across a good demonstration of what can be done, even with a pocket ax, by a knowledgeable person.

Photo courtesy of Old Jimbo’s website.