Stone tools 3: Primitive stone axe progression & comparison 🪨
Channel: Make It Primitive
Date: 2020-06-07

Since my last video, I have added a massive 2.5 kilogram stone axe to my tool set. This time I test and compare the performance, ergonomics and durability of my hatchets and axes so far.

My two previous videos on the topic:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oToVVk0NWmo
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azCG_JfsHUI

The two limestone slabs weigh around 1 kilogram each. The measurements of the hafted axes:
- #3: half a kilogram (40 centimeters shaft length), 
- #4: one kilogram (50 centimeters)
- #5: 2.5 kilograms (70 centimeters).

This is the conclusion of my experiments with limestone axes for now. This stuff has proven to be a lot more durable and useful than I initally thought, but for future tools, I will now be looking for harder materials. Which is not easy, since there's almost nothing but limestone where I live, but I have found some promising candidates and will keep looking for more.

Another element I plan to change is the material of the shaft. The small and medium axe are hafted in willow wood, the big one is birch. Both are not ideal: Willow splits really easily, and the birch shaft is already showing a crack - probably from drying and not from stress, but a point of weakness either way. I plan to make future shafts from ash wood, as soon as I can get my hands on some good pieces.

Stay tuned and I'll keep you updated on further progress as well as other interesting projects I'll be working on in the meantime!

Sorry for the background noises on this video. I don't own a piece of land to do this on, so I had to find a place where I don't annoy other people with the noise. The best such spot I could find was next to a highway.