Council Tool 3.5 lbs. Double Bit Michigan Axe with 36" Fiberglass Handle This 3.5 lb. Double Bit Axe from Council Tool is made in the famed Michigan pattern, actually originating from that state. Double bit axes were sometimes sharpened in different ways. Typically one end was thinner and sharper and used for knot free cutting; the other end was thicker and blunter and used when knots were present or to cut near the ground where contact with dirt was likely. While ANSI Standards call for bit hardness of Rc 45-60, at least 1/2 inch back from the cutting edge, Council Tool internal standards call for tempered bit hardness of Rc 48-55 and targets 1-1/4 inches from the cutting edge. The poll and eye walls of the head are not hardened and remain in the as forged condition. The 36" long yellow clad style straight fiberglass handle is extremely strong, non-conductive and non-corrosive. The handle has a pultruded structural fiberglass core with an injection molded outer jacket made from a tough, durable engineered polymer. The axe head is joined to the handle with a strong, resilient epoxy, which forms both a chemical and mechanical bond. The axe body is coated with black enamel and the cutting edge in clear lacquer to deter rust, and then the edge is hand sharpened to make it ready for use. Made in the USA.