275 



a good day's work aside from chopping. Chopping with a six 

 pound axe, he would raise, at the above rate, in ten hours, thirty- 

 six tons, of 2,000 Ibs. per ton. For trimming the limbs of trees, 

 cutting under-brush, and for other light chopping, an axe weigh 

 ing four Ibs. is preferable to a heavier one. 



367. Boys should always have light axes to chop with, lest 

 they make poor choppers, soon tire out, and imbibe an ever 

 lasting dread of and disrelish for chopping. 



PUTTING THE AXE IN ORDER. 



368. There are two things of great importance to be kept in 

 view when one is putting an axe in order, which are, to have it 

 of a shape which will cut the fastest, and chip the best. It may 

 be seen, by referring to EDGE TOOLS, (paragraph 543,) that the 

 axe cuts with a crushing stroke. Now, if nothing else were re 

 quired of an axe but to cut, it would be wisdom to grind it as thin 

 as possible, consistent with strength. But since an axe must chip 

 as well as cut, it is important to give it a shape which will not 

 only cut fast, but which will chip well. An axe ground very thin 

 near the edge, will cut fast and deep at every stroke, but will not 

 chip well ; and a very thick axe, with a blunt edge, will chip well, 

 but will not cut fast. If an axe is ground very thin, it enters the 

 wood so far at a blow that it is apt to stick, especially in soft 

 wood. 



369. It is almost impossible to give a correct idea of the prop 

 er shape of an axe, in this respect, on paper; but Fig. 127 will 

 give something of an idea. This figure represents a transverse 

 section of an axe, at about two inches from the edge. A ridge 

 should be formed on the dotted line of the angle of the axe, (see 

 Fig. 126, A B,) which should disappear towards the cutting edge, 

 and towards the eye of the axe. The object of this ridge is to split 

 the chip. From this ridge towards each corner, it should be ground 

 of a true taper, with a little swell. 



370. "When holding an axe on a grindstone, put the head of 

 it in the gain of the Clamp, Fig. 128, which may be made of a 

 piece of two-inch plank, about eighteen inches long, and put the 



