Ax and cleaver: what's the difference?
An ax and a cleaver are used to work with wood. Not everyone knows how they differ from each other. Let's look at the features of each of these tools.
The content of the article
What is an ax
It refers to universal types of equipment produced in various variations. Its key purpose is cutting. Often used to chop wood. It has a sharp blade that allows you to do the job with a minimum of effort and time.
Axes vary in shape and handle size. The chopping part may also differ. This must be taken into account when selecting suitable equipment.
The special feature of the ax is its short handle. Its length determines how fast the process of chopping wood will be and what the load on the hands is.
Tools for cutting various materials appeared a long time ago. Previously, it was made of stone, but over time and with the advent of modern technologies, the equipment was modernized and changed a little.
It consists of several parts, including blade, ax handle and wedge. These are the elements that are visible to everyone. But in fact, the tool has more components, for example, a butt and a slot.
What is a cleaver
One of the subspecies of an ax is called a cleaver. It is intended for chopping firewood from logs. The tool allows you not to chop wood, but to chop it. It has a thick blade, but not sharp. This allows him not to get stuck in the log while working.
The head is made of high-alloy steel.The planes converge at a certain angle, ranging from 35 to 50 degrees, forming a wedge. The head is available cast or forged. But the user will not notice any special differences during operation.
The shape of the head is also different. It can be eared or wedge-shaped. The latter is a classic option, suitable for both dry and wet wood. Eared species are not recommended for use on wet logs: the cleaver will get stuck in them, and it will be difficult to get it out.
The piercing edge can be straight or rounded. The latter is intended for damp wood.
What is the difference between an ax and a cleaver?
It was noted that the cleaver is a type of axe. Both instruments differ from each other in the following ways:
- The cleaver is more blunt, the ax is sharper.
- The cleaver splits the wood, and the ax chops it.
- The ax has a thinner point. This makes it possible to reduce the resistance of the log. Often used when cutting trees or branches, removing shavings and other things.
- The cleaver has a long handle, while the ax has a shorter handle. This affects the force of the blow.
What is better to choose and why
Despite some similarities between the instruments, they have a fundamental difference. As the name suggests, the cleaver splits wood, and the ax cuts it. This must be taken into account when choice one of them.
When working, the ax passes across the grain of the wood. It weighs less - as a rule, no more than a kilogram. A sharp blade makes working easier. The cleaver has significant weight due to its purpose. To properly chop wood, the ax handle must be longer.
You need to choose one of the tools based on the purpose of use. If you need to split wood, then a cleaver is better suited. An ax is used when cutting wood.It is worth remembering that there are different models of these devices - this is also taken into account when choosing. Some tools, for example, are not designed to work with wet wood.
