It’s About Time You Learned the Right Way Swing an Axe

Master the physical alchemy of turning one piece of wood into two.

Published September 8, 2024

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In today’s day and age, most wood is cut with a mechanical splitter. But Peter Buchanan-Smith is a little old-fashioned. “There’s something about the axe that demands more reverence,” he says.

Buchanan-Smith is author of the book Buchanan-Smith’s Axe Handbook, as well as the founder of Best Made Co., a brand known for selling axes with painted handles.

Buchanan-Smith, it should be said, didn’t learn his technique from a teacher as astute as the one he’s become. His first axe was the one he had on his family farm in Ontario, Canada, and he admits it was probably too big for him at the time.

“I just grabbed it one day and, for better or for worse — probably much more for worse — started chopping away with it,” he says.

His appreciation for the tool came from time spent at a Northern Ontario summer camp (also attended by Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau). Buchanan-Smith didn’t perfect his swing there, but he did learn how to handle and sharpen an axe, as well as how to exercise general safety.

A sharp and intact axe was indispensable during a 30-day canoe trip. “By God, you respected that axe,” he says. “It was your lifeline.” Here, he shares his tips for beginners new to the tool.

axe — Bucking is the process of cutting a tree into shorter segments that can then be processed into firewood.

Make sure the axe is solid … and sharp

Many of us don’t have experience wielding this ancient implement, but if we show up at a friend’s place for a weekend and there’s an axe and some wood, chances are chopping will occur.

This makes the first step crucial, albeit boring. A quick once-over should do: “Make sure it’s not broken and about to fall apart.”

“A good axe is a sharp axe.”

Next up would be to make sure the blade, called the bit, is sharp. But again, Buchanan-Smith doesn’t expect the occasional swinger to search for a sharpening stone and spend an hour or two honing an edge if it isn’t sharp. (Though the mantra bears remembering: a good axe is a sharp axe.)

Take note of your surroundings

Swinging the axe too hard is one of the most common mistakes beginners make. Another failure is not noting one’s surroundings before beginning to chop.

axe — Make sure you have ample space — and no trees above you.

“The scariest incidents I’ve experienced with an axe are when you get caught on something that’s seemingly not a factor, like an overhanging branch that’s no bigger than your pinky finger,” Buchanan-Smith says.

“You don’t even notice it, and the axe can get hung up on it and go completely out of control,” he adds.

Plant your feet

As you approach the chop log — which, ideally, is 18 to 24 inches wide, and level — take it slow. Properly handling an axe demands and deserves patience, respect and common sense.

Plant your feet firmly on the ground, which will almost always be uneven outdoor terrain. They should be wide apart, with knees slightly bent.

Lift the axe above your head

With your dominant hand holding the axe handle, called the helve, just beneath the head, and your other hand on the butt, lift the axe across your body until its head is above yours and square to your body.

Swing the axes straight down

From here, bring the axe down to its target, sliding your dominant hand down the helve to meet your other hand. Don’t lock your wrists — the action is more whip than arc.

The goal, Buchanan-Smith says, is to bring the axe straight down, “like a guillotine,” rather than with a sweeping motion.

Let gravity do the work

Like golf, getting good at swinging an axe relies upon muscle memory. It’s less about brute strength than an efficient and precise movement — gravity will do most of the work. You want to swing through the target instead of merely at it.

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