When you want to leave your axe, strike straight down with it into a
tree stump, and leave it sticking there till required again,
* * * * *
USING THE AXE.
In using an axe, the tenderfoot generally tries to cover his bad aim
by the extra strength of his blows. If an old hand is looking on he is
smiling to himself and thinking how blown and what a backache he got
himself the first time that he did it.
Don't try to put force into the blow; merely be careful about aiming
it so that it falls exactly where you want it, the swing and weight of
the axe itself do the rest.
A good axeman uses his axe equally well left-handed or right. It is
all a matter of practice, and most valuable.
* * * * *
FELLING A TREE.
The way to cut down a tree is to cut first a big chunk out of the side
to which you want the tree to fall, and then to cut into the opposite
side to fell it.
Begin your Notch 1, or the "kerf," as it is called, by chopping two
marks, the upper one, A, at a distance above the other, B, equal to
half the thickness of the tree.
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