Rinaldi Trento boys axe from Baryonyx Knife company.

This axe is 24" long and only 2 lbs 3 oz. The same weight as a GB Small Forest Axe. The handle is slip fit like a tomahawk. It has a very thin bit hardened to 58 rc.



The edge was useable from the factory but I had to put my own edge on it. Just a bit thinner and a smoother transition into the cheeks.




It bites deep......



3" to 4" branches are 4 to 5 chops max. I cut through 6" of dead, dry ash in just a couple minutes.

The one thing I wasn't sure of going in was how stable the axe would be in flight and in the cut. To my pleasant surprise the axe swings and steers wonderfully.

It's plenty light enough for one handed use and carving type use.

The thin bit with the proper convex barely ever sticks in a cross cut. It doesn't fall out like my thicker axes but it's extremely easy to pull from the cut.

This axe cuts far, far above its weight and size. It left my nephews SFA in the dust bucking and limbing an ash tree.

This axe has me very impressed for  $75 delivered.

How much?
I wish I lived somewhere with trees and needed an axe.
But it's also nice living somewhere or a half a cord keeps me warm through the winter.

$75 delivered.

Ick. That would be literally the last axe I would ever pick. No weight to the poll=no thanks. Its a heavy duty Norse Hawk, which only barely edges out Coghlans hatchets.

Was getting excited reading the specs, but that design means my money is safe.

Made in Italy? Looks nice but I will pass...thank you.

It could be that there are details about this axe you don't understand. This axe completely outclassed the shaving sharp SFA we had with us. They are very close in weight.

The profile of the edge is nothing like a Norse Hawk or any Cold Steel products.

The fact that there is no pole weight is why I mentioned the fact that this axe was very stable, both in flight and in the cut.

this picture is why the axe performs well for such a light axe.

It isn't surprising that a 24" long axe had an advantage. The problem is that I don't see real cheeks, or a shape that would give it proper stability. I can cut fine with no poll weight for a while, it just takes more care, and is more prone to glancing in certain situations. It looks like a geometry that tends to stick, and I prefer less curve in the bit.

I am interested to know what the axe was actually designed for. Almost looks it should be for cultivating ultra soft wood, like some kind of tropical tree, or maybe its fruit.

So I point out that with this edge geometry it won't stick..... it's like I'm talking to myself. I point out it made short work of dead dry ash.......its like I'm talking to myself.

Never mind. Sorry I bothered you with a review of actual observations.

I was under the impression they were used with billhooks for coppicing.

http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Europe/Italy-FORESTRY.html

If we were out together, and you had one, I would try it to see if I liked it. A review by someone of unknown skills that flies in the face of what the tool appears to do isn't especially convincing.

Thank you for the review. If there are quite a few knowledgeable people that agree after significant use, I may be interested in trying one despite their appearance of limited utility.

Thank you. That is along the lines of what I was thinking, though the idea of using it with a billhook is interesting. Assumed the axe was used by itself due to the hooked shape, but makes sense it would work well paired with another tool. Figure the machete looking cross section meant either small wood or very soft wood.

Will read more of the links later tonight.

Folks here used to love my axe threads. Before the Photobucket apocalypse I had around 1000 pictures here in my threads about my axe collection and reviews on the various weight to head ratios and the edge profile work I did. Unfortunately much of that was lost.

I too had more pictures than I can count, posted in more threads than I can count.  I wouldn't even use photobucket again if they paid me to.  In the past year or two I have only posted a couple pictures in any of the forums I frequent, and that's using their upload system.  I won't waste time uploading and linking photos to a forum, from third party host anymore.  Well I do use one for adv rider on some tag threads, but only because they don't have an upload option.  No more than a few per year though, because photobucket sure taught us that 3rd party pic hosting is only temporary.

Anyways, I do enjoy a good axe thread, but actually prefer a nice consolidated thread with lots of information and a few pictures, apposed to a different thread about each different axe, or knife etc.  I guess I prefer an annual Cabela's catalog over a weekly mail flyer as well.    That's one reason I usually piggy back off another's thread with a long winded post and some compiled information.  If I think its pertinent to the thread I add it, if not I read and click away.  I don't really care what people think about my opinion, because its my opinion, and they have theirs.  If they don't like my knife choice I am not going to get all pissy because they don't agree.  I may defend my choice through some debate and what not, but in reality its the internet and I don't care that much.  Having been around these forums and threads as long as some of us have hopefully we can realize its always going to be more of the same, with some good information here and there.  There are only so many survival topics.  I for one am glad that there are still a few good forums standing.  Most people I know personally don't use forums anymore and its all about social media, which I don't use, and can't stand!  That's one reason I stick around, and keep posting.  I want my favorite form of internet reading to stay alive.

It is interesting how our minds, likes, and chosen gear eventually goes full circle?  I remember when you were all about the kukri or some other style big blade? and various choppers?  Didn't you carry a tomahawk in your travel gear for a while as well?  Then once you start to dabble in axes its all over.  I forced myself to stop buying them.  I have no realistic use for over a dozen axes.

Same thing for blades.  I started out with bigger choppers then a Glock field knife (which I still love) then over to a Mora for a few years, then on to custom blades like adventure sworn.  A bit after that I wondered what the heck I was doing spending that kind of money on a knife and went back to a Mora.  Then bounced back and forth with a few various SAK.  Then I jumped on a Less Stroud blade which I still like, but my current go to blade is an leather stacked handle Ontario Air Force survival knife.  Fell in love with that thing for some reason.  Paired with a good SAK and axe or saw there isn't much you can't do in the woods, from a bushcraft or survival mindset.

I still like my hawks and axes, but I don't use them to much anymore, maybe my Council Tool Hudson bay when out on the wheeler gathering firewood, or a small hatchet but that's about it these days.  Axe is for fun, or backup, chainsaw is for real  Especially when you heat your house with that burnable wood stuff that comes from trees.  

I still do carry a Hawk in my travel kit. I still love my Condor Mini Duku and Pack Golok.

Axes just fit me well. Fun to use and far easier than most think. It was sort of an experiment from the start. It still is.

This particular axe is a fun departure from the norm. Once tuned up it packs a punch far in excess of its size. That is my favorite part i think.

Batman,

Do you have an updated pic of you axe collection?

-Slim

Most of my collection is packed up until my house is rebuilt from the tornado. I don't know if I could get them all in one picture without being pretty high up. There are around 98 now.

Sorry to hear about the tornado.  Hope to see a pic or two of them once you get back normal.

That looks very hawkish. I would love to strap it on my pack when out backpacking

I just won a Rinaldi American boys axe on EBay for $55.90 shipped. I'm pretty excited. It's similar with a different head shape. That is about $20 less than through Baryonix where it came from originally.

This one is more hawk shaped.

American boys axe

I'm really attracted to this axe because it flies in the face of conventional thinking. 700g on 31" will be light and fast. Wedge shaped bit for light splitting but mostly for chopping. Light bushcrafting and camping.

Rinandi Calabria

I just received the Rinaldi American Boy's Axe. It is really nice. It's exactly what I expected. It's like a huge tomahawk. 700g on 24".

I will need lots of time with boy axes to try and pick a favorite. I don't know if I will have one after playing with them side by side.

They are very well matched. I am leaning toward liking the ABA over the TBA. That could just be the newness of it though.

The axe head is rough finished like the Trento. It's straight and very well executed.

The handle isn't pretty but functional. A bit of roughness in the workmanship. It's not perfectly straight but close enough.







I bought this one from EBay but it came from Baryonyx. It had the upgrade option where he think and sharpens the edge.

He did a very decent job on the edge. I usually set my edge with a belt sander and smooth the transition between the edge and cheeks so there is zero bump between the transition. This axe is as close to that as I've ever seen from a vendor. Not perfect but excellent anyway.

I ordered the Rinaldi Calabria last night. It has a similar bit shape to the American Boy's Axe and the same weight except for one important difference. It has a more wedge shaped bit. It should split as well as it chops. It has a 31" handle also. It should be a fun learning experience.

http://www.baryonyxknife.com/ricboaxe.html

I just received the Rinaldi Calabria today and I have to say that it is a very interesting axe.





The edge profile was one of the best I've ever seen from the factory. There was a more abrupt radius in the convex right at the edge, but it was barely noticeable before I tried to shape the edge on the belt sander. I had a hard time grinding the very hard steel and lost the pointy corners in the process. I won't miss them because I didn't want them to stick in the wood anyway.





This is a truly tiny micro bevel.



The handle is very unusual. It's going to take a lot of handling to get used to it. I'm definitely going to slightly reprofile it. It's not that goofy looking the whole way down.



I'll do a little reprofiling but not much. Just enough to improve the feel at the base where my lower hand will grip.

Calabria
American Boy's Axe
Trento Boy's Axe

Rinaldi Calabria
Trento Boy's Axe
American Boy's Axe
Cold Steel Rifleman's Hawk
Two Hawks Long Hunter

Yup, Still do.

I just bought the Rinaldi Calabria Hand Axe. The axe head is 350 grams/.77 lbs and is only about 1 lb over all, with a 24" handle. The hard and tough steel will stay sharp longer so it will compliment my travel get home kit well.

It will have the capability of making quick work of normal camp chores and making shelters at a very low weight penalty. The hand axe combined with my Mora Bushcraft Black will cover my needs pretty well.

Once it arrives next week I am hoping to get out to the woods and try out the American Boy's axe, Calabria, and Calabria hand axe on some very hard dry standing elm, maple, beech, and some hemlock.

The squarish handle of the hand axe will need some forming but I'll try it as it comes first. I'll make sure the fit is perfect so it will be easy to get on and off.

Photobucket appears to be back to normal. @batmanacw

I removed all my pictures from PB once they screwed us. Hundreds of hours of work and information go forever. I'll never give them another shot.

Right now it's a pain in the butt to post pictures so it really slowed me down.

Same here.  

Back to the subject at hand:

@batmanacw:  what do you think of this Gerber 23.5" axe?  I got it for Christmas year before last, a gift from my daughter and her-then boyfriend.  I've only used it a couple times, haven't even sharpened it yet.  At my age and physical condition, I just can't use it for very long, plus the fact that I always have my Stihl MS-362C and MS-180 handy.

I believe this actually manufactured by Fiskars since they look identical to Fiskars axe's except for the color.  https://www.gerbergear.com/Cutting-Tools/Axes/23.5-Axe_31-002651


Thanks!

slip fit like a tomahawk, because it IS a tomahawk.  Does not look like an ax to me at all

I almost said the same thing when this thread was started, but before posting just for the heck of it I googled the actual definition of "AXE."

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tomahawk

So technically a tomahawk by actual definition is a light axe...   Yea I debated the same thing in my mind...  By actual definition a tomahawk is an "AX" technically speaking.

The technical bushcrafter in me had to take a step back and look at it for what it really was, and admit to reasoning by official definition...  

I think the Gerber axes might be made in China but I'm not sure. They cut well. It's hard to argue with success. I don't have one of the bigger ones,  but they are worth consideration. I like wood....lol

Looks similar to the Cold Steel Norse Hawk. A neat thing to have, but didn't prove very practical when I took it to the woods.

It didn't have enough ass to really function well as an axe or hatchet, and would bite deep but often end up stuck.

That V ground factory edge would do that. The hard bumps where the edge meets the cheeks will bind harder than a smooth convex transition.

The Norse hawk is a lighter head than the 700 gram heads on the Rinaldi axes, which all have a much thinner convex than the Norse Hawk.