Big Axe (Felling Axe): 

A Big Axe (Felling Axe) has the following requirements. See image 2.2.

1. The axe must be a single bit blade, ie: no blade or sharpened spike may be protruding from the back of the axe head.

2. The axe must weigh between 2.75 and 3.75 pounds of total weight (handle included).

3. The handle must be wood, handle length must be at least 25″ including the handle in the eye of the blade.

4. The axe head must be no longer than 7.5" and no shorter than 6" and must be fixed to the handle of the axe with an eye or pin (ie: no ‘floating’ axe heads where the head itself is wedged on a tapering handle and only held there through gravity.)

5. The axe head must have a minimum height of 2” as measured parallel to the handle.

1. Head Length

The axe head length must be no greater than 7.5″ and no smaller than 6” at any point from face to butt. The blade of the axe must remain true, with one smooth, sharpened edge that is a consistent length from point to point. For example, no notches cut out, cannot have multiple edges, or have one point set or angled back from the other point See image 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 2.2.4, 2.2.5 and 2.2.6.

1. The blade cannot be concave, for example, preventing contact of the axe, when a tip of the axe hits the target first. See image 2.2.6.

2. The head of the axe must remain one solid piece from face to the handle. ie no parts added to or removed from the head from its original design. Any manipulation beyond sharpening the blade will be considered heavily modified and illegal. (Standard sharpening practice)

3. The axe head must retreat from the blade back to the handle of the axe in its true form without any sudden or abrupt decreases prior to reaching the handle of the axe The head cannot suddenly decrease from the maximum height down to the minimum height immediately after the blade or in the middle of the head, creating multiple edges. For example, no notches cut out, no bearded axes. See image 2.2.2.

4. The axe head height at the handle cannot be larger than any other point of the axe head from the handle to the blade except, or until the point at which the head meets the handle.

2. Handle Length

The handle length must be at least 25″, including the handle in the eye of the head. The maximum handle length 32”.

3. Head Height

The axe head height, measured parallel to the handle, must be no greater than 4 5/8” and no smaller than 2”.

4. One Solid Piece

The head of the axe must remain one solid piece from face to the handle. ie no parts added to or removed from the head from its original design. Any manipulation beyond sharpening the blade will be considered heavily modified and illegal. (Standard sharpening practice)

5. Head Truth

The axe head must retreat from the blade back to the handle of the axe in its true form without any sudden or abrupt decreases in height prior to reaching the handle of the axe. The head cannot suddenly decrease from the maximum height down to the minimum height immediately after the blade or in the middle of the head. For example: no notches cut out, no bearded axes.

6. Head at the Handle Size

The axe head height at the handle cannot be larger than any other point of the axe head from the handle to the blade except, or until the point at which the head meets the handle.

7. Blade Length

1. The blade of the axe must be no longer than 4 5/8"" and no shorter than 3.5" and must be fixed to the handle of the axe with an eye-wedge or a pin (example: no ‘floating’ axe heads where the head itself is wedged on a tapering handle and only held there through gravity.)

8.Blade Modifications

The blade of the axe must remain true, with one smooth, sharpened edge that is a consistent length from point to point. See image 2.2.1.

1. Blade cannot have notches cut out. See image 2.2.2 and 2.2.3.

2. Blade cannot have multiple edges. See image 2.2.4.

3. Blade cannot have one point set or angled back from the other point. See image 2.2.5.

Concave Blades

The blade cannot be concave, thus preventing contact of the axe, when a tip of the axe hits the target first. See image 2.2.6.

1. Blade cannot have a concave blade, preventing contact of the blade with the target. 

2. The Blade cannot have an inconsistent edge that abruptly drops creating multiple edges along the top edge of the axe head.

9. Acceptable Modifications

Acceptable modifications include:

1. Etching into the side of the axe head.

2. Painting the head or handle.

3. Changing the handle.

4. Adjustments to the grip of the handle. For example: tape, sanding the handle, etc.

10. Referee's Final Decision

Axes that have been modified or forged in a fashion beyond what would be considered a traditional axe shape, with the intention to manipulate the rules of the game and go against the spirit of the sport will be disqualified. At any given event, the final call on axe legality will be left in the hands of the on-site referees.

Acceptable Axe Head Examples

Unacceptable Axe Head Examples

Reference Diagrams

1. Axe Weight Specification

1.1  Weight is defined as the total weight of the axe, including the head and handle.

2. Axe Handle Specification

2.1  The handle must be made from wood.

2.2  The handle length is measured from the knob (bottom) of the handle to the eye (top) of the axe head (see Measuring the Handle).

2.3  If the handle protrudes from the eye (top) of the axe head, the protruding length is not included in the measurement of the handle length (see Measuring the Handle).

Measuring the Handle

3. Axe Head Length Specification

3.1  The head length is measured from the blade to the plane of the butt of the axe head, perpendicular to the handle (see Measuring the Head Length).

3.2 The minimum and maximum head length are required at all points over the blade edge (see Measuring the Head Length).

3.3  If the axe head features any protrusion from the butt of the axe head, the protruding length is not included in the measurement of the head length (see Measuring the Handle).

Measuring the Head Length

Measurements made from the blue arrow to the green area are within the minimum and maximum lengths.

4. Axe Head height Specification

4.1  The head height is measured on the face (side) of the axe head, parallel to the handle (see Measuring the Head Height).

4.2  The minimum and maximum head height are required at all points over the axe head (see Measuring the Head Height).

Measuring the head height

Measurements made from the blue arrow to the green area are within the minimum and maximum heights.

5. Blade Length Specification

5.1  The blade length is measured from the heel to the toe of the blade (see Measuring the Blade Length).

Measuring the blade length

Measurements made from the blue arrow to the green area are within the minimum and maximum lengths.

6. Attaching the Axe Head to the Handle

6.1  The axe head must be fixed to the handle with an eye-wedge or a pin.

6.2  "Floating" axe heads, where the head is wedged on a tapering handle, and only held on by gravity, are not allowed.

7. Axe Head Silhouette Requirements

Note: The axe head silhouette describes the shape of the axe head as viewed from the side looking at one of the faces.

7.1  The axe must be a single bit blade, meaning it has only one blade edge.

7.2  No blade or sharpened spike may protrude from the butt (back) of the axe head.

7.3  The blade must be one smooth, sharpened edge that forms a convex curve or straight line from heel to toe. This is to avoid an unfair reduction in the axe head cross section measured at the plane of the board during gameplay.

7.3a  The blade cannot be concave.

7.3b  The blade cannot have notches cut out.

7.3c  The blade cannot have multiple edges.

7.4  The axe head must not have any holes through the faces (sides).

7.5  The path along the top of the axe head from the toe of the blade must curve smoothly back to the handle without any abrupt decreases in the height of the axe head. This is to avoid an unfair reduction in the axe head cross section measured at the plane of the board during gameplay.

7.6  The path along the bottom of the axe head from the heel of the blade must curve smoothly back to the handle without any abrupt decreases in the height of the axe head. This is to avoid an unfair reduction in the axe head cross section measured at the plane of the board during gameplay.

7.7  The axe head cannot abruptly decrease down to the minimum height close to the blade, nor in the middle of the axe head. This is to avoid an unfair reduction in the axe head cross section measured at the plane of the board during gameplay.

7.7a  The axe head can abruptly decrease down to the minimum height within 1" of the handle.

7.8  The height of the axe head just before it meets the handle cannot be the largest height measurement along the axe head between the handle and the blade.

8. Axe Modification and Customization

8.1  Some modifications and customizations to the axe head and handle are explicitly allowed, provided the axe dimensions remain within the allowed physical specifications (weight, height, lengths, silhouette, see above):

8.1a  Routine blade sharpening;

8.1b  Painting the axe head or handle;

8.1c  Changing or replacing the handle;

8.1d  Adjustments to the grip of the handle. For example: tape, sanding the handle, etc.

8.1e  Decorative etching into axe handle, the butt of the axe head, or the face (side) of the axe head, away from the blade edge such that the etching does not interfere with measurement during gameplay;

8.1f  Thinning the faces (sides) of the axe head.

8.2  Some modifications and customizations to the axe head and handle are explicitly disallowed, even if the axe dimensions remain within the allowed physical specifications:

8.2a  Adding material (welding, gluing, or otherwise) to the axe head that would render its use unsafe or would confer an unfair advantage by affecting the measurement at the plane of the board for gameplay;

8.2b  Removing material (drilling, cutting, melting, or otherwise) from axe head that would render its use unsafe or would confer an unfair advantage by affecting the measurement at the plane of the board for gameplay;

8.2c  Cutting notches into the blade edge;

8.2d  Etching close the blade edge such that the etching interferes with measurement during gameplay;

8.2e  Decorations that violate the IATF Code of Conduct.

9. Referee's Final Decision

9.1  The final decision on whether an axe can be used for gameplay will be made by the on-site referees at each competition.