What is the difference between an axe, a hatchet, and a splitting maul?

A hatchet is a one-handed tool weighing about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds, used for limbing small branches, splitting kindling, and camp tasks. A felling axe is a two-handed tool weighing 3 to 5 pounds with a thin, sharp bit designed to cut across the grain of standing timber. A splitting maul weighs 6 to 8 pounds with a thick, wedge-shaped head designed to split rounds along the grain. Using one for the other's job is slower at best and dangerous at worst.

What safety gear do I need to use a chainsaw?

At minimum: cut-resistant leg protection (chaps) extending from the upper thigh to the top of your boots, a hard hat, hearing protection, eye protection or a mesh face screen, heavy work gloves, and sturdy boots that cover the ankle. OSHA requires this full set for professional loggers under 29 CFR 1910.266, and the CDC recommends the same for homeowners. Chainsaw chaps are the single most important piece. They contain fibers that jam the chain and stop the saw in fractions of a second on contact.

What is chainsaw kickback and how do I prevent it?

Kickback is a sudden, violent upward rotation of the chainsaw toward the operator. It happens when the upper portion of the bar tip contacts an object, or when the chain is pinched and the saw is thrown back. Prevention: keep a firm grip with both hands, thumbs wrapped around the handles; maintain a sharp, properly tensioned chain; avoid cutting with the tip of the bar; and never cut above shoulder height. Every modern chainsaw has a chain brake that stops the chain on kickback, and OSHA requires it.

Should I buy a gas or battery chainsaw for home use?

For most homeowners, a battery chainsaw with a 14- to 16-inch bar on a 40V or 56V platform handles storm cleanup, limbing, and cutting firewood rounds under 14 inches. It starts instantly, runs quieter, needs less maintenance, and produces no exhaust. A gas chainsaw with a 16- to 18-inch bar handles larger timber, sustained cutting, and remote work where charging is impractical. The safety requirements are identical regardless of power source.

What hand saws do I need for clearing trees and brush?

Two saws cover most clearing work. A 21-inch bow saw cuts branches and small logs up to about 6 inches and costs $15 to $30. A folding pruning saw with a 7- to 10-inch blade handles branches up to about 4 inches and fits in a back pocket. Both cut on the pull stroke and need no fuel, batteries, or hearing protection. For anything over 6 inches in diameter, a chainsaw is faster and safer than forcing a hand saw through heavy wood.

Home Self-Reliance Tools Axes, Saws, and Clearing

Self-Reliance · Tools

What falls, what splits, and what cuts it all.

Trees come down in storms. Firewood does not split itself. This page covers the tools that handle both, from the hatchet in the shed to the chainsaw that demands your full attention.

Chainsaw safety first The full inventory

The clearing tools

When a tree comes down, you need three things.

Something to cut it. Something to split it. And the knowledge not to hurt yourself doing either. A post-storm driveway blocked by a 14-inch oak is not the time to learn what kickback means. These are the tools that clear, split, and process wood, from the simplest hand tools to the most powerful and most dangerous tool a household is likely to own.

This page covers the tools and their safe use. For felling technique, limbing sequence, and the judgment calls that keep a tree from going where you did not intend, see Tree and brush work in the Skills section.

Striking tools

Axe, hatchet, maul. Three tools, three jobs.

People use these words interchangeably, but the tools are designed for different work. Using a splitting maul to fell a tree is slow and exhausting. Using a felling axe to split rounds is dangerous because the thin bit can glance off the end grain. Owning the right one for the job matters.

Hatchet

One-handed, 1.5 to 2.5 lbs

The camp and kindling tool. Splits small rounds, limbs branches under 3 inches, processes kindling from larger splits. Light enough to swing with one hand while holding the work with the other (on a chopping block, never in your lap). A 14- to 16-inch handle. $30 to $80 for a forged-head hatchet worth keeping.

Best for: Kindling, small campsite work, light limbing

Felling axe

Two-handed, 3 to 5 lbs

Cuts across the grain. The thin, sharp bit slices into wood fiber rather than wedging it apart. A 28- to 36-inch handle for two-handed swings. The tool that took down forests before chainsaws existed, and still works when the chainsaw will not start. Requires sharpening after every few hours of use. $50 to $150 for a quality forged head on a hickory handle.

Best for: Felling small trees, limbing, notching, campfire prep

Splitting maul

Two-handed, 6 to 8 lbs

Splits along the grain. The thick, wedge-shaped head forces wood fibers apart rather than cutting them. The weight does most of the work; you guide it and let gravity finish the split. A 30- to 36-inch fiberglass or hickory handle. Does not need to be sharp. Often paired with a steel wedge and a sledgehammer for stubborn rounds. $40 to $90.

Best for: Processing firewood rounds into stove-ready splits

Safe use of striking tools

Always use a chopping block. Never swing an axe or maul at wood resting on the ground. The block raises the work to a height where a miss buries the bit in wood, not in your shin. A wide, flat-topped round 16 to 20 inches tall works well.

Check the head before every session. A loose head on an axe or maul can fly off mid-swing. Grip the handle just below the head and tap the butt of the handle on a hard surface. If the head moves, re-seat it with a new wedge before using the tool.^[1]

Clear the swing path. Before raising the axe, look up and behind for branches or obstacles that could catch the handle on the backswing. Look around for anyone standing within the arc of the swing plus the length of the handle.

Wear eye protection. Splitting sends chips and bark fragments in unpredictable directions. Safety glasses with side shields meet the OSHA standard for eye protection.^[2]

Sharpen axes and hatchets correctly. A dull axe bounces off wood and goes where you did not aim. File into the edge, not away from it, and wear a glove on the hand holding the file.^[3] The sharpening guide covers the full technique. Splitting mauls do not need a sharp edge and should not be ground thin.

Hand saws

No fuel, no battery, no hearing protection needed.

Hand saws are slower than a chainsaw and quieter than any of them. For branches under 6 inches, light storm cleanup, and trail clearing, they are often the right choice. No startup procedure, no PPE beyond gloves and glasses, and no risk of kickback.

Bow saw

21 to 30 inches, $15 to $30

A tubular steel frame holding a replaceable blade under tension. Cuts branches and logs up to about 6 inches in diameter. The blade cuts on the push stroke. Fast, cheap, and effective for storm cleanup and firewood bucking when the diameter stays manageable. Blades are consumable: buy a three-pack of replacements when you buy the saw. $5 to $8 per blade.

Best for: Firewood bucking under 6 inches, clearing downed limbs, trail work

Folding pruning saw

7 to 10 inch blade, $20 to $45

A curved, aggressive-toothed blade that folds into the handle like a pocket knife. Cuts on the pull stroke. Handles branches up to about 4 inches cleanly. Small enough to carry in a back pocket or hang from a belt clip. Japanese-style pull-cut saws (Silky, Gomboy) cut faster and cleaner than push-cut designs at this size. The blade stays sharp for a long time and can be replaced.

Best for: Pruning, light clearing, carrying in a pack, reaching into brush

A crosscut handsaw (the 15-inch saw on the ten-tool starter list) also cuts green wood, but it is optimized for dimensional lumber. For clearing work, a bow saw or folding saw cuts faster and with less effort because the tooth geometry is designed for green, fibrous wood rather than dry, straight-grained boards.

Chainsaws

The most capable tool and the most dangerous.

Each year, roughly 36,000 people are treated in hospital emergency departments for chainsaw-related injuries.^[4] Most of those injuries happen to homeowners during storm cleanup, not to professional loggers. The difference is training, PPE, and the willingness to respect a tool that can change your life in a fraction of a second.

If you have never used a chainsaw, the single best thing you can do is take a hands-on chainsaw safety course before you buy one. Cooperative Extension offices, community colleges, and forestry programs offer them, often for free or at low cost.

Gas chainsaw

16 to 20 inch bar, $200 to $500

Runs as long as you have fuel and bar oil. The standard for sustained cutting, large-diameter timber (over 14 inches), and remote work where you cannot charge a battery. Heavier, louder, and requires more maintenance (fuel mix, air filter, spark plug, carburetor adjustment). Produces exhaust. Best for property owners who heat with wood, maintain acreage, or live where heavy storm damage is a recurring reality.

Bar length guide: 14 to 16 inches handles most homeowner tasks. 18 to 20 inches for regular firewood processing and trees over 14 inches in diameter. The bar should be at least 2 inches longer than the diameter of what you are cutting.

Battery chainsaw

12 to 16 inch bar, $180 to $400 (bare tool)

Quieter, lighter, starts instantly with a trigger, no exhaust, and far less maintenance. Runs on 40V or 56V battery platforms (some 18V/20V MAX models exist for light duty, but lack the sustained power for serious cutting). Runtime is limited by battery capacity, typically 30 to 60 minutes of actual cutting on a 5.0Ah battery. Sufficient for most homeowner storm cleanup, limbing, and firewood rounds under 14 inches.

Platform note: If your cordless drill and saw already run on a 40V or 56V system, a battery chainsaw on the same platform shares the batteries. See the battery platforms guide for how to choose.

The safety requirements are identical. Every rule below applies to gas and battery chainsaws equally. A battery chainsaw is quieter and lighter, but the chain spins just as fast and cuts flesh just as efficiently. The PPE is the same. The kickback risk is the same. The respect the tool demands is the same.

Chainsaw safety

The gear that stands between you and the ER.

Professional loggers under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.266 are required to wear cut-resistant leg protection, head protection, eye or face protection, hearing protection, and heavy-duty boots when operating a chainsaw.^[5] The CDC recommends the same set for homeowners.^[4] That is not overcaution. It reflects what hospital data shows about where chainsaw injuries land.

Cut-resistant leg protection (chaps)

The single most important piece of chainsaw PPE. Chainsaw chaps contain layers of cut-resistant fibers (ballistic nylon, Kevlar, or similar material) that jam the sprocket and stop the chain in fractions of a second when the saw contacts the chaps. OSHA requires them to cover from the upper thigh to the top of the boot on each leg.^[5] Look for chaps that meet ASTM F1897.

$50 to $120. They strap on over your work pants in about 30 seconds. Worth every dollar, every time.

Hard hat with face screen and hearing protection

A forestry helmet combines all three: a hard hat shell for falling branches, a flip-down mesh face screen for flying chips and bark, and integrated earmuffs for hearing protection.^[5] A gas chainsaw at full throttle exceeds 100 dB, well above the 85 dB threshold where hearing damage begins.^[6] Battery chainsaws are quieter but still warrant hearing protection during sustained cutting.

$30 to $70 for a forestry helmet system. Stihl, Husqvarna, and Oregon all make them.

Gloves and boots

Heavy work gloves that allow a firm grip on the saw handles. Leather or cut-resistant material. Boots that cover and support the ankle, with a non-slip sole. OSHA requires chainsaw operators to wear cut-resistant foot protection for professional logging.^[5] For homeowner use, sturdy leather work boots or hiking boots with ankle support are the practical minimum. No sandals, no sneakers, no bare feet.

Understanding kickback

Kickback is the sudden, violent upward rotation of the chainsaw bar toward the operator. It happens in a fraction of a second, faster than human reaction time. It is the cause of a large portion of serious chainsaw injuries, and it is preventable.

How it happens: The upper quadrant of the bar tip (the "kickback zone") contacts wood, a branch, or another object. The chain grabs and throws the bar upward and backward toward the operator's head and torso. It also happens when the chain is pinched in a closing cut and the saw is thrown back.

How to prevent it: Keep a firm two-handed grip with thumbs wrapped around the handles at all times.^[5] Maintain a sharp, properly tensioned chain. Never cut with the tip of the bar. Never cut above shoulder height.^[5] Be aware of what the bar tip is near at all times.

The chain brake: Every modern chainsaw is equipped with a chain brake, a lever in front of the top handle that stops the chain rotation when it is pushed forward. On kickback, your wrist hits the brake guard and engages it. OSHA requires chain brakes on all chainsaws placed into service.^[5] Never disable or remove a chain brake or any kickback-reduction device.

Operating rules

These rules come from OSHA 29 CFR 1910.266 and CDC chainsaw safety guidance. They apply to gas and battery chainsaws equally.

Start the saw on the ground or where it is otherwise firmly supported. Drop-starting (holding the saw in the air and pulling the cord) is prohibited.^[5]

Start the saw with the chain brake engaged.^[5]

Be certain of your footing before cutting. Do not use the saw in any position that could cause you to lose balance or relinquish a firm grip.^[5]

Clear brush and obstacles from your cutting area and retreat path before starting.^[5]

Shut the saw down or engage the chain brake when carrying it more than 50 feet, or any distance over rough terrain.^[5]

Fuel the saw at least 10 feet from any open flame or ignition source, and start it at least 10 feet from the fueling area.^[5]

Keep bystanders at least 30 feet from any chainsaw operation, and at least 150 feet (two tree lengths) from anyone felling a tree.^[4]

Maintenance and inspection

A maintained tool is a safer tool.

OSHA requires that chainsaws be inspected before each use and that cutting edges be kept sharp during the work shift.^[5] That is professional-grade discipline, and it is worth adopting for home use too.

Before each use

Check chain tension: the chain should pull away from the bar about 1/4 inch but snap back when released. Too loose and it can derail; too tight and it overheats.
Check the chain brake engages and releases cleanly.
Check bar oil: the bar and chain need continuous lubrication. A dry chain overheats and dulls in minutes.
On gas saws: check fuel mix, air filter, and muffler.
On battery saws: check battery charge and inspect battery for damage (cracking, swelling, leaking).

Chain sharpening

A dull chain is more dangerous than a sharp one. It makes the operator push harder, which leads to fatigue and loss of control. A sharp chain pulls itself through the wood with light pressure.

Sharpen with a round file matched to the chain's pitch (typically 3/16 or 7/32 inch). A file guide maintains the correct angle.
Sharpen every 2 to 3 tank fills (gas) or every 30 to 45 minutes of cutting (battery). More often if you hit dirt or rock.
Signs of a dull chain: the saw produces sawdust instead of chips, you have to push hard to make it cut, or it pulls to one side.

Storage and handle care

Store axes, hatchets, and mauls with a leather or plastic sheath over the bit. Hang them or lay them flat; never lean them against a wall where they can fall. Wooden handles dry and crack if left in direct sunlight or stored near a heat source. A light coat of boiled linseed oil once or twice a year keeps hickory handles supple and prevents splintering. Chainsaws should be stored with the chain tension slightly loosened, the bar and chain wiped with oil, and the fuel tank empty (gas) or battery removed (cordless).

What to own

Match the tools to the property.

An apartment renter does not need a splitting maul. An acreage owner probably does. The housing-situation guide covers the full toolkit by tier. Here is the clearing-tool subset.

Apartment or townhouse

Folding saw only

A folding pruning saw handles anything an apartment resident might encounter. $20 to $45. Fits in a drawer.

House with a yard

Bow saw, hatchet, folding saw

A bow saw and hatchet handle most storm cleanup. Add a battery chainsaw if the property has large trees. $60 to $120 for the hand tools. $250 to $500 for the chainsaw plus PPE.

Acreage or rural property

All of the above plus a splitting maul

A felling axe, splitting maul, bow saw, folding saw, and a gas chainsaw with the full PPE set. $200 to $400 for the hand tools. $300 to $600 for the chainsaw and PPE.

Common mistakes

Four ways to get hurt.

Using a chainsaw without chaps because "I'll be careful."

Professional loggers who have used chainsaws for thirty years wear chaps every time. They have been careful for thirty years, and they still wear them. The chain moves at 60 miles per hour. Careful is not fast enough.

Splitting wood on the ground instead of on a block.

If the maul passes through the round or glances off, the chopping block stops it. The ground does not. The maul keeps traveling into whatever is on the other side, which is often a shin, a foot, or a knee.

Cutting spring poles without understanding the tension.

A bent tree or a branch pinned under another tree stores enormous energy. Cutting through the point of tension releases it all at once, and the tree or branch whips toward the cut. The CDC warns that even a 2-inch branch can cause serious injury or death when released from tension.^[4] Shave the underside gradually rather than cutting through.

Buying a chainsaw without taking a safety course.

The tool is simple to start and intuitive to point at wood. That simplicity is what makes it dangerous. The judgment calls, such as where to stand, which way the tree will fall, where the tension is, and what the kickback zone will contact, are not intuitive. A half-day course covers all of them.

Next steps

The tool is half of the equation.

These pages cover the skills, the sharpening, and the power system that make the tools work.

Sources

Where this page's safety guidance comes from

Safety claims above were checked against the primary sources listed here on September 6, 2026. Price ranges are based on current retail pricing and are not safety claims.

OSHA. Publication 3080, Hand and Power Tools. osha.gov (PDF)
OSHA. 29 CFR 1910.133, Eye and Face Protection. osha.gov
USDA Forest Service. "An Ax to Grind: A Practical Ax Manual," sharpening chapter. fhwa.dot.gov
CDC. "Chain Saw Safety." cdc.gov
OSHA. 29 CFR 1910.266, Logging Operations (PPE, chain saw requirements). osha.gov
NIOSH. "Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention." cdc.gov/niosh