Axes, Machetes and Sickles: How to Choose for Your Job

Axe, machete or sickle: each one for its own job

All three are for cutting, but they are not used in the same way. The axe is used to split firewood, trim branches and prune. The machete has a long blade for cutting a path through undergrowth, stubble and thin branches. The sickle is used with one hand to cut grass and weeds in small or awkward areas. They are all in the axes, machetes and sickles collection, along with brush hooks, scythes and wedges for splitting wood.

Axes: head weight and type of handle fitting

The Bellota PROLINE 8130C Biscay axe has a steel head forged in a single piece and hardened, with a tapered handle fitting. It is suited to trimming branches, making small cuts, pruning small trees and shrubs and splitting firewood. It is made in ten head weights, from 300 g to 2,000 g, with handles from 38 to 80 cm: the light heads are for light tasks and the heaviest, up to 2,000 g, for splitting firewood.

For pruning citrus trees there is a specific model, the Bellota PROLINE 8131 axe: 300 g head, 48 cm PEFC wooden handle and an edge that bites into the branch without catching.

If you prefer an overmoulded handle, the Garden Line 3480 axe joins the 500 g forged head to a 37 cm hollow fibreglass handle, with a non-stick coating and a notch in the edge for pulling nails. It weighs 0.78 kg.

For thick logs and hardwood there is the Bellota 5460 splitting maul, which does double duty: it acts as a maul on one side and as an edge for splitting wood on the other.

Machetes: blade length and handle

Machetes are used to clear undergrowth, stubble, thin branches and cane. The Bellota 465 machete has a 12-inch sword-type blade of steel alloyed with carbon and chromium, a dual-material handle with an aluminium core and a belt sheath included; it weighs 0.29 kg. The 31B machete, with a 508 mm (20-inch) blade of high-carbon chromium steel, has the blade running through the whole handle and a high-impact polypropylene handle; it weighs 0.4 kg. There is also a model with a curved blade and varnished wooden handle, the 350PMM.

Sickles: plain or serrated edge

The main choice is the type of edge:

Plain edge. The Bellota 2560 plain-edge sickle has a wide, curved, induction-hardened blade for cutting grass and weeds with a clean cut and no tearing. It comes in four sizes, with blades from 400 to 550 mm.
Serrated edge. The Bellota 2550 serrated sickle has a pronounced curve and is designed for dry grass, weeds and small branches. It comes in five sizes, with blades from 370 to 477 mm.

Both have a varnished PEFC beech handle with a metal ferrule and a reusable edge guard. If you are looking for something more compact or more robust, the range includes other sickles, such as the compact, lightweight 2562 or the extra-wide-blade 2561.

Other cutting tools in the range

For thick undergrowth and brambles there are forged brush hooks, such as the 1111-A, with a straight edge, curved tip and 70 mm blade, sold without a handle. For cutting by hand, hardened steel scythes, such as the 2503, come in four blade lengths and are supplied without a snath.

Maintenance and safety

A good edge is hard to keep, and one knock in the store room or the van is enough to nick it. The Bellota P8130 edge guard covers the axe edge, goes on and comes off with the QuickFix system and comes in three sizes, for edges from 78 to 148 mm. Always store cutting tools with their guard or sheath, somewhere dry. If the handle of your axe has broken or come loose, see our guide to replacement handles; and for higher branches, there is the guide to pruning saws and pole saws.

Frequently asked questions

What head weight should an axe have?

It depends on the job: light heads, from 300 g, are for light tasks such as trimming branches, and the heaviest, up to 2,000 g, for splitting firewood. The PROLINE 8130C Biscay axe comes in ten weights, from 300 g to 2,000 g.

Which axe is suitable for pruning citrus trees?

The Bellota PROLINE 8131 axe is designed specifically for trimming and pruning citrus trees. It has a 300 g head, a 48 cm handle and an edge that bites into the branch without catching.

Which is better for undergrowth: a machete or a sickle?

The machete is better for cutting a path through undergrowth, stubble and thin branches thanks to its long blade. The sickle is used with one hand and is better suited to cutting grass and weeds in small or awkward areas.

Plain-edge or serrated sickle?

The plain edge cuts grass and weeds cleanly and without tearing, while the serrated one is designed for dry grass, weeds and small branches. Choose according to the material you are going to cut.

How do I protect the edge of an axe?

With an edge guard, such as the Bellota P8130, which goes on and comes off with the QuickFix system and comes in three sizes depending on the edge length. Always store it protected and somewhere dry.

Find all these tools in the axes, machetes and sickles collection.

Newer post

Older post

Back to blog