I gave up on axes when I found out about

[tryingalot]

folding saws. I can hold replacement saw blades in the visegrip of a Crunch multitool, so now I just carry a few saw blades, the Crunch and the Cold steel shovel, minus its handle (saves 1/2 lb of the 1.5 lb total wt of the shovel) Without the handle, the shovel is a pretty good chopper, ukluk knife and trowel. I can make whatever length handle I need for it in about 1/2 hour. With a 2.5 ft long handle, it's a pretty good axe. With a 5 ft handle it's a great shovel or paddle. With a 6 ft long handle, it's a walking stick/spear. Neither an axe nor hatchet nor machete can do those things. The shovel, as issued, is an excellent stand-in for a hatchet or machete and can do many things that those tools cannot. Given the modifications to the Crunch tool and the saw blades, the Shovel makes for the perfect woods combo. I dont bother with a belt knife at all. if the Crunch is too small for a given job, the shovel is not too big for that job.

[Winger Ed.]

The older ya get, the less and less you'll want to use hand tools.
Now days, I figure any project worth doing---- is the perfect reason to buy more power tools.

[tryingalot]

I dont do much of anything anymore. I'm retired. About all that happens is when I take our daughter camping. She's 10. My wife is half my age, cause I'm in my late 60's and can't tolerate most US women. The ones I find attractive are under age 30 and are horrified at the idea of dating a guy my age. So I went to the Philippines 5 years ago and got one who was 27. Package deal, she's a single mom. For a few more years, our daughter will be ok with camping out. Once that's not cool anymore and she goes boy crazy, I'm probably done with the bushcraft stuff. She loves to shoot the .22 rifle, tho and I'll introduce her to the 22 pistol in a couple of years, so then the AR when she's 14 and a year after that, the 9mm pistol, assuming that she's still interested, of course. 50/50 chance, I'd say.