Gravity

The only comfortable rest position of an axe is to hung down. This position is the only stable equilibrium of an axe in the hand. All other positions react as lever and tear the wrist.

Oh, there is one other comfortable position, the unstable equilibrium when having the axe ballanced exactly upside. This is possible with one finger!

Gravity and equilibrium

With straight knives, the center of gravity is positioned within the material on the middle line, somewhere at half the length. Usual knifes have the center of gravity in the grip, throwing knifes in the blade.

Determine the center of gravity of a knife in a simple and fast way. Balance the knife horizontally on one finger. Where the knife does not tilt any more, there is the center of gravity.

At axes the center of gravity is not positioned within the material, but in the air between handle and the wedge, biased strongly to the wedge end.

Do the above described test with one finger. You will see, with the axe this does not work.

To determine the center of gravity of an axe, you have to do a more complicated test. Put the axe on a light, stiff, flat material, e.g. a cardboard. Suspend the cardbord from below with one fingertip. Where the cardboard does not tilt anymore, there is the center of gravity.

However puzzling the object may be formed, it has a center of gravity. That can be positioned within or out of the object. At an axe, it is positioned out of the material, in the triangle between edge and grip. At straight knifes it is on the middle line.

Micro throws measure the inclination of the gear relative to the verctor of gravity. The angle zero degree, means vertical, has but special properties. So at this 'inclination' comes one more method of measuring the gravity vector.

With a knive the gravity does not play such a fatal roll. But with an axe, to rest at the delivery position, you will like to keep the axe exactly verticaly, so that the weight floats, and not a lever tears your wrist.

Have you ever tried to balance a long stick on your finger tip? It is not so difficult. The longer the stick, the easier to do. You keep it in vertical position by rapid correction movement of your fingertip. This is no gip at all, only support.

This phenomenon comes into play, when holding the axe upright at the delivery position (ready stance)before a throw. Independend of the optics, this gives information about the direction of gravity and the mass and the lever of the object.

And, when the axe is moved, another phenomenon comes into play, power. That ist very destructive and dangerous. So always watch the security!