Ax and its types

Where to place the shield

The main places where you need to place the shield:

• public places, universities, schools, kindergartens and other crowded places;
• gas stations;
• playgrounds;
• garage cooperatives;
• construction sites;
• the territory of the pioneer camp, tourist base, boarding house, hotel;
• warehouses;
• production;
• vessel;
• train;
• plants and factories.

As you can see, each package includes different types of fire extinguishers.

Therefore, it is very important to carry out their maintenance on time and control the expiration dates. More information - here

Every space, such as a restaurant, store, or supermarket, should have the minimum amount of equipment to help extinguish a fire. It does not have to be a complete fire shield. Such means should prevent a fire and, if possible, extinguish it.

Installing a panel of appropriate configuration will ensure the preservation of property and life for people in the room.

Weight parameters

The possibility of its use in woodworking depends on how heavy the tool is. The minimum value is considered to be a mass of 0.9 kg. Lighter models are used only for a limited range of domestic and household purposes when finishing small workpieces, for example, for sharpening wedges.

For standard work with wood, you need a tool of 0.9-1.7 kg. It will be effective both when chopping medium-thick firewood and when carrying out construction work. Heavier cleavers weighing 2.2-2.5 kg are used for splitting large firewood. They have a longer handle.

Firefighter's ax

Every firefighter has a belt ax; it is included in the items of mandatory equipment for fighters. With the help of a special holster, the weapon is fixed on the firefighter's belt in such a way as not to interfere with comfortable work and not hinder movement. Due to constant use, the factory holster wears out rather quickly, and the fire brigade fighters independently make a holster for their ax from scraps of fire hoses. It is worth noting that such handicraft hard covers last much longer than tarpaulins.

The wearable belt ax is made entirely of metal and has a rubber dielectric handle. A fire ax is distinguished from a household one by a sharp thorn-pickaxe located on the butt side, and a chopping edge on the blade side.

How to use a fire ax

Like any other firefighting tool, the ax has many functions and uses. Fighters of fire brigades have the skills to use axes in various situations.

The sharp part of the fire ax can easily cut through electrical wires, small wooden elements, and open the roof. The rubber handle will not only protect the firefighter from electric shock, but also soften the recoil to the hand, acting as a shock absorber.

The spike on the back side can be used to open hatches with hydrants, open doors and slabs. The thorn will help the firefighter navigate slippery slopes and roof slopes. The ax can serve as a hook; in the event of a floor collapse, it will save the fighter's life.

Manufacturers limit the service life of fire axes to 5-7 years. At the same time, once a year, each ax must be tested - it is tested for strength and inspected for deformation.

Requirement for fire shields

All firefighting equipment should be located on the fire shield, which ensures the safety of firefighting equipment in one easily accessible place.On it you can find all the means that can reduce the risk of ignition of the entire building before the arrival of the fire department.

According to the current law of the Russian Federation on fire safety requirements, the owner of the building is obliged to fulfill:

• determine the fire hazard class of the building in order to select the appropriate amount of inventory;
• a standard fireman's kit in the event of a fire can save an area of ​​200 m2 from a fire;
• boxes for sand and water tanks must be placed near fire shields;
• all equipment should be red to attract attention;
• the edging of the shield is also made in red, its width is 3-5 cm;
• the rest of the place on the shield where the inventory is attached is made in white;
• be sure to indicate the number of the shield;
• indicate the numbers of the nearest fire department.

Features and scope

A typical fire ax is always long-handled. The metal element is attached to the handle especially firmly - so that it does not bounce off during a large swing. The product is painted in a bright color, which makes it easy to see the ax in poor visibility conditions.

The dual design of the product allows firefighters to use one tool instead of two. With this unit, you can cut down doors, quickly pull out trim and door jams, and break plasterboard surfaces and paneled ceiling tiles. Some models are designed to cut electrical wires, although additional options can significantly affect the cost of the tool. Fire axes can also be used for quick access to vehicles and other tasks. The design is thought out in such a way as to create the possibility of safe, quick and efficient entry into the premises.

Some workers use a tool to demolish walls. The curved axle design makes it suitable for a wide range of applications. This shape is necessary to reduce weight, but at the same time maintain strength and correctly distribute the stress and force applied by the user. The belt ax hangs on a holster, a similar assault tool is firmly attached to the lower back.

Like any ax, this tool can be dangerous if used incorrectly. Firefighters usually receive training in the use of the tool before using it. First, you need to make sure that the structure is in good condition, inspect how firmly the metal part is fixed to the handle. In addition, the blade of the assault ax must remain sharp.

Manufacturing

Special requirements are imposed on a tool of this type, since the material must withstand not only heavy loads, but also be fire resistant. The working surface should not change its characteristics under the influence of a constant temperature drop. If we talk about strength, then such a tool is capable of piercing steel, the thickness of which is 1 mm. The head is made not just from hardened steel, but from a material with the addition of molybdenum and manganese - they provide the necessary strength. To protect the device from corrosion, a special compound is applied on top.

The metal element (if it is not a one-piece structure) is attached to the handle using epoxy glue. The product is dried in the oven for 24 hours at a temperature of 30 degrees. For better contact with the hand, a rubberized pad is installed, which allows you to firmly hold the tool even when wearing gloves.

If it is a professionally made ax, then it must have a quality certificate. At a certain stage of production, the product is tested for resistance to stress and strength. According to the regulations, the service life of a fire ax is 18 months.If chips appear during operation, the tool becomes unusable, since such defects indicate aging of the metal, which in this case is unacceptable.

Specifications

In accordance with the standards, the length of the fire ax cannot exceed 0.36 m, while the weight should not be more than 1.2 kg, the wedge-shaped blade - 0.2 m, and the height - 0.07 m. Even the sharpening angle has its own requirements, it should be 30 degrees. In the central part, the permissible butt thickness is 0.03 m.

The fabric is made by forging - alloy steel is used for this. Both the pick and the blade must be in the same plane, there is no margin of error. Heat treatment of the pointed part is possible only in the factory, while the finished product must be free of irregularities, and the working surface must be perfectly flat.

Hatchet making

The length of the handle depends on the purpose of the tool. The most comfortable indicator is 50-70 cm. But we must remember that the swing and force of the blow depends on the length. Therefore, for heavier work, a tool over 70 cm is required.

The hatchet for an ax can be made of metal, including with a special rubber pad. This is a more durable design, but it has a big drawback - it does not damp vibration well.

The force of the blow, together with the resistance of the workpiece, is absorbed by the hatchet. Therefore, it is recommended to use wood for its manufacture, in particular birch. But the cheaper and more accessible pine dampens vibration much worse.

Views

Of the available options, the fire ax can be:

• waist;
• assault;
• sledgehammer.

The CCI tool (that is, the belt ax) is an important part of a firefighter's outfit, as it allows you to quickly respond to a difficult situation and open access to an enclosed space. It fits into the cover and is fixed on the waist belt in such a way as not to hinder the movements of the person

This is an all-metal tool, so there is no risk that it may break during operation. There is a rubberized tab on the edge of the handle. On one side of the working surface there is a thorn, on the other - a chopping part.

A flat sharp surface is used for cutting wires, wooden barriers, while the handle is a dielectric, so the firefighter does not have to fear for his own safety when the tool comes into contact with an electric current. The part, made in the form of a pickaxe, is an indispensable assistant if you need to pick a lock or stay on an inclined surface.

TPSh-SP (or an assault fire ax for a shield) is more massive, it weighs much more and has impressive dimensions. From the name it is easy to guess for what purposes such equipment is used. The length of the handle can vary from 60 to 90 centimeters. It is such a handle that allows you to swing well and make every effort to hit. Unlike the previous model, the handle of this ax is made of fiberglass, hence the durability and strength of the structure. If we talk about the shape of the working surface, then on one side there is a cutting element, and on the other - a pickaxe.

The sledgehammer ax differs from other options only in the shape of the base, since it does not have a thorn, but there is a flat surface that makes it possible to break dense walls.

Types of forms

Ancient axes had a beard-shaped butt type, that is, the front part of the blade was expanded from below, and a notch was formed in the opposite part. Such products were quite popular in European countries, where they were widely used both as an economic tool and as a military weapon. Modern axes are usually straight or rounded. The former are used for rough timber, and the latter are used for wood processing.The axes of such tools are made from the hardest species - birch, maple, as well as hornbeam or ash; the materials used should not have any cracks, or knots, or any kind of rot.

Its blade is shaped so that it is most convenient to work with various pieces of wood and small logs. However, in a wild forest, such an ax is not suitable - it is quite difficult for them to cut a tree trunk or a large branch, which is why lighter axes were created, the blade of which has a slightly more rounded shape. Finnish models are most in demand: their blade is rounded on one side, and on the other, it has a recess. With this device, you can not only cut wood, but also chop wood, which is very important in taiga conditions or a long hike in any other area.

Another type of ax is called taiga, the blade of these tools is used for cutting hardwood... The shape of the blade, like that of the Finnish, is rounded, but, in addition, the blade is located at a rather sharp angle in relation to the ax handle - this makes the blows much more effective, since the upper edge of the butt is first of all pierced into the tree. The instrument of the "Deer" brand possesses a very similar structure, the shape of which is almost identical, but the mass is much less.

Models

Of the models of fire axes on the market, it is worth highlighting the product "Voyevoda". The manufacturer used ideal geometry in the design of his tool, respectively, during use, it was possible to reduce recoil, but increase the effort.

The handle is a steel tube with an oval cross-section. The transparent dielectric polymer is located over the entire surface, so the user is not afraid of electric shock up to 1000 V. The grip is complemented by a pad.

The fire ax FIT 46112 has a small cost, its weight is 1.25 kg, the handle is made of wood, and there is no pickaxe in the design of the working surface. This is one of the simplest options that you can use when you need to enter a room.

From other modern options, the belt CCI-1 is distinguished. The handle is made of nylon with fiberglass inside. There is a pickaxe on one side and a flat part on the other. The product is attached to the belt using a special holster.

The Austrian model Leonhard Mueller has a low weight (700 grams), but it costs an order of magnitude higher than the above models. The inflated cost is justified by a solid construction, the use of high-quality materials. The total length of the product is 380 mm.

For more information on fire axes, see the video below.

Principle of operation

An ax is an example of a double ramp wedge. This shape during operation allows you to reduce the effort required to complete the task. Its handle acts as a lever allowing the user to increase the force at the cutting edge.

Most of the axes of the handle of a fire ax are symmetrical about the blade, but there are models where the boundaries are offset, which allows you not to subject the joints to heavy stress. The American instrument and the models made in our country are almost identical. The main work surface is made of high-strength steel, and the handle can be wood, fiberglass or plastic.

Open fire shield

An open shield is a panel on which all firefighting equipment is placed. Each type of equipment has its own stand where you can hang or put them.

Open shields are:

• wooden;
• metal.

Wooden panels are made of waterproof plywood. They are staffed depending on the class assignment. Metal shields come in the form of a frame and ordinary ones. The frame type is a metal frame. This increases the service life of the shield. The usual metal shield is made of thin sheet steel, it is resistant to ultraviolet radiation, the base is coated with a polymer.