Our Samoa next door neighbor, the late Chester Hagerdone, was one of most pragmatic Coolios we ever had the honor of hanging with.  Cyclone Ofa 1990, when our favorite Mango tree went down, Chester asked and received it for his classic iron wood-stove. 

While Cool Stuff waited in long sweaty lines for propane, Chester was drinking warm Vailima’s (no electricity for 3 months) and enjoying hot meals, courtesy of my mango wood.  Lesson learned... downed trees are an asset, not just rubbish to clear.

Whether you are clearing your downed trees, or processing them for use, you really need to get to CBT Hardware, Neal’s Ace Hardware, or the Tool Shop to score some gear.

Shopping at CBT Hardware on Wednesday, pre Gita, they had heaps of sapelu, and axes.  Buy local if they have inventory, but if not the CRKT options can be rushed by a relative USPS Priority Mail, or ordered online from CRKT directly

https://www.crkt.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=+Axes

The Pack Axe ($89) by Elmer Roush is only 11.25” and weighs only 1lb, 2oz.  The shape of the Pack Axe hickory handle is so perfect it melds to your arm perfectly, as if you actually have the power of a 4 foot handle. 

Designer Roush also brought us the larger Freyr ($99) 16”, 1lb 12.7 oz (above) and the Birler (not pictured $89) 16”, 1lb 13 oz medium sized axes. 

Forged by War, is a wonderful niche of CRKT military veterans and their unique serviced inspired designs.  Elmer Roush is part of this special group that proudly embraces the CRKT slogan “Designed by Vets.  Driven by Duty”.

While most of Samoa has lived by the “one machete serves all needs” concept, respectfully you need an axe, and you need a saw.

Go for the Japanese made Silky, in a variety of lengths and sawtooth purposes.  My Silky Pocket Boy (REI $39.95) was on me during Cool Stuff’s Cyclone Gita scary photo documentation...in case I had to escape or cut another out of the serious drama we all faced.

A special Cool Stuff salute to American Samoa’s Department of Public Safety.  At all hours and in the worst of Cyclone Gita, your Territorial Law Enforcement was ALWAYS bravely on patrol...they are in our Cool Stuff photos and video for history to remember and respect.