Axes are small axes with handles about half the length of their larger counterparts.
Axes are often described as a small ax that can be used with one hand instead of two. With a handle that is typically half the length of a standard ax handle, the ax is a useful tool that can be used for a number of smaller jobs, such as chopping through thick bushes or small branches. Along with use for chopping wood, the ax has historically been used for other chores around the home, as well as as a weapon.
Axes were often used in frontier settings as a tool that could be used for a variety of household tasks. An ax is great for splitting sections of sticks into smaller sections, as well as chopping down small sections of wood, such as a sapling. At a time when many people hunted and killed animals to use at the table, the ax was also a great tool for cutting bone or cartilage from a deer carcass. Even with domestic animals, the ax would be just the right size for chopping off chicken heads or as part of the tools used to slaughter a pig.
Along with domestic use, an ax has also been used as a weapon. Since the tool can be wielded with one hand, it is possible to use the ax with the same dexterity as a knife. The ax is a common part of camping gear, simply because it is compact and offers both utilitarian uses and an item of protection in the wild.
The ax has also achieved some prominence in the horror film genre. Over the years, many movies have used axes as the preferred weapon of murderers for violent purposes. To some extent, this trend helped to obscure the more common uses of the axe. The result is that many people think of the ax as a weapon of destruction rather than a useful tool.