>>1924309Not a dumb question at all. Traditionally double bits were ground thinner and kept very sharp on one side, and the other side was left with a thicker profile and more durable edge (the thinner the edge, the more prone it is to rolling or chipping when contacting knots, rocks, dirt, etc). The thin side was used for felling and bucking, and the other side was used for ground work or anything that could potentially dull or chip your edge. The double bit in the OP image is a swamping pattern. Swampers were the men that cleared paths, built logging trails, and cleaned up after fellers (felling was a skilled position, swamping not so much). Once trees were felled, they would come through and limb them. The bits on swamping pattern heads are extremely flat and thin which aids in limbing, clearing saplings and brush. Outside of the logging profession and in modern times, double bits are still used in the same manner, but some people like to have a thin bit for chopping and a thick bit for splitting. Here is a cruiser (2 1/2lb, 28" handle) double bit of mine thats ground in this way. Its great for camping. Double bits are most definitely more dangerous than single bits though. If the axe happens to glance off the wood, you have 2 sharp edges flying at your legs/feet. People also tend to stick their axes in a round/stump/dead tree when not in use, which leaves one edge exposed to everyone that walks past it. Im a big proponent of sheaths in general and having them on the axe when not in use, especially when it comes to double bits.
