Get a dirt cheap one. It'll be soft as shit and need very regular sharpening. You'll get heaps of practice keeping your axe sharp. Then drop $50 on an axe that accepts wooden handles (fibreglass a shit and impossible to replace the handle on), if you can just buy a head and separate handle, fit it yourself. Then keep the handle oiled with linseed/tung oil. You'll be better than most people with an axe, and feel manly as fuck.
If you want limitless practice, offer to split firewood for people for something nominal (food, perhaps they're a mechanic or something, barter your time), you'll get fit and feel even more manly.
There is few better feelings on this earth than hitting a piece of wood and it splits perfectly, ths axe hits the chopping block with almost no energy. It's glorious.
