Starting to build a new life on what was once a deserted island takes time and tools. One of those necessary tools is an axe.
Unfortunately, you do not immediately start with an axe in your inventory, so how do you get one? By following these steps!
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How To Get an Axe in Animal Crossing
Step 1: Gather a Type of Bug or Fish for Tom Nook
Two of the first tools you receive include a fishing pole and a bug net. Using one of these, catch a type of creature, then show Tom Nook in the Residential Services tent what you found.
This action will prompt Tom to talk about what else can be located and harvested on your island.
Tom will then provide you with the recipe for a Flimsy axe. To build the Flimsy axe, you will need to gather five tree branches and one stone.
These can be easily found on the ground around the island. Then, take these materials back to Nook’s tent to use his crafting table.
Once you’ve built the Flimsy axe for the first time, then you will notice that you can buy a replacement axe from Timmy and Tommy inside the Residential Services tent and in Nook’s Cranny for 800 Bells.
Step 2: How To Use an Axe
An axe can be used to chop down trees and gather wood, but in game, an axe can also be used to hit stones on the island to gather other materials.
First, you will need to equip the axe by either pressing the directional keys until your axe appears in your character’s hands or by pressing X to open your inventory and equip the axe.
From there, you want to find a tree or rock to hit, then press the A button to swing the axe. Press A repeatedly to get all the resources the tree and rock have to offer.
From any tree, you will be able to harvest wood, soft wood, and hard wood.
From the rocks, you can gather smaller rocks, clay, iron nuggets, and sometimes even bags of Bells if you break the rock.
How can you break a rock or chop down a tree, you ask? Eating fruit can boost your strength, so you will then chop down a tree or break a rock when you swing your ax.
However, you will want a stronger axe for this.
Step 3: Improve Your Axe
A Flimsy axe is great when you’re starting out, but they break easily. There are multiple recipes for different axe, however, some additional criteria have to be met before you can buy them.
In order to access the upgraded axe recipes, Stone axe, and Axe, you will need to be a homeowner.
Being a homeowner will gain you access to the Nook Miles+ program, which allows you to use your earned miles to purchase recipes through the terminal in Nook’s tent and office.
Through the Nook Miles+ program, you need to purchase the Pretty Good Tools recipe pack, which includes both recipes for the Stone axe and the Axe. This pack costs 3,000 Nook miles.
To build the Stone axe, you will need to first either have a Flimsy axe available or build another one and then gather three pieces of wood.
By this point in the game, you might have a crafting table of your own, and so you can craft your Stone axe there or at Nook’s crafting table.
To build an Axe, you will also need a Flimsy axe and three pieces of wood, but will also need one iron nugget.
This axe is one of the sturdiest in the game, aside from the Golden axe, but iron nuggets can sometimes be difficult to come across.
So, if you do not have iron nuggets on hand, that’s okay because the Stone axe and the Axe are equally durable.
Although you cannot purchase the Stone axe from the Nook brothers, you can purchase the iron axe for 2,500 Bells if you need a durable axe but no materials to craft one with.
What About the Golden Axe?
If you’re familiar with Animal Crossing, you know that special items are hard to obtain and craft, including the Golden axe.
In order to get the recipe for the Golden axe, you first need to break 100 axes.
This can be more easily achieved if you only use Flimsy axes, as they break the easiest.
But the hardship doesn’t end there! Once you’ve obtained the recipe, you’ll notice that you need one Axe and one gold nugget.
Keep in mind that the Golden axe can break, too, so this axe is more for show or sell rather than use, but it is quite durable.