To get the Axe recipe in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you’ll need to progress through the early game by catching bugs and fish for Tom Nook. After donating to the museum and getting your first house upgrade, you’ll unlock the ability to craft axes.
Are you just starting your island adventure in Animal Crossing: New Horizons and itching to chop down those trees? It’s a common question for new players! Don’t worry, getting your hands on an axe isn’t a secret mystery. It’s a natural part of your island’s development, and we’re here to guide you through it. Think of it like learning your first essential kitchen tool – once you have it, so many new possibilities open up! Let’s uncover the simple steps to get your very own axe recipe and start shaping your island paradise.
Your First Steps to Crafting an Axe in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Getting your first axe recipe is tied to your early game progression. It’s designed to introduce you to the crafting system and the resources on your island. It’s not something you can buy right away, but rather something you earn as you play.
Building Your Foundation: The Early Game Grind
When you first arrive on your deserted island, Tom Nook will give you a few basic tools, but an axe isn’t among them. This is intentional! The game wants you to experience the core gameplay loop first.
1. Gathering Materials: You’ll start by picking weeds, collecting shells, and picking up branches. These are your initial resources.
2. Catching Bugs and Fish: Tom Nook will encourage you to catch bugs and fish. This is crucial! These activities not only earn you Bells but also help you contribute to the island’s development.
3. Donating to the Museum: Tom Nook will ask you to catch specific creatures for him. He’ll then ask you to donate to the nascent museum. Catching and donating your first 15 creatures (a mix of bugs and fish) is a key milestone. This is where you get closer to unlocking the crafting recipes.
4. Talking to Tom Nook: After you’ve donated your 15 creatures, Tom Nook will give you a DIY workbench recipe. This workbench is essential for crafting anything on your island. He’ll also give you the recipe for a Flimsy Shovel.
Unlocking the Axe Recipe: The Big Reveal!
The axe recipe isn’t handed out like candy. It’s a reward for your early efforts.
The Nook Miles Program: As you complete various tasks – catching fish, bugs, chopping wood, talking to villagers – you’ll earn Nook Miles. These miles are a secondary currency and also track your progress.
The First House Upgrade: Tom Nook will eventually offer to upgrade your tent into a proper house. This is a significant step. To do this, you’ll need to pay off your initial loan to Tom Nook using Nook Miles. The cost is usually 5,000 Nook Miles.
Receiving the Axe DIY: Once you agree to the house upgrade and pay the Nook Miles, Tom Nook will give you the recipe for the Flimsy Axe. This is your first axe! It’s a basic tool, but it’s the gateway to better axes and more efficient resource gathering.
It might feel like a lot of steps, but each one is simple and enjoyable. You’re essentially just playing the game as intended!
Crafting Your Flimsy Axe: What You’ll Need
Once you have the Flimsy Axe DIY recipe, you can craft it at any DIY workbench. If you haven’t built your own yet, you can use the one Tom Nook provides outside his tent.
Required Materials for the Flimsy Axe:
3 Wood: You can get wood by hitting trees with a stone axe or by using your Flimsy Shovel to dig up stumps (though this yields less).
10 Clumps of Weeds: These are everywhere! Just walk around and pick them up. They’re great for selling or using in other DIY recipes.
Once you have these materials, simply select the Flimsy Axe recipe at a workbench and hit craft!
Understanding Wood Types:
It’s important to know that you’ll need to hit trees to get different types of wood later on. For the Flimsy Axe, any type of wood will do, but as you progress, you’ll need:
Softwood: From most regular trees.
Hardwood: From most regular trees.
Wood: From most regular trees.
Iron Nuggets: From hitting rocks with a stone axe or shovel.
Here’s a quick look at how you gather basic resources:
| Resource | How to Obtain | Tools Needed |
| :————– | :————————————————- | :—————————————– |
| Weeds | Picked up from the ground | None |
| Branches | Picked up from the ground | None |
| Wood (Softwood) | Hit trees with an axe | Flimsy Axe or better |
| Wood (Hardwood) | Hit trees with an axe | Flimsy Axe or better |
| Wood (Wood) | Hit trees with an axe | Flimsy Axe or better |
| Stone | Hit rocks with a shovel or axe | Flimsy Shovel or Flimsy Axe or better |
| Iron Nuggets | Hit rocks with a shovel or axe | Flimsy Shovel or Flimsy Axe or better |
| Clay | Hit rocks with a shovel or axe | Flimsy Shovel or Flimsy Axe or better |
| Gold Nuggets | Hit rocks with a shovel or axe (rare chance) | Flimsy Shovel or Flimsy Axe or better |
| Fruit | Picked from fruit trees | None |
| Shells | Found on the beach | None |
Moving Beyond the Flimsy Axe: Better Tools for Better Results
The Flimsy Axe is great for starting out, but it breaks quickly. To really get the most out of your tree-chopping efforts, you’ll want to upgrade.
Crafting the Stone Axe
The Stone Axe is the next step up. It’s more durable than the Flimsy Axe and can even chop down trees completely if you hit them three times.
Materials for Stone Axe:
3 Wood
8 Stone
You can craft the Stone Axe at a DIY workbench once you have the recipe. You’ll need to find the recipe for this one, often by shooting down flying present balloons.
The Professional Axe: Your Island-Shaping Workhorse
The Professional Axe is the ultimate axe for gathering wood efficiently. It’s much more durable and can chop down entire trees with just a few swings.
How to Get the Professional Axe Recipe:
This recipe is purchased from the Nook Stop terminal inside Resident Services.
1. Access the Nook Stop: Go to Resident Services and interact with the Nook Stop terminal.
2. Redeem Nook Miles: Navigate to the “Redeem Nook Miles” option.
3. Purchase the DIY: Look for the “Tools Recipe+ pack” (or similar wording, as updates can change exact names). This pack costs 3,000 Nook Miles and contains recipes for more durable tools, including the Professional Axe.
Materials for Professional Axe:
1 Hardwood
1 Softwood
1 Iron Nugget
The Importance of Axe Durability
You’ll notice that axes have durability. The Flimsy Axe has very low durability, meaning it breaks after only a few uses. The Stone Axe is better, and the Professional Axe is the best for sustained use.
Flimsy Axe: Breaks after ~30 hits.
Stone Axe: Breaks after ~100 hits.
Professional Axe: Breaks after ~100 hits, but importantly, it can chop down trees in 3 hits.
What Happens When an Axe Breaks?
When an axe breaks, it simply disappears. You’ll need to craft or buy a new one. Don’t worry about losing materials you used to craft it; that’s just how crafting works! It’s always good to keep a stack of wood and iron nuggets handy for when your tools inevitably run out.
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting Your Axe Recipe
Here are some common questions new islanders have about obtaining and using axes.
Q1: Can I buy an axe recipe from Nook’s Cranny?
A1: No, you cannot buy the Flimsy Axe recipe from Nook’s Cranny. It is a reward you receive from Tom Nook as you progress through the early game.
Q2: How long does it take to get the axe recipe?
A2: It typically takes a few in-game days of playing normally. You need to catch creatures, talk to Tom Nook, and pay off your initial Nook Miles loan for your house upgrade.
Q3: What’s the difference between the Flimsy Axe and the Stone Axe?
A3: The Stone Axe is more durable and takes fewer hits to chop down a full tree (3 hits) compared to the Flimsy Axe (which can’t chop down full trees, only gather wood). The Stone Axe also lasts much longer before breaking.
Q4: Can I chop down trees with the Flimsy Axe?
A4: No, the Flimsy Axe is only good for gathering branches and wood from a tree. It will not chop down the entire tree. To chop down trees, you need a Stone Axe or better.
Q5: What if I can’t find enough iron nuggets for the Professional Axe?
A5: You can find iron nuggets by hitting rocks on your island. Make sure to eat a fruit before hitting rocks, as this allows you to break them for more materials (up to 8 items per rock). You can also find rocks on mystery island tours.
Q6: How do I get the DIY workbench recipe?
A6: Tom Nook gives you the DIY workbench recipe after you donate 15 creatures to the museum.
Maximizing Your Wood Gathering: Tips and Tricks
Once you have your axe, gathering wood becomes a core activity. Here are some tips to make it more efficient and enjoyable.
Planning Your Wood Runs
Identify Your Needs: Decide if you need softwood, hardwood, or just regular wood. Different trees yield different types.
Visit All Your Trees: Make sure to visit every tree on your island daily, as they respawn their wood.
Don’t Chop Down All Trees: Unless you’re redecorating, it’s often better to just gather wood from trees without chopping them down entirely. This way, they continue to produce wood daily. If you do chop them down, remember you can plant new trees!
Using Fruits for Better Rock Harvesting
As mentioned earlier, eating a piece of fruit before hitting rocks significantly increases the number of materials you get from each rock.
One Fruit = 8 Hits: Eating one piece of fruit gives you enough energy to hit a rock 8 times before it breaks. This is essential for maximizing your stone and iron nugget collection.
Carry Fruit: Keep a few pieces of fruit in your inventory for when you’re mining rocks.
The Power of the Shovel
While this guide is about axes, don’t forget your shovel! It’s crucial for:
Digging Up Stumps: This yields a small amount of wood.
Mining Rocks: As discussed, essential for iron, stone, and gold.
Planting Trees and Flowers: Vital for island development.
Finding Fossils: A core part of museum donations.
Building a Dedicated Crafting Area
As your island fills with buildings and decorations, consider setting up a dedicated crafting area. Having all your DIY workbenches in one place, perhaps near your storage or a shed, makes crafting much smoother. You can even place spare tools and materials there for easy access.
Conclusion: Your Island Awaits!
Getting the axe recipe in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a satisfying milestone. It signifies your growth as an island resident and unlocks a whole new level of interaction with your environment. From gathering basic wood to crafting more robust tools, each step brings you closer to creating the island of your dreams. Remember to enjoy the process, engage with your villagers, and don’t be afraid to experiment with your island’s layout. With your trusty axe in hand, you’re well on your way to becoming a master island decorator and resource manager! Happy chopping, and may your island prosper!
