be careful around the knots- perhaps use a chainsaw and score in front, behind, and if it's big right over the knot. not traditional, but fast and accurate. you can basically cut out all the knots and have clear hewing.

i personally think the gransfor double bevelled broadaxe is kind of little for hewing big trees. a bigger finnish style axe will get you down the log faster and makes a flatter face straight away. plus if the ground is uneven, branches, chunks of wood etc the path is always smooth for walking on the log. plus easier on the back. the gransfor axe does put a nice 'axey' kind of surface on the timber, and is useful as a last pass for cleaning up scoring marks.

kiitos for the sauna plans! i agree with what has been said about pine in saunas- it will drip sap prety much forever. a friend has a beautiful 20 year old timber-framed sauna out of white pine and you've got to watch where you sit!