If you can time the attacks well, axes having slightly higher knockback and not moving you forward on the first attack makes them a bit more forgiving when fighting groups.

Still, I wish the one-handed axes had more than a few points of extra damage. I hope one-handed axes aren't worse just because they can be used as both a tool and a weapon. Durability and separate skills for combat and chopping already keeps it as a small convenience rather than an advantage.