Small hatchet

[Jonboy83]

Hi all,
After a small camp hatchet and been looking at the GB wildlife. Owned one a few years back and it was brilliant, but I cannot see me being able to afford one again anytime soon, so I was wondering are there any cheaper makes out there that are of a similar shape and size to that of the GB wildlife?
Many thanks
Jon

 

[crosslandkelly]

Have a look at the Hultafors range.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/Hultafors-Axes-Hatchets/151620/bn_27196316

 

[Robson Valley]

What do you plan to use it for? Head mass might make a lot of difference.
Except for top quality wood carving adzes, I wouldn't look at any camp axe or hatchet of less than 1.2kg/2.6lbs or so.
Almost all of my horticulture stuff is Fiskars, even axes. Functional.

 

[Broch]

At the sake of sounding like an old record, if funds are short get down to the flea markets or car boot fairs and find an old English axe head for a few quid. The old makes are every bit as good as the current fashion ones at a fraction of the cost. A wire brushing, sharpening and a new handle and it will last years - spend the money on something else.

 

[Robson Valley]

Broch is right. Trouble here is they are very fast selling items!
Realistic sharpening for all sorts of tool tasks is not such a bad thing to learn.

 

[slowworm]

A Husqvarna Wooden Hatchet is about the same weight and can be had for £25ish. I have one and it's ok, the edge does seem to chip a bit on mine (probably my fault).

I prefer a smaller axe I picked up for a few pence in a local house clearance/auction place. Loads about if you look.

 

[Laurentius]

Some time ago now I found a Gilwell Park boy scout hatchet, not very big of course but if it was good enough for the scouts back in the day, well it it does a job, though cutting down the mighty douglas fir is probably well beyond it's capacity.

 

[daveO]

I see your location is Wales. If you're anywhere near Crickhowell there's a charity based there called Tools For Self Reliance and they usually have a decent stock of restored hatchets and axes.

 

[Robbi]

https://www.bladesandbows.co.uk/pbk-hunters-hatchet-mh-h162-12545-p.asp

Cheap as chips but does the job.

 

[Janne]

To give new life to an old, rusty axe gives a good feeling.
Even the process of restoration itself is very satisfactory!

Rubber handles are an abomination, you get nasty blisters really quickly if you have soft hands.

 

[Jonboy83]

At the sake of sounding like an old record, if funds are short get down to the flea markets or car boot fairs and find an old English axe head for a few quid. The old makes are every bit as good as the current fashion ones at a fraction of the cost. A wire brushing, sharpening and a new handle and it will last years - spend the money on something else.

Couldn't agree more, I do frequent the car boots and markets but not been lucky enough yet. I did pick up a lovely old morris bilhook this summer, but I don't get on with it.

 

[Bionic]

I used one of these for years. It’s not exactly traditional and I have to admit I had my doubts about the shaft but they turned out to be unfounded. The only reason I replaced it with a Gransfors wildlife hatchet was that I lost it during house renovations

 

[Janne]

It is Fiskars......
Finnish quality. Lasts for donkey's Years!

The handles are ultra strong. Glassfibre reinforced polymer?
It does not fray ( fibers poke through surface) even after years of abuse. ( If it contains glassfibers!)

Confession time: I have several Fiskars tools. Axe, 2 x brush hooks, a bunch of scissors. The China made ones are junk, the Finnish made ones excellent.
A foldable saw .
I do not like foldable saws, but you guys made me buy one.

 

[Robson Valley]

I use quite a variety of Fiskars pruning tools, what with grapes, apples and so on.
A couple of really shirtty clipper designs which I repaired but the bigger things are brutally durable.
Let's just say that my uses are eiter casual or seasonal, axes included. Not 8 hrs/day.
The Fiskars things will outlive me by a long shot.

 

[Janne]

The best clippers are Swiss. Do not remember the make though.
The rest, including Gardena, are utter crap.

I think I have Fiskars secateurs somewhere.

 

[Janne]

What annoys me is that we buy 'affordable' stuff which is near useless. Either we use it and swear, or buy next affordable piece, of another brand ( - might be better !) which is just as bad.

I think I have been through a secateurs/clipper every two years, until my wife splashed out on that Swiss one.


Instead of buying a quality piece that will last for a life time, which is expensive, we just buy, buy, buy. In the long run - very expensive!

 

[Broch]

What pi$$es me off that we buy 'affordable' stuff which is near useless. Either we use it and swear, or buy next affordable piece, of another brand ( - might be better !) which is just as bad.

I think I have been through a secateurs/clipper every two years, until my wife splashed out on that Swiss one.


Instead of buying a quality piece that will last for a life time, which is expensive, we just buy, buy, buy. In the long run - very expensive!

I have a 25 year old pair of Wilkinson Sword secateurs still as good as new! 'Swiss-made' isn't the only decent tool maker!

Anyway, this has nothing to do with the OP buying an axe

 

[Janne]

Sorry about the swearword, and offtoppicking!

To the OP:

GB make beautiful axes. But you can get the same function and quality by buying a different brand.
The wood handle is a weak point.

 

[Jonboy83]

I used one of these for years. It’s not exactly traditional and I have to admit I had my doubts about the shaft but they turned out to be unfounded. The only reason I replaced it with a Gransfors wildlife hatchet was that I lost it during house renovations

I like that ☺ definitely one to consider

 

[Janne]

The positive with those brightly coloured items is that they are not so easily lost.
Drop a Gränsfors on a nicely vegetable covered forest deck and you can easily forget it.