Hultafors mini hatchet - any good?

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Wildgoose

Full Member
May 15, 2012
776
429
Middlesex
Afternoon all,

I’ve been given some vouchers for my birthday and am considering getting a hultafors mini hatchet.
Having a 3 month old baby means most our future trips will be to holiday cottages, most of which feature a log burner but you seldom get an axe or similar.
I would like something compact and non offensive so it can slip in my bag.
Is the mini hatchet up to task? Any users on here?

Thanks in advance

Wildgoose.
 

Mr Wolf

Full Member
Jun 30, 2013
707
169
Nottinghamshire
A bit more cash but I find the gb outdoor axe an excellent tool for its size and weight.
It’s great for splitting once you get your technique down.

I find anything smaller (hand axes) excel at crafting and for your intended purposes you may find a well built knife would be a better fire tool and safer to use

Anything would be a compromise and this is pure personal opinion
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
I would look into Fiskars axes.
OK, they look modern and not 'bushcrafty' but are cheaper and just as good ( if not better) than the likes of Hultafors and Gransfors.

I am partial to Swedish stuff, but I have to say that they make very good stuff in Finland too!
:)
 

GuestD

Need to contact Admin...
Feb 10, 2019
1,445
700
Afternoon all,

I’ve been given some vouchers for my birthday and am considering getting a hultafors mini hatchet.
Having a 3 month old baby means most our future trips will be to holiday cottages, most of which feature a log burner but you seldom get an axe or similar.
I would like something compact and non offensive so it can slip in my bag.
Is the mini hatchet up to task? Any users on here?

Thanks in advance

Wildgoose.
great axe, although something slightly bigger may be better. Check out Husqvarna, as they are made by Hultafors, and there are often good deals to be had.

Example;
https://www.radmoretucker.co.uk/sho...MIwsDaoKb44QIVgoxRCh1VHQVgEAQYAiABEgL9qfD_BwE
 

GuestD

Need to contact Admin...
Feb 10, 2019
1,445
700
Hults Bruk. Which is owned by Hultafors AB....
I used to sell them. Only time they ever came back was for a re-shaft. Horticultural equipment comes under a different "consumer" heading than bushcraft.
 
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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
What is your view of the Fiskars axes?

Apart from the (relative) ugliness, I find their tools be extremely functional.

I have one mid size Fiskars axe, bought it in Norway a couple of weeks ago. Splits dried Birch logs very well. The handle is not comfortable imo ( personal view, I have extremely soft hands) but strong. Even when my aim was a bit off and I manged to hit part of the log on the handle - no damage.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Mass matters. If the prime use will be to split firewood, small and compact will be too weak to get the splits going.
I have several "small" ones. Trying to split anything but cedar is a frustrating chore.
Next up would be 1kg or 1.5kg head ( can't recall), a Sandvik that is a great birch basher.
You won't approve as the handle is long enough for a good radius of swing.
 

Wildgoose

Full Member
May 15, 2012
776
429
Middlesex
I actually have a Fiskars axe, think it is one of the first versions.
It’s a good enough axe, I did manage to roll the edge on a wood knot and splinters get caught between the blade and the handle.

It’s the axe I would lend out as it’s very tough. I’m looking for something a bit more traditional now.

I’ll have a look at the other axes mentioned too.
 

Paulm

Full Member
May 27, 2008
1,089
183
Hants
Mass matters. If the prime use will be to split firewood, small and compact will be too weak to get the splits going.
I have several "small" ones. Trying to split anything but cedar is a frustrating chore.
Next up would be 1kg or 1.5kg head ( can't recall), a Sandvik that is a great birch basher.
You won't approve as the handle is long enough for a good radius of swing.

I would agree with RV as above. I've had a GB mini hatchet for some time but found the short handle meant of course greatly reduced swing and couldn't effectively deal with much but pretty small kindling, and even then was a bit unsatisfying to use. Used it for spoon carving too, but again just didn't feel right.

I swopped the handle for one of the carved GB red beech handles to give me better purchase and length for carving and other jobs, much happier with it now, transformed the feel and the functionality of it :)

The GB Outdoor axe is a favourite of mine for smaller camp chores, the longish (relatively) handle gives it a surprising amount of effective force, but it's still small and light enough to pack easily.

Other makes of hatchet size axes would be better and more usable tools too than a mini hatchet, as other folk have suggested also, and any small increase in size and weight is outweighed by being a lot more useful and functional, in my experience anyway :)
 

SCOMAN

Life Member
Dec 31, 2005
2,583
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Perthshire
I know it’s slightly different but I have a GB Mini axe. Small, compact but good cutting power for the weight. There is a space for one if you’re not planning to do heavy work.
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,766
Berlin
For camping and small splitting I use the Fiskars X7 since 25 or 30 years.
The handle forgives faults and so it became old.

It is worth to have a look at Ochsenkopf and Bison axes too. They are made in (western) Germany and absolutely high quality tools, relatively unknown outside Germany.
Bison offers also axes which look similar to the swedish axes.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
My GB is fantastic, but so is the Hults Bruk, and the other idiotic buys.
I have read on various for a including this one that sometimes you can get a less than perfect Gb axe, which is normal as they are largely handmade.


All axes I own are fantastic. I am the weak link. The least value for money is the HB though.

I am OK abusing all except the GB.

One more idea is to buy a derelict, old axe in a carboot sale or similar. Old axes, European make, were all superb.
Easy and fun to restore!
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
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Berlin
The most cheaper axes with wooden handles I have seen in the last years hadn't been straight.

That's really dangerous in my opinion.

I think it is worth to buy a Hultafors, Gransfors, Fiskars, Ochsenkopf, Bison or Estwing axe or hatchet.

The last knife I bought from Hultafors wasn't made in Sweden by the way. But it's a good knife, no question.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Those are copies of the knives made in Mora. I think China made.
They are a little bit ( not much though) cheaper than the ones made by Morakniv.

If they used the same steel they would be the same quality.
Not much human input in making a Morakniv knife!

Husqvarna have axes made for them in Sweden, good quality too.

Handmade stuff has a +- quality. Us humans are like that. Not you Germans though. Pure perfection!
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,766
Berlin
But, aaahhh, pardon, Ochsenkopf and Bison Axes are absolutely übermenschlich!
 

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