Swedish Axe choices

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Aug 28, 2020
5
2
34
Hull/York
This is my first thread so I hope its in the right place. Im just wondering if Granfors Bruks forest axes live up to their reputation and are worth the price, when I really like the look of the craftmanship and handles of the Hultafors Premium series. Id especially be interested to hear from owners of the premiums as this decision has been annoying me for days and havnt had a chance to handle a premium.
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,355
2,365
Bedfordshire
Hello,
There is quite a lot that has been written about this choice, both here and across the inter-web. Here are some useful sources and discussions.






Gransfors charge what they charge because they can, because there is demand. Worth is so subjective. Is a hand made knife "worth it" when a £20 Mora will do XX% of the jobs? You could say either yes or no and make good arguments for both! Are GB axes as good value for money as HB? No. Do they perform significantly better? Probably not for most people. Are they a little nicer than the HB? I think so, but that is just my opinion.

When two products appear very similar, when the list of features appears almost identical, but there is a significant price difference, if YOU cannot see why one would be worth more to you, then clearly it isn't worth more to you. It might be worth it for someone else, but that worth is unlikely to be distillable to quantifiable performance.

I bought my Small Forest Axe in 2003, cost £45, still using it, its been to Canada twice, Sweden and Norway. It has felled or helped fell ash, birch and spruce up to 8" diameter. It has also helped build bows and rough out spoons. I have been happy with it. I have an old Hults Bruk head on a longer handle, its a thicker edge, but I use it less just because of its shape, more splitter, less cutter. I have a Hultafors Premium splitting axe and have been happy with that too but I would have been happier with the GB splitting axe. I didn't feel I could afford it at the time, but now I kind of wish I had, partly because I think the design is better, but I think it is a nicer finished tool.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
What do you hope to use it for, what do you expect to use it for?
How often will you use it? Prepared with kit for sharpening?
Who makes the size, weight and designs to suit those needs?
 

TriggerRover

Member
Jun 17, 2018
16
10
Lancashire
I ain't no expert, but kind of agree with Mr Claycomb.

I have a ray mears small forest axe from back in the day, a GB one. Well made, clearly hand made to some extent. Arrived super sharp, no complaints, nice axe.


Some yrs later I ordered a HB axe, similar to a GB forest axe in size, bigger and better for my current use that the old small forest axe. The difference in look and feel is obvious, the HB one is mass produced, details on side are etched in etc, arrived not as sharp as the GB, no mask, handle not as well finished. But after sharpening, buying a nice leather mask and re finishing the shift, they're just as good at the job, both seem very similar underneath!
 
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Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
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Berlin
Are the Hultafors axes and hatchets made in Sweden?

Some of the Hultafors tools seem to be designed in Sweden but are made in Asia

The bushcraft knife Hultafors OK4 for example is made in Taiwan as far as I am informed right.
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
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Berlin
Here you can see a few axes and hatchets which are made in Germany.

BISON

KRUMPHOLZ

OCHSENKOPF

And I would also like to mention here the in Finland made FISKARS axes.
The X7 hatchet is what I usually recommend for usual bushcraft and wild camping use.
Pretty light, very effective, relatively cheap and not so easy to break in normal weather conditions.

 
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Aug 28, 2020
5
2
34
Hull/York
I really like the look of the black forest axes by Helko Werk, which are made in Germany, Erbswurst. . Do you have any experience of them? Il take a look at the others as well,Im a big fan of tools made in FInland also. Thanks for the links, C Claycomb, and that helps put things in perspective. Its mostly going to be used for firewood with quite a lot of shelter/chair/camp furniture building stuff as well and will get a lot of use.

Im not sure where Hulta fors axes are actually made, its been a real hassle to find out much about the premium range at all. Im leaning towards paying a bit more for a known quantity in the granfors with all this info.
 
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Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
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7,757
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
At the sake of playing an old record - I have many axes, I use one every day, and my favourite axe has been used to split firewood, make shelters and camp furniture, it's used for snedding hazel poles and ash logs, it's felled small trees, holds a good edge; it belonged to my grandfather and is English made in the early 1900's.
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,355
2,365
Bedfordshire
Erbswurst,
Well since the Hultafors Premium axes all have heads stamped "Made in Sweden"...and the blurb about them say they are made at the Hults Bruk forge, I think one can probably assume they are not made in Taiwan. ;)
 
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Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
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Berlin
I didn't know Helko axes before and just called them know.

They forge together with Adler and Bison and finish the rough axe heads in their manufacture and also assemble them off course.

They mainly delivered under the own name during the last decades to the Japanese and US market, because Japanese clients appreciate high quality tools and US Americans often simply really need them.

On the German market Helko axes are mainly sold via the small German high quality spade maker Ideal under this brand. Ideal produces high end quality spades and shovels in Germany.

But nowadays Helko offers the products also under the own name in Germany.

Helko produces a light camping hatchet with 500g axe head and an ash wood handle because in their opinion this is strong enough for a hatchet but lighter than hickory, what they use in the bigger sizes too.

It looks like a strong competition for the Fiskars X7 and other camping hatchets.
I will buy and try it soon.

They also make some thing like the small forest axe and of course 600 g and 800g head hatches as well as various full size axes.






 
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Great egret

Full Member
Apr 17, 2017
172
117
Netherlands
I mainly use a GB outdoor. It's large enough for most tasks i do in camp. If you want to fell larger trees you should look for another bigger axe.
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,766
Berlin
The guy at the telephone from Helko said, that he doesn't like Fiskars Axes because you can't replace a broken handle.

In Germany are flying around old broken axes at every flea market, for just a few €...
 
Aug 28, 2020
5
2
34
Hull/York
I was so close to ordering a helko but somebody told me they have had 4 of them and every one has come loose (but he kept getting them because they were nice otherwise) I think it'l be a granfors bruks first as a solid choice, then i'll buy another nice german one when i've saved up a bit more because i love the look of them
 

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