Axe upgrade

[Suffolkrafter]

I've been making do with the only axe I've ever owned; a lousy hatchet from homebase that cost me a tenner a few years ago. I ground a new edge onto it a while back. I can shave with it no problem, but I can't get a whole lot more done with it. The head is also misaligned from the handle. So I'm looking to upgrade.

Part of me really wants a good all purpose bushcraft axe, I've zeroed in on the hultafors classic hunter. But the reality of UK bushcraft (for me at least) is that I'm not going to go and fell small trees in the local woods- nor am I much into carving and the like. The bulk of what I do (or try and do) with the axe is splitting logs for the wood burner at home. So the logical part of me is thinking to get a splitter such as the fiskars x11.

Question is, does anyone have experience of these axes? How good is the hultafors classic hunter at splitting, and how good is the x11 at doing other non-splitting jobs?

 

[TLM]

I have not used the Hultafors but the Fiskars a lot, x11 is ok but I prefer the lighter x10. X11 is slightly better at splitting but I have found x10 good enough, both can be used as GP axes.

 

[Suffolkrafter]

X11 is slightly better at splitting but I have found x10 good enough

Thanks for the insight TLM that's very useful.

 

[The Frightful]

I've been making do with the only axe I've ever owned; a lousy hatchet from homebase that cost me a tenner a few years ago. I ground a new edge onto it a while back. I can shave with it no problem, but I can't get a whole lot more done with it. The head is also misaligned from the handle. So I'm looking to upgrade.

Part of me really wants a good all purpose bushcraft axe, I've zeroed in on the hultafors classic hunter. But the reality of UK bushcraft (for me at least) is that I'm not going to go and fell small trees in the local woods- nor am I much into carving and the like. The bulk of what I do (or try and do) with the axe is splitting logs for the wood burner at home. So the logical part of me is thinking to get a splitter such as the fiskars x11.

Question is, does anyone have experience of these axes? How good is the hultafors classic hunter at splitting, and how good is the x11 at doing other non-splitting jobs?

Have you considered a splitting maul for home and a dedicated new smaller gp hatchet ? You can get a capable 6lb maul for under £25

 

[TLM]

I agree for home use Fiskars x10-x11 are too small, one of the bigger splitters short of mauls would fit that.

 

[punkrockcaveman]

The husqy sledge axe is worth a look. That's my home splitter.

 

[Suffolkrafter]

Ok I'm hearing definite justification for two axes. I could indeed get a longer splitter or maul, and then upgrade the hatchet or hand axe if I still need to.

 

[TLM]

Mauls are for mauling, most of the larger splitters can be used for other purpose too.

 

[demographic]

I got a maul from a workmate years ago. Pretty sure its a Stihl.
It's a genuinely usefull tool. Obviously great for splitting big rounds but even good used one handed for splitting kindling if I choke my grip up right by the head.

Ive tried using it with one of those wood grenade things but it was slower than just using the maul on its own.

 

[Suffolkrafter]

Well I'm fairly settled on fiskars now. Wherever you look they get great reviews and they're relatively cheap. Shame they're not the nicest looking tool, but looks aren't everything. Found one suggestion from someone who keeps a bow saw blade in the hollow handle which I thought was a neat idea.

 

[vincentimètres]

salut a tous j ai une x27 fiskars le 1255 xl a rouler dessus elle s est enfoncée dans le sol pas cassée ca reste du solide je fend avec la demi journée sans souci

 

[Robson Valley]

"Pretty" does not improve my wood splitting. Just about all of my pruning equipment from the pole saws to the little bypass shears is Fiskars. I like the durability with days and days of pruning grapes.

How much wood do you need to get through a winter? 1,000 sq ft here with very good insulation takes 4-5 cords (4' x 4' x 8'). Gas and electric splitters take the sting out of splitting ( look at my avatar). A 36" Stihl cut that log up.

If most of what you need is for splitting, then buy a splitter with the correct wedge angle to make your job a little easier.

 

[Broch]

salut a tous j ai une x27 fiskars le 1255 xl a rouler dessus elle s est enfoncée dans le sol pas cassée ca reste du solide je fend avec la demi journée sans souci

Bienvenue

Malheureusement, il n’y a pas beaucoup de gens qui parle français ici

 

[alphaburner]

Ben Scott signs the praises of the Husqvarna

 

[scruff]

Ben Scott signs the praises of the Husqvarna

View attachment 84101

Gardena, same axe different branding, can be found a bit cheaper too.

This axe is heavily favoured by some of my chainsaw wielding buddies from UK & Finland.

 

[DocG]

Ok I'm hearing definite justification for two axes. I could indeed get a longer splitter or maul, and then upgrade the hatchet or hand axe if I still need to.

Can I add my 2d worth here, please? I can't comment on splitters as my woodburner has not arrived yet so I don't have any input; however, if Suffolkrafter has the ability to put a shaving edge on a cheapy axe, I'd suggest that he should invest time and skills into sort-of making his own bushcraft hatchet/small axe. I have found a couple of reasonable axe heads in car boot sales or similar, cleaned them up with lots of elbow grease, sharpened by hand and then added a suitable helve. After that, I've made masks from recycled shoe leather or offcuts. In each case, the resulting axe is definitely mine: I like using it and no-one else has one like it. For no more than around £30 each, I believe that I have a couple of axes that can do everything I need them to do as a woodland faffer and Scout leader. My next project will be to make my own helve.

 

[Suffolkrafter]

Hi DocG. I had forgotten all about this old thread! I went on to do pretty much what you suggested. In the end I turned my old homebase hatchet into something of a carving axe. I filed it into a mostly one sided bevel, sanded down the handle and oiled it. It's shaving sharp now and carves quite nicely, although I can't correct the misalignment. And yes, I even repurposed an old shoe and made a mask which secured through the shoelace eyelits with a arbor knot/Canadian jam knot.
I'm on the look out for old axe heads for future projects too.
I did also got a fiskars splitter which does a great job of splitting wood for the stove.

 

[Broch]

Hi DocG. I had forgotten all about this old thread! I went on to do pretty much what you suggested. In the end I turned my old homebase hatchet into something of a carving axe. I filed it into a mostly one sided bevel, sanded down the handle and oiled it. It's shaving sharp now and carves quite nicely, although I can't correct the misalignment. And yes, I even repurposed an old shoe and made a mask which secured through the shoelace eyelits with a arbor knot/Canadian jam knot.
I'm on the look out for old axe heads for future projects too.
I did also got a fiskars splitter which does a great job of splitting wood for the stove.

All my axes are late 19th or early 20th Century refurbished English axes bought from car boot fairs and bric-a-brac shops. I used to be able to get a good axe head for 50p a few years ago (Ok maybe 10 years ago) - now you have to pay a lot more.

Strangely, I have not found a job that my refurbished axes cannot do that famous names axes can

 

[Broch]

Actually, that's not very accurate, my axes are famous names:
Elwell
John Harrison & Sons
Brades
Gilpin
Cornelius Whitehouse
......

 

[Suffolkrafter]

I've had my eye on the robin wood carving axe for a long time. It's a lovely looking axe. Problem is I just don't use axes enough to warrant buying them.