axes

[windz1000r]

sooo hopeing someone can help me make my mind up
am looking for a small camping/carry friendly axe lightweight axe
the part of my that likes quality tools says get a hultafors hultan and be happy
the northerner in me says get a ganzo i like the idea of have a saw and fire steel all in one package and at a resonable price.
dont like the fact that one it breaks its broken.

any advice anyone

 

[JonathanD]

Hultan all day long. A tool for life. The Ganzo is just a gimmick with loads to go wrong. Just get a Laplander instead to go with the Hultan. Two bomb proof tools.

 

[windz1000r]

Hultan all day long. A tool for life. The Ganzo is just a gimmick with loads to go wrong. Just get a Laplander instead to go with the Hultan. Two bomb proof tools.

thanks this is the way i was leaning but you never know sometimes budget tools can suprise you.
now to find somewhere with the hultan in stock in the uk lol

 

[JonathanD]

There’s always the Gransfors Wildlife hatchet around the same price. Or for a few quid more their Outdoor axe. I really favour that model. Nice and light in my pack, with really great dimensions.

 

[JonathanD]

 

[windz1000r]

There’s always the Gransfors Wildlife hatchet around the same price. Or for a few quid more their Outdoor axe. I really favour that model. Nice and light in my pack, with really great dimensions.

i do like the outdoor axe it was a toss up between the outdoor and the hultan tbh at that price point
the slight thing that puts me off is the rumors that gb have been shipping out some lemons in the recent years in a rush to keep up with demand and knowing my luck i would get one i wasnt happy with and end up wasting time shipping it back for a replacement.

unfortunately there doesnt appear to be any GB stockists within about 3 hours of me so i cant go and pick one out

 

[JonathanD]

Try Woodlore, they inspect them themselves. If you ring up they will sort you out the best of the batch.

 

[windz1000r]

Try Woodlore, they inspect them themselves. If you ring up they will sort you out the best of the batch.

nice one will give them a ring

 

[Mr Wolf]

nice one will give them a ring

I’m not too far away.
Wanna try one first?

 

[windz1000r]

I’m not too far away.
Wanna try one first?

if you don, t mind could be a good idea

 

[Erbswurst]

If you still think about a low budget hatchet, try the Fiskars X7!

I use the previous model since approximately 25 or 30 years. It's still good.

 

[windz1000r]

If you still think about a low budget hatchet, try the Fiskars X7!

I use the previous model since approximately 25 or 30 years. It's still good.

the x7 well i believe it is the x10 is one i defiantly considered.
i think the pull of a preoperly made wooden axe is to strong lol

 

[Mr Wolf]

i think the pull of a preoperly made wooden axe is to strong lol

It won’t stop at a…..luckily down to six

 

[Robson Valley]

Once you have made a list of all the camp chores (and maybe carving) that you expect this one, do-all -and-everything axe, consider the head weight.
I carve western red cedar. Pieces from 24" to 64" and bigger if I ask. Axes are good ahead of elbow and D adzes and draw knives for rough out.

Every day duty in the shop, 32oz head, maybe 40 oz head, is plenty to swing for a while.
I buy a 16" x 8' bit of log and I want to break that down, then 3.5 lbs head takes fewer swings to see the pieces that I want.

The graphite/elastic/plastic handles soak up far more shock than wood.
All my vineyard stuff is Fiskars, I have no complaints. Hardly need an axe in a vineyard so like the X7, they are consistent in wood carving.

 

[Erbswurst]

It surely depends where you spend your time and if you carry the axe or hatchet in the rucksack on your back.

I use at home a full size axe to split firewood for the oven. Outdoors a small hatchet gets used to hammer pegs into the ground, to remove twigs from poles and to split kindling. For that purpose a light hatchet of approximately 600 g serves better than a 800g hatchet in my opinion, unless you are 2 meters tall and strong like Obelix.

I can't imagine kneeling in front of a log and splitting firewood. But if you use something like the X10 different that's surely pretty dangerous.

May be that for winter hikes in Scandinavia a middle sized axe is a good idea. But for Germany it's pointless and neither made nor offered here, apart from a few exceptions.

I think a 800 g hatchet is a tool for strong farmers. The 600 g hatchet is the best choice for recreational use of usual people. And that's really the maximum I am willing to schlep around.

I think that the Fiskars X7 hatchets are technically the better concept for most circumstances.
But Hultafors, Gransfors, Adler, Bison, Helko, Krumpholz, Ochsenkopf and Müller make very nice tools of course.

 

[windz1000r]

It surely depends where you spend your time and if you carry the axe or hatchet in the rucksack on your back.

I use at home a full size axe to split firewood for the oven. Outdoors a small hatchet gets used to hammer pegs into the ground, to remove twigs from poles and to split kindling. For that purpose a light hatchet of approximately 600 g serves better than a 800g hatchet in my opinion, unless you are 2 meters tall and strong like Obelix.

I can't imagine kneeling in front of a log and splitting firewood. But if you use something like the X10 different that's surely pretty dangerous.

May be that for winter hikes in Scandinavia a middle sized axe is a good idea. But for Germany it's pointless and neither made nor offered here, apart from a few exceptions.

I think a 800 g hatchet is a tool for strong farmers. The 600 g hatchet is the best choice for recreational use of usual people. And that's really the maximum I am willing to schlep around.

I think that the Fiskars X7 hatchets are technically the better concept for most circumstances.
But Hultafors, Gransfors, Adler, Bison, Helko, Krumpholz, Ochsenkopf and Müller make very nice tools of course.

thankyou for the in depth input

the only thing ive looked at from the fiskars range that does have a slight pull still is the norden
same head but 1/3 of the shaft is composite the rest is wooden.
i know things move forward sometimes not allways for the better
i mean fiskars must have some confidence in the norden as it comes with a 25 year warrenty

but fiskars are either slowly comeing out the uk or just places arnt stocking them anymore.

ive made do with a cheap hatchet for many years
from a hardware store i mean over 10 years and it has served me well for about £8
just felling like its time for someting a bit nicer

 

[Wayland]

It surely depends where you spend your time and if you carry the axe or hatchet in the rucksack on your back.

I use at home a full size axe to split firewood for the oven. Outdoors a small hatchet gets used to hammer pegs into the ground, to remove twigs from poles and to split kindling. For that purpose a light hatchet of approximately 600 g serves better than a 800g hatchet in my opinion, unless you are 2 meters tall and strong like Obelix.

I can't imagine kneeling in front of a log and splitting firewood. But if you use something like the X10 different that's surely pretty dangerous.

May be that for winter hikes in Scandinavia a middle sized axe is a good idea. But for Germany it's pointless and neither made nor offered here, apart from a few exceptions.

I think a 800 g hatchet is a tool for strong farmers. The 600 g hatchet is the best choice for recreational use of usual people. And that's really the maximum I am willing to schlep around.

I think that the Fiskars X7 hatchets are technically the better concept for most circumstances.
But Hultafors, Gransfors, Adler, Bison, Helko, Krumpholz, Ochsenkopf and Müller make very nice tools of course.

I think the Fiskars axe range are great pieces of kit. A lot of people dislike the aesthetic, preferring a more traditional look, but they are tough, well designed and extremely capable.

 

[Erbswurst]

I think that these plastic - wood handled tools by Fiskars aren't really meant for professional use. That's more such a lifestyle or glamping offer. If you buy a new house and still have a bit money left and no idea about gardening you surely can spend a bit on such a pointless construction. Fits well to the SUV that hasn't enough chassis clearance to go the best maintained farmer's ways of the country and to the new stainless steel barbecue.

A usual X7 I also may forget for a couple of days in the garden. If I need to take care I also can buy a classical one from the competition.

If you already used a simple hardware store hatchet for 10 years, you can of course invest a bit money into a nice wood handled hatchet, because you surely will not damage the handle the first day. Otherwise, a normal Fiskars you can give every teenager as a toy after you explained how to use it securely. It forgives overstrikes.

If you want a hatchet with wooden handle, it's worth to mention, that hatchets have different edge lengths.
The longer the edge the better it is for cleaning off twigs from a pole.

The designers of the Ochsenkopf hatchet for example had that in mind. Just compare the edge length with the edge length of the Fiskars X7!
You can do the work with the X7 too, but you will hit the target easier with the Ochsenkopf hatchet and that's why you can work faster.

Because the back side is flat it also works better if you hit tent stakes into the ground.

OCHSENKOPF Products

OCHSENKOPF forestry tools online: Buy online or purchase from your local dealer.

www.ochsenkopf.com

But the Ochsenkopf hatchet is the Mercedes under the hatchets.

A cheaper one will do the job as well.

Handbeil 600 g 'Adler®' mit Stiel | voelkner

voelkner ►

www.voelkner.de

Krumpholz Handbeil mit Hickorystiel

Hochwertiges Handbeil, klar lackiert, ca. 600g schwer und mit ca. 38 cm langen, gefirnisstem Stiel aus bestem Hickoryholz. ✔ Von Krumpholz

www.baforga.de

Bison Universalbeil | GRUBE.DE

Entdecken Sie das Bison Universalbeil - Ihr vielseitiger Helfer für Forst und Garten, sogar als Küchenbeil verwendbar. Durch Stahlbearbeitung, Härteprozess und hochwertigem Eschenstiel wird Langlebigkeit garantiert. Jetzt kaufen!

w.grube.de

Müller Forstbeil

Forstbeil 600 g Kopfgewicht - Ideal geeignet zum Spalten von kleineren Scheiten und Anzündholz. Profi-Qualität bei KOX. Jetzt online bestellen!

m.kox-direct.de

We talk here about German and Austrian products, sold around 20 €.

I am quite unsure if the cool looking Swedish ones are really worth the extra money. Ochsenkopf is the oldest German axe forge , but owned by Sandvik, by the way. They know of course what they are doing, and the others are no beginners too.

And cool looking stuff the Germans can make as well.

BAUHAUS Online-Shop - Wenn's gut werden muss | BAUHAUS

Jetzt Produkte im BAUHAUS Online-Shop entdecken - wenn's gut werden muss! â GroÃe Auswahl â 30 Tage Rückgaberecht â Kauf auf Rechnung.

www.bauhaus.info

 

[windz1000r]

I think that these plastic - wood handled tools by Fiskars aren't really meant for professional use. That's more such a lifestyle or glamping offer. If you buy a new house and still have a bit money left and no idea about gardening you surely can spend a bit on such a pointless construction. Fits well to the SUV that hasn't enough chassis clearance to go the best maintained farmer's ways of the country and to the new stainless steel barbecue.

A usual X7 I also may forget for a couple of days in the garden. If I need to take care I also can buy a classical one from the competition.

If you already used a simple hardware store hatchet for 10 years, you can of course invest a bit money into a nice wood handled hatchet, because you surely will not damage the handle the first day. Otherwise, a normal Fiskars you can give every teenager as a toy after you explained how to use it securely. It forgives overstrikes.

If you want a hatchet with wooden handle, it's worth to mention, that hatchets have different edge lengths.
The longer the edge the better it is for cleaning off twigs from a pole.

The designers of the Ochsenkopf hatchet for example had that in mind. Just compare the edge length with the edge length of the Fiskars X7!
You can do the work with the X7 too, but you will hit the target easier with the Ochsenkopf hatchet and that's why you can work faster.

Because the back side is flat it also works better if you hit tent stakes into the ground.

OCHSENKOPF Products

OCHSENKOPF forestry tools online: Buy online or purchase from your local dealer.

www.ochsenkopf.com

But the Ochsenkopf hatchet is the Mercedes under the hatchets.

A cheaper one will do the job as well.

Handbeil 600 g 'Adler®' mit Stiel | voelkner

voelkner ►

www.voelkner.de

Krumpholz Handbeil mit Hickorystiel

Hochwertiges Handbeil, klar lackiert, ca. 600g schwer und mit ca. 38 cm langen, gefirnisstem Stiel aus bestem Hickoryholz. ✔ Von Krumpholz

www.baforga.de

Bison Universalbeil | GRUBE.DE

Entdecken Sie das Bison Universalbeil - Ihr vielseitiger Helfer für Forst und Garten, sogar als Küchenbeil verwendbar. Durch Stahlbearbeitung, Härteprozess und hochwertigem Eschenstiel wird Langlebigkeit garantiert. Jetzt kaufen!

w.grube.de

Müller Forstbeil

Forstbeil 600 g Kopfgewicht - Ideal geeignet zum Spalten von kleineren Scheiten und Anzündholz. Profi-Qualität bei KOX. Jetzt online bestellen!

m.kox-direct.de

We talk here about German and Austrian products, sold around 20 €.

I am quite unsure if the cool looking Swedish ones are really worth the extra money. Ochsenkopf is the oldest German axe forge , but owned by Sandvik, by the way. They know of course what they are doing, and the others are no beginners too.

And cool looking stuff the Germans can make as well.

BAUHAUS Online-Shop - Wenn's gut werden muss | BAUHAUS

Jetzt Produkte im BAUHAUS Online-Shop entdecken - wenn's gut werden muss! â GroÃe Auswahl â 30 Tage Rückgaberecht â Kauf auf Rechnung.

www.bauhaus.info

thanks again thats one hell of a write up alot more than i would expect form any one once the kids have settle properly ill have a good read over it all and have a look.
ive noticed there not uk site so will allso have to bare in mind what is easy to get shipped to me lol

 

[Broch]

Ah, well, if you want a good quality UK axe you've got to work a bit harder. I have Elwell, Brades, Gilpin, early S&J ... and more - all excellent axes. The big Brades felling axe cost me a tenner at a flea market, all the rest less than a fiver. There's more soul in a late 1800's or early 1900's British axe