Bison Axes - cheap November!
- Thread starter GreyDog
- Start date
Bison 1879 makes high end quality axes and hatchets, 100% in Germany like Ochsenkopf and the smaller Krumpholz.
Ochsenkopf is the West German forge and oldest axe forge in Germany, that's why you probably know it.
Krumpholz specialises in Garden tools, that's why they are rather unknown as axe makers.
And Bison is a Saxon (historically correctly Silesian) manufacturer, located at the Polish border next to Görlitz that was for centuries a center of Germany's advanced steel production, highly developed and specialised. They made tools of all kind in and around of Görlitz, railway trains and whatever you can imagine. The Prussian Sheffield! There is still railway train production by Bombardier there, for example.
Hidden from your sight in the GDR Bison got after the reunification a huge contract with the German army and didn't need to enter the usual market immediately. Most Husquarna branded axes are delivered by them, so they already found a way to sell the stuff worldwide and easily.
They now offer under the own name handforged high end products in direct competition to Ochsenkopf, the Austrian Müller axes and Gransfors Bruks in Sweden.
They were already able to become known as a quality brand in Germany and you can buy their products in nearly every good hardware shop here, but the products are reasonably priced because in the German wood industry and on the German market for private users the competition is Ochsenkopf and Fiskars and here in our very wooded country hatchets and axes are neither meant as wall decoration nor status symbols. They are sold for an adequate price to real users and not to the worldwide hobbyist market for fantasy prices like the Swedish made axes. But nevertheless Bison understood that a cool optic is a sell argument and that's why their products nowadays also look very nice, different to the Ochsenkopf axes that are painted to be seen in the undergrowth.
Very interesting is the hunter hatchet by Bison 1879 for bushcraft use because it is very light and exactly made for that purpose.
Ochsenkopf is the West German forge and oldest axe forge in Germany, that's why you probably know it.
Krumpholz specialises in Garden tools, that's why they are rather unknown as axe makers.
And Bison is a Saxon (historically correctly Silesian) manufacturer, located at the Polish border next to Görlitz that was for centuries a center of Germany's advanced steel production, highly developed and specialised. They made tools of all kind in and around of Görlitz, railway trains and whatever you can imagine. The Prussian Sheffield! There is still railway train production by Bombardier there, for example.
Hidden from your sight in the GDR Bison got after the reunification a huge contract with the German army and didn't need to enter the usual market immediately. Most Husquarna branded axes are delivered by them, so they already found a way to sell the stuff worldwide and easily.
They now offer under the own name handforged high end products in direct competition to Ochsenkopf, the Austrian Müller axes and Gransfors Bruks in Sweden.
They were already able to become known as a quality brand in Germany and you can buy their products in nearly every good hardware shop here, but the products are reasonably priced because in the German wood industry and on the German market for private users the competition is Ochsenkopf and Fiskars and here in our very wooded country hatchets and axes are neither meant as wall decoration nor status symbols. They are sold for an adequate price to real users and not to the worldwide hobbyist market for fantasy prices like the Swedish made axes. But nevertheless Bison understood that a cool optic is a sell argument and that's why their products nowadays also look very nice, different to the Ochsenkopf axes that are painted to be seen in the undergrowth.
Very interesting is the hunter hatchet by Bison 1879 for bushcraft use because it is very light and exactly made for that purpose.
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Cheers Erbswurst,
I thought about the Hunters Hatchet too - it was only about £48 but I already have the decorative status symbol i.e GB Wildlife Hatchet.
. It's a fine tool. Is it worth £119 or whatever they are now? Perhaps not but I do still love it, great carver, so sharp and light in the hand.
I thought about the Hunters Hatchet too - it was only about £48 but I already have the decorative status symbol i.e GB Wildlife Hatchet.
. It's a fine tool. Is it worth £119 or whatever they are now? Perhaps not but I do still love it, great carver, so sharp and light in the hand.
I think these were East German, I’m not sure how to add photos but I posted an image on another forum some time back. Am I allowed to post a link to it here?
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I've taken the plunge and added an Oberharzer to cart. It looks a useful tool. Although probably not necessary here, I'll give some feedback once I've got it and tried it out.
As ever, Erbswurst, your detailed knowledge of where they come from and their general history were both interesting and persuasive. Now, all I need is one of those German Army Mountain day packs in which to carry it around...
As ever, Erbswurst, your detailed knowledge of where they come from and their general history were both interesting and persuasive. Now, all I need is one of those German Army Mountain day packs in which to carry it around...
The German army mountain troop rucksack is pretty small with its 34 litres but it has ski tunnels behind the side pouches. If you then get original Bavarian deer leather shorts with buttoned flap you are good to go and can do in British forests what you want. If someone disagrees you just tell him that you are German and didn't know that it's interdicted here.
@Ystranc
In this forum you can either load up photos via an external album. That's several times explained in some threads that you surely will find if you search for it.
Or if you are a paying member you can load them up directly. If you sell from time to time superfluous equipment, that's also only possible if you are a paying member so far I understood, you get surely the money back pretty soon.
I am no paying member due to the distance, as I can't buy or sell equipment, very low chance to come to a meeting and so on. And currently we had a financial crises due to Covid 19 in the concert business. I personally have to think twice about every cent currently.
In this forum you can either load up photos via an external album. That's several times explained in some threads that you surely will find if you search for it.
Or if you are a paying member you can load them up directly. If you sell from time to time superfluous equipment, that's also only possible if you are a paying member so far I understood, you get surely the money back pretty soon.
I am no paying member due to the distance, as I can't buy or sell equipment, very low chance to come to a meeting and so on. And currently we had a financial crises due to Covid 19 in the concert business. I personally have to think twice about every cent currently.
My Oberharzer arrived the day before yesterday - so very efficient service from F.R. Jones & Son! It's a slightly odd-looking tool but will, I'm sure, prove its worth in the field. The hickory shaft is on the chunky side, particularly up at the head, but I'll see how that works in use. It came with a passable edge; I will give it a once over, just to ensure that it can do what it should easily. It does seem to be a sturdy implement and is great value when compared with the more familiar Swedish-made axes out there.
I'll post my observations of its behaviour in use once I've had a chance to use it properly.
I'll post my observations of its behaviour in use once I've had a chance to use it properly.
I've been out with the Oberharzer axe a few times now and thought I'd offer up a few observations.
It arrived with a perfectly serviceable but unexceptional edge and, thus far, I haven't done anything to dust it off and make it properly sharp. I have been processing some ash and beech and used the axe for limbing the trees and then splitting the logs that came from them.
Before the actually using it, it's worth mentioning the mask. This has the appearance of being well-made - stitched, rather than riveted - and of nice, thick leather. The reality is different: the poppered retaining strap was so loose that the mask could be removed without undoing the popper. If this happened when stowed neatly in a pack, the damage to other kit or to an unwary hand plunged in, looking for something, could be ugly and painful. The mask definitely needs refashioning/remaking.
For limbing, it works well: it cuts cleanly and is easy to wield and use for prolonged periods. The cutting edge shape lends itself to a natural slicing action which makes the task that bit easier. I did try and choke up the axe, holding it just below the head and trying to create a feather stick just for fun, but I found the quite boxy section of the handle just there uncomfortable to use and, inevitably, the edge wasn't sharp enough. I think I might round off that section of the handle to make it more comfortable to use; I'll definitely get busy with the stones to sort out the edge when time permits.
For splitting, the Oberharzer is an absolute dream! The weight of the axe head, along with the shape of it meant that splitting pretty much anything was really easy. Admittedly, I didn't try it on seasoned hornbeam but it sailed through even the knottiest rounds of wood with an ease that made me smile. The slightly fuller handle offered a more secure grasp and I never experienced any 'hot spots' during use.
I have to admit I was a little skeptical about this axe when I first got it, thinking that it wouldn't get close to the Wetterlings/Gransfors ideal that I am used to. I am delighted to say that my misgivings have been proved to be totally unfounded: mask aside, this is turning out to be a great wood-processing tool and is fast becoming the axe of choice for my outdoor adventures.
It arrived with a perfectly serviceable but unexceptional edge and, thus far, I haven't done anything to dust it off and make it properly sharp. I have been processing some ash and beech and used the axe for limbing the trees and then splitting the logs that came from them.
Before the actually using it, it's worth mentioning the mask. This has the appearance of being well-made - stitched, rather than riveted - and of nice, thick leather. The reality is different: the poppered retaining strap was so loose that the mask could be removed without undoing the popper. If this happened when stowed neatly in a pack, the damage to other kit or to an unwary hand plunged in, looking for something, could be ugly and painful. The mask definitely needs refashioning/remaking.
For limbing, it works well: it cuts cleanly and is easy to wield and use for prolonged periods. The cutting edge shape lends itself to a natural slicing action which makes the task that bit easier. I did try and choke up the axe, holding it just below the head and trying to create a feather stick just for fun, but I found the quite boxy section of the handle just there uncomfortable to use and, inevitably, the edge wasn't sharp enough. I think I might round off that section of the handle to make it more comfortable to use; I'll definitely get busy with the stones to sort out the edge when time permits.
For splitting, the Oberharzer is an absolute dream! The weight of the axe head, along with the shape of it meant that splitting pretty much anything was really easy. Admittedly, I didn't try it on seasoned hornbeam but it sailed through even the knottiest rounds of wood with an ease that made me smile. The slightly fuller handle offered a more secure grasp and I never experienced any 'hot spots' during use.
I have to admit I was a little skeptical about this axe when I first got it, thinking that it wouldn't get close to the Wetterlings/Gransfors ideal that I am used to. I am delighted to say that my misgivings have been proved to be totally unfounded: mask aside, this is turning out to be a great wood-processing tool and is fast becoming the axe of choice for my outdoor adventures.
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Great report Tiley. Mine finally arrived on Friday - one item was OOS so delivery was delayed until it came in. Not had chance to use it yet but agree with you on the mask, my immediate thought was to move the snap Botton so that the straps secures behind the beard (which is plenty deep) rather than behind the handle. Handle has excellent grain orientation and no runout. The handle fit is very good with no gaps, while the wedging was a bit sub-par, with a slight gap left where the front ring pushed the last bit of wedge apart - nothing awful. On the edge, similar to yours; well ground but not overly sharp. Tried a bit of whittling, hopeless. so did a sandpaper strop on 600/1000 and then stropped with green paste - it's a lot sharper now and the convex grind is very controllable. Overall, weight feels good in the hand at either full swing or choked up. Still, as you say, the handle is too thick/square at the top for a comfy grip so I will also round off the corners at the back to slim it a bit. For £58 I'm chuffed with it.
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