How much to spend on an axe

[Janne]

A Gränsfors axe made by the artisans in Gränsfors Bruk are not overpriced. The Gränsfors branded axes made by the other axe company they bought fairly recently, made more industrially, are.
Imo.

Check out the other companies the parent company Gränsfors Bruk own.

The most interesting one, more interesting than the axes, is the wool clothes company.
http://www.woolpower.se/

Proper quality. For cheaper quality you need to look on Asian produced clothing.

 

[Robson Valley]

Just pick a brand name that supposes that the heads are not Pacific rim crap.
Modern resin/fiber handles have better elastic properties that woods. Easier on your wrists and arms.

$50,000,000+ log homes are built here and exported all around the world.
Pioneer just finished a build in Scotland, the likes of which I have never seen before.
I taught Uni biology courses. Outside, to the south. was the log home building school.

So where do they shop for tools? I am good enough at freehand sharpening to work for these people.
They build log drawknives 4 dozen at a time. That's a Pioneer "shack" on the home page.
They carry all the axes and axe brands of meaningful quality in the industry.
Pick one. Buy it once and buy it for life.

http://www.logbuildingtools.ca/contact.html

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

I wouldn’t. The quality is hit and miss. Do a search here, you’ll find useful info on the Robin Wood lack of quality control. The heads are drop forged in China and many people have questioned the quality, finish, and heat treat.

A Hultafors, or Fiskars will do you well to start. I’m not sure if The Weald and Downland still stock the Gransfors, but I can take a wander over the road tomorrow and see what they stock if you want. They’re overpriced IMO, but I am fond of them.

Personally, though I love my SFA, it’s not a brand anyone had even heard of until Uncle Ray started using one, then all the Bushcrafters went mad about them. Find me a google hit on Gransfors prior to his usage...there aren’t any, an unheard of brand.

The very nicest thing about the SFA is the ergonomics of the handle. The blade is slim, very good for deep cuts and the handle for choking up for more delicate cutting or getting right back on for a good swipe, but it’s not the only head with these properties. Just my 2 pence, but I’d seriously avoid the Robin Wood.

Is there a cafe at the museum perchance? I had my first bushcraft lunch in Houghton forest yesterday.

 

[Barney Rubble]

I would desperately love to recommend the Wetterlings Wilderness Hatchet as it's the ideal size and head shape for carving/splitting. Unfortunately Wetterlings axes are no longer being made (were taken over by Gransfors and the forge now makes GB axes). You might however be able to find them on ebay or similar.

Alternative options:
GB Wildlife hatchet (lots of money at the mo though)
Hultafors classic trekking axe - every bit as good as the GB equivalent but a bit more affordable. I had one of these and enjoyed using it but wasn't so fond of the rounded blade profile.
I'd still consider the Robin Wood Hatchet. I've been surprised at the negative response on here, it's the first time I've seen anything negative said about them and I'd imagine that you'd get very good customer service if you have any issues.

 

[Kepis]

I've all manner of axes and hatchets from numerous manufacturers like Gransfors, Hults, Wetterlings etc, the ones i use the most, a cheapo unbranded hatchet i bought in a second hand tool shop for a fiver and a cheap as chips Bacho hatchet from ebay for about £12.00 or thereabouts. Ok they both needed work doing to them, but isn't that part of the fun and it also teaches you tool maintenance, plus you can mod it to your requirement.

Small axe with a 50 pence piece for scale, before i did it up

DSCN1099 by Mark Emery, on Flickr

after, ive since further modded it to include a textured handle for better grip

DSCN1327a by Mark Emery, on Flickr

DSCN1332a by Mark Emery, on Flickr

20180302_105647 by Mark Emery, on Flickr

the Bahco, before and after reprofiling and removing all the awful orange paint and varnish

DSCN6113 by Mark Emery, on Flickr

20161126_154031 by Mark Emery, on Flickr

On the subject of Robin Wood axes, ive only ever handled a couple, both had issues, like cracked heads, poor head alignment and uneven grinds, one of them had only been used once and the cutting edge was already dinged and rolled, may just have been two unlucky ones and in Robins defence, if there is a problem, he does get it fixed, would i buy one? - nope.

 

[Woody girl]

Yes get an old axe and do it up. Add to your skill base.

 

[Janne]

Bahco makes the axes and tools all over Europe. Used to be Swedish but merged with a foreign company, like so many Swedish companies.
Tools for professionals.
They are Orange so you can easily see them

 

[Nice65]

Is there a cafe at the museum perchance? I had my first bushcraft lunch in Houghton forest yesterday.

Yes, it’s not bad either.

 

[Nice65]

I would desperately love to recommend the Wetterlings Wilderness Hatchet as it's the ideal size and head shape for carving/splitting. Unfortunately Wetterlings axes are no longer being made (were taken over by Gransfors and the forge now makes GB axes). You might however be able to find them on ebay or similar.

Alternative options:
GB Wildlife hatchet (lots of money at the mo though)
Hultafors classic trekking axe - every bit as good as the GB equivalent but a bit more affordable. I had one of these and enjoyed using it but wasn't so fond of the rounded blade profile.
I'd still consider the Robin Wood Hatchet. I've been surprised at the negative response on here, it's the first time I've seen anything negative said about them and I'd imagine that you'd get very good customer service if you have any issues.

Google will tell you different about Robin Wood axes. They’re frequently criticised for poor quality. I’ve even seen a grind so uneven it looked more like a specialist chisel grind.

 

[Erbswurst]

Fiskars X7 is relatively light, cheap and very tough. I recommend to buy the fabric sheath of the X5 with it or to make a leather sheath.

(The X5 has a to short handle in my opinion.)

A hatchet I carry only around if I am hiking with a group. I use it mainly to carve large pegs for my group tent, to hit them in the ground and to clean the poles from twigs.
If I have it with me, of course I use it for splitting fire wood too.

Hiking alone I do not take it with me.
In winter times I prefere a saw.

For carving you should look for handmade Scandinavian hatchets.

 

[uncleboob]

I've had a very old hatchet for most of my life. It's not branded but it's done everything I wanted to do. You can spend a lot of money on various brands that are popular with bushcrafters. But I would suggest you go to a good tool shop and have a look and feel with what they have to offer before you spend a lot of cash on something orderd online that you have never handled. My latest axe cost £10. It's a 1 and a half pounder. It's all I need. Later on when you have been to some bushcraft camps or shows and felt how something feels in your hand you can fork out a bit more on a branded axe if you feel you need to. A cheap axe is never going to be perfect. But all you need is a tool that does the job effectively. You might want to get a second hand one to start with. Old axes /hatchets are often very solid tools. My splitting axe is second hand and still does a grand job. No idea of the brand but it came from a friends father who died and he'd had it in the late 1950s.

Completely agree with this. Sometimes you can just overthink/ overspend on kit...I've had all sorts of axes and have settled on a little elwell hatchet and a slightly heavier brades axe that I use for splitting...both second hand one of which I found and was free! They are pitted and worn but I use them every day

 

[questingtentacle]

I'd still go with the Kubben (despite the high price point) for the work described. Great all rounder and packs a punch for its size and weight plus its compact enough to stash in a small bag. IIRC its the same head as the wildlife hatchet too? The great thing about GB is there's nothing to do out of the box, or not in my experience. Sharp, well profiled and finished well. I've 7-8 and they've all had plenty use.

All that said... I've 3 Husqy axes and they're good too. Usually come up cheap but they need some finishing. I finished all mine on the belt grinder and gave them a decent sharpen and they're top notch.

 

[Robson Valley]

Nobody here pre-supposes a need or value to shed the paint on an axe, no matter what the color is.
The wear pattern demonstrates that it isn't a trophy hatchet, kept in a sock drawer.
Buy junkers in boot sales, shop or yard sales. Measure the bevel angel and dress the steel. 30 degrees is all-purpose.
Use #18 tarred nylon seine cord to whip finish the handle for a secure grip. Simple task from 16oz spools.
Does the handle, in fact, fit your hands? You would not buy size 7 shoes for a size 10 foot.
Don't forget to use the axe/hatchet for an hour or two, every day.

Now, you learn what you want in a good blade = something popular in the forest industry. Common business, here.

As I've said, most of my outdoor "woody-tools" are Fiskars. If there's paint on the axe & hatchet blades,
I don't notice, I can't recall and I'm not going outto the shed to look.

 

[Wayland]

You can spend as much or as little as you like but only your hand can tell you when you have the right axe.

I'm not a great user of axes, I dislike the speed with which they can remove bits of you but I do have a favourite axe ( A phrase which always makes me think of Pink Floyd. ) and that is my Trail Hawk which I find remarkably capable for such a small, light tool.

 

[Sundowner]

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

I went axe blind yesterday evening while scanning ebay listings. Lots of choice ... lots!
I’m going to list all the suggestions here and go in search of a couple.


“In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees”

 

[Robson Valley]

Don't chop towards your hand. Don't hold wood with one hand and chop with the other. Camp craft.
I don't want to haul your sorry posterior back to town with a bag of your loose parts.
I don't want you dripping in my Burb and making a mess of the carpets.

You use a 12" stick as a sacrificial "finger" to steady the wood block. Camp craft.

 

[santaman2000]

I miss my old Plumb axe.

 

[C_Claycomb]

I bought a Gransfors Small Forest in 2003, when they were £45. I wanted it for bow making. Prior to that, I had used a Draper Hand Axe from Homebase. After the Draper, the GB was a revelation. A couple of years on I bought a GB Mini. While the Mini is certainly cute, I have not found that I use it all that much. When I need to chop, the SFA is far more capable, and when I don't need to chop, I don't need the Mini.

I recently re-handled a slightly heavier Hult Bruks head on a longer handle than the SFA. Its okay, but I still find I like the SFA better. Size-wise, if you are to have only one axe, I think it is impossible to beat the SFA package; long enough to get both hands on and give a good swing for felling trees up to 8", and not so long that you cannot choke up for craft work. It is not the ideal for either task, but it will do both.

The problem for someone asking advice is that all advice relates to the use that particular person puts their tool to. What they are doing and where.

I don't use my SFA every day, or even every week. I have a HB splitting axe to feed my stove, which gets more regular work. The GB gets used when I am asked to help with woodland management, tree clearing/limbing, when I have had spoon carving or bow making to do, or when I have been canoeing with a group in Scandinavia and we have been cooking on fires and have needed split wood. When I am solo camping, I rarely bother with a fire and if I use a hobo stove a knife, or the Mini is adequate. The Mini is not heavy enough to choose as a carving tools.

Chris

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

Thus far, all I have found myself in need of as regards an axe, is the ability to quarter 4” billets so they’ll fit into my Solostove. I have very little need for anything larger to cook on and felling trees seems a very very... very unlikely prospect.
I quite fancy making spoons and removing more wood from a quartered log than my knife can, would be a huge bonus... as would retaining the same number of digits as I arrived with


“In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees”