Hultafors Hunting or Trekking axe any experience??

[andyxedos]

Hiya guys
was thinking of splurging on one of these as i cant quite afford a SFA at the moment.

Does anyone have any experience of the 2 different axes and which to buy? I only plan on using them on the occasional overnighter and for splitting in the back garden now and again - to be fair both seem excellant value for money....


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hultafors...t=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item461cb840ed


OR


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hultafors...Goods_Camping_Accessories&hash=item5404046e3e



Cheers!

 

[Bootstrap Bob]

Andy
I use a Hultafors Classic axe these days and chose it every time over my SFA.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002GKC0...UTF8&colid=8I2E4M8WG364&coliid=I3G7E16B6CFDNP

I find it a more manageable size for camp work and easier to sharpen than the SFA. A friend of mine has one and he asked me to sharpen it after taking a large chunk out of the cutting edge. I don't know how to describe it but it was just nicer to work the metal and I managed a much better job than I ever have on the SFA. Several weeks later I had one of my own.

 

[woof]

I've got the bottom one, though mine has a 17.5 handle. But its a great little axe you won't be disappointed.


They can be had cheaper, so shop around, about £30 all in seems(or was)the best price.


Rob

 

[andyxedos]

Cheers guys I know the hunting axe has a rounded back for skinning game (something I will never do!) And seems a better bargain than the trekking axe-but even the hultafors website seems a bit vague on any other differences!!

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[Will_]

I've got their trekking axe and I like it a lot. I don't have much experience with other axes, but I think it's a great axe. This one came with a very poor sheath though.
http://www.heinnie.com/hultafors-agdor-large-trekking-axe

 

[leon-1]

I have a few axes, I also have a trade account with Hultafors. The Trekking Axe come in three variants, 800gm, 900gm and classic which is 500gm. The 800gm has a 17.5inch hickory handle and possibly one of the nastiest axe masks that I have ever come across. The 900gm I have never sold or ordered in so I can't tell you if there's a difference in handle lengths, by the sounds of it there is, but it is still supposed to come with the same godawfull axe mask. The classic 500gm is supposed to be hand finished and have a better axe mask, as well as being in a gift box.

The classic hunting axe is the same as the classic trekking axe in as much as it's better finished than the Trekking axes and has a better axe mask. Once I've had a 900gm in I'll tell you what I think of it, but the 800gm trekking axe is very good for camp work so much so that a mate of mine bought one after having used it for no more than 30 minutes, no quibbles about price or anything.

 

[Dave]

Hultafors chopping axe is a good one Andy and just £25 at the moment [delivered!] head is same weight as gransfors bruk scandinavian forest axe, 1.8lb and the handle is an inch or 2 longer. I really like mine. Got to make your own sheath though, and the edge needs finishing.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301029476059?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

[andyxedos]

The chopping axe looks awesome for £25 I wonder if theres much difference between that and the trekking axe or just a longer handle?? Would an extra 6"be a bit much though (sure the missus wouldnt argue lol!!)

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[brambles]

I've got the bottom one, though mine has a 17.5 handle. But its a great little axe you won't be disappointed.


They can be had cheaper, so shop around, about £30 all in seems(or was)the best price.


Rob

I also have one of these and as you say it's a great axe - got mine from Amazon for £23 and you can still get it around that price

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001J2FIM8/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[leon-1]

The chopping axe looks awesome for £25 I wonder if theres much difference between that and the trekking axe or just a longer handle?? Would an extra 6"be a bit much though (sure the missus wouldnt argue lol!!)

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The way the axe balances is totally different, the chopping axe is nicer to swing in many ways and there's less chance of doing yourself a mischief due to its length. On the other hand the chopping axe is not as easy to pack and it's easier splitting with the trekking axe due to the profile of the head and the shorter handle. The chopping axe is designed for light felling work, the trekking axe is designed more for campcraft, the trekking axe can be used for other things, but it's a case of be aware of its limitations (in as much as length and safety).

 

[andyxedos]

And any ideas how the hunting fits between them?

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[leon-1]

The hunters is a hell of a lot more expensive for a start.

With the hunters axe if the 900gm has a 20 inch handle what your looking at is effectively the same head as you have on the 850gm chopping axe with the edges on the poll rounded off fitted to the same 20 inch handle that you get with the 900gm trekking axe. The axe mask will be of better quality and the finish will probably be better as well. I don't have any in stock so I can't do a direct comparison for you. Sorry.

 

[andyxedos]

Guys thankyou to everyone for your advice!!!! going to have a good think on vernight then let you know-but the good thing is it doesnt seem like i can go wrong no matter which i get!

 

[leon-1]

Got to make your own sheath though, and the edge needs finishing.

Yep this is true, you do need to make an axe mask, it'll take about an hour if you're stitching it and less if you are going to be using rivets on a bodge like some of the commercial ones. I gaurentee it'll be better and cheaper than a replacement one from Gransfors Bruks costing £15.00 of your hard earned.



A good basic design will do the job. The axe on the left is the chopping axe, the axe on the right is the trekking axe with the 800gm head.

As to the bit requiring finishing, I am pretty sure that every axe that I own has required setting up correctly including the GB axes. On the handles I would probably wire wool the neck and belly, but leave the throat and grip of the handle, I wouldn't want that smooth, and give it a good oiling.

I was talking to one of the guys from Hultafors last night, the difference between the classic range and normal axes is also that they use a specific Swedish Axe steel for the classic range and the normal range is Swedish Steel. That is what accounts for difference in cost.

 

[andyxedos]

After all the advice this is what i've ended up with!!!

Its the Classic Hunting Axe-20" long. Perfect size, the handle finish is a bit rough and the booklet that comes with it is in swedish??? Obviously fresh out of the box

What'd you reckon guys???

 

[leon-1]

I can't quite see what the grain is like running through the handle, but if it's anything like the ones I have here it'll be pretty good. I wouldn't worry about the handle being a bit rough, you want it like that so that you can grip the thing better. The axe mask isn't brilliant, but then none of them are.

It looks pretty good, but in the end time will tell, you're going to be the one using it so you're the one who's going to say yes or no as to whether you like it or not.

Keep us up to date with how you get on with it. I for one will be interested in how things go.

 

[andyxedos]

a couple of people have mentioned the sheaths but i think it seems fine to me (famous last words!) it cost £38 and seems very well balanced! Now just to use it!

 

[Dave]

I was talking to one of the guys from Hultafors last night, the difference between the classic range and normal axes is also that they use a specific Swedish Axe steel for the classic range and the normal range is Swedish Steel. That is what accounts for difference in cost.

Whats the difference between swedish axe steel and swedish steel then?

 

[leon-1]

Whats the difference between swedish axe steel and swedish steel then?

Dave I don't know the exact differences between them. All I know is that there is a difference between the two. The Swedish Axe Steel is a traditional steel pretty much the same as you'd get with Gransfors Bruks and Wetterlings and that the Swedish steel is a laquered steel. I'll have a word with the guy at HF and see what he has to say, but to be honest I think he'll have very much the same answer.

To be honest I was more interested in performance of the "Swedish Steel", would it hold upto hard use in the same way as the traditional steel? The 800gm trekking axe had proven itself man enough for the job. My brother refers to it as the "MAN" hatchet.

Last weekend I felled a 9 inch ash with the chopping axe SY20 (similar in size to the scandinavian forest axe), I then took on a gnarly old blackthorn that was standing dead (semi seasoned) and about 12 inches across. I would say that the edge hasn't appeared to have dulled at all. The only things that I have done to the axe since it arrived was remove a slight burr from the bit and make an axe mask for it.

The steel so far is as good as I have seen on my Mitchell "Old Faithfull", Snow & Nealley Hudson Bay Axe and the Scandinavian Forest Axe. Point to note that I have only compared it to axes of similar size and weight.

Are they worth the money? At the moment they are being sold as a loss leader by many companies for about £26, that's effectively the trade price inclusive of VAT. SRP Inclusive of VAT is £44.60 as opposed to £70 for a Scandinavian Forest Axe, and it won't cost £25 to make an axe mask. Even when the prices go up they are worth their money and then some.

Does the steel matter? Yes of course it does, but what matters is the performance of that steel and so far I am happy enough with it.