'Just get a Gransfors..' Axes, axes, axes!

[British Red]

There are certainly times to carry an axe in a pack. I find the SFA (or any other 18" helved equivalent) too bulky and too heavy for that purpose. I like the cegga I designed for that purpose. It only weighs a pound and is 14" long. There are equivalent sizes in the GB, HB and Wetterling ranges. For me the problem with the SFA is that its over bulky for pack carry and cook fire processing and too small for serious felling or firewood processing. Its neither one thing or the other for me. If others like them, that's great. The Wetterlings I have in that size is usually used as a utility axe for knocking in felling wedges, light snedding etc. when teamed with a chainsaw.

 

[sandbender]

"...and too small for serious felling or firewood processing..."

I purchased an SFA many years ago, mostly because it was recommended on the Woodlore Fundamental course. Since then it has been replaced by a Scandinavian axe which although small enough to cart about does make for a decent felling axe and processes wood quite well.

I often wonder if one of the reasons the SFA was pushed so much by Woodlore was the longer helve, the shorter hatchet might be better for many around the camp tasks but might be more likely to cause foot and leg injuries.

 

[Everything Mac]

A SFA head on a scandi length handle would be an interesting beast to play with....

Andy

 

[Mr Wolf]

A SFA head on a scandi length handle would be an interesting beast to play with....

Andy

May as well experiment with hultafors,more options and easier on the wallet,was tempted to put a 24 inch handle on a classic hunter

 

[sunndog]

I'd like to try a wildlife hatchet head on a 16" haft

Imo that would make for a grand lighter weight pack axe

 

[Nativewood]

I likes me old axes with new life breathed into them. Like the ones pictured below. I'd love to have carved the helves from Ash but don't have a reliable supply so bought hickory ones from http://www.oldtools.free-online.co.uk/shop/handles_ferrules.html. They're made by Smedbergs who allegedly supply Granny B.

The bottom one is a 3lb Gilpin Kent Pattern which I reprofiled to have a distinctly right hand biased bevel so it acts more like a side axe. Middle chap is a 2lb Brades which is pretty darn good at splitting although this picture seems to show a profile that suggests otherwise and the top felly is another Gilpin but this time 1.75lb and again with a distinct right hand bias on the bevel for carving work.

I've another Gilpin Kent pattern that needs some love and an old axe head of my Dad's which has a great splitting profile and has been rehelved too. There's also a wee 1.25lb or thereabouts Elwell hatchet and a 4.5lb felling type Giplin with a 30" Ash helve. Both these last chaps could do with new helves and the bigger Gilpin needs renovating - it apparently came out of a Green Goddess fire engine!

 

[vestlenning]

All this talk about Hultafors axes, I might have to get one. I'll blame it on you!

Got this Hultafors the other day, a Felling Axe HY 20. Looks nice and feels great - a lot of axe for 34 pounds. Anyway, I blame it on you!

 

[Mozzi]

What he said! I've got a SFA and the outdoor (as well as the double bit and the large Swedish carver). But I really want the hunters axe - polished poll - not that it would get used very often if ever and the shape I just want it - I don't need a reason to want it it's an axe! I handled some Hultafors in a shop and I didn't personally like them as much. The heads seemed ok but the handles were really quite chunky compared to the Gransfors and I the sheaths on both aren't up to much. I'd say if you keep saying to yourself 'get a Gransfors' your itch won't be scratched till you do (that's how I work anyway) but you've got plenty to chose from!

jesus, isle royals, timber wolf, four granfors, hudson blanket............Which bank did you rob and how easy was it? considering it myself

 

[NoName]

15 years ago there we no decent axes here around. Not much choice. My first good axes were three in total: Gransfors Bruks axes from a online store (bought after seeing one from a friend): the Wildlife Axe , Small Forest Axe and Scandinavian Forest axe. They gave me everything I wanted; felling small trees to compact hiking and carving. I never bought an old school Felling axe, since I did not need to fell a big tree. Recenly I bought a GB carpenters axe, since I really like it when lending it of a friend for carving purposes only.

Now a days (?) Hultafors and Wetterlings also make good stuff. But which so much models it is also a waste of energy to concentrate and have doubts on too much models. Maybe best is go to a local (relatively lokal) store, lend of a friend, try it and stick with it.

I mean the old folks f.i. Finish farmers also did not have a whole array of catalogues, there were glad to have a quality axe.

So my point is, choose a axe wise, stick with it and be happy.

 

[PiterM]

GB are just good.... can't stop using mine:

 

[Tengu]

Id say find an old axe at the car boot and do it up.

Lots of options and saught after names, -Brades, Elwell, Gilpin, Plumb...

 

[Samon]

I settled on this..

 

[Hoodoo]

You can save a lot of money by refurbishing old axe heads. One of my favorites is the old Sears Craftsman Boy's Axe (top one in photo).

 

[PiterM]

I settled on this...

YES! Hultafors Hunter's, good alternative to GB:

 

[PiterM]

Another 'non-GB' gem... Hultafors splitting axe (half the price of GB):

 

[PiterM]

Hultafors Hunter's just rocks!

 

[PiterM]

New arrival... Hultafors Trekking Classic Axe, the smaller one with 1-pound head. Wanted something like GB Wildlife Hatchet but slightly longer. It's really a nice one and complements my 2-pound Hunter Classic perfectly:

 

[Barney Rubble]

Nice axe photos PiterM. I have the trekking axe too and am very pleased with it. Had it a couple of years now and used it for all sorts from liming to splitting and carving. Holds its edge nicely and looks even better when it's had a couple more coats of linseed oil (I give it a coat every few months).

 

[PiterM]

Thanks for suggestion... lineseed oil on the way to me

 

[Muskett]

The GB SFA is a bit of a Swiss Army Knife of axes and the most efficient for size to packability. Anything smaller really can't do much work, but in truth the SFA is struggling once real work is required. For real axe work it should be full sized felling axe to get the chips flying, safer too. But frankly, a chainsaw is so much faster and less arduous.
Smaller Axes are for specialised work. There are bigger specialised axe tools too. Frankly they are all farm tools and every farmyard had an array. A fine edged GB axe isn't the tool for hacking out roots when digging out a tree stump.
This man-packing larky is a very new trend and thought up by the fitness freaks who like trekking. In the old days you had a mule to carry the full compliment of tools; now we have a truck.

The GB SFA remains a class product and best in class for its modern role. As a man-packable camp fire and hide build light axe it excels. Just don't take on too big a task.

For farm use then possibly the most expensive isn't necessary or even the best choice. Who want to smash an expensive edge into something "bad"? Better a tool that can be easily maintained or even replaced.


Lastly, few of use really use an axe daily. They are at best for occasional use. If anyone does use an axe very regularly then they either are skilled and axe fit so can use pretty much anything, or they have the axes they like already. They will have got way beyond asking this question or not really think its that important. Most good axes just work fine depending on their size to application; and if they don't then they will soon as they get re-profiled during maintenance to be better.

The more axe work you do the more axes you will have... and then you will eventually get your favourites (which probably aren't the same selection to the other craftsman next door).