New Gransfors Outdoor Axe

[Tye Possum]

Has anyone seen the new axe from Gransfors on the woodlore website? Here it is: http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/689-Gransfors-Outdoor-Axe/ It kind of looks like a combination of a splitting axe and a regular one, though more like a splitting one to me. What do you folks think of it?

 

[scottishwolf]

Looks good, and very cheap considering it has the woodlore logo on it

 

[Jared]

Looks good, and very cheap considering it has the woodlore logo on it

And his holinesses name.

Reading the text, seems it was designed by Lars.... so why has it got his name on it.

 

[Tye Possum]

Reading the text, seems it was designed by Lars.... so why has it got his name on it.

You mean Ray Mears' name? Well I'm guessing because he's selling it and they do that with all their axes. Anyways, aside from the price what does everyone think of it? As in the design. Just at first glance, do you think it would be capable of everything they say it can on the site?

 

[Mesquite]

Saw one a month ago.... very nice. It is like a minature splitting maul but also has the edge and capability to do axe work as well.

 

[Tiley]

It looks to be a chunky little number. I suppose that its performance in both splitting and felling will be slightly compromised as it's difficult to do both really, really well with just one tool. I wonder whether it will supplant the SFA as the axe of choice. I'd be interested to see a review of it at some stage.

 

[sandbender]

It looks to be a chunky little number. I suppose that its performance in both splitting and felling will be slightly compromised as it's difficult to do both really, really well with just one tool. I wonder whether it will supplant the SFA as the axe of choice. I'd be interested to see a review of it at some stage.

I'd be keen to see a review too, it's lighter and shorter than the SFA and perhaps has more in common with the 'Wildlife Hatchet'.

Outdoor Axe:
Weight 540g
Length 38cm

SFA:
Weight 1000g
Length 50cm

Wildlife Hatchet:
Weight 600g
Length 35cm

Obviously if Woodlore are the only folks who will be selling them then it will be in their interest to market it against the SFA which is available from several sources.

 

[HillBill]

I like how it says in the ad that it is good for felling because of its longer handle and heavy head. It weighs 540g total.....heavy? felling? I wouldn't use the wildlife hatchet for felling although i'm sure it will drop any tree with enough work.

I like it though, i reckon its a better option than the SFA for overnighters. A lot of the axe work i do when out is splitting so this has one over on the SFA.

 

[heath]

Seems quite similar to the short Roselli axe which also has a thick profile.

http://www.ragweedforge.com/RoselliCatalog.html
Weight: 508g
Length: 35.5cm

 

[bushscout1]

I've just had a look, it's not even listed on GB's own website yet !!

So can't say how they compare it.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Can't say I'm overly impressed at first glance.
It strikes me as a "Jack of all trades, Master of none" item, going fully against anything that they've produced in the past, which IMHO are true working tools evolved over hundreds of years of use by pure craftsmen.
When a sayings such as "Use the correct tool for the job" emerges, the only use I can see for this axe, is "being sold to make profit!"

Sorry to be so negative but I think it will take a long time to convince me that it is actually a worthy tool to have in one's arsenal.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[steven andrews]

An outdoor axe? I can't believe that no one has thought of that before!!

 

[heath]

Can't say I'm overly impressed at first glance.
It strikes me as a "Jack of all trades, Master of none" item, going fully against anything that they've produced in the past, which IMHO are true working tools evolved over hundreds of years of use by pure craftsmen.
When a sayings such as "Use the correct tool for the job" emerges, the only use I can see for this axe, is "being sold to make profit!"

Sorry to be so negative but I think it will take a long time to convince me that it is actually a worthy tool to have in one's arsenal.

ATB

Ogri the trog

I understand what you're saying but I guess the fact that it can do several different jobs makes it the right tool for the job, if the job is to do lots of different things without having to bring several different axes. If that makes sense.
Heath

 

[Tiley]

I understand what you're saying but I guess the fact that it can do several different jobs makes it the right tool for the job, if the job is to do lots of different things without having to bring several different axes. If that makes sense.
Heath

It's a bit like having a Leatherman. A fixed bladed knife is definitely better for bushcraft tasks but having screwdrivers and pliers and whatever else on board broadens the application of the tool without ever making it the best thing for one purpose.

I can't quite understand the purpose of it though. An SFA does a prettty good job at splitting wood and is handy for felling. This Outdoor beast looks more like a splitting tool than a felling one but I suppose a good number of folk will fell with a saw and then use it almost exclusively for splitting.

I think I need to cool my fevered and confused brow...

 

[HillBill]

Splitting is the SFA weakest area IMO. The bit is too thin so it tends to cut into the wood more than force it apart. This axe looks like it will cut as good as the others, but has the SFA splitting disadvantage removed.

Anyway, its nearly the same size as the wildlife so those ramps are needed if its expected to split well.

 

[Peter_t]

i think it looks good, it seems to fit the bill if you go by kochanskis idea of the ideal axe. i cant see the point of the metal handle protector, imo they are just for clumsy people. a convex head profile is not just for splitting but as an all rounder, heavily convex is for splitting and concave heads such as gradsfors are designed for limbing. imo for bushcraft you want a 'jack of all trades' axe.

pete

 

[johnnytheboy]

This looks allot getter than the wildlife hatchet i had, it just jammed up when splitting, thats more of an everyday camp fire axe, hopefully a work horse, i'm gonna get one and try it.

Peter my everyday axes that are used heavily and for splitting are all damaged in the area where the handle protector is, splitting aint and exact science.

 

[sandbender]

"...i cant see the point of the metal handle protector, imo they are just for clumsy people..."

If Lars Fält had a hand in the design it may be that the steel collar is to protect the handle if the axe is used for knocking a hole in some river ice?

just a thought

 

[spamel]

I'll stick with my SFA. To be fair, I've seen old boys using the worst knife imaginable to do things I cannot, so it isn't all about the tool but the person using it that counts. If you can't split a log without taking your toes off with a SFA then this isn't gonna make you a better person in axemanship circles. Aquiring the skills is the only way, and it can be done with a £5 axe from Argos, for instance.

 

[jungle_re]

does look as if its pitched against the Roseli it would have to be very good for me to replace my Roseli though as its served faultlessly