Time to eat my words....

[Hammock Hamster]

Ok i have a confession to make, i have long been a fan for GB axes and have a small collection that i am hoping to expand on as time goes by.

For as long as i can remember i have been making derogatory comments about the GB mini hatchet as being too small to be of any real use, stating it is a pointless but of kit compared to the SFA, wildlife hatchet and the many and varied carving axes.

For reasons best know to my subconscious mind i had a bit of free cash recently and decided to buy one, i still dont know what prompted this, as a small and lightweight axe for short afternoon trips to the woods where i carry only a small ruscksack with minimal kit on the off chance i decide to do some carving.

Well.... i took it out this weekend and to say i was astonished is the understatment of the year. I knew it would be as sharp as my others but didnt hold out much hope for it doing any "proper" work so thought i would put it through some paces.
First of all i made a couple of feather sticks which it did brilliantly and was about all i though it would be good for.
Next i made a couple of wooden wedges and with them and the axe split a 6" round that was to be my latest Kuksa project with surprising ease.
Where this axe really came into its own was when i started rough shaping the blank i had made and i was again surprised at how much control it allowed and how versatile it was when it came to cutting curves and rounding edges etc...
I really did not expect this kind of performance from what i always considered a "diddy" axe and will likely be taking it with me on all my day trips in the future unless i very specifically need something for bigger work.

All in all i would highly recommend this axe to anyone looking for something lightweight to be used for carving, battening and lots of other general bushcrafty jobs to take the place of a larger axe and, in a lot of cases, a knife as well.

Please consider all previous words from me on this axe well and truly eaten.

Cheers, Hamster

 

[Hoodoo]

TBH, I'm always surprised when people talk about how useless the mini is when I have always found it so useful. It's a good little tool and I have used it to shape quite a few woodcraft projects and it makes a good wedge to baton for splitting and will cut saplings with ease. Best of all, it carries easily in a shoulder bag.

 

[Stringmaker]

I've had one of these GB hand hatchets for a while (it's my only axe) and it is a great little tool.

 

[markheolddu]

I love my GBmini to bits I have done a lot of hedge laying with it this winter. I like it so much I stoped taking my billhook. It really is a great tool light to carry and you can also use it as a knife. The only thing I didnt like was the price.

Mark

 

[bushwacker bob]

If it stops people bashing their knives with logs it is a good thing and worth the price.

 

[Ed]

I've had a GB mini for a few years now and I love it.... always thought of it as an 'instead of a knife' axe. Great tool for many jobs.

Ed

 

[Huon]

If it stops people bashing their knives with logs it is a good thing and worth the price.

Amen to that!

 

[dwardo]

I cant get on with the normal hatchet never mind the mini, but good on you for turning tail and telling us all about it.

 

[Tony]

I'm a fan of the Mini, had one for years and often carry it instead of a knife, as has been said it's great for battening and iv'e gone through some quite hefty stuff with it before now.