Why I find a hatchet worth the weight

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SouthernCross

Forager
Feb 14, 2010
230
0
Australia
G'day Aussiepom

.......Is that your property that the photos are taken on?
Unfortunately it's not mine :(

It's a local state forest area.

Because its' got such limited access & is pretty rough (steep & heavily timbered), I haven't seen any evidence of anyone else having been through there in the last 20+ years :bigok:

Just the way I like it :D


BTW, I'm just Mick, not THE Mick :)




Kind regards
Mick
 

Bravo4

Nomad
Apr 14, 2009
473
0
54
New Mexico, USA
Unfortunately it's not mine :(

It's a local state forest area.

Because its' got such limited access & is pretty rough (steep & heavily timbered), I haven't seen any evidence of anyone else having been through there in the last 20+ years :bigok:

Just the way I like it :D

Sounds just about ideal to me. I'd also say it makes you the ranger for that area. My notion of a ranger may be my own and odd at that; it is intended as a compliment, sir:).

I really like my GB mini.
There are many like it, but this one is mine.

The pics of the grub are a treat as are the vids. I'm always interested in demos like you showed. Thanks for posting.
 

Mikey P

Full Member
Nov 22, 2003
2,257
12
52
Glasgow, Scotland
Great post - lots of food for thought.

How different is the GB Mini from the GB Outdoor? I have an Outdoor which is effectively a compromise axe - it does a lot of things well but none brilliantly. It's fine for my skill level but I wonder if it's size and longer haft would be limit its use by a more experienced axeman for finer/smaller jobs?
 

SouthernCross

Forager
Feb 14, 2010
230
0
Australia
G'day Bravo4

Sounds just about ideal to me. I'd also say it makes you the ranger for that area. My notion of a ranger may be my own and odd at that; it is intended as a compliment, sir:).
I take it as a big compliment :)

It is a very special place to me. It is a huge privilege in this day & age to have access to an area close to home, where you can spend a week + in the bush and the only signs of humans is distant vapour trails in the sky :bigok:

Here's a couple pf pics that will give some idea of what it's like :)

Tributarygully-1.jpg


Viewfromthetop1.jpg


Eucalyptwoodland31.jpg


Gullyfloor1.jpg


mick.jpg


Flyshelter.jpg





Kind regards
Mick
 

SouthernCross

Forager
Feb 14, 2010
230
0
Australia
G'day Mikey

Great post - lots of food for thought.

How different is the GB Mini from the GB Outdoor? I have an Outdoor which is effectively a compromise axe - it does a lot of things well but none brilliantly. It's fine for my skill level but I wonder if it's size and longer haft would be limit its use by a more experienced axeman for finer/smaller jobs?
I can't really compare the mini & Outdoor (is this also known as the wildlife hatchet?) as the only GB I own is the mini.

What I can say is that the mini is a great carving hatchet, that has enough chopping power for what I need.

Perhaps some else who has both, can chime in and give a more informed answer to your question.




Kind regards
Mick
 

Mikey P

Full Member
Nov 22, 2003
2,257
12
52
Glasgow, Scotland
Interestingly enough, the Outdoors and Wildlife Hatchet are not one and the same.

The Outdoor Axe is only available (as far as I am aware) via the Ray Mears website (http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/689-Gransfors-Outdoor-Axe/).

From the description and from my use of the axe, it has a narrower, more compact head with a shorter blade but the head is heavier. The haft is longer than that on the Wildlife Hatchet and has a steel 'collar' just below the head. So, the weight and the longer shaft gives you that 'extra leverage' and quite a lot of 'welly' for a small axe.

The grind profile and head shape are such that it will split wood better than the Wildlife Hatchet but is not quite as good for limbing (and perhaps carving?) as the blade is thicker. I have had no problems carving with the head, although the longer haft can get in the way; however, I sold my Wildlife Hatchet before I bought the Outdoor Axe so I can't really accurately compare them.

As I said, it appears to be a compromise between splitting/limbing/carving. This works fine for me as I only want to carry one axe - others may pine for specific characteristics.
 

ged

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 16, 2009
4,976
13
In the woods if possible.
It is a very special place to me. It is a huge privilege in this day & age to have access to an area close to home, where you can spend a week + in the bush and the only signs of humans is distant vapour trails in the sky ... Here's a couple pf pics that will give some idea of what it's like

Just spotted your pics. Wow! It looks very special indeed. I can't tell you how jealous I am.

Are there regulations about camping, cutting wood, lighting fires, stuff like that?
 

SouthernCross

Forager
Feb 14, 2010
230
0
Australia
G'day ged


...Are there regulations about camping, cutting wood, lighting fires, stuff like that?
Since deadfall is plentifull in this area, I have never needed to fell a tree for wood.

You can bush camp.

If there isn't a total fire ban in place, you can also have a campfire.

About the only real restriction is no firearms are allowed.




Kind regards
Mick
 

ged

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 16, 2009
4,976
13
In the woods if possible.
Since deadfall is plentifull in this area, I have never needed to fell a tree for wood. You can bush camp. If there isn't a total fire ban in place, you can also have a campfire. About the only real restriction is no firearms are allowed.

Hi Mick,

That sounds perfect. I was just looking at some maps and satellite photos - I'd always thought that Australia was mostly arid, but you have state forests and reserves down there that are bigger than this whole country!

I really will have to persuade the SO to let me go and play there for a few weeks. I've just bought her a small axe for her birthday (it isn't quite yet but I like to prepare). Maybe that will help. :)

Don't be a stranger.

Ged.
 

SouthernCross

Forager
Feb 14, 2010
230
0
Australia
G'day ged

Hi Mick,

That sounds perfect. I was just looking at some maps and satellite photos - I'd always thought that Australia was mostly arid, but you have state forests and reserves down there that are bigger than this whole country!

I really will have to persuade the SO to let me go and play there for a few weeks. I've just bought her a small axe for her birthday (it isn't quite yet but I like to prepare). Maybe that will help. :)

Don't be a stranger.

Ged.
Since most people really don't know a lot about Australia, I have included a map I sourced from the net that claims to give a relative indication of the size of Australia compared to Europe...

Austeurope.jpg


Bear in mind we manage to cram a population of about 21 million into this area, with about 60% of these in the greater metropolitan area of the 3 cities of Brisbane, Sydney & Melbourne :D

If you and the SO can make it over here, there is way more than can be seen & experienced than 2 weeks will permit.

If possible, it would be best to come for a year or two :D

If you do, let me know.




Kind regards
Mick
 

Bravo4

Nomad
Apr 14, 2009
473
0
54
New Mexico, USA
I have wanted to head to Australia, off and on, since I was about 14.
There are about the same number of people in the New York City area I think.
elbow room, elbow room...
166374_oz_us_uk_map_1.jpg
 

SouthernCross

Forager
Feb 14, 2010
230
0
Australia
G'day Mountainwalker

Your a lucky man to have that wilderness on your doorstep.
If your in Sydney, your only about 3 hours from me.

In Aussie country terms, that's not far away at all (bear in mind when I was younger, I used to travel 6 hours in a bus for a game of Rugby, and a game that was only 1 1/2 hours away in a car was classed as a "home" game :D )




Kind regards
Mick
 

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