A month in the country with a CAK and a Gransfors Bruks SFA

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Apr 28, 2007
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As fate would have it, I didn't get much use out of the Scandinavian Forest Axe (~25"), though it is one of my favorite bits of kit and I was really looking forward to giving it a good workout.

A freshly broken finger made swinging an axe decidedly uncomfortable, so it was all CAK all the time. Lots of little softwoods were taken down; lots of older split rounds were processed into splints to use with a narrow hobo stove sort of a device.

The polished convex edge held really nicely, though this wood was seemingly impregnated with abrasives -- a whole new patina of infinite scratches was established on top of the old scratches, the blade looking as though it had been machined with a giant semi-random coarse fly cutter.

All in all, the CAK was a very capable companion, allowing much to be done one-handed. It didn't seem too big or heavy to use as a belt knife. Given the pack and rifle, its bulk faded into insignificance.
 
Sounds like fun! Well not the finger but the rest, did you have to sharpen her during the month?
 
I broke the finger by crushing it in a garage door at the start of my little adventure. Unbelievably boneheaded maneuver to be sure. It seems to be well on the mend, so I'm thankful it wasn't worse.

I don't know whether I would have gotten away without sharpening, because I cleaned and stropped it up a few times and ruined that experiment. The tip area would show wear from splitting by being whipped/snapped into the gritty wood, but chopping with the sweet spot and batoning didn't seem have much dulling effect (at least for this type of brute-force activity). Perhaps that's just the consequence of zone hardening and force distribution, the sweet spot being harder and larger.

No chipping or rolling to speak of, so I remain impressed with the heat treat, especially considering the humble water pitcher technology whereby that is accomplished.
 
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