Backpacking Hatchet?

My price range for a sharp backpacking axe/hatchet was $50 bucks, too.

I broke the bank buying a $70 Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe, and couldn't be happier.

(Shrugs) Beg, borrow or steal $20 more dollars so you can get a Gransfors Bruks Whichever-one, and be happy for life. You'll thank me.
 
I got to handle a lot of GB models at SHOT this year. One thing that stood out was the sharpness. Even the Maul would slice thin paper efforlessly. The heads in general are much prettier than the Wetterlings (Which have a lot of dings, forging marks and pits) but I found the handle to be a little inferior to my expectations. You will find some with not so great grain orientation and the oil finish seems a little hard, nothing like the finish on my Linseed oil treated Wetterling (I did this, Wetterlings come varnished). So, the result is the head finish with the GB being excellent and the Wetterligns being good to fair. The GB heads were all spot on too when viewed down the shaft where Wetterlings may have a little cant here and there, not much but I dont like it.

As mentioned before the Wetterlings is about half the price of a GB (up to 1/3 for the smallest offering). If you have any skil at all you can dress up the head a little with a file (1 hour or less) and treat the handle with Linseed oil, this will result in a much better handle IMO than the standard GB. Then an hour or less to fine hone the edge and perhaps give the head a polish with paper.

Either way any of them is a good choice.
 
The Western "Mighty Hunter's Axe" (WR10) looks nice:

wr010.jpg
 
Michael_Aos said:
Any reviews of the Mini Belt Hatchet?

gransforsbaby.jpg
Click to expand...

I'll review the smallest of the Wetterlings after I take it on a rabbit hunt this Friday. I just got it a couple weeks ago. It split some 2x6's pretty easily. We'll see how it does on Alaska Alders in February.

Zac
 
The difference between the Gerber and Fiskars axes in interesting. At least the smallest Gator axe seems to have a different profile than it's Gerber or Fiskars counterpart. I also remember getting the impression that the Gators were made in the far east. This might explain some quality issues. Don't quote me though, I don't remember the source.

Some of the hatchets recommended here are very flat in profile, almost machete-like in cross section. I might take a large knife instead of those, as I don't see them any better than a long blade or a hatchet with an actual axe profile. They might have their use in hunting.
 
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