I recently got a Condor-produced hatchet for $20. This is a Marble's Camp Axe, part number 701SB. In terms of dimensions, it's virtually identical to the Condor Greenland Pattern hatchet. Fit and finish are a bit different, but for $20, it's hard to complain about. Both are made in the same factory in El Salvador.
and here's the Condor, at $35...
(The images above belong to SMKW.)
So, what are the differences? For one, the Condor comes with a nice leather bit cover. The Marble's doesn't; it doesn't even come with a rubber edge guard. The Condor comes in a coffin-shaped white box with the Condor logo, a color catalog, and is nicely packaged with plenty of cardboard and plastic. The Marble's comes in a simple rectangle-shaped white box with the Marble's logo, a piece of cardboard to reduce rattling, and white tracing paper taped over the head. The Condor has CONDOR burned into the handle, whereas the Marble's has a simple sticker that says EL SALVADOR. The Condor has CONDOR stamped into the head, whereas the Marble's has, you guessed it, the Marble's logo stamped in the same place.
The Condor's bit guard will not fit the Marble's; the Marble's bit is 1/2" longer than the Condor's. Both heads are made of the same steel at the same Rockwell hardness, and are the same shape. They both have the same hammered texture, but the Marble's has deeper texturing. Both edges came the same level of sharpness, and needed a file to get sharp. Both polls are the same dimensions, and are shiny. Both hatchets are secured with a wooden wedge, and then a metal cylinder. Both have a flared lanyard hole; the Condor's is a little bit larger. The Condors (I looked at five or six in the store) all have darker handles than the Marble's (I looked at six in the store) and three of the Marble's had large amounts of heartwood; only two Condors had heartwood, and it was a small amount. The Condors were hit-or-miss on the grain alignment and pattern, as were the Marble's. Both heads are seated nicely on the shoulder, but I did notice that a few of the Marble's had small pieces of wood missing from the top of the eye.
The Condor has a smoother finish than the Marble's handle, but neither are coarse enough to get splinters in your hands. The Marble's has a slightly thinner handle than the Condor, but you have to feel for it before you notice it. To be honest, if I didn't watch MDPrepper's YouTube comparison between the two (linked to below) I wouldn't have given it a second thought.
In terms of performance, I'll say they're about the same. The slightly-thinner handle of the Marble's makes it better-suited for working with gloves, as I'll be doing in the the next few months. When wearing gloves, the Condor is a bit too thick. Without gloves, the Condor is more comfortable. They chop and split the same. To be honest, I'd love the Marble's head, seeing as it's 1/2" longer, on the Condor handle. Oh, the eyes are the same size. Hmm...
I'd say, if you like the Condor Greenland Pattern hatchet but don't like the price, the Marble's is an excellent substitution. I really don't think any differences (other than the edge guard, but you can make one easily) are worth the $15 price difference.
And here's a YouTube video comparing the Marble's and the Condor...
[video=youtube;XSoSAytPYGE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSoSAytPYGE[/video]
and here's the Condor, at $35...
(The images above belong to SMKW.)
So, what are the differences? For one, the Condor comes with a nice leather bit cover. The Marble's doesn't; it doesn't even come with a rubber edge guard. The Condor comes in a coffin-shaped white box with the Condor logo, a color catalog, and is nicely packaged with plenty of cardboard and plastic. The Marble's comes in a simple rectangle-shaped white box with the Marble's logo, a piece of cardboard to reduce rattling, and white tracing paper taped over the head. The Condor has CONDOR burned into the handle, whereas the Marble's has a simple sticker that says EL SALVADOR. The Condor has CONDOR stamped into the head, whereas the Marble's has, you guessed it, the Marble's logo stamped in the same place.
The Condor's bit guard will not fit the Marble's; the Marble's bit is 1/2" longer than the Condor's. Both heads are made of the same steel at the same Rockwell hardness, and are the same shape. They both have the same hammered texture, but the Marble's has deeper texturing. Both edges came the same level of sharpness, and needed a file to get sharp. Both polls are the same dimensions, and are shiny. Both hatchets are secured with a wooden wedge, and then a metal cylinder. Both have a flared lanyard hole; the Condor's is a little bit larger. The Condors (I looked at five or six in the store) all have darker handles than the Marble's (I looked at six in the store) and three of the Marble's had large amounts of heartwood; only two Condors had heartwood, and it was a small amount. The Condors were hit-or-miss on the grain alignment and pattern, as were the Marble's. Both heads are seated nicely on the shoulder, but I did notice that a few of the Marble's had small pieces of wood missing from the top of the eye.
The Condor has a smoother finish than the Marble's handle, but neither are coarse enough to get splinters in your hands. The Marble's has a slightly thinner handle than the Condor, but you have to feel for it before you notice it. To be honest, if I didn't watch MDPrepper's YouTube comparison between the two (linked to below) I wouldn't have given it a second thought.
In terms of performance, I'll say they're about the same. The slightly-thinner handle of the Marble's makes it better-suited for working with gloves, as I'll be doing in the the next few months. When wearing gloves, the Condor is a bit too thick. Without gloves, the Condor is more comfortable. They chop and split the same. To be honest, I'd love the Marble's head, seeing as it's 1/2" longer, on the Condor handle. Oh, the eyes are the same size. Hmm...
I'd say, if you like the Condor Greenland Pattern hatchet but don't like the price, the Marble's is an excellent substitution. I really don't think any differences (other than the edge guard, but you can make one easily) are worth the $15 price difference.
And here's a YouTube video comparing the Marble's and the Condor...
[video=youtube;XSoSAytPYGE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSoSAytPYGE[/video]
