First Axe by Gransfors Bruks?

JayGoliath said:
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My first GB axe would be this and if Robin Wood said so i could happily put my dough on it!
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Good on yer for making a wooden maul to protect the poll of your carving hatchet.
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A nicely rounded bit is a good tool for carving. Use the heel on the near side of the work and the toe on the far side.
 
My family logged hardwood timbers for mine props for years..Here hickory and oak are very,very abundant..Seems like two out of every three trees on my place if a hickory or oak..Mostly hickory.Slick bark and scaly bark.
The prevailing pattern used here in Eastern,Ky was a double bit..Whatever double bit they could get thier hands on.Most were something like a Michigan or a reversable..You didnt see that many polled axes being used from what Im told..In fact to this day the double bits out-number the polled axes you find at flea markets and such about 4 to 1.
Anyway I want to apologize to the thread opener..Sorry I got your thread side tracked..
 
I think the ultra high expectation of GB axes in North America comes partly from their price tag.

In the US, and at $10 a knife, a Small Forest axe could buy at least ten Mora's.
In the UK, a Small Forest axe will buy roughly six £10 Moras (mine cost £45, so 3 or 4x the cost of a cheap hatchet from a D.I.Y store).

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For breaking nail infested wood (you feel very bad doing this with a GB axe:() and splitting/batoning, the cheap metal handled hatchet was the best. The GB Small Forest and the GB Mini Hatchet throw great chips when chopping green wood and they're also good carvers.

However (and perhaps a little ashamedly) I do find the Small Forest a little awkward to use. It's too heavy for me to use safely one handed and requires me to usually kneel when using two hands to chop.

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GB Mini

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Very portable and discreet

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Small Forest

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Sadly I got rid of my GB Mini, I'd like to replace it with a Wildlife Hatchet one day. I'd also like to try an Estwing Rigger's Axe, I reckon it would make a good quality beater, especially for urban stuff...

People who are suggesting a 25 inch handle axe for chopping are giving good advice. I think I'd much prefer the Scandinavian Axe to the Small Forest, and at £70 that's not too bad (for reference this is around 1/2 the price of an ESEE 6).

I can't comment on the axes people are recommending you, they must be good though. :thumbup: Condor might be a company to look at, you could buy one big axe and a little hatchet for the price of one GB axe.
 
I saw a video on You Tube with Ray Mears, he deomonstrates how to go down on your knees when using a small axe. This way you're closer to the work, and if you miss your target you will hit the ground, not yourself.
These axes are small for portability, backpacking, bushcrafting etc.. A 19"-24" hawk or axe exist in the middle between hatchets and full length axes, to compromise.
If you need a larger axe, then by all means go for it, but you won't see me backpacking with a full size axe, not in Kentucky at least.
 
I would strongly advise a beginner to purchase lesser axes and learn to sharpen correctly. Eastwing axes are not that bad and available everywhere. Reset the bevels for whatever type of work you are doing. In just the past week at antique stores I have picked up a Diamond Edge Norville-Shapleigh-How hatchet for $5, a Plumb Claw Hatchet for $4, an australian pattern Collins Broadaxe for $45, a Plumb single bit for $5, and a phantom/hollow bevel cruiser axe that I cannot id for $3, looks like Keen Kutter. If an axe is rusty, most people dump it as junk. I also found but did not purchase a mint Zenith double bit for $20 and a mint Winchester camp axe at $70. There is a lot of good steel out there if you look. I love the Gransfors Bruks that I own, small forest. But it would be easily possible to get much more good steel for much less money if you can put a handle in a socket and run some steel wool. If you cannot sharpen an old axe right you will ruin whatever you touch anyway.
 
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bcknives said:
Hello All!

Things I need in an axe/hatchet:
Not to be big (I don't need a felling axe)
Not to small (I don't want a hand hatchet)
It needs to be able to chop through a small tree (at least a tree 5 inches in diameter)
It has to be able to do a bit of carving (nothing to fine)
I don't want anything over 2.5 lbs
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You say you do not want a hand hatchet. But other than that the GB Wildlife would fit your needs.

It can easily chop thru a 5" tree.

I've heard several say they wree designed for softer wood, but I live in WV and chop oak all the time with mine without a problem.

I have a LOT of hatchets and without a doubt the GB Wildlife for it's size is one of the most agressive choppers out there.

Realize that GB's have a thinner BIT than a lot of hatchets, so they don't split wood as well as some others.

Realise that GB's have a thinner edge than a lot of hatchets so they chop deeper with the same amount of force.


I have an old Norlund Hatchet it's about the closest thing I have to compare the GB Wildlife to. It's around 1 1/4 lbs. I've sharpened and polished the bevel.

The GB Wildlife is around 1 1/2 lbs so it's got 4 oz and it easily outchops the Norlund due to the head being less convex edge wise.

On the larger GB's I got this off a website:



Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet:
Total Axe Weight: 1 ½ lb
Handle Weight: ½ lb
Axe Head Weight: 1 lb

Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe:
Total Axe Weight: 2 1/8 lb
Handle Weight: 5/8 lb
Axe Head Weight: 1 ½ lb

Gransfors Bruks Scandinavian Forest Axe:
Total Axe Weight: 2 ½ lb
Handle Weight: 7/8 lb
Axe Head Weight: 1 5/8 lb (most likely 1 3/4 lb)
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I have a GB Hunters and I like the Wildlife better. I think if I was going to get something larger than the Wildlife I'd go for the Scandinavian? Longer handle and not much more weight.

It really sort of comes down to what you are going to do with it, and how far you want to carry it. For instance me, I do a lot of backpacking and even the Wildlife is a little heavy. I usually carry the Mini which relies on the sharpness.

I got my GB's when they were cheaper, but if it was me and I wanted a nice sharp hatchet that was both light enough to carry, had an edge near as good as a GB, and also had a head a little more wedge shaped than a GB I'd shell out the extra and get one of these:

http://ssidders.tripod.com/id120.htm


I have one of his double bits and it's really nice and I've held one of the single bits. Avoid the curley maple handle though. Go for the Hickory or Osage.
 
Big reason why GB is popular with the bushcrafter is because they bite like they do. When you are cutting tiny stuff that is great. That is not great for prolonged heavy work because it is a requisite for binding. A racing saw being a similar deal in that they cut extremely fast but are very tiring to use, hence why saw filers often set up crosscuts to run easy instead of heavy and lightning quick. Depends what you want to do.
 
G-pig said:
Big reason why GB is popular with the bushcrafter is because they bite like they do. When you are cutting tiny stuff that is great. That is not great for prolonged heavy work because it is a requisite for binding. A racing saw being a similar deal in that they cut extremely fast but are very tiring to use, hence why saw filers often set up crosscuts to run easy instead of heavy and lightning quick. Depends what you want to do.
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Good point G pig. I have found the thinner edge bites deeper and has less of a tendency to glance off and be dangerous also. A consideration when you are using one 5 6 miles from the car.

Although have you ever tried any of the larger GB axes?? I had the double bit for a while and the edge on it is quite thick and convex. I'm not sure if that is a trait of their double bit only, or all of their larger axes.
 
hollowdweller said:
Good point G pig. I have found the thinner edge bites deeper and has less of a tendency to glance off and be dangerous also. A consideration when you are using one 5 6 miles from the car.

Although have you ever tried any of the larger GB axes?? I had the double bit for a while and the edge on it is quite thick and convex. I'm not sure if that is a trait of their double bit only, or all of their larger axes.
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I know that they modeled the AFA off of some nice axes that Geoff Burke sent over for them. I do believe they changed it a bit, for the worse. The bevels are convexed from the factory, but I dont like the shape from the end of the bevel back (too hollow), or heel to toe (no high centerline). I think the bigger axes are a bit better though.
 
The GB does cut deep and I find cutting anything over over say 6" you will want something that throws chips instead.
I recall reading somewhere these axes are mostly designed for limbing trees that are already felled, and they are quite good that that.

Just re-read my axe book that came with the GB, it does indeed say these axes are for fairly light duty, such as gathering wood for fires and such. The ScandiFA, which I have, is in fact for limbing felled trees. These axes all have fairly specific uses, the American felling axe is meant for felling trees, I would love to see how one of them stacks up against the large fellers like the plumbs or jerseys guys on here use for felling.
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Far left, next to the scandiFA.
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I had my sights on a Gransfors Bruks Small Forest axe but after researching reviews of same it led me to the Wetterlings Large Hunters axe which has almost identical specs and a lower price tag. Google the names of both and you will easily find some of the same discussions that I read. My overall impression after reading various comments of both was that the GB tended to have a better finish and was less likely to need sharpening or touch ups as delivered but the Wetterlings performance was at least on par and a much better value. A direct chopping comparison indicated that the Wetterlings had better penetration and less tendency to glance.

Based only on those discussions I purchased the Wetterlings Large Hunters axe which I was fortunate to find here on the exchange for an even greater savings over the GB. I have been very happy with it and have determined that the kneeled one or two-handed approach works best for me.
 
Maybe it's just in Canada but it's not easy to find Wetterlings for any cheaper then Gransfors anymore, they used to be about half the price.
 
Liam Ryan said:
Maybe it's just in Canada but it's not easy to find Wetterlings for any cheaper then Gransfors anymore, they used to be about half the price.
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I did not know that about the pricing in Canada but I have noticed that the price difference in the US has seemed to narrow some.
 
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