Fiskars = Gerber?

D

daddymac

Joined
Sep 10, 2007
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I know that it has been discussed, but wasn't clear on the final word. Are Fiskars hatchets the same as Gerber hatchets? I would like a Fiskars and have had trouble finding one in my area. Plenty of Gerber product, should I go that route??

Thanks for your input....
 
I think there decent, but you can find better. I simply don't trust Gerber anymore or Fiskars. I had a Gerber Backpax and in two weeks I had it up on ebay. It wouldn't hold a very good edge.
 
Fiskars owns Gerber. Fiskars produces their axes in Finland, Gerbers are, unless I'm mistaken, produced somewhere else, possibly China, perhaps the USA, I can't remember right now. Fiskars axes are very much decent, and excellent value for the money. I've not needed any more axe than they offer. Gerbers I wouldn't bet any money on.
 
I have two different size Fiskars/Gerber hatchets, and they have stood u to very heavy outdoor use, and cut very well. I also have the Fiskars sliding blade saw and it eats wood as well as my Opinel saw which is to say great.

The Fiskars line of hatchets are the same as the Gerber and they are exellent woods tools. My Gerber hatchet says made in Finland on it. they are simple renamed Fiskars.
 
Morablades said:
I think there decent, but you can find better. I simply don't trust Gerber anymore or Fiskars. I had a Gerber Backpax and in two weeks I had it up on ebay. It wouldn't hold a very good edge.
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They will sometimes require you to push the edge back because of heat treat issues caused by factory sharpening.
 
They're identical other than the orange paint on the handle of the Fiskars as far as I can tell without having handled a Gerber. The Gerber costs quite a bit more though. If you can wait 'till the spring seasonal stuff starts getting into the stores again you should be able to find a Fiskars pretty easily. I got the last one of the season from the Lowes across the street from my apartment complex in late August or early September.
 
I just got a Gerber/Fiskars 14" sportaxe for Christmas, I haven't had a chance to try it out but the handle is stamped *Fiskars*
& the only difference that I can see in the twois the color handle.
 
Most people that post on the Fiskars have had nothing but positive to say about them. Regretfully, I cannot do the same. Gerber seems to have the same quality control issues with their axes and hatchets. I have broken the head off of one Fiskar and shattered the edge to approximately 3/4" back on another. This was with regular use while splitting Cedar and Fir. Gerbers seem to have a rapid turnaround on returns in our local stores due to similar incidents.
 
I have had and used a Fiskars for a couple of years now and no problems. As stated earier the Gerber are the same as the Fiskars but cost more. Go with the Fiskars unless you can spring for the Gransfor Bruks.... :)
 
It would be nice if this issue could be laid to rest, seeing it comes back up every few weeks. Fiskars=Gerber, and all mine are made in Finland. (Between the two of us, my son and I have 8 Gerber hatchets and axes....and every one of them says Fiskars/Finland on them. All have proven to be absolutley superb!)

I of course can't speak for anything that Gerber may have produced before they were owned by Fiskars.
 
The first Gerber Gator axe that I bought a few years ago has (Gerber, Fiskars and Finland) on the side of it and is a better quality than the one I received a few months ago that I got on a closeout deal from SMKW it is stamped (Taiwan & Gerber).
 
The Fiskars belt hatchet I have and the folding saw are both EXCELLENT workers and not expensive either. Of course, if you want to spend a lot of cash you can, but for me, these 2 perform very well and have not cost too much.Value for money and decent to use. The Gerber equivalents probably cost less in the US as Gerber is nominally an American company owned by Fiskars.Here in the EU, it's the other way around, Fiskars being the market leader. Gerber axes seem fine, less sure about many of their knives though.....
 
I love my three Fiskars!
I also have a Gerber Backpaxe (its at least 10 years old) marked "Fiskars Finland".
My two made in Finland Fiskars 14 inch hatchets have the exact same head size/shape/weight as the Gerber backpaxe.
The Gerber Backpaxe will fit/snap perfectly into the Fiskars plastic molded sheath.
I've retired my Backpaxe as the handle is waaaay to short for comfort (it now resides in my toolbox).
However the Gerber nylon sheath is now on the 14 inch Fiskars in my backpack.
The 14 inch Fiskars is better than the backpaxe as the amount of weight added is negligible and the extra length makes it infinitely more useful/comfortable.
The full sized Fiskars camp axes are great too.
Most of the Gerber i've seen are more expensive and look exactly the same as the Fiskars and are marked "Fiskars Finland" .
However i haven't seen one around here lately so i don't really know if they moved the Gerber production to Asia.
Maybe the Gerber website has that info.
 
I would have tried a Fiskars but couldn't find any locally. For the price of the Gerbers (why are they half again as much considering they are the same product in a different color?), less actually, I decided to try a couple of small Wetterlings. A little more old school and a lot less than the GB stuff. I don't really have much need for an axe or hatchet but forums like this one made me want to get a couple anyway! ;)
 
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