Flaws in new Gransfors SFA?

P

Pydpiper

Joined
Feb 19, 2006
Messages
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I brought my new small forest axe home today, admired it's awesome beauty then tried to put it to work..
On my way to my woodpile where I store the firewood ready for weekend camping to try splitting some small stuff I hit a few dead limbs in the pine trees, about 5 of them, all about 2 inches across, each fell easily.
When I got to the wood pile I took a quick look at the edge of the SFA, about an inch of it has "curled", just enough that you can feel it with your finger running it down the blade. Plus, there is a larger Nick, as though the blade struck a piece of steel(it didn't), about the diameter of a pencil. I can get the damage out but I am concerned with the quality of the steel, or production of this particular tool..
Any thoughts? I just love the thing, but I don't want to have to pound nicks out of it every time I attack a pine tree..
FYI, a couple of the limbs I struck we're already severed about 3-4 inches from the tree from years ago as well as coated in hardened sap, that stuff won't damage an edge, will it?
 
I own 2 GB axes , hatchet and small forest ,they are both 2 years old and I have experienced what you are mentioning except for the curling . As far as i am concerned they preform like a laser on green wood but when I start chopping dry wood I know I will have a good half hour of sharpening.

Wayne
 
Only some minor curling of the edge on dry wood, chipped the lower corner off mine earlier this year. Sent it back and got a new one, must have been a casting flaw to cause the break. As far as the edge goes, only minor cleanup on it needed after most small jobs. I use it mostly to split small logs already chopped into a manageable lenght.
 
So, this sounds like it may be somewhat normal..
I was going to lose sleep over that..
I cleaned it all up, we'll see what happens tomorrow..
 
Pydpiper said:
FYI, a couple of the limbs I struck we're already severed about 3-4 inches from the tree from years ago as well as coated in hardened sap, that stuff won't damage an edge, will it?
Click to expand...

The sap won't, but a small hardwood branch is about the hardest thing you can cut. Pine is fairly soft wood, but if the branch is dead and seasons it can be exceptionally hard. Generally these are cut with dedicated axes, swampers with much heavier edges.

Often the initial edge may be a bit too thin, or burned a little. Mine chipped a little at first but stabilized after I sharpened it a few times. You also need to check the edge angle and make sure it isn't too acute. Raise it a little by increasing the edge sweep and try again.

A lot of it also depends on exactly how you were doing the cutting. I have seen people actually try to sweep branches off by cutting in a line towards the base of the tree, this is a great way to damage the edge on a fine axe.

-Cliff
 
don't lose sleep over a GB , the little nicks are fairly easy to get out with a good sharpening puck... It will give you years of good service.
 
Thanks guys, I bought this thing for camping and it will be seeing some good use in the next few years, I certainly have a beter understanding of what may have gone wrong, if anything.

Obviously I am new to axes, and this particular sentence I quoted has got me thinking, I'm sure I did exactly what you described not to do, so instead of asking you to teach me how to use my axe under most circumstances is there a book that will teach me the basics? I'm sure there are many, buy one decent one?
Again, thanks for taking the time to address my problem, I was pretty worked up last night.. User error, go figure.

Cliff Stamp said:
A lot of it also depends on exactly how you were doing the cutting. I have seen people actually try to sweep branches off by cutting in a line towards the base of the tree, this is a great way to damage the edge on a fine axe.

-Cliff
Click to expand...
 
Cliff Stamp said:
Often the initial edge may be a bit too thin, or burned a little. Mine chipped a little at first but stabilized after I sharpened it a few times. You also need to check the edge angle and make sure it isn't too acute. Raise it a little by increasing the edge sweep and try again.

-Cliff
Click to expand...

I think Cliff is right. On the several I have had, the edge chipped a little, or stuck in the wood even, but with a bit of polishing and sharpening(which probably raised the edge angle a bit like he mentions) they had no further chipping or rolling and didn't stick in the wood. I had one that the bottom tip cracked off but they replaced that one.
 
you may want to try the performance on some 2x4s, and here is why:

some trees take up sand from the ground as they grow. so over time this sand becomes ingrained in the bark of the tree. if you hit bark containing sand particles it will blunt/chip the edge.

Ookami
 
I wish I could edit the title of my thread..
I replaced the Small forest with a Scandinavian forest.. I had the same results. After taking Cliffs words into account and adding them to a bunch of research I found on the web by an outstanding gentlemen named "Jimbo", who's name popped up continuously as I googled for answers.. I took a shot in the dark and emailed him, he quickly emailed back with links to great literature, like this:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/fspubs/99232823/index.htm
I sort of wish I kept the SFA now, after a couple tips on swinging this sexy machine I think I could have done just as well with the SFA I started with.
Live and learn as they say..
Thanks for all the input guys, keep it coming I'll read whatever comes at me.
David
 
I'll second Cliff's book recommendation. My copy is titled Keeping Warm with an Ax: A Woodcutters Manual, and it is the same book Clifff references. It has been an invaluable resource for axe info.

I use a SFA almost exclusively when camping, and am very pleased with it, but I had to reprofile the original edge a bit to keep it from blunting/rolling. It was ground too thin for knotty or dirty wood. After a few minutes on a belt grinder and a few more minutes polishing it back to hair popping sharpness, it has been a dream to work with.

Todd
 
Good to see the book is also done under another title, I am having a hard time finding a copy in Canada. I can always resort to Ebay, but I'll keep looking locally for a week or so.
It's got to be around somewhere in a store I can just drive to, I am hoping to get it before Wednesday, if not by then it can a wait a week.
 
My copy was bought used from Amazon.com. It is in great condition, though, and cheaper than the cover price. I'm not sure if you'll be able to find a new copy at a book store. It was out of print at the time I got mine, but that was a few years ago, and I'm not sure of its current status. Happy hunting!

Todd

edited to add: Amazon has one copy, used, for $20.00 US.
 
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