Gb mini hatchet?

If you dig it, get it. Small hatchets like that are generally very useful for smaller chores like splitting kindling or limbing trees, and Gransfors specifically is an excellent brand in axes.
 
I love the Wetterlings small axe, especially at less than half the price. Not finished as nicely, but the quality of the metal is near if not equal to the GB.
 
It is hard to picture any smaller being practical. I like mine-it's fun, it's cute but I am not convinced that I would not be happier with one of the 1lb. models.
I like the outdoorsman, but it has the handle shroud rather than lugs. I like the Hunter, but maybe not the pole for what I need. The wildlife maybe just a big mini.

I think I know how you feel- intrigue. What do you use now?
 
It's too small. Anything you can do with this axe you can do with a knife. I would go with the Wildlife Hatchet.
 
rg598 said:
It's too small. Anything you can do with this axe you can do with a knife. I would go with the Wildlife Hatchet.
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I very much disagree with this statement. Any knife of the same weight will be piss poor at chopping and any knife that comes close to the chopping performance of the mini will be piss poor at carving(not to mention heavier.) The too small comment also goes to show how tools are used differently by different people. What's it too small for? Is it too small for the Canadian North in winter? Too small to homestead? Sure on both counts but for simple fire prep, shelter building, and survival tasks like carving traps and such while backpacking the mini is hard to beat and really is one of THE best "you can have only one blade..." tools. To the OP, if you want a lightweight tool for hiking and backpacking the mini's a great little hatchet. However, admittedly it's not for everyone and at that price point, make sure a small hatchet is worth it for what you want. I don't regret my purchase.
 
I agree. The GB mini is very handy, ESPECIALLY in a backpacking situation where weight is a factor. I've tried trips with a Gerber retractible saw exclusively for processing wood, a trip or two with a large fixed-blade, and the same with the GB mini. The mini won out big time for me. One mod I'd make upon receipt is to center and drill/chamfer a lanyard hole through the bottom of the hickory handle, much the same as it appears on the larger Wildlife hatchet and other GB's. The lanyard around the wrist completes an already wonderfully ergonomic grip and overall safe handling of the hatchet.

If you're a car camper, I'd go for something larger. Just my .02.

Prof.
 
this guy sure thinks highly of it. heres a quote i found about the mini on another website;

'' it's light and perfectly balanced. it can sharpen a pencil, slice a tomato paper thin, and shave the print off this page. it will frizz sticks for tinder, cut fine kindling and split small logs. it will fillet a fish, skin a moose, tenderize a steak, turn your pancakes, spread jam and peanut butter, pound tent stakes and chop vegetables. and it will ride as lightly on your hip as the average hunting knife."
cliff jacobson, tactical knives
pretty high praise wouldn't you say?
 
Kinda pricey but good little tool. I got a cheapy Fiskar folding saw and it teams up well with a mini. Fits good in back pocket if just bumming for a half a day or so or doesn't take up much space if you want a lite pack for overnight or several days. I bought mine used, Don't know if I would pay MSRP for one. and splitting stuff much bigger than your wrist can be work, but how big of a fire do you need?. If you can afford one and like hatchets you will just be amazed and stare at it the first few days you own it.
 
HandAxeProMan said:
I love the Wetterlings small axe, especially at less than half the price. Not finished as nicely, but the quality of the metal is near if not equal to the GB.
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I had a Wetterlings Small axe but didn't like it. It was about as heavy as the Wildlife Axe but shorter handle which meant I kept hitting my knuckles when splitting. I found that the extra 2 1/2 inches of the Wildlife Axe made it a much better splitter yet didn't affect its ability for closeup work either. The GB Mini hatchet sounds like a great concept for backpacking when weight is a real concern. The Wetterlings Small axe has a 1.25 lb head, so it is heavy for its size.
 
I just purchased the kubben axe from gb which has an even smaller handle and an identical head as the one in the link above. It's absolutely fantastic! I can't wait to get out and get it what for.
 
HandofCod said:
I just purchased the kubben axe from gb which has an even smaller handle and an identical head as the one in the link above. It's absolutely fantastic! I can't wait to get out and get it what for.
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pretty sure the kubben axe has a bigger head. I've got one, and it's the same head as the regular hatchet from GB (outdoor hatchet? I forget what they call it). the mini-hatchet has a smaller and lighter head. I'm itching to get one, but the danged thing just costs more than I can convince myself to pay.

by the way, the hand axe (kubben) is a lot of fun, and sharper than a razor straight from the store. the handle is short, but kinda fat. it's definitely heavier all around than the mini.

-ben
 
I have the wetterlings mini, and I love it! Same steel, same head, same handle, same leather,same badass axe. Just not as "polished." Buy the wetterlings ,same axe at half the price.
 
I bought a Wildlife hatchet a few months ago. Great tool! Puts my old Estwing to absolute shame. The Mini looks real nice. I might get one for lightweight packing. I don't do any major chopping, so would probably be just has happy with the Mini as with the Wildlife. My Wildlife was (and is), sharp as all get out.
 
I've had one for several years. Therer ARE times when I want to pack a hatchet but not a larger one, and so I pack the Mini. It DOES hatchety things very well considering how small/light it is.
 
It really is a fine little tool, very well made. Here it is with my S&W 629...

IMG_1706.jpg
 
I picked up a GB mini from a yard sale last Saturday, for 20 bucks, didn't know what I had until I got home. It goes through 4-5inch thick logs fairly effectively, and breaks them down, I'm sure with a little time It could go through bigger, but it is nice.
 
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