Gransfor Bruks - worth it?

Q

Quirt

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Oct 10, 2005
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Okay, on a roll tonight...back in town and got access to a computer!

I'm quite the ax advocate and enthusiast as is my wife. We have a wood stove to heat our home and cabin. We both hunt/elk camp, truck camp, and backpack. Never are we more than 4 steps away from some kind of small to large ax. However, we're still shy an ax or two and my wife and I each need one more ax, one for kindling and one for busting 1/4 to 1/2 splits. I have plenty of big splitting mauls, wedges, and even a hydraulic splitter...I just need something to reduce down the 1/2 to 1/4 splits into 1/8ths and to reduce cedar, pine, and maple into smaller kindling.

I have quite a few Snow and Neally including their Penobscot Kindling ax, Hudson Bay and their bigger ax. All good, they work great. Take off the lacquer finish found on the handle, touch up the edge on the buffer wheel and use oil on the handle and their fine. I also have some Wetterlings and use them backpacking, hunting, and in the truck. Again, great stuff, same as above, touch up the edge and get rid of the lacquer on handle.

But for years all the ax snobs brag about their G/Bruks. I've never owned one and never used one...so is double the price from $60 for Wetterling or Snow/Neally compared to $130 for G/Bruks worth it? Am I really getting that much more ax? Other than the satisfaction of saying I have the ultimate ax. I can buy two S/N or Wetterlings for the price of one G/Bruks. I'm not opposed of investing in good gear...but I need some kind of justification.

Any insight/experience is greatly apprecated.
 
My experience is that Wetterlings is as good as my G/Bruks. I have a Wetterlings 16" axe and a G/Bruks 19" axe. I had the 13" Wetterlings and sold it. They are both awesome makers of axes but I wouldnt spend the extra money replacing my G/Bruks if it were lost.
 
I love gransfor bruks. they are amazing quality, super sharp, and are just plain beasts. wetterlings also makes a very nice axe also.
 
well I have a wetterlings, Ive handled afew GB's but my next axe buy with be a council tool velvicut, damn they look nice, traditional western/american patterns etc,

Maybe another option to consider?
 
They are nice axes, I own the Small FA and the FA. They are good for light work. Are they "worth it"? If you want value for buck, my best advice is to look for an old american collins, plumb, kelly etc axe head and refurbish / rehaft as required. You can pick them up for 5-10$ at flea markets, garage sales, pawn shops, ebay, etc. end cost should be no more than $30 and you will have an axe that performs as well or greater than a GB for 1/3 of the price. Read a bit here:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/768-Axe-Tomahawk-amp-Hatchet-Forum
 
I agree with Klammer - however - if you do not know how to select a good axe, know how to rehaft one - or just don't want to the spend the time - I love my GB's.

TF
 
In your case you can probably appreciate the quality. Wetterlings, Hultafors and Husqvarna all make amazing Swedish forest axes in the 50-70 dollar price range as well. You can still buy American-made Council Tool and Kelly axes in the 30-50 dollar pricerange depending on the model-factory new that is.
 
I've owned them both. The Wetterlings gives you more bang for the buck.
 
Well, the price gap of wetterlings and GB is less wide today, wetterlings bumped up in price - the 26" axis more in the $85 range while the GB is about $130. I think GB's make a great product. I can't help but contrast that I have an EDC knife that has a 3.5" blade and 7" overall that cost more than the GB you are agonizing about. As for axes, I have a S&N Hudson Bay and the GB American Felling Axe. I love the GB for splits just like you mentioned in your OP. I generally hate lugging around that 31" beauty though and it pretty much stays at home. Even when canoe camping, I often think - now I can take the GB with me without worrying about weight. Inevitably as I look at the growing pile of crap I want to bring, the GB gets subbed out and the S&N Hudson Bay gets put in. Good enough to do what I need to be done and weighs less is the usually angle of it.

When I look at the GB, everything about it screams craftsmanship. I even love their little axe book that comes with it. I respect the hell out of the company - the little company that found its niche in high priced boutique axes and is making a go at it using apprenticed craftsman. But all that said, the GB isn't really going to make your work that much more efficient. Sure its hardened to a higher standard than most axes, more so than my Taiwan made S&N which is supposed to be soft as butter. Don't seem to really make much difference to me. I never sharpen in the field and I rarely really need to profile my axes after a trip. I also don't use them for lumbering like the old timers do...Just enough wood for the fire. Overall, the GB is a great piece of kit and it has a bunch of specs to back it up with hand selected handles and an out-of-box edge that is ready to go. But most people really don't need an axe with charm and perfect specs and chances are it probably won't really make your life any more efficient than if you just kept on using one of your using axes that performs the way you know it performs. On the other hand, why let $130 price tag really scare you away from something you think you really want? I mean, hell, if my deep consumer wants could be fulfilled by a $100 item, I'd be happy a fulfilled chap a long time ago!
 
Talfuchre said:
, know how to rehaft one - or just don't want to the spend the time
Click to expand...

As Mors Kochanski is noted for saying "You are only one axe handle away from your next replacement :)" Meaning, just about anything can happen, and you should now how to replace a handle.

I do agree that GB is the most ready to go axe that I have seen. But, I would still recommend learning to rehandle a them. Getting a super cheap hardware store axe, and learning to re-handle it, is a good way to go. Or vintage heads from ebay.

I am anxious to get my hands on one of these. I tried to get Council to get me one to do a review, but they seemed to not want to be bothered.

It looks like a great axe though.

B
 
Appreciate the feedback and insight. I'd like to hear a few suggestions on which axe(s) model I should purchase based upon my OP requirements since the profile of the GB seem different than what I've been accustom too. I'm leaning toward the Scandy Forest Axe or Small Forest Axe. When you guys type SFA I'm not sure which of the two your suggesting.

Regarding rehafting and acquiring that skill set - which is sage advice BTW. Not sure how this thread got on that track but I've been rehafting axes and malls for over 35 years. My first real job required it and did this on a semi-regular basis also my grand-dad was a pre-power saw Timber Faller of old growth in Northern Calif. He insisted when I was very young to learn to use an axe right AND left handed and he did not allow me to jump back-in-forth over a down log to buck it in to. Soin terms of rehafting and axemanship, while I'm confident there may be better ways of doing this I at least have the basics down. I'm currently watching Mors video on how to create an axe handle in the wild and am taking a week next month to practice creating one from scratch. Good suggestion on looking for older high end used axe heads at flea markets et al.
 
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Small Forest Axe is the more common for bushcrafty backpackers in my experience. It is the one I have.

I have seen a lot of people that say they have a Wetterlings that is just as good as a GB. I have also seen people say they have one that isn't as good. Seems to be a hit or miss thing. GB is apparently more consistent.
 
It sounds like you are looking for another ax to fulfill a splitting chore, which is pretty undemanding of ax design or construction verses chopping. Spending GB money for a kindling splitter makes no sense to me at all.

The price difference between the GB and Wetterlings is too steep for my blood. There may be a difference between the two, but I can't see it. Maybe if I used an ax six hours a day every day I'd be able to notice some additional value in the GB, but as it is I'll stick with Wetterlings for chopping and flee market axes for splitting.
 
You might want to check out the GB Wildlife hatchet. To me, it is the perfect small axe for kindling etc. Very ergonomic handles, and a great leather sheath which wears easily on the belt or on the outside of the pack. The biggest compliment I can give is that it's one of the few (and I mean very few) edged tools that I've never seriously considered for trade, and that is quite an accomplishment. ;)
 
sutured said:
It sounds like you are looking for another ax to fulfill a splitting chore, which is pretty undemanding of ax design or construction verses chopping. Spending GB money for a kindling splitter makes no sense to me at all.
Click to expand...

Well, other than limbing, making and banging in stakes, that's just about the majority of what a small axe is used for under most bushcraft scenarios. What do you do with yours?
 
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