help choosing a Axe make

Forrie

Forrie

Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
353
g'day i am in the market for my first axe and i'm not sure what brand to by, so just asking what the recomended brands are to purchace out there????

cheers
forrie
 
I have two grainsford bruks that I very much recommend. I have the small forest axe and the hunters axe. My father owns the large forest axe. They hold a great edge and I think that all around they are tuff to beat.
 
+1 for Gransfors Bruks.

I have the Small Forest Axe, and the Mini Hatchet.
They come hair shaving sharp, and are really nice to use.
 
I have three Gransfor Bruks. I have been using the wildlife hatchet for over 10 years without complaint. I also have a mini hatchet and forest axe.
I am hoping for the hunter's axe for Christmas to round out my collection.
 
I have used:

Wetterlings
Gerber/Friskars
Kelly Works/True Temper
Gransfors Bruks
Eastwing
Marbles (china crap:o )

and I cannot recommend GB highly enough. The Wetterlings for the price is a hell of an axe. In fact I liked certain things about all the axes mentioned above. However the GB IMHO is just the best out there other than a custom.

The GB SFA (besides its fit and finish) has a perfect balance for smaller tasks, light and small enough to pack, but can still handle large jobs if used correctly. I have split some mighty wet and large logs with wedges made at camp. For my $$$ I would go with GB every time. Just my $.02.
 
As I have never owned a GB, I can say that with just a little work on a wetterlings, you will get just as much cutting ability, if not more and its a lot more cheaper, If your lucky. I bought my wetterlings Large hunters axe at a local shop and payed $85 for it (cdn). For 20 more bucks, could have gotten a GB and not had to worrie about anything, fit and finish would have been done. But I opted For a little work because I was bored and it payed off.

Just read the whole site befor you make you judgment, The wetterlings may not be as pretty, but it is one hell of a worker.

http://outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=147
 
cheers guys shall start looking around but dout those nakes` are here shall have to import again
 
This is not intended to be a burn at anyone posting in this thread, but has anyone else noticed that some knife junkies invest thousands for every imaginable type of knife, and yet balk at spending $100 on a good axe? I don't get it, especially since a good axe (to me at least) is much more practical than many knives.
 
Doctorbowie said:
This is not intended to be a burn at anyone posting in this thread, but has anyone else noticed that some knife junkies invest thousands for every imaginable type of knife, and yet balk at spending $100 on a good axe? I don't get it, especially since a good axe (to me at least) is much more practical than many knives.
Click to expand...

I have noticed that.....some poeple just dont use an axe that much. Many knife junkies live in apartments or rural areas and dont get to use thier knives much either. I and many others invest in good axes, and they've been worth thier weight in gold. My father didnt want to spend that much until he had my Small forest axe in his hand, now he has his own.
 
I have owned several Wetterlings and can't say enough good about them. Wetterlings are like cheaper GB. Cutting ability is similar, handles are similar, GB has better Fit and Finish. Go with a GB if you can afford it, but a Wetterlings is not much of a compromise.
 
I recently got a Gransfors Small Forrest Axe. I have never been so exited over an axe. It came shaving sharp with a nice leather head cover and axe book and you could just tell you had quality in your hand. I highly recomend this axe.
 
Doctorbowie said:
This is not intended to be a burn at anyone posting in this thread, but has anyone else noticed that some knife junkies invest thousands for every imaginable type of knife, and yet balk at spending $100 on a good axe? I don't get it, especially since a good axe (to me at least) is much more practical than many knives.
Click to expand...


Well said. :thumbup:
 
Good point Doctorbowie, But I must admit, I wont be caught dead in the woods with out and axe or hatchet of some sort. We made these tools to make things eaiser not harder, alothough it is fun to mess around.
 
hollowdweller said:
What is your intended use?
Click to expand...

just choping up fire wood in the aussie outback and possily making selter if it comes down to it.


i as to price range up to 400-500AUD i spose would be alright i belive that if i spend the money now i wont have to outlay in the near future.

it looks like Gransfor Bruks are the most recommend brand any one have a link to a good supplier???
 
Edit: I see you posted your intented use.

I am not an axe expert, but a sometime user of different
brands and kinds. Sometimes I am opinionated, sometimes not.

HB forge
http://www.hbforge.com/products/tomahawks.php
I have never used an HB.

Ox-Head Iltis has a large blade which helps you to not miss,
but it may be less efficient for felling. I have not used one
for splitting, but think it is not fat enough, soon enough(narrow profile).
It's an extreme design that you may like; look closely at pictures,
and think it over.

I like Wetterlings for the money; most have a rough finish,
except on the edge. I have seen and used a few, they are
the perfect compromise for me. I have a bad back and
only a modest skill with an axe; the Wetterling 32H makes me
look adequate and the chips do fly, what fun. My favorite axe.

I like long handles and do not yet trust plastic handles; that
eliminates Gerber (=Fiskers), for a while.

If you want a home axe, an old double bit on the used market
would be good. Examples: Sears, Kelly. They came with 36 inch
handles and the old ones had good steel, which you can test
with a file. But really, these things do not need really good steel;
they are easy to use and their momentum does the cutting.
The extra long handle allows you to keep your feet out of the way.

Edit: I just realized that you are 12,000 miles away, but
I will leave this in for other readers.
I was at Sportsmans Warehouse and they have some
general purpose axes that look to be better splitters
that Gransfors, Wetterling, or Fiskers and most others I
have seen. I believe they are Hults, have shorter handles
than I like, and are less than $38.
Check it out at the store, no online shopping. Here is a review on
Hults; you can google and internal search for others.
http://outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=19

Estwings are steel handled, maybe that is good for some situations.
They are good to keep in the car/truck, for emergencies. I used
them happily, in my earlier years, but their profile is too narrow for
splitting or good chopping.
I can pry a chip out of a cut with an Estwing, without risking a
broken handle; I would do this with no other axe. Bad habit anyhow.

Good luck on your search.
 
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