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Just ordered my first high end axe
- Thread starter md02geist
- Start date
We're going to have to start being careful not to equate 'high end' (ie fashionably pricey) solely to define quality. Vintage domestics were manufactured to higher specs, tighter tolerances and smooth-finished all at a substantially lower cost due entirely to fierce competition of the times. There are literally millions of these still out there awaiting new homes and TLC for a fraction of the cost of a boutique implement.
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I agree but that doesn't stop GFB from being high end compared to my 20.00 plastic handle walmart special. Calling GFB high end is by no means a misnomer.
Re: the axe, it didn't show Saturday. Supposed to be here today.
High end is a relative term. Your comment seems to misunderstand the term. "High-end" status is not unrelated to price.
That's interesting. You spout a double negative so what you're actually saying is" "High-end" is related to price". A mom & pop inefficient/primitive facility has to charge seemingly outrageous prices for 'hand-cobbled' goods because they'd starve or go bankrupt otherwise. Perceived quality loss via lowered price of mass production goods was already thoroughly dispelled by Eli Whitney 200 years ago.
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300Six suffers from know-it-all-ism. So bear that in mind when he spouts off at the mouth
He's old as coal, been there, and done that... and has rightfully formed spot-on opinions over the past decades. Maybe we should seek wisdom, seek understanding, seek knowledge, and it will all lead to the guidance of discernment.
"Spout," really? The double negative wasn't used in order to avoid making the connection. You made the claim that price did not cause an axe to be high end. I disagree, but not entirely. Price is absolutely a factor in determining what is high-end. Is the most high end product of any type necessarily the best quality? Absolutely not, I'm quite dumb enough to try and make that argument.
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All of this discussion is totally unnecessary.
Axe showed yesterday. Beautiful thing. Shaving sharp, never seen an axe that sharp. Scary and awesome.
Glad I didn't go any shorter. Though I think there is a spot for a slightly shorter axe, I'm glad I took this one as my firsr GFB axe. Thinking of trying a hatchet next at some point.
Axe showed yesterday. Beautiful thing. Shaving sharp, never seen an axe that sharp. Scary and awesome.
Glad I didn't go any shorter. Though I think there is a spot for a slightly shorter axe, I'm glad I took this one as my firsr GFB axe. Thinking of trying a hatchet next at some point.
LEGION 12
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This is the truth ^
Yep. And I'm glad you like it. I love using my GB SFA which is a bit smaller than yours. I have a Norlund about the size of the Scandanavian though so I can imagine it will serve you quite well. That size feels great in the hand, is very versatile (cutting, carving, splitting, light, long enough to do work), and the GB steel is fantastic. My SFA came shaving sharp, and all I have ever had to go was strop it and maybe one quick swipe on a ceramic stone and it has stayed shaving sharp through its use. I did add a few coats of BLO to the head and wedge and it seems to have really sealed it well. I added it to the handle as well for good measure. Post up some pics...everyone loves pics!
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Your going to love it man I own one too and it's a work of functional art. I don't know why they get so much hate from the guys who are into restoration, not everyone has the time to search one out and fix it up.
I got lucky I found a store near me that sells gfb's so I got to pick out the one I wanted.
I got lucky I found a store near me that sells gfb's so I got to pick out the one I wanted.
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Yep. And I'm glad you like it. I love using my GB SFA which is a bit smaller than yours. I have a Norlund about the size of the Scandanavian though so I can imagine it will serve you quite well. That size feels great in the hand, is very versatile (cutting, carving, splitting, light, long enough to do work), and the GB steel is fantastic. My SFA came shaving sharp, and all I have ever had to go was strop it and maybe one quick swipe on a ceramic stone and it has stayed shaving sharp through its use. I did add a few coats of BLO to the head and wedge and it seems to have really sealed it well. I added it to the handle as well for good measure. Post up some pics...everyone loves pics!
I'm thinking about either a widlife hatchet, carpenter's axe, or outdoor axe next. Something to keep with the "get home bag" in the truck (which has firestarting stuff, water purification stuff, emergency blankets, some emergency food stuffs, etc...just the basics that would help keep you alive for about a week or so until you got somewhere more stable or could find more food etc.). My wife calls it my "crazy bag" because she always pictures people who have these sort of bags being tinfoil paranoid conspiracy theorist people and that isn't me at all lol.
Ask and ye shall receive. Unlike normally where I'm doing stuff by mobile, eye surgery has kept me home the last few days so I've been doing nearly everything by actual computer. Thus..PICTURES!
LEGION 12
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I'm thinking about either a widlife hatchet, carpenter's axe, or outdoor axe next. Something to keep with the "get home bag" in the truck (which has firestarting stuff, water purification stuff, emergency blankets, some emergency food stuffs, etc...just the basics that would help keep you alive for about a week or so until you got somewhere more stable or could find more food etc.). My wife calls it my "crazy bag" because she always pictures people who have these sort of bags being tinfoil paranoid conspiracy theorist people and that isn't me at all lol.
Ask and ye shall receive. Unlike normally where I'm doing stuff by mobile, eye surgery has kept me home the last few days so I've been doing nearly everything by actual computer. Thus..PICTURES!
That's a beauty did they have to sharpen it before they shipped ? Now your gonna need a Wetterlings.
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LEGION 12
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Boiled Linseed Oil for the handle.
LEGION 12
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I do any axe I have ever owned sooner or later you will have to. Lightly sand the handle apply a few thin coats your good to go. Of course there is other products you can use Tung oil everybody has their own way of course. That's what's on my Wetterling handle.
They come from the factory with a BLO and beeswax handle treatment. However, I wiped on a few coats of BLO just for good measure and the handle did absorb a few thin coats. The end grains (eye and wedge) will usually soak some up especially, which will help prevent the haft from drying out. Your handle may not need it yet, but it can't hurt. Simply wipe on a thin coat, let it sit for a few minutes, and wipe it off...I don't bother even sanding unless the wood is rough or damaged. If the oil sits on the surface, you're good. If it absorbs, keep applying thin coats until the wood won't accept anything else. Your handle may very well be good to go as is. I do it just for good measure, just in case yours has been sitting in a dry warehouse for a few months or something.
There are lots of handle treatments available...pure linseed oil, BLO (which has drying agents to allow it to dry in 24-48 hours usually), walnut oil, beeswax, mineral oil, orange oil, tung oil, etc. BLO is simply one of the cheapest and easiest to find, and it dries quickly unlike pure oils which can take weeks to months to fully cure. I like my handles treated with BLO (which darkens the wood a bit), then "polished" with a coarse rag or scrubby pad to smooth the grain a bit. If it's a raw handle, I sand to about 60-80 grit, add the coats of BLO, and then polish the grain. It's then ready for fun.