My first Gransfors Bruks

J

joeldenton

Joined
Jan 10, 2003
Messages
4
Hi all! I've been lurking here on bladeforums for a while, but this is my first post. I got an itching for a wildlife hatchet today and went on a quest to find one (couldn't wait for mail order). I live in a suburb of Dallas and figured there was one for sell somewhere in the metroplex. I called several sporting goods stores and hardware stores with no luck. Then I called GB in SC and asked for a dealer in the area. They directed me to Mountain Sports in Arlington. I called and they had two! When I got there, they actually had one wildlife hatchet and one hunters axe. I really liked the hunters axe, especially the circular grooves on the grip, but the smaller wildlife was more what I was looking for. Maybe I'll go back and get that hunters. :)

I got home and chopped down a tree in my backyard, it was sooo easy. It was a small cedar elm, about 4 inch diameter, but it came right down with a few swings. I've never used an axe so sharp, it's awesome! I bought some tung oil and treated the handle, but then read in the "book" that they are soaked in hot linseed oil and then waxed at the factory, oh well, maybe a bit overkill.

So, there you go, I love my GB. I don't look forward to having to sharpen it though. Thanks for listening to my ramble.

Joel
 
Joel,
Welcome to the forums!
Congratulations, glad you like your GB. They sharpen up pretty easily. I use a steel, then strop on sandpaper backed by a mouse pad (got to give credit to Buzzbait for that one:)), and finish it off on a leather strop loaded with polishing compound. I've sharpened my small Forest Axe a few times, and it never takes more than 3-4 minutes.
 
Welcome, Joel!

Now you see why we like the GB axes and hatchets so much. I certainly enjoy mine, and I even have an American Falling Axe to try out this coming weekend!
 
It appears to be a very nice axe - Lee Valley had a few in which are not advertised on the website or catalogue. The handle grain and alignment are fine. the blade is surprisingly thick and the bevels more obtuse than the other axes. The bevels are nicely finished in contrast to the mini that I got at the same time. That one had some secondary bevels.
So basically the AFA appears to be a very good general purpose axe for chopping/splitting. I'll try it against the Iltis this weekend, and later against some axes I made up on double bladed heads - a thin bladed True Temper that was sold under the old Welland Vale label - and a Hults faller.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top