New wetterlings

[scotsmanspride]

Just got my new wetterlings 19" hunters axe for Christmas. Couldn't be happier. As far as the handle goes the fit and finish are great. Feels smooth to the hands but not too smooth as to be slippery. The grain on the handle is excellent as well. The head is the only place that needed a little work. The poll is flat and fairly well polished but as to the sharpness.... Well it is 100 times better than a hardware store axe however not up to my standards. I have since taken it back to a zero grind convex that is shaving sharp at 220 and 400 grit. I will work it up to 2000 and then strop. As to the hardness well i can say for sure it is what they claim for RC because it is taking some time to sharpen by hand. As to the neck protection i am torn between a leather wrap or just 550 cord. The "sheath" or more of a guard is ok. I plan on making a new full sheath with a firesteel loop and a few other goodies. Pics to follow with those items. But overall If i had it either way between a GB or wetterlings I would still pick the Wetterlings and just use a little TLC and make my own mark on it and then use the other $60 i saved for other goodies.

 

[mrappraisit]

Congrats on the new axe. If you can post some pictures when you get the new sheath finished.

 

[scotsmanspride]

Sweet. Another knife nut in my neck of the woods....or desert that is!
!

 

[Iboschi]

Is this the one you got http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=SAW20H?
I'm thinking about picking one up myself. How does it preform for the following:
Felling/chopping:
Limbing:
Splitting:
Skinning:

I realize some of these will remain untested a bit, ie skinning, but whatever info you've got would be awesome. Congrats on the new axe!

 

[scotsmanspride]

I am planning on taking this thing out for a test run this weekend. As far as splitting it is great so far. Very smooth and not alot of effort needed. As far as skinning goes compared to my past history i would say it would work fairly well Even though for skinning i prefer smaller knives like the bark river mini canadian. The handle is long enough to do heavier wood work but short enough to still allow fine control of the blade. Again I have about 1 hour into polishing and getting to a zero edge convex. At 1000 grit now and it shaves hair with no effort.

 

[PeterCartwright]

I think the skinning function of this axe relates primarily to its poll. The trick is to keep pressure on the hide while using the polished poll to pound between skin and body. Haven't yet had the opportunity to try this trick, but, having done this task with knife and elbow grease alone, it sounds interesting.

PC

 

[scotsmanspride]

The skinning function is related to the poll. But in all honesty even though i have not used it for such I would probably just stick with the method of a sharp blade when needed and also keeping tension on the hide and using my fist to seperate the two. I am hesitant for several reasons one of which with no guard on it is a huge safety factor with the level of sharpening i use on my tools and with a guard then well not to be a cry baby but it would get the leather really pretty nasty and as anyone knows its not the easiest to get leather clean on the inside from animal blood and parts.