Not a great debut for the new Council Wood-Craft Pack Axe

It's a high-quality mask/sheath. The axe cut through it for a couple of reasons. Mostly, the axe was free in the box because the pop-up cardboard restraining tab had been flattened. There is no glue, just stitching with a welt. There are rivets at the corners, but the bit can slide between them. I'd guess that the bit worked its way between the welt and one of the sides. It wouldn't take much of a jostle for that sharp bit to cut through the threads.

I've put a couple more rivets in the sheath so the bit can't reach the threads, and even if it did, it couldn't cut its way free.

A couple years ago, I bought a Gransfors Bruks trade tomahawk that was extremely sharp. It doesn't come with a factory sheath, but the seller had made one, using leather and leather stitching. During shipping, the axe cut through the sheath, through the leather lacing, through the packing, through the box and fell out on the floor at a Post Office sorting facility. The Post Office mummified it with packing tape, and that's how it got to me.
 
When shipping axes I always put a piece of painter's tape over the edge (and a cardboard mask if a leather one isn't present) and then package it in such a way that the axe can't shift in transit. Even a little wobble with an un-taped edge can put out quite a lot of force, even on good leather. I bet they could completely prevent these sorts of issues with a set of wire or string ties to a bottom piece of cardboard just to fix it in its location in the box without having to rely on something as flimsy and temperamental as a cardboard popup.
 
rjdankert said:
It's not unheard of to glue, stitch, and rivet.:)


Bob
Click to expand...

Might be a little overkill?
I am no leather worker , but the price is pretty good. Maybe stitched is better with the right thread and know how? Until I can buy into that its copper rivets.

P1010004_zps9xs2a4rd.jpg
 
Last edited:
I ship with painters tape covered by heavy duty duct tape. The painters tape is just so the duct tape doesn't leave a reisdue on the bit. It's easy to cut yourself when cleaning that residue.
 
Square_peg said:
Full welt?
Click to expand...

Everywhere there's a seam in the sheath there's a stitched and riveted welt, if that's what you mean. Some models use a folded-and-stitched layout and others use a "front and back" style, in which case the welt runs the full perimeter. The only ones that don't have welts are the wet-formed single-seam sheaths on the Primitive Bush Knife and its cousins, where there's just one seam that runs up the back, so there's no need for a welt since the leather wraps around where the edge goes.
 
Ziggy99 said:
Well I got an immediate and fulsome offer of a replacement from Council Tools 5 minutes after sending an email.
Click to expand...

It seems this was just words. I accepted the offer, from one of the company's Vice Presidents, and nothing has happened. It's now 3 months later. Two follow-up emails have received no reply.

So much for the life-time guarantee.
So much for customer service.
So much for integrity.
 
I can't even begin to imagine one would do such a thing intentionally. I wonder whether that email address is still monitored, or its holder retired? I'd rather accept a far fetched explanation than accept that anyone in their position would pull such a thing.

Did you try any other contact means (different address)? Of course I don't feel you should chase them, it should've been the other way around, pretty much.

Maybe Roster will chime in, haven't seen him around in a while. (Of course it isn't his responsibility either.)
 
Last edited:
I am sorry and surprised about this. I would also be royally pissed off if I were in your shoes. Trying other means of communication may give you a different answer...and resolution, hopefully.

I've never heard about the Swedes taking their time so long to address even smaller complaints from customers.
 
FWIW, I took the liberty to send them this link via the contact form on their website, as a "fellow forum member".

I do not do Facebook or any similar stuff.
 
Ziggy99 said:
The 2nd follow-up email has been opened four times.
Click to expand...
So this is the Woodcraft ax that got a dinged corner? Is it still in the same condition? Are you unsatisfied and no longer want it? Or do you still want Council to make good on the replacement you said they would do?


(Honest question, basically have you given up and do not want it, or would you like a replacement? What is the ideal end game outcome for you?)
 
Last edited:
Their response left me somewhat confused. I can't post it here, but I think there was some misunderstanding somewhere along the way. If I were you, I'd go through their contact form, on their website.
 
Something went bad wrong with that heat treat. 5160 should fare better than that mining gravel,let alone cutting wood. Sometimes something like that can happen in a production line heat treat. A head hangs on a hanger a little too long before hitting the quench and your no longer quenching from aust. temp,etc.. Even though its a great steel its still a production line and not a bladesmiths shop were each individual piece is given a large amount of personal attention..Dont let it get you down on the steel itself.
The sheath, well that's bad packaging. that and Id never make a sheath without gluing the welt, that protects your stitch. As you can see the bad packing and loose stitching lead to the sheath being destroyed.
I completely understand you being pissed off by this, I would be..I hope they take the time to fix it for you. I haven't read this entire thread through so if I miss something I apologize.
 
rjdankert said:
I may be confused, but I believe this thread has evolved into a tale of two CT pack axes. See page 4, post #62 by Ziggy99.


Bob
Click to expand...
Your probably right, like I said I haven't got to read the whole thing I was referring to the first axe,first pics with all the dings and rolling.. Ive made plenty of cold work tools in the past from 5160 that fared better than that on steel. Not my preferred steelfor that but works in a pinch.. ill look at that post your talking about
 
Twindog said:
It's a high-quality mask/sheath. The axe cut through it for a couple of reasons. Mostly, the axe was free in the box because the pop-up cardboard restraining tab had been flattened. There is no glue, just stitching with a welt. There are rivets at the corners, but the bit can slide between them. I'd guess that the bit worked its way between the welt and one of the sides. It wouldn't take much of a jostle for that sharp bit to cut through the threads.

I've put a couple more rivets in the sheath so the bit can't reach the threads, and even if it did, it couldn't cut its way free.

A couple years ago, I bought a Gransfors Bruks trade tomahawk that was extremely sharp. It doesn't come with a factory sheath, but the seller had made one, using leather and leather stitching. During shipping, the axe cut through the sheath, through the leather lacing, through the packing, through the box and fell out on the floor at a Post Office sorting facility. The Post Office mummified it with packing tape, and that's how it got to me.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't consider it a high quality sheath when they cheap out on a center piece of leather to protect the stitches.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top