Roselli Axe

S

Salamander42

Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
945
I was wondering if anyone had tried the Roselli Axe or Hatchet:

http://www.ragweedforge.com/RoselliCatalog.html

I've been a big khukri fan for years, but after hanging out here for a while and reading some of your opinions on camp tools I've been thinking about trying a hatchet again. . . And going with one that's actually decent quality instead of a POS like most of the ones I've used. The Roselli appeals to me because it's unique, but still "traditional" looking in that it has a wood handle and blackened head. It looks very versatile and may do some finer work better than a khukri, though I know that it won't be able to do some other things as well or at all.

Anyhow, if anyone has used one, I'd like your thoughts, and if anyone has any other suggestions I'd like to hear those as well. Size and weight aren't much of an issue, but I wouldn't want anything with a handle longer than 18 inches since that's about the length of my khukri, and I also probably wouldn't consider spending any more than the $89 for the Roselli. . . That price tag is the main reason that I'm asking for your opinions rather than just going ahead and buying one. I've also been interested in some slightly smaller hatchets like the Eriksson Hand Axe and the Marble's Safety Axe, but I REALLY like the looks of the Roselli.
 
From what I have heard the bits on rosellis are REALLY thick, and not optomized for much use. I am myself am a Gransfors person, and I strongly suggest checking them out. The Small Forest Axe and the Wildlife Hatchet are great models for time in the Bush.
 
Check out on Outdoors-Magazine.com the Axe section, a French fellow, JM did an evaluation of the Roselli.

Also, you can read about this axe on the BushcraftUK website, with photos showing the profile.

Cliff Stamp did a thorough test of the Roselli too (can be read both here on BFC and on his web-site, cutlery-science).

Their consensus is that the Roselli is suited mainly for cutting and splitting softwood, but has limited shaping ability (feather sticks etc). The bit of the Roselli is thicker than that of the GB splitting maul!
The only instance the Roselli seems superior to a finer profiled hatchet is when cutting frozen and knotty wood, bone or sod, which do not require much precision but would easily damage a thin edge.
If you are looking for an axe used mainly for such abusive work, the Roselli seems good choice, but there are many cheaper alternatives, including hardware hatchets. The Roselli would hold its edge much longer than the cheap alternatives, but at 5-6 times the price.

If you are looking for a general outdoor tool capable of cutting, shaping and splitting, the GB SFA or Wildlife hatchet are excellent choppers and acceptable splitters (good for softwood, passable for hardwood). The Wetterling Small Hunter (15") and Large Hunter (19") have the same 1 1/2 lb head which has a more splitting oriented profile than the thin GB hatchets, but are still not so extremely thick as the Roselli.
Many people prefer the Wettterlings for hardwood chopping and especiallly splitting over the GBs.
The Wetterling axes are cheaper, but also with a much cruder finish, and are inconsistent in their head alignement, sometimes the bits are skewed, and the handle grain is frequently suboptimal. The GBs come sharp, while the Wetterlings need work to sharpen and optimize the bevels. After that, they are in the league of GB. Both the GB and the S.A. Wetterling are made by old Swedish companies, the heads are hand forged from high quality Swedish steel and hardened harder than the average production axes.
 
I was afraid that I'd get these kinds of answers. . . I usually find that when I like something based on unique design or looks that it doesn't perform as well as the more conventional equivalent. There is a reason that most axes and hatchets look so similar. . . It's the best design for the tool.

Littleknife, I had seen the review at Outdoors Magazine. Thanks for the pointers to the others.

I do like the looks of the GBs that have been mentioned, particularly the Wildlife Hatchet. I had looked at the Wetterlings, but I think I would prefer something with a rounder eye so that the handle can be gripped easily right up by the head.

The main things that I'll be using the axe/hatchet for, whichever one I choose, will be: 1. Gathering small branches from fallen limbs for firewood, 2. chopping and splitting larger pieces of wood if I want or need to, and 3. Small camp chores that I normally do with a knife such as cutting rope, making shavings and fuzz sticks to start a fire, whittling skewers or other small wooden tools, etc. . . I don't want to replace my knife, I just want to explore the possible camp uses of an axe beyond chopping and splitting wood. That's why I'm looking for something with a slightly more curved blade than usual and preferably a "bearded" pattern so I can get my hand behind the head for finer tasks.

What about a Norse or Viking pattern tomahawk? Probably not so good for splitting, but it seems that it would work for everything else I have in mind provided I can find one that is tempered to hold a good edge rather than to hold up to the rigors of being thrown.
 
The wildlife hatchet from GB can be choked up very well, I'll get some pics up in a little while. ;)

It's a good axe. :D
 
I have used the Roselli hatchet for a few years. It is very much optimised for splitting! Works very well for it's weight. It can be used for GP but without fairly large reshaping there are better suited small axes for that.

Even for a Finn Mr. Roselli is known to be extremely obstinate when designing his forgings.

TLM
 
Salamander42 said:
I had looked at the Wetterlings, but I think I would prefer something with a rounder eye so that the handle can be gripped easily right up by the head.
Click to expand...

I have the Wetterling and one cool thing other than cheaper prices is the fact that you can customize it any way you want. Strip it, round the eye to your liking, rub in neat-foots oil and when your finished with it it you have a hatchet that you worked on yourself.
 
Well here are the sorry excuses for pictures.

knifepics057.jpg


knifepics058.jpg


knifepics059.jpg


As you can -hopefully- see a high grip is capable with the WH from GB. :D
 
Thanks for the pics wabajack. I think you did better than you're giving yourself credit for.:thumbup: The GB is moving up on the list of contenders. I still want the Roselli, but not 'till I have something else more suited for general purpose use first.
 
I'm such a dork. . . I just found the Axe, Tomahawk, & Hatchet Forum. I have been regularly visiting the Tool Shed, Himalayan Imports and W&S forums and I kind of forgot that there were dozens of other forums here as well. . . I'm off to do some reading.
 
Well, after doing some reading here on the forums and over at Outdoors-magazine.com and a few other places, and looking at dozens of small axes and hatchets on dozens of web sights, I'm going to go with the GB Small Forrest Axe. Gransfors seems by far to be the most recommended axe and hatchet manufacturer, and there is a woodworking store near me that carries a few of their products at good prices, so I can go and look at and handle them and pick out the one with the best grain in the handle, etc. Here's a link to the store's web site for anyone who's interested:

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=20091

If I go into the store and they have more choices than are listed on their site, I may choose the wildlife hatchet instead, but one way or another I'm going with a Gransfors.

Thanks for all of the help everyone. It may be a few weeks before I can afford to pick one of these up, but I'll let you all know how it works out for me when I finally get it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top