Swedish Military Long-Handle Axe?

If I knew I could get as nice as Killa did I would order 2. But I still hesitate...
 
As previously mentioned, I returned two of the above axes for an exchange.
Here are the two replacements I received this week:

IMG_3208b_1_1_1.jpg


Surprise, surprise. Paint-free handles (mostly), and one axe with a black head.
There's a 3-crown stamp on each handle.

Handle Length: 27", more or less
Total Weight: 3#8oz (black) and 3#13oz (green).
Head dimensions: 6-3/8x3-7/8 (black), and 6-3/4x3-5/8 (green).
Poll dimensions: 2-3/4x1" for both, plus an extra 1/16" mushrooming on each side of the green one.

The handle dimensions, measured 12" from the knob end, were:
21x34mm for the black one (relatively slender), and
23x37mm for the green one.

IMG_3232b_1_1_1.jpg


The black one was almost shaving sharp, and came with an unused sheath in great condition.
The green one was fairly sharp, with some small nicks in the edge, and had a sheath that will be useable after a little work.

Another surprise... the black one was made by Gransfors Bruk.
(Well, the visible portion of the stamp reads " ANSFORS BRUK SWED "
No marking was visible on the green head (maybe due to heavy paint).

IMG_3238b_1_1.jpg


The bad news is that the black head has been used a lot. The poll evidently had a big mushroom filed off, and the edge had been sharpened so much that the remaining profile is pretty thick.

IMG_3216b_1_1_1.jpg


The centerline thickness of the black head is
1/4" (1/2" back from the edge),
5/16" (1" back), and
3/8" (1-1/2" back).

The green head thickness was
3/16" (1/2" back), and practically the same as the black head for the other measurements.
These are significantly thicker than the first 4 axes I received.

IMG_3220b_1_2_1.jpg


Even worse news is that the heads are hafted rather shoddily. The handles do not fill the eyes. It looks like the green head just has a metal wedge (only half the size of the eye) holding it on. The black one looks like it has two metal plates with a center "post" to wedge the head.

IMG_3228b_1_1.jpg


So, I am rethinking my previous "good value" assessment. With a sample size of 7 axes (including killa_concept's axe shown in this thread), four of the handles were "duds" (cracked or too small for the eye), and another handle was not aligned with the head. The heads are generally good, some with mushrooming to file off, and these last two thicker heads will probably be relegated to limbing and splitting tasks instead of felling.
Based on this, I wouldn't buy one of these axes expecting to get one ready to sharpen and use (although killa_concept hit the jackpot with his). There is too much variation for me to give a wholehearted recommendation, but then again you might get lucky (like killa_concept).
 
Erik L said:
I ordered 4 and they should be here tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forums, Erik.

Four Swedish axes for one Benjamin is kinda hard to beat.
I ordered 7 more and they are on their way.
Peter Vido got 20 (!) and is satisfied with them, all things considered.
One of his 20 was undersized and looks pretty nice:

IMGP2377b.jpg


Here are more examples of the variety found in Peter's batch:

IMGP2378.jpg
 
Those are sold out now. I did grab some and got one nice HB, although not as nice as Killa. I got one of the KB42 with a so-so quality handle, raw wood black head. and got two that are all green with junky handles and nice unmarked heads.

So all-in-all it was fun but I'm not ahead anything as a result.
 
I think its for attachment of a type of sheath. Or perhaps attachment to something else, like a vehicle.
 
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