the Gerber CampAxes

T

Tallquietman

Joined
Nov 19, 2003
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Does anyone have experience with the black Gerber camp axes? How well do they hold up? What knife would you pair it with? I'm leaning toward a Mora2000. I use one as a neck knife.
 
I've got a Fiskars one (same company as Gerber) it's a medium sized hatchet. It is a great chopper especially considering it was only $10 at Target. It mostly rides around in my Jeep, but you could pair it with any small to mid sized knife and be well equipped.
 
Ya owe it to yourself to check out the Gerber Brush Thinner too . . . it is more versatile than the hatchets.
 
I think the Gerbers are some of the best for the money. The Camp axe is my favorite all around utility axe.
 
I have the Gerber - Fiskars was not available in town when I got it a couple of years ago.

Love it. Light. Easy to use, takes a nice edge.

Now, though the same hatchet - Fiskars is available in Wal-Mart for 18.99...
 
Another question: Which steel is used? I've seen it described as high carbon, carbon and stainless. I've got a Gerber (Fiskars) Back Paxe enroute and am curious as to what steel they really use in the axes.

BTW: The axe says Gerber on the handle, but Fiskars on the head.
 
The Back Pax is a handy item to keep in your pack. I carry one, too. Have no problem splitting 4-5" dia logs with one swing.
 
Not a GB, but certainly mine is an OK chopper. However, they are like "lifetime" lubricated bearings. What if Murphy arrives on the scene? What if the handle breaks? You won't be whittling out a replacement.
 
Bought one years ago, after using a friend's. They hold up very well as-is, but I wouldn't expect that to remain true if you tried thinning it out, particularly the edge. Not sure, but I was of the impression that it was stainless, and probably relatively soft. Mine has never shown rust, and rarely been cleaned.
Too much of a wedge for great chopping performance, but they're not too bad, and split well for their size.
Mine will only get called out if I need to chop some roots, or similar abusive tasks. My GB small Forest Axe, and Scandinavian Forest Axe are far superior cutting tools, but the Gerber is a better beater and wood splitter. I'm much more comfortable using it as a hammer, too.
 
Interesting -- the Gerber website describes it as forged steel " The axe head is made of forged steel, tempered to take and hold a superior cutting edge.", while the knife in the combo package is described as a "Surgical stainless steel blade" (probably 440_). I really wish the makers would get specific instead of just using marketing hype as a description, however, the difference in descriptions tells me the axe is not stainless. I remember an old Gerber Mk I I used to have which while not stainless, shrugged off 44-40 bluing.
 
ras said:
Murphy rarely arrives uninvited.
Click to expand...

Actually, the Murphy's were well-known optimists: "What can go wrong will go wrong." Shoot, what CAN'T go wrong will occasionally do so.

Exhausted? Cold? Thirsty? Hungry? Injured? Break an axe handle? Surely that "can't" happen in a "survival" situation. ;)
 
Thomas Linton said:
Exhausted? Cold? Thirsty? Hungry? Injured? Break an axe handle? Surely that "can't" happen in a "survival" situation. ;)
Click to expand...
That's not Murphy, that's life.

I guess by uninvited I mean to say that those who prepare thoroughly (PPPPPP) are rarely visited by Murphy. Sure, there's always the possibility of a catastrophic failure, but usually when folks blame Murphy it's a cop-out for their own failure to prepare or their lack of situational awareness.

As for the axe, I intend to use mine very aggressively to see if I can actually break it. I bought a Timberline hatchet which will be tested alongside the Back Paxe. I'll let you know what I think of these two later on.
 
I've had the Back Paxe for three years. It's been a good LITTLE hatchet, which was just what I wanted. A replacement handle could be crafted for them in the native american Y frame fashion. I strongly suspect there are locking shapes formed in the axe head to facilitate this for the current handle that would work well for the Y frame too.

Phil
 
The steel seems to be good at holding an edge, as well as resistant to damage. It takes a wicked edge very easily. Very similar to a L6 knife I have, so I would hazzard a guess that it could be 15N20 (sort of a Swedish L6). Just a guess though.
 
I've had one "just in case" for years. When I dug out my overgrown shrubs I have to chop some of the 30 year old roots. The Gerber was great, which really surprised my because I wasn't impressed with there knives made in the 1980s. I hacked away for hours and was completly amazed that the edge was still sharp (my Gerber Bolt Action folding knife seemed to dull cutting Jell-o), even after chopping in sandy top soil. Mine also says Fiskars on the head...maybe that's the secret. I just saw the Fiskars version at Target or some similar store and was considering this larger version. When I bought mine there was only this medium size and a stubby hand ax. The larger one might be good company for your Cold Steel shovel in your car's trunk.
 
racegunner said:
The larger one might be good company for your Cold Steel shovel in your car's trunk.
Click to expand...
:) The Camp axe goes with the shovel, the Back Paxe goes in my kit.
 
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