Thumbs up to Wetterlings

[CSG]

Let me preface this by saying I know very little about hatchets or their use but I got the bug to own a couple (thanks bladeforums!). I had looked at the GB's but just couldn't bring myself to pay the price so I bought a Wetterlings small hunting ax and wildlife ax. Together they were under $60. I didn't know what to expect other than the GB stuff is supposed to be superior in both manufacture and sharpness.

I can't compare so I'll just say the finish is a bit rough on both of mine and one was much sharper than the other. I used my Chefs Choice 110 to redo the duller one (it wasn't really dull, just not as sharp as the other) and it was about as sharp as I'm able to get things afterwards.

I went out back where I've got a big willow that needed a couple of larger limbs (3-4") to be pruned and I was surprised how quickly I went through them using the small hunting ax. I think I would normally prefer a saw rather than swinging an ax or hatchet but this was pretty effective. I was able to cleanly cut through 1-1.5" branches on the ground with a single swing letting the weight of the ax do the work.

Both axes (hatchets) are push cut sharp using a brown paper shopping bag as victim. The handles both need a bit of smoothing here and there and the metal finish of the ax head seems a bit rough to me.

Take my comments with a grain of salt and in consideration of my lack of experience with these tools but for about a third or less the price of the GB comparables, I'm very satisfied and impressed.

 

[littleknife]

Congratulations for the fine choices, CSG.:thumbup::thumbup:
I like my Wetterlings very much, too.
Wetterlings can make excellent axes. The only problem is the inconsistency of regarding handle grain and the bit shape or straightness. Most of the time these are cosmetic issues only, so for the price they are more than excellent value. :thumbup::thumbup:

It seems that Wetterlings recently switched from the varnished handles to the linseed rubbed handles, the kind Gransfors Bruks uses. Also, they started to use genuine leather for the guards, instead of the synthetic material people were complaining about in the past. Evidently, they listened to the consumer feedback.

 

[CSG]

Both of these have oil rubbed handles but one sheath is dark brown leather with a synthetic belt loop and the other (on the SFA) is light tan leather with a leather belt loop. I was going to call Wisemen (where I bought them) and ask if I could get the dark brown sheath for the larger head.

The grain on these seems fairly good (read straight) but again, I have no way of comparing them to GB's stuff.

 

[littleknife]

CSG, actually the tan leather is the TRUE leather, the dark one is the synthetic material. If you look closely at the dark ones, the surface seems to be true leather, but the layer below seems to be synthetic. If it is true leather, than it is definitely not full grain, or it could be a thin leather layer glued to a synthetic one. These very same dark sheats are the ones people were complaining of. One of mine is starting to come apart too after a minimal use.

I don't know if Wetterlings offers replacement guards. According to Ragnar the Scandinavian leather sheaths are quite expensive, so you might be better off making your own or buy a generic leather axe guard from a domestic source.

 

[CSG]

I just went and looked and I think you're right. The outer layer looks and smells like leather but it appears to be bonded to a synthetic of some sort.