WTB a good axe. Custom or otherwise. New or used. Suggestions?

Tiiiiiiiim

Tiiiiiiiim

Joined
Jun 11, 2010
Messages
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I did post in the axe forums here but havent got much back so i thought i'd try my luck here.

Just wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of a good axe maker. I'm after a good quality general purpose, full sized axe. It'd be used mostly when camping, for limbing and chopping dry Australian hardwoods.

It doesn't have to a be custom, just good.

Thanks in advance.
 
Try W&SS if the folks here don't respond...

I favour Gransfors Bruks... but Wetterlings and Snow&Nealley are highly recommended, too.
 
Hi, are you talking a full size single bit axe? I would say the lack of responses come from the work required to make a full size axe. Its different than making a hawk or a hatchet, espically for folks who have to do it all by hand. Slitting and drifting a piece of steel 1" thick by 3" wide for the eye is a gut buster. We have made a few axes in the past and its a real chore. You have to build a fire as big as a wash tub to weld the bit in with. Its just flat out a great deal of work.
Now dont get discouraged. You can find a nice axe very reasonably. You can go with something like gransfors or(for a fraction of the cost) you can find a older brand axe and rehandle it yourself. Many,many of th older brand axes were made of good steel and made right...Every bit the equal of the newer higher priced axes in my meager opinion. Plumb, Bluegrass, Kelly, Older true temper (that bought out Kelly), etc...Any of these would not disappoint you...You can probably find one for less than $50..The only thing is the profile wont be the same as say a gransfors..
Anyway its worth your time to check them out..
 
You could always find a good sized axe head to work with, then reprofile/heat treat it yourself.
 
Rick Marchand said:
Try W&SS if the folks here don't respond...

I favour Gransfors Bruks... but Wetterlings and Snow&Nealley are highly recommended, too.
Click to expand...

This

and

Husqvarna. - find a chainsaw dealer -

apparently made by one of the same companies above.


Same as a Wetterlings Swedish Forest Axe

It's a bit small, not 2.5 pounds,
only Weight: 0.85 kg / 1.87 lbs
26" handle

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/homeowner/accessories/tools/forest-tools/traditional-multi-purpose-axe/

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First off I am very new to axes, but I have been reading up quite a bit. I have heard that the Fiskars stuff isn't too bad. The X15 chopping axe seems to fit right inline with what your looking for. 600mm, 1k head, 1.5k total weight. Price is cheap enough to not be a huge loss if you don't like it.


-Xander
 
Tim, you LIVE in axe country. Find an old Keech, Gilpin, Tuatahi or Kelly made down under. Trojan silver or the more common Trojan blue will be good cutters also. Check out the logging events in NSW. Perhaps they can clue you in to some good suppliers or funnel you in the right direction. I have an old KeeSteel that I would not trade for the world...came straight from Sydney.
 
Stubai said:
Tim, you LIVE in axe country. Find an old Keech, Gilpin, Tuatahi or Kelly made down under. Trojan silver or the more common Trojan blue will be good cutters also. Check out the logging events in NSW. Perhaps they can clue you in to some good suppliers or funnel you in the right direction. I have an old KeeSteel that I would not trade for the world...came straight from Sydney.
Click to expand...

Being somewhat of an "axe guy" this was my first thought. You won't go wrong with GB, Coucil Tool, etc. but there are a lot of makers right there that are amazing. You are fortunate because you have access to them....so take advantage of them. Not only that but typically if you buy axes in-country from makers that are based in your particular part of the world, the axes are going to be tailored to those types of wood you will encounter. Like was stated above...find an old KeeSteel or look at Hytest or Tuatahi...they make some cool stuff. Their race axes are killer looking.
 
My axe arrived in the mail from Sweden today (via the UK)! I ended up going with a Hults Bruk forrest axe. Pretty much identical to the Gransfors Bruks. It's technically a Hultafors because they bought out HB but they're still made by HB in the HB factory. It comes with a nice leather slip and a hickory handle and came shaving sharp. I went with the Hults Bruk because my hatchet is an old HB. I'm sure I'll still buy custom at some stage. The handle length is 20” (50cm), and the weight of the head is 0.85Kg.

I had a bit of a chop in the backyard.

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Nice great dane (and axe) I have a dane almost exactly like yours, same markings, but mine seems a bit smaller.
 
Nice axe Tim, Whilst I dont have any knowledge of how good HB,GB Council or Wetterlings are, I can say that I love the old stuff as the steels are damn good, Plumb, Hytest, Kelly, Keech/Aussie Speed etc....of which I have several of the above in my shed & box. I hope that axe is what you are looking for. It does look good, Collins is another old school make worth considering also, although Im sure theres more qualified on here than me to answer that....
 
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