Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Which Gransfors Bruks Ax?

Looking at this stuff, I remember the Mythbusters where they tried to get a hammer to shatter. They couldn't get a new hammer head to shatter, so they tried an old one, and still couldn't. I forget the context, but I gather it would be very hard. I've dropped some very hard steel. I dropped a freshly heat treated knife blade on the cement floor more than once, and have never shattered or chipped one. An ax head would not be so hard. I can guarantee my Estwing ax is much softer. I sharpen that puppy with a 400 grit belt in a couple minutes. The metal doesn't put up as much fuss as sharpening a lawnmower blade does. It goes away fast. I put up the little video there from Ray Mears. I've got to say, I kind of made my own GB ax out of an old one I had in the garage. I ground about a pound off it, reshaped the head, and I stuck a 19" handle on it. I'm doing a bunch of brush clearing with it. I agree with Ray Mears that the shorter the ax, the more dangerous it is. I kneel down to use the little ax when I can or chop on the opposite side of the tree/log... I've had big felling axes and you have that distance from the big long handle. The little ax, you don't.

I have the Mini and the SFA. I've never found a use for the mini that a 4" fixed blade or a little saw didn't take care of. -- just like having the Mini, I guess. The SFA is a good tool and easy to carry (compared to a felling axe, anyway). If I'm camping in a rig or on horseback, I'll take a 35" double-bit every time. I've got an old Sager that I like a lot. I make my own head covers out of saddle skirting leather. You wouldn't confuse them with factory-made (I'm getting better at making them look nicer) --- But they are really stout.

If a longer handle is safer, why not get the forest axe model instead of the small forest axe when they both have practically the heads?

Other than the helve length then, the only difference between them is the minor weight difference of an extra about 5.5" of wooden handle which is about 1/8th lb. <-- that's why I'd go for the longer one

http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/04/actual-weight-of-axe-heads.html

I have one of each... I would've guessed the Scandanavian was quite a bit heavier than that.

It is in a sense... at the longer lever arm provided by the extra 5.5", which is where it gets it additional cutting power.

When it is in your pack however, you won't be able to tell the difference.

Having a friend that (nearly ie took the top of his finger nail off) and having all the GB axes mentioned and some others, I now use a Bahco laplander and a "bushcraft" knife and use that to batton.
I was finding that I was taking to many risks with cutting fire wood and kindling and had 1 or to close shaves myself then when the above happened that for me was that. Husqvarne (sp)have some very good axes which I believe are made by Hultfers (sp)

I'm surprised how many people backpack with an axe.

Is it used primarily for wood? Or breaking down big critters?


Travis

Wood.

I have used my shaving sharp gerber to open a few elk chests.....its quick, but as said, one slip and you could bleed out on the hill.

It's alright little buddy. Not everybody lives where there is trees.

I did use my Small Forest to skin my last whitetail. It works better than you'd think. You don't need a fancy polished up poll, and when you hit tricky spots, use the sharp side (duh) But these days, I pretty much use the gutless method, so I don't see me taking apart a critter with an axe anytime soon.

Hunters Axe

The Hunters Axe (on top) clearly lacks the mojo that the Small Forest has (on bottom)



Also worth noting is that the GB Small Forest weighs only 8 ounces more than the one handed Fiskars/Gerber hatchet.

True, and a very practical choice!

However, the mojo factor is even higher on the Gransfors Bruks Swedish Viking Ax -- but not quite as practical!



I don't know if Gransfors Bruks exports their historic axes, but they sell them here in Sweden. I think I need a Viking Axe for my wall...

John

So you use it to chop wood?


Travis

Split wood, make lawn furniture, build log cabins, backcountry [bleep] construction, various other bushcraft type projects, and most importantly....

Running through the trailerhood with my beard braided while yelling ODIN!!!

NICE!!!! I like it a lot The Trailerhood would never be the same.

I have seen one of their trade tomohawks before. But I've never seen any THAT cool.

Exactly.

That viking axe looks really cool jpb, I'd like to put my paws on one.

I don't get it ?

You're not alone.


Travis

For me I think its more of a nostalgia kind of like the difference between a custom knife and a Walmart knife. I like the mountain man image as opposed to the city slicker.