Six months ago I went to a local hardware store and bought what I consider a corner stone item to any survival Kit. Not knowing the first thing about axes and doing little to no research, I purchased a Fiskars X15, the price was right and after all an axe is an axe......Right!
Wrong!
Right from the start i wasn't impressed and after only a few uses, the axe was rendered useless. So I set out and did some research and thats when I found Granfors Bruks.
For those not in the know these are hand forged, hand made swedish axes. As I found out they are widely considered among the best axes in the world. At first I was hesitant spending almost triple the cost of my previous axe, but I bit the bullet
and made my purchase. From the first use the difference, and superiority was immediately evident.
Axe Head
Granfors Bruks hand forges their axe heads, and each axe head is initialed by the smith who made it. The iron work and attention to detail is simply beautiful. The edge held buy the axe head is amazing, the initial edge was so true that it took a six inch swatch of hair off my leg with little effort. The head is not polished or painted, Granfors Bruks says that this is because they have nothing to hide, and I for one agree.
Handle
Hickory versus composite was and will continue to be a hot topic, however for me hickory won out. when my Fiskars X15 broke i contacted them and asked for a replacement handle, and the calmly informed me that the handle can not be replace because of how it is mass produced. Hickory, or any wood handle can be replace quite easily, and is only marginally heavier, plus wood just seems to feel better in the hands. Ergonomically speaking, I suppose that a company could produce a better mold, and the composite handle is very strong, but again the ergonomics of the Granfors Bruks was just perfect, you knew you were carrying an axe and you knew you had a good grip and a powerful, controlled swing would follow.
Use
Fiskars claims that because their composite handle is hollow, that all the weight is in the head, therefore creating a better swing and more power. This simply is not true. The Fiskars was very hard to use for small detailed work i.e. stripping bark because all the weight was in the axe head and was not counter balanced by the handle causing quick hand fatigue. I also found that the power of my strike seemed lacking. By contrast the Granfors Bruks was very practical and intuitive. Each axe comes with "The Axe Book" which among other things, covers the basic uses and how to's of your axe. In the age of the internet this may not seem relevant, however when your out in the forest, slipping this small book in your pack could save your life
Price
Granfors Bruks is expensive
Fiskars is inexpensive
Other
Sheathing for the Granfors Bruks is leather, where as the Fisgars is plastic used mainly for hanging the axe on display at the store.
Lets be honest, any axe is better then no axe, but the Granfors Bruks impresses at every stroke. When you hold and use a Granfors Bruks axe you know you are holding a quality product that will last well beyond the 20 year warranty. If the cost is bothersome to you there are other companies that have "budget" axes in this great video below.
for more info
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqVOVebR_Y0
I have a double bladed axe with a wooden handle really old to was given to me from a old logger and a regular axe with wooden handle the two of them work great I can add pictures if you want
Preparedness is like a condom , I've rather have it and not need it, rather than need it and not have it
I agree wholeheartedly on Gransfor Bruks...I am fortunate enough to have a few for different purposes, and I genuinely look forward to using them on their specific tasks...the hatchet, forest axe, the small splitting axe (great for one handed splitting in straight grained wood) and the broad axe...
When I am splitting good sized rounds, with a hefty axe with a nice wedge shaped head, I go to my Iltis splitting axe (also, like GB, available at Lee Valley).
On my atv lives a large Estwing axe (good for multiple jobs like hammering, prying, limbing and general all round work and takes a lot of abuse.
A small Gerber composite handle for when weight is an issue, in the pack for longer camping out hikes.
Also have an old double headed axe that I came across years ago, that I threw a straight handle on that lives in the wood shed, that feels good to swing in general, and I like for rough splitting of kindling...
I think I have an axe fetish, on top of my knife thing...I should get help I think...lol
Cheers,
OTP
Be sure that when you pick out your axe (natural handle) that the grain is inline with the axe head. If it is perpendicular, then that the handle is screwed and will break on a real hard swing. 😈
"We 'Prep.' to live after a downfall, Not just to survive."
Cold Steel, SOG etc sell a variety of axes. One piece axes will not break, buy a one made of quality steel and it will last a lifetime.
Be sure that when you pick out your axe (natural handle) that the grain is inline with the axe head. If it is perpendicular, then that the handle is screwed and will break on a real hard swing. 😈
Thanks Ranger, as I was just thinking of adding that...if you go in to look at the axes before purchase (as opposed to buying on line), ask for a couple to compare the grain...while I have yet to see bad grain in a Gransfors, I have seen some that are appreciably straighter than others...grain going opposite the axe head direction is just asking for failure...
Cheers
OTP
I think the important thing here is getting the right tool for the job, or in contrast ensuring that the tool you buy is intended as a multipurpose tool, lastly make sure the tool you buy complies with you ideologies.
ensuring that you know the intended use for your tool, i.e. a SOG hatchet is not designed to fell a tree ect.
as stated any axe is better then no axe, however we are talking prepping, to me that means knowing, learning and practicing your tools. so if a small hatchet works for you, or you have multiple tool to preform a task thats your strategy, just be open to refinement .
When I did a short stint splitting shake blocks(ya gotta do what ya gotta do) we used a heavy headed axe (5.5 lbs) with a cut down handle( total length 24 inches) I still have it and use it almost daily (when I'm home) the handle is quality hickory and never been changed,even after 15 years of regular use. Tip if your axe becomes loose soak it in warm old anti freeze. keep on hacking...
When in doubt think it out...(you thought I was gonna say something else?)