Which hatchet?? Help me spend my $$

[dcl]

Ok guys. Needing another small axe or camp hatchet. Looking at gransfor bruks and hults bruks. I see gransfor bruks mention a bunch around here. How does hults bruks compare?? Limbing, chopping kindling, driving felling wedges will be its purpose. Also any preferred vendors to shop?Any help appreciated. Dcl

 

[RandyBoBandy]

I have no experience with Hults Bruks. I have two Gransfors Bruks axes and I love them. The next one I want is the small forest axe. This has a 19” handle and I believe will end up being my go to everything axe. I just picked up a cheap Collins Boys axe and spent a couple hours shortening the handle a couple inches and thinning down the handle. Surprisingly I like it. I’m sure it won’t take long for the head to come loose but for 20 bucks.....

 

[Socratic Monologue]

I use a GB forest axe for limbing and placing wedges, but it is too big for me for making kindling. For kindling I use a Fiskars hatchet (which is too small for the other jobs).

The GB is a beautiful thing, and a pleasure to hold and use, but doesn't really do the job any better than the Fiskars line (I have the hatchet, X17 and X27).

 

[RandyBoBandy]

One of my GB axes is the outdoor axe. This is a great little axe/hatchet. Length with handle is 14.5”. It has a metal collar and a straighter style handle. It is very expensive though. I’m against plastic/composite handles So I will never own a Fiskars, however, people who do buy them typically enjoy them a lot. You can check out Council Tool they are an American company, but when you get up in the higher end axes they are almost as much as a Gransfors.

 

[Touch0Gray]

I have had to replace 4 handles (maul, large single bit, hatchet and small single bit) in the past couple of years. In all cases I had to go through every handle in several stores before finding an acceptable handle. 99% had the grain going the wrong way! If the striking surface is face grain... don't buy the axe or hatchet, that just proves to me that the company doesnt care about quality! That said, the one I carry on my belt while working in the woods, is an old Norlund Hudson Bay, I bought it brand new in 1970, still has the original handle and is perfectly balanced to my hand. I don't think you could go wrong with an old Norlund if you can find one. I see a lot listed on E-bay, not cheap, but time tested!

 

[dcl]

Thank you for the replies guys. Going to order soon.

 

[WoodBurnerInWI]

Go with the GB. I have their splitting ax and I love it!!

 

[Touch0Gray]

My splitting axe has no name, I bought it from an old blacksmith somewhere in the hills of North Carolina...., lemme see,.... maybe 1976? It's busted up a lot of wood since then. Been used, misused and abused. It's probably had a 1/2 dozen handles on it. You know, a swing and a miss....CRACK!

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Go with the GB. I have their splitting ax and I love it!!

I have the small splitting axe hanging right next to my garage rack. I use it daily to adjust splits and chop kindling. It’s a wonderful little axe.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Oddly enough I just got the small forest axe for my birthday. I would think this would be a perfect all around camp axe. Big enough for two handed splitting or chopping yet small enough to choke up on for detailed work. I can’t wait to put it into service.

 

[dcl]

Oddly enough I just got the small forest axe for my birthday. I would think this would be a perfect all around camp axe. Big enough for two handed splitting or chopping yet small enough to choke up on for detailed work. I can’t wait to put it into service.

Good looking axe Randy. Can I ask where you purchased it from?

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Good looking axe Randy. Can I ask where you purchased it from?

I received it as a gift, however , it appears it was ordered from grandforest.us. The website has an Estore where it can be ordered.