I bought my Estwing Axe when I was 11 years old. I still have it today & I'm 52 yrs. old. I use the Hell out of it! The only thing I've ever done to it is hit it with my sharpening puck & wipe it off with mineral oil before I put it up. I use it on every camp out & around the house for splitting kindling to this day. I think I originally paid around $10.00 for it. Don't laugh... that was a lot of money for a kid & his paper route :)
Dad bought my Eastwing axe for my 6th birthday we camped probably 20 times in the next year or so then he passed away when I was 7. He taught me how to take care of it, what and when to do it. I'm 37 and still use it year after year. I've thought about buying another one or different brands but I just can't justify it. Even if I did Id probably go back to using my Eastwing
Just save yourself some trouble folks and get any Mora or a Marttiini condor timberjack, pair it with a fiskars x7 or estwing sportsmans axe, and a bahco laplander or silky gomboy folding saw and you're good to go.
Great video! My favourite combo is the mora Garberg and the mora camp axe or the terävä jääkäripuukko and the fiskars X7, basically Sweden VS Finland, being from Sweden I should have a bias but they are both fantastic and made for our Scandinavian nature :)
Estwing also makes a 14" "Camper's Axe" that is comparable in price but has that rubberized handle they use on their other tools. Not sure why Condor has raised their prices so much, but they seem a bit overpriced on some things now. I would like an amalgamation of these, with the materials and head geometry of the Condor and the design ergonomics of the Estwing.
Thank you for your reviews of the condor terrasaur. It was a big part of my decision to purchase not only it but also the Bush glider. Keep up the wonderful reviews
I have an 18" Estwing with the blue rubber handle and I love it. The only thing i dont really like is the cheeks are really narrow and it burys itself in the wood so far sometimes that its hard to pull it.
I used to enjoy Condors back in the day when their prices were in line with their quality level. I used to pay twenty something and get a decent piece of steel I could work with. I appreciated some of their bold designs and thought they would go somewhere. Joe is a great designer. But I grew tired of receiving unfinished grinds and edges at their new premium prices. The Mora is a much better selection than the condor at current prices. Mora turns out a finished product with better steel while Condor continues to be hit or miss... not worth it any more. Until I see consistent positive feed back on improved quality and price points I will stay away from Condor. I will say that I experienced excellent customer service from them after breaking one... no questions asked. Good on them but I just got tired of the defects.
cyclist01222 lol I mean when your only paying under 50 bucks for a knife can really expect the quality control to be that damn good? I mean be realistic about it, all in all I think condor is a pretty solid company with good knives for their value and I’ve also heard Gideon say that many times. If you think condor is bad wait until you buy a knife over 200 bucks that has rock lock and a bad action with an uncentered blade lol, you’ll be real mad then as I was.
@@joelilley3554 lol Yes. For 50 I expect a grind and edge. I've paid well less than 20 for better quality than some Condors. My Mayflower came with barely a grind and the edge was close to square. My Huron convex edge came way to fat and wasn't finished at all 2" from the handle. I have fixed them myself. The knife I broke was the Hudson Bay... they sent me a beautiful replacement from El Salvador that was excellent. Others are complaining also. A knife company should be able to get an edge on it.
The Terrasaur edge comes with a secondary bevel, so does the Garberg. They both need work to remove it. Yes the Garberg quality of build is better, but it cost twice as much. I find myself using my Terrasaur more cuz if I lose it, beat it up or abuse it, it’s a $45 blade and preforms very well. I can have 2 Terrasaur for the price of one Garberg. I do like the larger handle on the Garberg. Both are great knives with cost as a factor.
I find when Mora does price drops it's probably due to fit and finish issues...my full priced bushcraft black @$39 few years ago...done well, my sale priced one @$33 - plastic nub on the handle seem and grind was off slightly. My garberg carbon full price was flawless my garberg ss for @$74 had a nub on the seem on the handle...my new spark @$23? Same thing...my bushlore and huron were fine out of the box and my 2 terrasuars the same and the lanyard holes are actually consistent in how they're constructed. I think people are judging condor from many years ago unless I'm the luckiest condor purchaser. And yes I collect cheap camp knives like peeps collect folders...I have a problem :D
Thank you for your comments. I have no experience with Condor of the past. The Terrasaur is a great design. When I look at a $45 knife, I don’t expect it to be as finely crafted as a knife that cost double. I do like my Garberg better than the Terrasaur, but I find myself using the Terrasaur more, cuz I’m less worried about losing it in the field, and it performs well for its price level. I lost a SBT in the woods, the that stings a little. I know what you mean about hit and miss from certain companies. I dealt with that from my 20 years in the gun industry. It is frustrating for sure.
I really like this , it was really a good video. Lot of good information there. Myself I grew up using an old boy scout Hatchet made by Plumb. And I'm telling you it was a good Hatchet. I actually now have my grandfather's Hatchet which was a Plumb Hatchet to just made just a little bit different but great Hatchet. Keep up the good work enjoy this
great comparison vid for a knife/axe combo...size and weights + price totals with similar performances...and options that can be interchanged!!!! I got 2 nephews transitioning from camping to backpacking so this is very useful!
Thanks for this video Aaron. Very thoughtful and informative. Have you checked out Estwing's Camper's Axes? They now have a 14" long version with a 3.5" edge and a rubberized handle, rather than the stacked leather. Even better, one of the handle color options is a a high-visibility orange. Same $35 price range as the Sportsman's Axe.
Wouldn't disagree with the conclusion choice. Love my terrasaur and estwing for small wood processing. Though I do have a fiskars x17 for larger wood splitting but even then all three come out to about $140
Love all your videos. The comparison in my opinion should have been Mora knife & Mora hatchet vs Condor knife & Condor hatchet. Thanks again Arron & stay safe.
Interesting to see the performance of the Terrasaur knife but it’s hard to beet the reputation and legend of the Mora. Regarding the two hatchets, I would probably go with the Condor because of the broader head and handle as I have never liked leather stacks. For my $45 hatchet money I would go with the Husqvarna 13" Wooden Hatchet to complete the Swedish package. 🙂
Nice review. I’m a Condor fan. Maybe they are a little rough around the edges sometimes, but for the price point, they always deliver. And I actually use my tools, so paying double for a name doesn’t do it for me.
Hey GT, do you do any sharpening or do reviews/instructionals on sharpening? I have a Ken Onion Worksharp, but I’ve had a hard time not grinding the tip away too much on a knife. Do you have any tips on how to not grind the tip away or how to grind a tip back once you may have lost the tip or ground it away? Thanks for all you do brother, we appreciate you, God bless!
Hello: A months or so i did get a ESTWING sportsmen's hatchet with a sheath and i had to sharpen it up and i put it on a file and i put on a stropped and i took it on one of my fishing trips and i put a little use to it and it really made me happy to finely have a good American made hatchet and i can all most thank why did i put it on a file. Ok now i don't have much money but that's the best that i can do and have but i have to say as of now i do have some knives but that's going to have to do for me there on a cheep side but they do work and if it was not my dad and step mom. I will not have a few knifes but they are workable they got them on e knife show on cable tv. That smaller hatchet it looks ok but to much for it being small and the two knives well i have to really go with a cheaper knife. I'm on a very low budget. But really i thank you for all the information you give to us and be cool and peace to you and your family and friends. ✌.
Love how Mora, for all these years, made cheap durable knives that were quality made and rugged. Along came the knife nerds with their so-called "knowledge " of steel and blade production, now Mora's gouging the hell out them while the smart people still buy their cheap trusted models.
Bro, have you seen those tangs? I wouldn't call them rugged. That said, Mora's budget options are good for people that can't or will not spend much on a knife. But they aren't anywhere near as strong as a full tang Essee, Ka-Bars, etc.
@gideonstactical have you tried that same estwing with the blue or black rubber handle. Not only will the difference in grip be night and day, but the performance and actual feel of each swing will be way better. Estwing's anti vibe handle really works and is the standard in the carpenter's trade, especially concrete. Transition alittle to there hammers and the first hammer i used was the 20oz Estwing with the same leather handle. I was experiencing carpletunnel with in 6 wks of using that hammer everyday for work. I hated it. I tried a couple of the hammers of the other guys at work and was able to exchange that hammer for one of Estwings ultra lights with the rubber anti vibe grip and the pain was gone after 3 days of changing. I use it every day, 40+ hrs a week and couldn't be happier.
good review for both carbon steel fulltang knives and that full-metal hatchets. i find it quite naughty of joe flowers for copying the garberg so obviously. so, i for my part am not a fan of that full metal hatchets. just cold to touch, too narrow heads and handles near the head, not shock absorbing, terrible heavy, bad weight balanced. dont know, i see only emotional reasons in favoring those for usual tasks, compared to a fiskars or wood handled axe. no need in using something that is uncomfortable, freezing cold even in summer and by headshape suboptimal, only cause it will last "forever". if a fiskars breaks after 10 or 15 years of comfortable use: its ok to me, i buy a new one for 25euros. as for the knives, as fascinating as these models are: no need in carrying a thick-bladed fulltang knife with such low grind, if you carry also a hatchet/axe with you. a simple, comfortable folder with thin blade and high grind or a kansbol is way smarter and versatile to combine with. of course: not forgetting the folding saw. we dont wanna cut trees with small hatchets, dont we.
if condor was still owned by the germans it would be great but thats how they know how to build a knife in the first place lol they had all the stuff machines and drawings already when they opened condor back up the info was german info when condor was reopened lol lol though it is so lol people hate the truth but thats how it is
Murr Steven I think they were talking about the Condor hatchet. That’s why at the end, he paired up the Condor knife with the Estwing hatchet. Can’t argue with that! I just think its disingenuous to talk about one overpriced item (Condor Hatchet) yet conveniently ignore a horribly overpriced item (Garberg) sitting right next to it. Fortunately I believe that to be the ONLY Mora item that is so wildly overpriced. Might be a fair criticism of Condor, but they have dozens (hundreds?) of items in their lineup so I’d have to see if the balance of them are overpriced. I don’t think so.
@@JohnSmith-gs4lw He probably wasn't talking about the knives in this vid...He is a fan of their older stuff so am I but dang everything went up big time. Even their older blades are up in price ....The Mora Garberg has went down a bit I see it sometimes for $68-$70 but IMHO its still high I think $59 is reasonable. Still the Mora is much better made I don't care I'd rather pay $25 more ...the condor is cool but they are always wishy washy with heat treat . I've owned a ton and their 1075 just sucks, they are fun to mod like their blanks I really like using them for projects.
I think I got a Hultafors for only a little more than that. I don't remember exactly what I paid. There are Husqvarnas for less. I also have a Fiskars in this smaller size I got on clearance at Target for $7. They have since restocked them. I believe they normally sell for about $20.
Wait! _Zero issues with the Condor sheath?_ Try drawing the knife out of it when the sheath is attached to your belt. Retention on the Condor is good.... very good.... *too* good! Condor should have put a leg tie-down cord on that sheath design, along with the drainage holes. No such issue with the Mora's sheath.
I grew up in the '50s and '60s and lived in the backwoods of me Pa. Being a single mom, she would collect S&H Greenstamps to buy me stuff. One of the things she bought me was an Estwing hatchet absolutely identical to the one you reviewed here. My parents (my dad stayed out of my life) both died while I was in the Navy, so I had no reason to return home once my enlistment was up. No idea whatever happened to that Estwing, and, in fact, I had forgotten about it until this video! Thanks for the fond memories!
That seems unnecessary. In the Finn Hawk video he said that it and the Mora were virtually the same. In this video, he said the Condor and the Mora were virtually the same. So that would, in turn, make the Finn Hawk and the Condor virtually the same.
From my experience with both estwing e24 and mora camp axe,gotta say mora worked better for me,it really packs a punch and can split 4" logs easily. The estwing's edge rolled on my on its first outing,I fixed the grind issue and used it more but I prefer the mora.estwing for weight is closer to the fiskars x10 which has a much better reach and more capable.the mora's boron steel works better for me than the 1050 estwing.
Re nato it's actually a lot tougher than it looks,tbh I thought I'd break it by now.just returned from a backpacking trip,and that lil axe keeps preforming.the sides chip a bit but the head is actually imbedded in the handle something like 1.5" or so.it really hits hard and I baton it using a rubber mallet.also the ergos of the handle are really good.its a tough lil axe and much better than my estwing sportsman 24a and my fiskars x10 which is at least twice the weight.sorry for the rambling but yes definitely a great lil axe.
Re nato love fiskars tho the steel just doesn't hold up in my neck o the woods,have to strop it a few times a day even for small 4"logs.its a great splitter but for me Mora's boron steel and the grind work better. Just got back today from a 5 day camp&while trip and used the mora daily. I find it splits wood well and I can carve with it.its basically "survival" axe.the handle is better than fiskars less shock,only minor issue for me was the sheath so made one for it.i honestly think might just get another one just coz it's so good. P.s u might like Dewitt garden axe,has a more traditional look and it's also made of boron steel tho the edge needs a bit of work and doesn't come with a sheath.
Re nato I purchased it in England not sure what other countries sell Dewitt, it's the garden ash handle 360mm,I'd compare it to gransfors outdoor axe by lars falt to Dewitt doesn't have metal collar they weigh almost the same,both hand made but Dewitt is almost £90 or so cheaper plus they do a lot o good in their community,they hire ppl with different disabilities and help them better them selves.
I'd rather get Kansbol + Fiskars X7, if you wanna bring axe/hatchet in equation. Garberg + Axe is like why? Foodprep is much easier to do with Kansbol. Just my opinion.
Or the slightly longer blue rubber handled Estwing camp axe, it's a good size for camping, useable with one or two hands and comes with a leather sheath.
:D had two jääkaris. great things. i also think its better than garberg and terrasaur, cause the superb handle, steel and higher grind. though never tested both. kansbol is sturdy enough and better to use than thicker blades.
Good video and conclusions. If you get a chance you should check out the lA police gear kratos knife, it kinda like a rat 3 but with a bigger handle and a thicker blade. It is also a stainless steel knife. The sheath is not to good but it only cost 15 dollars. It is pretty much indestructible for the cost not bad to throw in a kit or your car.
I use the Mora in stainless and and Eswing sportsman hatchet. I have no problems with either ppl or quality control but I have on my Condor blades which is why I stopped buying them. 🏴🤷♂️
The condor is a knock of of the world famous Mora , Same with the condor hatchet just a duplicate of the World famous Estwing . I do have all of these and am happy with all of them . Just not much imagination on Condors part but I still love my SP-53 and the falcon combo very hard tp beat for 2 brutal tough blades. Great review hard to find clones of one another to review. Happy trails
Respectfully, I use a 27" Cold Steel Trail Boss Axe attached to my backpack (with a homemade Leather sheath,) a Condor K-Tac Kukri upside down on the opposite shoulder strap to balance out the load; A Micarta Ka-Bar Becker BK-2 scout style in my middle back and a Mora Companion HD with a 90° spine and Apple Cider Vinegar Patina on a 550 Firecord lanyard around my neck; (Oh and there is a Leatherman Wave in my pack taped to my Gunsmith's Screwdriver set.) I back them all up with an AR in .50 Beowulf with a 16" Heavy Barrel & a 1911A1 .45. I have been able to afford & maintain these and they have worked superbly for me! {5 years as a Scout, 7 Years (all but 10 months) as a Recon Marine, 43 years as a Scout master and Volunteer in various locations.} I recommend these, but respect the choices of others! I'll be going home soon though, so I sure do appreciate being able to put my 2¢ in there! Thank you!
Here in the UK, the Mora Garberg costs £110, which is what, $140? But I can get the Condor knife for £36, just a little over a third of the price of the Garberg, which makes choosing between the two pretty easy. Hatchet-wise, I have several inexpensive hatchets by Bahco and Hultafors which I'm very happy with after working on them a bit (especially the Bahcos), but those all have wooden handles.
Schrade Survival Hatchet ... fantastic performance, stainless head, thermoplastic handle with removal fire rod. Super sharp, easy to sharpen, great balance and easily chops and splits wood.
Been wanting an estwing hatchet for years, finally bought one, still a good hatchet but the grinds are so uneven on it, I just wish estwing would have better QC on the people finishing them, makes no sense to have a beautiful leather stacked handle and the rest of the ax with so many grind imperfections.
Honestly I prefer my fiskars to my estwing. Still a super durable hatchet with about the same performance steel wise but it's lighter, less fatiguing to use, more precise, a much better splitter, $10 cheaper, and easier to sharpen in the field.
I have an 18" Estwing with the blue rubber handle and I love it. The only thing i dont really like is the cheeks are really narrow and it burys itself in the wood so far sometimes that its hard to pull it.
I have every knife from tom brown tracker to the bushlore but what I like to use is a 9 dollar mora and a fisker hatchet way cheaper than these combos.
A more appropriate hatchet comparison would have been to swap the Estwing with their other model: Estwing Camper's Axe - 14" Hatchet with Forged Steel Construction & Shock Reduction Grip - EO-25A
I have an 18" Estwing with the blue rubber handle and I love it. The only thing i dont really like is the cheeks are really narrow and it burys itself in the wood so far sometimes that its hard to pull it.
I like Estwing and have owned them but I'm now a Condor man, love Joe, down to earth guy who designs things for the love of it. Also they are made with amór by my indigenous people (Mayan).
