The rivets are meant to protect you if you drop it, so the blade doesn't cut through the stiches and cut you. They're brass and softer than the actual blade so it shouldn't damage the edge....
Mine was not sharp new. It actually rolled an edge as soon as I started chopping post oak. I sharpen it up to 1000 grit and I’m now very impressed with the durability and ability to take and keep an edge. I could shave wood like a plane!
I got one of these recently. It's wonderful al-round tool, so well balanced and it performs well above it's weight. It is my fav hatchet now. That little spot on the beard is where it was hit with a hammer. That's how they test their heat-treatment at GB.
Very good review, thank you. I might add that this axe was designed by survival specialist Lars Fält. Fält has been responsible for the survival training of Swedish special forces for decades. He also designed a really nice fixed blade and folder for Casström. Anyway, the axe is intended as a survival tool rather than a traditional camp axe. For the splitting, I recommend an ”ears off first” approach, where you split off the sides rather than go through the middle. It’s safe if you kneel doing it. Anyway, keep up the good work :)
Head is a Hudson Bay pattern. Those are actually the easiest pattern to forge. Fantastic quality hatchet. Worth the price. Just saying, that particular design of head is what many blacksmithing courses teach their Beginner students to make.
Just purchased your holster for my G.B. Wildlife Hatchet and I love it! Did a 5 star review on Amazon with photos showing fitment with a small (perfect IMO) I thank you and your dad for making such a beautiful and tough product.
That little flat spot on the beard is how they test their heat treatment. They wack it with a hammer once before finishing the sharpening to make sure it's not too hard/brittle. These have a differential heat treatment and are harder at the edge then around the eye. Wonderful little hatchet by the way, I know it is expensive but even so the Outdoors Axe is my fav lightweight chopping tool by far.
I picked one of these up about a month ago and I have mixed feelings about it. As you experienced in your test I found it to be a woefully inadequate splitter even though it has a somewhat flared or convex head that is supposed to split well. It's head is just too light. I found it to be better at felling smaller trees, more work than say the Scandinavian Axe (which I love) but the benefit is that it is a lightweight backpacking axe. I'm going to keep this axe as I like collecting but if I was to do it all over again I would not buy it. it is just too expensive for what it is. Great review.
I was expecting more of a camp hatchet tool. I had read that the head has a more convex curve than a typical axe, good for splitting and could be used one handed. That's all true....it's just not very heavy......so it's better for the person that wants a light bushcraft tool.
for this axe i like a wooden drop in scabbard with a snap closure(homemade). clip it on your belt, axe drops in handle first, axe hangs in an open top wooden wox basically. secure with a snap strap over top. For added safety a buckle could be used but i like to be able to grab it quickly and drop it back in. This to me is the kind of axe you dont take out of your pack to start using but the one that is always in reach like a knife.
Nice review. I've had mine for two years and I have to say the original sheath has held up very well. I'm not saying that you should not buy a custom sheath but I will say that you are gonna do well enough with the sheath included with the axe.
They actually designed this thing with splitting in mind and after you use the hammer back method where the log is forced on the blade of the axe you splittend like crazy, that’s exactly my experience and I used to split logs that big as your chopping block with ease. People are always trying to batone the axe trough but just use the hammer back Methode and a mullet out of a big log just for entering in a hard logface.
I'm pretty sure those rivets are brass and shouldn't chip your steel blade. They're meant to keep the blade from driving through the welt on a hard strike. Great review on a great tool. I'm glad I found your page.👍
When splitting a piece of wood that is heavier than the axe, I would set the axe in the wood and turn it upside down to let the weight of the wood create the splitting force. You just have to be able to handle the risk of the axe getting stuck.
You will find that if you stone the one edge on the axe that cuts the sheath it won't do that, don't stone it much.. The other thing i'm going to do is give you a tip on splitting , have a chopping block, or a log you can set your blocks on.. Now out here in the Pacific Northwest where i live being i'm a retired a logger i have cut and spit my share of firewood.. Green wood always splits easier as it has pitch, resin , sap in the fibers... Dry wood "more so Broad leaf Maple " when it cures and dries out , makes it very difficult to split, Maple and Hemlock are two of the most difficult and for that you need a different grind on the blade to help it split the dried out wood..If in fact you can, i have had some i could not spit with the proper tool.. Blade grind , head weight, handle length are all important.. Hatchet yes you can do fine out in the forest with one you can build shelter, cut a prepare fire wood for cooking and a warm fire.. good video
Have one of these. It split wood much better than than this video shows. I think the technic for splitting was a bit wrong. Its much easier to split wood if you hit it in outer parts of of log, not in the center. Special with a light hatched.
When the axe stick in the wood leave it and hit it again like you was but wood on wood instead of flipping it and like you was!! But amazing axe already made the buy and will be checking out that sheath!
This axe is in the Forest Axe line, and not the Splitting Axe line. It is small and light for field carry, so it is no surprise that it isn't a splitting champion. If you go to the company website you can read about the design of this axe. You left out that this one is fundamentally a survival tool. Given the design criteria, this should have been the focus of your review. It also excels at bushcraft tasks. Granfors Bruk makes other hatchets for the objectives you selected. Direct quote from the website: The Gränsfors Outdoor Axe was developed with the help of survival expert Lars Fält, and is ideal for those who want to use an axe in different ways when out and about in the countryside. Although it is light, it can be used to fell a tree, thanks to its relatively long handle and heavy, elongated head. The axe is also excellent for limbing a tree. The handle has a protective steel collar near the head so that the axe can be used for light wood splitting tasks. It can also be used as a large knife. Lars Fält, who worked with Gränsfors Bruk to design the Gränsfors Outdoor Axe, established the Swedish Armed Forces Survival School and has trained the Swedish Army Ranger Battalion for 35 years at the Ranger School and Parachute Ranger School. He has also written 10 books on survival and outdoor pursuits.
That is exactly what I think of this axe as being. I would take it with me backpacking or hiking as just that - a survival and bushcrafting tool. Thanks for your post!
Wich axe is better for both survivaling and cutting medium or smaller size trees? The outdoor axe or the wildlife hatchet both from Gransfors Bruks? Nice video btw!👍
Had to close my eyes when you started hammering on the pol of the axe when it was upside down. You will very quickly ruin a beautifully made tool doing that. Only the mauls are designed to be used that way, or with a hammer. Please read the axe book or check out the Gransfors website. That aside - good review of a superb tool.
So it is, but It clearly says for splitting axes. Forest axes are not classed the same , they are not built in the same way. The walls of the head are not as heavily built and will NOT stand up to a lifetime of use in this way. Just contact GB and they will say the same thing. I still found the review to be very well made and worth watching though.
Gransfors wouldn't say anything like that. There's nothing wrong with hammering an axe poll with wood. It's how they're designed to be used. Putting a steel hammer to a poll is a different story. Unless you want a broken axe, don't do it with anything other than a splitting maul. The Gransfors FAQ says the same thing. If wood damaged steel, a steel axe would be the wrong tool for cutting wood.
smike230966 are you buying an axe or a decoration? Clearly you don't use axes regularly. I'm sure your GB will hold up to your feather sticks and tent pegs. Mine will also hold up to my land clearing and timber cutting. Don't be a puss, use your axe. It's tougher than you think.
love your video guys , can you make a review for ospery atmos antigravity 65L pack ? and in your opinion which is better aether 70 or atmos 65 and why ? i got stratos 34 L pack and i got problem with the back panel , that it is curved inside for the airspeed system , which make it hard to fit the hydrationsystem inside , does the atmos have the same problem
+ReviewOutdoorGear It looks silly... A better review would be using them as they were designed for. A backpacking scenario processing dead branches and splitting them to get to the dry wood.
+g ride hello there! He does not, but that sounds like a a good idea! I think we might start making those. Basically a loop to stick it into that hands off your belt, correct? I think I know what you're talking about.
I think I know want you mean. It is a belt loop with another loop attached to it. The axe handle then slides through the loop and hangs off your belt. See this link www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=79174 Best Regards
Ideal for sharpening pencils 😂love your Dad's axe masks does he make them for any model? I've just ordered the Ray Mears wilderness axe and want a more substantial piece of leather to protect it when not in use.
It is a fair-trade and ecologically conscious ax (hence I like to post this comment), which is very important in this careless and increasingly evil world that will destroy itself. This ax works well for me, and I can see why it works well for a survivalist type vacation / scenario. It cut off some wood here well, still making deep cuts when striking at wood that is harder to reach (only tried dead wood so far). It is easy to strike on a stick in hand which needs a point, and then grab it by the head and use it as a knife to fine tune the point. I could see how this saves time/energy. It is surprisingly good as a knife to be honest, that you can hold quite comfortably behind the head. It is sharp indeed, and so far seems to stay sharp. I could cut with enough blows through an eye in the wood (not sure what that means objectively, think that stick was about 8 cm thick with an eye almost as big), while holding the branch in hand. It seems good performance in my subjective opinion. You need to be careful not to cut the leather holster because it will casually bite into it. When putting the holster back carefully it should be fine. You don't _have_ to cut in the upper leather, just tuck the lower point in first. I do not comprehend why someone would strike an ax with the cap on, as is suggested in the video. If you are that drunk ... maybe you need to pay with a damaged ax ? I'm ok with that. Drunk people don't need a good ax, better if it is blunted so we are all safer around them. Good of you to give such a thorough review, and to try to cut a log that seems too big hehe. Wouldn't have thought you could manage that, but it did. Handle seems fine. The top wedge is in perfect. Some have commented it is thin but my hands are somewhat long and I have no problem with it whatsoever. The texture created by the oiling is nice (slightly waxed feeling), gives some additional grip. In terms of sacrificing ax for weight to make it easy for carrying long distances, I think it is still an excellent short ax. If you wanted to do a major amount of axing stuff after a short walk, you may want something heavier. If you will walk a lot with it then every 100 grams counts, and it will be worth to have this _Gransfors Bruck outdoor ax_ lighter ax that with a few more swings still does the job. 20 years warranty on it. I bet the competitor axes are great too (in this price range), and I don't know them for comparison (only know basic factory axes), but I doubt a buyer would regret getting this one when looking to do a variety of jobs on a variety of wood (ah, it was designed for that ... nice how that works). Looking forward to use it more and care for it like a little baby, with a touch of oil and a little kiss now and again. ;-P P.S. Someone who has a job restoring old tools commented on this ax that it was a good one, with a hard head made of the right iron. He wanted to have it, but I had to turn him down.
Was not made to split logs. It was designed to split small pieces like kindling and pieces you pick up of the ground. Don't cut at 90° when chopping just keep cutting at 45° and you will cut quicker. People like it because it looks like a hawk!
Yeah, I am not trying to hold back. Right now I just have a couple things going on in my life that require me to save my money in case of a sudden emergency.
The stupid part of this video is around the stock leather sheat. If you would've just pinched the top part ridge portion of the sheat it will definetely not cut the frickin leather..
Randal Flagg It's actually "Graensforsh Bruuk" :) (Gränsforsbruk) Directly translated it would be "The border river/stream factory" (Word Bruk is not a translation for factory, it would be "Fabrik" in Swedish, but bruk comes from the Swedish word "Jordbruk" which means farm (Jord = earh, Bruk = to use). There is no English translation for the word. A bruk is a place where you refine natural resources, in this case metal.
+ReviewOutdoorGear sorry brother I was wrong to pull you up on the pronunciation of a company name especially when it seems I was slightly off with it myself, we all know who your talking about no matter how it's pronounced, incidentally are you noticing these and Wetterlings out of stock in lots of outlets? The foresters fine axe from Wetterlings is sold out all over the place and won't be in stock till late next year I'm told!
Randal Flagg no worries. Yeah, its always been hard to come by some of these for a good price. You can still get this axe, but for a price. In terms of the Wetterlings, it seems you are correct.
To bad the sheath is so terrible. At that price point should be great. Like your sheath. I'm a leather artist as well so I'd make my own, no rivets at all:-)
They get their leather from a place called 'Tärnsjö Garveri' but I don't know if it's that place or Gränsfors that makes the sheaths. I myself am not a leatherworker but agree that it's pretty unimpressive.
Your reviews of these GB axes should be retitled, me actually trying to sell you a sheath. You did not review this axe, you stood and talked about info freely available. You can’t ‘review’ an axe without using it
Has no idea how to tune an ax. Otherwise, would be EMBARRASSED to pay that much for an ax when he could have gotten the same performance from a $20-$40 dollar hardware store ax. Promise: You'll look stupid if you have to lay out that kind of cash for a tool you don't understand, like he did.
Your killing that axe and you say it's not total dry 🤣🤣🤣 learn to use an axe first then make a review. Your dad made an ok job with the case but you say it doesn't catch the axe if you acdently hit it with the cover on but that is not the case please be careful when mocking a company when your product failed ??? All the best HH
You know that religious stuff is unnecessary. You're reviewing and selling a product. Endorsing a god is unprofessional and in bad taste. Products should be impartial. There's a right time in the right place for everything, this is not one of them.
