It sure does. I almost wasn’t believing my eyes seeing how well it chopped. I think it’s a combination of really good steel and a good grind. I’m almost tempted to put it on a 28 inch handle and see what it can do.
It absolutely is due to the grind in combination with the 5160 steel. 5160 is very tough, especially at 54 hrc. You can almost grind it to a zero scandi with a microbevel or rather a small primary grind. I find flat grinds for cross cutting more desirable than slight convex because you have no additional steel at the bits cheeks slowing the head down. At about 25 dps with the flat grind this axe will cut deep and throw chips. The only other axe i have seen come with a comparable grind was a tuatahi camp axe, which is multiple times as expensive. Also if you are a bushcrafter and use mostly hard dead standing wood, this grind is preferable because it doesn’t bounce out of the cut. If you live in the US this is an easy recommendation above a gransfors. I live in europe and still prefer this axe above gransfors, because they are just hardened to high. 5160 at 54 hrc is a great combination even during winter. I cant recommend gransfors because their steel is proprietary and to hard to file, so field repair is a real issue even with diamond plates. Just my two cents.
Nice comparison. This video is a perfect reminder that head geometry, weight and length of the axe handle can make a task easier or harder for the user. PS. The first thing I do with every ace I buy is “tune it up”. I usually remove some meat from behind the edge, and then use DMT diafold to sharpen up the edge at the apex. A sharp, properly ground axe simply does better at chopping wood.
Great chopping Mr. Stuart. The ability of the pack axe to do that with an able user justifies the intentions of the name. The axe in the pack must chop what is encountered regardless of the size. The FFS BOYS AXE when tuned will chop beyond reason as well. Along this general size of axe, I use a CT Hudson Bay as a pack axe...excellent video sir....
Thanks for the encouragement! I have to say as I was chopping I kept thinking about how nice your notches were in that hard maple, you make it look easy. I’m still very much working on developing a good skill for bucking. I’m really looking forward to tuning up the boys axe. It is very well balanced and the handle is extremely comfortable.
That’s a good idea, I really had a hard time with the arvika in logs from the same tree. I think it was so wide that it didn’t want to penetrate like it should. I think I recall you have an arvika as well, how do you recommend setting one up?
My younger brother has that pack axe and he told me that it cuts as though it was bigger than it is. Thank you for the demo here, now I can see what he was talking about. If you tune up your boys axe as you said I'm sure it'll be deadly. Great video.👍
All 3 cool axes! Pack axe definitely did well. Some maybe from the grind, and some maybe because the shorter handle forces you to put more body into the swing. Cool vid, keep up the choppin!
Awesome video and comparison! I'm looking to purchase my first "nice" axe for camping and can't decide between the Council Woodcraft 24" or the Helko Black Forest 24". This definitely makes the Council look good though haha.
Can’t go wrong with either of those axes. I haven’t used the black forest, but helko makes a very high-quality product. One thing in particular, but I really like about the CT pack, axe is it has a very keen convex edge. Basically you get 20 or so degrees level on the bit, and it convexes back to almost 30. That makes it a really good carver for notches, a great chopper, but then it splits super well because of the thicker cheeks .
@@urbanlumberjack Some solid points, sounds like it would be a great all around camp axe! Something about the flashy euro axes caught my eye initially, but the more I look at the Council the more it seems to stand out. Appreciate the info!
Well done review. Great choices too. However, I have read good and bad reviews on the HW tazzie. So, I am on the fence purchasing one or purchase a Tuatahi camp axe head only and hang it myself with a Hoffman handle. Good luck with that HW and hope it serves you well.
I have never heard a bad word about those tuatahi axes, I’ve never used on but have watched quite a bit about them. I bet it would shine with one of Hoffman’s handles. Think I’ve heard some of the same reviews on the Helko. I think they are making progress, but still in the early stages of dialing in their process. They actually went out of business a few years ago and we’re bought out of bankruptcy by a descendant of the original founder, and another descendant of the founders manufactures their handles.
@@urbanlumberjack Wow. Did not know that about HW. The Tuatahi Camp axe is a 3.5 lb head...and they call it a camp axe? Kinda heavy head for a camp axe. Anyway, I will put a 30-32 inch Hoffman handle on it if I purchase one. Again, great video and to the point.
