Pure art. Authentic, honest, and enthusiastic. But what’s most enjoyable for me is how you took some time to let things breathe. I felt like I was there in the woods with you, having a conversation with a friend. Your passion for this stuff is inspiring. Thank you. Definitely subscribing.
Hey Christopher.....what a great response....i was new in axes 5 years ago but the work and the hobby and passion about this tool have had big importance to me... I live in Denmark so axes can only be hobby because everything here is small.... But i am happy to have you here and onboard. All the best from me in Denmark
not anything like those absolute beauties, but 2 years ago I went to a garage sale and saw an axe, rusty sitting by itself, and it was a US marked 1943 Plumb. military issue, I got it for 2 dollars. cleaned it up, sharpened it and rehung it on a nice piece of hickory, it’s hanging in my garage now. I love it.
The Gransfors Bruks small forest axe is a bit expensive but worth every penny, I love mine. I am also fortunate enough to have found a vintage made in England (unknown brand) 2 1/4 lb axe that is very good.
I've had GB axes. At this point their very overpriced for a decent axe and in N. America vintage axes and heads have also gotten stupidly expensive. Hipsters ruin everything. Sad part is folks buy these as investments to peddle or they'll buy a high end axe and never use it. That's a tragedy with with our culture. These tools were made to be used because life is too short not to enjoy finer things.
I have broke 3 Gb axes in knots and gave up on them a decade ago. 2 small forest axes and the French trade tomahawk..yet the hatchet I made from a hardware store carpenters hatchet is still running strong...and the otis ox head axe inherited from my grand still rolling and both ring like a bell.👍
If anyone wonders why a “Handwerker” a craftsman, puts such time and effort into his creations so that charging by the hour wouldn’t be worth his efforts; it’s in order to see these reactions from their customers... Daumen hoch!!!
Great video! I started blacksmithing about a year ago and I finally (after so much trial and error) I make my own axes and handles and although not as aesthetically pleasing as the axes in your video, they perform greatly.
As you seem to say, there is no perfect axe, only the perfect axe for you. I have loved and used axes virtually my entire life and wouldn't imagine not having more than a few available to me. I love everything from the Fiskars to the classics and own a bit of it all. In my country, in my childhood, part of the safety equipment on school buses were small half size fire axes. Some had a spike, some did not. These axes are now extremely rare and I have a special attachment to them, I own three and am always on the hunt for more.
Nicely filmed, and articulate. The forest I spend time in (western PA, USA) has few conifers and many deciduous trees, so I prefer my slender tomahawk if I'm in the conifers, but a slightly thicker angle for the hardwoods. I have a lovely Husqvarna Camp Axe, whose blade I've refined, and have two Council Tool axes, and they all work fine for mostly-hardwood work. But the Northern European axes that you use are superb for the conifer/softwoods. Thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom. Be safe, and enjoy the forest!
I own a Liam Hoffman Camp Axe. To be brutally honest, it's so nice, I don't like to use it in the woods. I use my $30 Council Tools Boys Axes a lot more. Don't get me wrong, the Hoffman is a dream to swing and felt perfect in my hands since day one. It's heirloom quality. When I got it, Liam was still a one man operation and I even have my name on it; "Yankee". He made it to my requests with a 2.37lb (about 1.07kg) head on a 28" haft & rounded lugs.
I understand what you are saying... But the head won't break... Not even over many years of outdoor use.... And the handle can be replaced by Liam... I have a spare handle in stocks for same reason... I don't see why having a beautiful tool and not using it
@@ThomasMartzak I spent decades making my livings with tools. I just feel that it's too special. I'm sure it'll get the job done, but I LOVE my work-grade axes for that stuff. My most used is my "Best Made Co." branded Hudson Bay axe which costs as much as my Hoffman, so I'm not above using an expensive axe. Just like my most used hammer was my Titanium Stiletto hammer ($100). I just see axes as tools. My $300 axes don't cut $270 better than my $30 axes.😂 Fit & finish are useless in the woods because a well used axe loses all of that fit & finish anyway once it starts hitting wood & sap.
I have a Plumb axe. It was my grandfather's. It is the best I have seen. The steel is harder than a file but never has cracked. Holds an edge like nothing else. Weight is perfect for me. Love it. I personally have rehandled the head 3 times and used it all my life. Great history and understand how you feel about this tool!
Thx so much for reaching out to me and telling me your story about the axe....it has high value to me to hear and share stories like this... all the best from me in Denmark
Just found your channel... I love it... Also to see your passion and knowledge for this amazing tool...is Totally inspiring and to know that i have a Kindred Brothership world wide... Your knowledge and dedication is to be applauded... And you have an excellent taste in quality and top shelf pieces... Godspeed and safety to you and your family...Much Respect from St Petersburg Florida U.S.A.....And yes Sir... I have axes!!!!....And love every one.... Old Florida Swamp Axes to West Coast Cali/Peeler double-bitz.... Thanks again for your expertise and help....i still have alot to learn....Again thank you and Godspeed from Florida.....
Hi Will ... If you would let me put this in words that make sense I will do my best. It's not easy just sitting down with a camera in the woods but words of kindness coming from people like yourself makes the experience and the work seems like nothing. Thank you for having a look at my channel and thanks for making a fellow axe fan smile 💪🇩🇰
The SFA is a very decent axe, one small downside is the thin blade (cutting head). It is so thin that the handle often will get damaged and is often getting stuck trying to split larger logs. The Wetterlings heads are a bit wider, better for splitting and therefore also less handle damage.
Thank you for this video. The LH and GB axes are excellent axes; either will serve well. However, you will find the older Tru-Temper axes very hard to beat. They really hit the sweet spot on the steel. The do not crack or chip. They both take and hold a fine edge supremely well. With proper care, that axe will serve generations of your descendants very well.
Some nice tools man, beautiful spot your in too. My faves down here in Aus are both vintage HB's, 1.2kg and 1.75. Every time I pick em up I get a stupid grin on my face.
I think yr GB is a hatchet? I have the Small Forest Axe, and it seems (on my lil cell phone screen) yr handle is shorter?! Impressive what you have done with it. I agree with some of the comments here, that GB is way overpriced. It's not about the performance, but i think i should have had not buy them. For me, the high price is a caretaker of it, and so i seldom use it.. I should have taken a Canada Iltis (Ochsenkopf) because i've learned how to handle an axe some 35 yr ago as i become a logger, and with a Iltis Axe. That's the common all-purpose here in South Germany. And in a Wilderness School i Always recommend this Type for every kind of 'Beginner' or as 'one axe one life' kind of thing. At one point in life you will have 'the better stuff', 'handforged' and that sh*t, and sure, the SFA can handle it. But i really didn't think, after a few dec., that a 800g CI, i've learned in direct comparison that she worked -for whatever reason- more precise, that this would be a worse deal. She could do anything what the GB can do, but for the half price.. Also i think the Quality cannot be more bad; or maybe something only a metal or steel guy can understand.. Another thing: can you made a pattern from that super duper Axe Handles. Esp. the one of yr friend. Simple lay it on a paper and draw in a 90° angle the outlines. Complete till over the head. (Ich übertrage dann diese auf Karton, hängen diese auf, ich/wir sind immer am Sammeln von guten Mustern für selbstgemachten Stiele!) If you are willing to do this, send me a message, i send you a letter plus a stamped envelope. Greetings
The best camp axe in the world - is a saw! Much cheaper, much quicker and much safer than an axe. You sure have a lot of experience with axes - I see that from the careless handling at wood splitting, no regard to safety at all. Cut some wooden wedges and a baton with a saw and a knife and split the wood by cutting a notch into the face of your firewood and then go on with the wedges, no flying logs all over the place like yours.
My Son just told me about your Channel and this is the first video I've seen of Yours. What a Delightful Person you are. To see Someone who is so Passionate and Loving about a work of Art that has been with Humanity for so long is very Spiritual!!! Health and Happiness to You Always!! God Bless you and yours.
Thx so so much for the kind words...and I am just a father and a happy woodsman enjoying my hobby...we don't have freedom to roam and wild camp here in Denmark so much video will take place here on private property. Give your son a High five from me and say thanks
What a fantastic axe. Your friend has crafted a masterpiece. The atheistic of the mirror polished edge to the sequential grain rings with the curve and swell, is pure beauty! I could almost palpably feel your enjoyment that the muscle memory from the touch in running your hands up and down brought to you. Enjoy your friendship and your axe.
I cannot blame people buying and saving ( not using ) this beauty... it's a once a lifetime purchased if your lucky.. I own GB, and wetterlings, I also bought Husqvarna axes.. Bu I used and beat up my Gerber & fiskars ....
i know the feeling.....i have two pre 1960 collins axes from pa US and one smaller axe from germany, a few others in my cllection......some people just dont understand a man and his axe....
I got the Hawksbill since I'm a fan of Nessmuck. Who can argue with a guy that had a 10 1/2 pound cedar canoe that still lives in the Smithsonian. The Sairy Gamp. She takes no water.
So enjoyed you enjoying the fine craftsmanship of that great Axe. I enjoy restoring axes, and That Kelly is a Dandy American tool....back when we did that kinda thing here!.
Hit wrong button , very pretty handle, is it a rehung restored axe, or a brand new replica? I have a few axes, but the one you may want to look up is my Tuatahi work axe, with the wings cut out. It’s a race axe with a non specific grind, guaranteed to be able to cut frozen wood without damage, it’s a thing of absolute beauty, but it’s heavy, I mainly use it only when I can take it in a vehicle. Tuatahi now also do a camp axe and they are looking into making a bearded small axe or hatchet, intended purely as a firewood tool for hunters, not for felling trees.
At first I couldn't figure out the logic of paying $100 just to have a chance to buy one of these axes, but I gather that this fee is for those who can't wait two years to have the order filled. That sort of makes sense. I had to wait the better part of a year for a Milt Sparks holster once. Still have it. I probably won't ever purchase one of these unless I suddenly become wealthy, but I was lucky enough to buy one of the last Bark River VX-5 Vengeful Ones that were produced, so I feel pretty fortunate to get that Chris Tanner design. He is producing the VX-5 again through Work Tuff Gear. The new design actually has a finger guard which probably makes it a bit safer to use, although Chris says that he compromised his design by including that. The steel and build quality are quite good, though probably not as elegant as the Bark River version, but it's also at least $50 cheaper. SK85 steel instead of CPM 3V. Don't know if that makes much difference.
WOW...great video, I can see how passionate you are about being in the Forrest and about the beautiful functioning art that you work with....truly inspiring brother....stay blessed 🙏
When you held the last axe bottom handle facing us, was the grain running sideways? I heard that could result in a handle twisting/breaking? Or was it just the camera playing tricks on me? Great video! Amazing is it a convex grind on your last axe?
What can I say, Thomas? Your content is infectiously amazing! I LOVE your enthusiasm and passion for axes & being out in the bush! I FEEL your excitement, my fellow axe brother! It's really hard to put into words, (about our relationship with axes), but you put it so ELOQUENTLY! I have a random question regarding your blue shirt/overcoat! PLEASE tell me about it! I MUST own one! Thank you so much for sharing!! Greetings from the Pacific NW 🇺🇸! 🪓🎄🪓🎄
And Thank you so so much for your kind and positive feedback on my video.... I do my best to draw you in and share my story about these tools 🙏🙏🙏 happy to have you with me
Love your axes! Thank you for sharing them with us! My special one is a 3.5# council tool Jersey with forged phantom cheeks on a 28" handle. I think we have similar tastes.
For my use. Never a 28.... Never. All my axes come here and work low next to the ground. 24 is perfect. I have a 3lb Connie on a 24 also... That's a power axe I have a Hytest Tassie on a 25 inches 🪵🪓 now that's an axe
I was able to test the LH camp axe from a friend recently. I actually prefer the Small Forest Axe for camping. It's lighter on the hand so you your hands don't get fatigue and it is sharp and strong enough to do the small camp task well. I like the handle on the Small Forest Axe more too, it seems to fit my smaller hands better. Liam axe is good too but too big and heavy for me.
The "W. Va." stands for "West Virginia." West Virginia was split off from Virginia during the Civil War, which some still call, "The Recent Unpleasantness." The Northern Panhandle of West Virginia sticks up partway between Pennsylvania and Ohio. Most of West Virginia lies South of the Southern border of Pennsylvania, known as "The Mason & Dixon Line," after the surveyors who laid it out. The Mason & Dixon Line is sometimes humorously referred to as "The Smith & Wesson Line."
SUBSCRIBED INSTANTLT! paused the video, went and did three hours of research, found & purchased what looks like a new unsharpened, unused 3 Lb Truetemper Flint Edge Kelly Works Jersey Pattern head and then came back to finish the video. Ordering a Curvey Hoffman Handle in the morning. Can't wait. Your sincerity is captivating. Great work. Will be checking out the rest of your content.
Having made something with different varieties of wood and also bronze, I know the magic of a unique piece like the ones you have. It runs very deep. My father was a gold and silversmith, my uncle is a clocksmith that did a lot of metalwork. If you look for Pipe of the Blood Moon with my name you should find my project. It was my first one, after that, I quit. I felt a lack of knowledge and skill at the time, I build this pipe on intuition, instinct, feel, some skill that I'd gained from my father and uncle if any. And sure, during an intuitive build, you build skill and knowledge, but I didn't feel I could get to the level of skill in that timeframe that I had to make a living out of it, or even a durable item, although the pipe is still in one piece. I sometimes regret stopping, I never used a pipe like this but just making it was magical enough for me, I've sourced the bamboo stem in nature, it was a great journey. I've just ordered my first axe, the Gransfors Bruk Scandinavian Forest Axe. I liked the smaller one you have, but the length of your other axes will suit me well I think. So, I went for it. Cheers
Nice axes and beautiful surroundings including those bird sounds in the back. I got to ask you though, so you had a Cotton T-shirt that cost you $300.00?
I was really interested in what you had to say about the axe. I gave you three and a half minutes and you were still farting around with theme songs and video montage. RESPECT YOUR VIEWERS TIME!!! GET TO THE POINT IN THE TITLE OF THE VIDEO. I am not looking to spend the evening with you, I just want to hear your knowledge and move on. You disrespect your viewers when you take 20 minutes to say something that could have been said in 10 minutes.
Well don't bother seeing anything else I make then .. but glad you gave it a shot. The interesting part is that you took more time to tell me off after the presumed 3.5 minutes. If I wanted to be short and informative I would just do a 10 line Instagram post. All the best T
We can understand how valued a handmade tool can be. Of course, its value also includes a usually very high price. A price sometimes so high that its buyer will not want to use it for fear of damage or loss. But the question remains: beyond the collector's value and its exclusivity because of its high price, can an equally useful tool of sufficiently high quality be had for less....sometimes much less (than HUNDREDS-of dollars) ? OF COURSE ! There are many examples. As for the fine, old Kelly axes; Kelly heads can often be found on eBay for very reasonale prices. Clean them up (a hobby many will do), fit a quality haft to them and voila !, you have an excellent axe for much less than a new (or used) Hoffman. Some attention is given in this video to "hand made" axes. Indeed, as collectibles, they can be very appealing (IF that's what you want). And it's true that an axe made by hand, one at a time, justifies a higher price. But for a quality, durable tool, is that a necessity ? Not really. Mass produced axes (not all, of course) can be tweaked to a higher quality if the owner expends the effort. In any case, thanks for this video !
Inspiring and heartwarming, your love for the outdoors and axes is surely infectious. My favorite axe is the Australian made Razorback Axe, has served me for years and is a pleasure to look at and use.
Hi Oz... Wauw... Thx for the comments... I am not faking anything you see in my video... I simply can't.... So if I show the feeling of joy in my outdoor videos... I am just happy
@@ThomasMartzak Just a comment on the forest axe, we find it hard to get one here in Australia but the closest thing is the husqvarna forest axe of which I have and love too.
@@ThomasMartzak you tried a Prandi axe? They look nice light patterns and very good value. I've noticed some better value options lately that are more available from different countries, such as Italy, Germany. So many options now.
I own several GB’s and I mostly use the Scandinavian and the wildlife hatchet. The American felling axe is impressive. GB uses fantastic steel. My small GB hatchet is always with me hunting.
Hej. Just found your channel. Great stuff. Thank you. Love axes myself. I have an old home guard firemans axe. I'm looking into buying a new one. A 'small-ish' allrounder that wont break the bank. But there's just so many options. What would you recommend.? Tak 🙂
I know this is late, but there in NO hatchet in the world that is better in any aspect that the estwing sportsman's hatchet. And it only costs 35-40 bucks. It is way worth it and has never done bad in any task.
I own many many vintage axes of all sorts and sizes but I should think the Scandinavian forest axe from Gransfors Bruk would be closer to the design and size of the Hoffman and Kelly axe in your video here.
Hi great video, I loved it so much I had to watch it again, I live in Oregon and been looking for a great ax as I have used many but disappointed in most, I tried the link you provided and it didn't work is there another way to find midwestedgeworks ? is there a web site or anything, thanks
I'd like to see how this does against hard woods. I don't live next to a pine forest. I live in the southern midwest of the USA. Oak, Hackberry, Osage orange, locust, maple, etc... These are all common hard woods in Missouri.
When money is no object, then it's easy to join Gransfors or LH fan clubs, but my money goes to Council Tool, quality second to none and very affordable for the common man.
I understand where you are coming from....my first axe was a Hults Bruk hardware store bought...mand the Gransfors axes back in 2017 was not as expensive in Denmark as of today....also the Hoffman was an investment...but not a bad one.. Liam did an amazing job and makes a sublime Tool....
There are hundreds of those Kelly axes in America bro. But glad you like it. Looks damn near perfect. I’ve found hand forged axes at antique shops for 30$. I have two. Have no idea who made them or when. But yea Kelly is everywhere here.
Those are absolutely beautiful axes. I live about 50 miles south 0f the man that made the Kelly ax, yes I live in West Virginia also and would love to sit down and talk to him if I knew how to contact him. Again beautiful axes! Have a great day. Stay safe keep your powder dry!
@@ThomasMartzak no I'm afraid not I don't mess with the social media aside of RU-vid who knows we live close maybe someday we'll meet of course I'm 72 years old so I might not even get the meeting before I meet my maker. Have a great day stay safe and keep your powder dry!
If u talked to the fella tell him to stop buying up all the 5 dollar lawn sale and flea market vintage axe heads and selling them to other ppl for some crazy price I could only imagine the price of lmao.....I mean beautiful axe..and I'm glad to see it get used....but Jeeze I'm wanna save all the vintage axes for my own collection....so yea I guess I'm just jealous haha
