Wood expands and contract with the seasons due to humidity levels. As Conrad says below, GB probable get the wood down to near zero moisture content, then shape them to fit the metal. As the wood returns to a more natural moisture content it will expand and lock solid to the head. You can't stop wood expanding and contracting but with this method you end up with either a tight head or a very tight head depending on the seasons. You can do this to replacement handles by slow baking them in an oven before shaping to fit.
My grandfather used to soak the axe heads in water the night before we used them to swell them up a little. I used to go to Italy to help him in the summer/fall months growing up as a kid. He made his own handles. He was amazing. I'm buying my father this axe now, the Gransfors, can't wait. He is almost 70 now, so I think he will really like the Scandinavian axe . Thanks for the video.
I find I'm becoming the guy down lower. I watch axe videos everyday. I do a lot of trail work for mountain bike organization and decided I wanted to lose the folding saw and go old school with an axe. Bought a GB Wildlife for my wife to wrap up for Christmas. It was so nice, she wanted one for trail work also, so we bought her a mini, her girlfriend a mini, her husband a small forest axe, me an additional small forest axe, my son a wildlife, and my son-in-law a Hults Bruk Tarnaby. 7 axes are going under trees this Christmas all bought at a hardware store in Black Mountain NC that keeps the whole line in stock. That got me interested in Helle and Casstrom knives, but I better wait on that. This is addicting.
Dear Cody, thank you for your videos. I'm a freshman in college, your videos have kept me from dwelling on my homesickness and anxieties. I can't thank you enough for all your work.
Cody i can promise you that when you go to gränsfors you will not be disapointed ive been there twice with my dad and every time we were there we stayed for about 4 and a half hours just because its so amazing and the axe museum is just great and actually just outside the doorway to the museum there is a splitting station where you test some of their splitting axes. So Cody just go there with your family and you will not be dissapointed. have a good day!
This guy is a pretty cool dude. I've watched his videos here and again for about two years and his enthusiasm is nothing less than epidemic levels of infectious. I watch this guy mess around for 15 minutes and my apartment turns into a cage. I've gotta go make something with my hands like a knife sheath or modify a backpack pouch or some damn thing. Given the amount of time he spends doing things with these tools I can pretty safely say that I'll take his word for it when he says an axe is good. I've been keeping my eye out for tips on a good portable woods axe and I'm pretty sure he just sold me on this one. Money well spent if it lives up to this praise.
Cody, the trick to getting the axe handle to stay solid in the eye is to reduce the moisture in the wood as much as possible before you fit it. This can be achieved by putting the handle in a drying box (a small box with a fan and incandescent light bulb). If you can drop the moisture level to less than 6 to 8%, then when you bring it to the field, it will pick up some moisture from the environment and swell. It only takes a day in the wrong weather to ruin a well dried handle or board. My experience is based on working in the family sawmilling business for 10 years before I graduated from college, where I studied forest engineering among other engineering subjects. Keep up the great work! You are an asset to the RU-vid community. Cheers!
AS - Anders Strömstedt DG - Daniel Gräntz KS - Kjell - Åke Sjölund LP - Lennart Petterson MB - Mattias Blixt-Pettersson MM - Mattias Mattson MS - Mikael Sundberg RA - Rune Andersson TT - Tobias Thelin UN - Ulrik Nilsson
Hal Convery yes they will all have a makers mark! TT, AS, KS, LP, MM, MB and recently ES are pretty good! LP and KS are semi retired but I have seen KS still forging the mini hatchets! If you want a really good Scandie like the one in the video I highly recommend TT. I hope this helps :)
You are very welcome Hal :) I am so happy for you. You will love it! I am telling you these axes, specially the model you have ordered are surrounded by magic :) there is something about them! I have many of them and they all have names :) Freja, Athena, Lisa and more :) Enjoy it! You treated yourself wonderfully for Christmas :)
Im from Sweden and i bought the great forest axe 16 years ago. Lo and behold it has the stamp LP. I recall that when i was in the axe shop i begun to read the little axe book and saw a picture of Lennart. So I wanted a axe that was forged by him. Among ~10 axes I found one...and purchased it. Ever since, I have only used it occasionally for chopping branches from logged trees. Feels good to use great tools.
Dear Mr and Mrs "W", I just wanted to say what a blessing it is to watch your videos! Its truly a blessing to watch them . I think its cool how you take time out of your day just to entertain us.Mr W you are a man of much knowledge and a true man of God! keep up the great work!! Thank you!!
You know what I like about you and your videos most is while you can take over 15 minutes to answer a simple question and if someone asked you that in person you would only take as long as needed to answer. In other words I feel you would be just awesome to talk to. If the situation arose for you to go on and on about something you could or you could get your point across quickly if needed. Keep up the good work Cody. I hope someday a situation arises that I get to meet you in person.
Sold me on one, I must have watch 100 video`s on Axe`s...I short listed the Scandinavian forest axe from Gransfors Bruk, Then got all disappointed because no one I could find in the UK had ANY GB axes in stock.....Then after searching again for what felt like an eternity I found a supplier in Scotland that had one....Its on the way to me as I type this, should be here tomorrow. Cody, Thank you for your time and effort you put into these video`s. Please keep uploading as often as you can ( god knows how you find the time )...you are quite an inspiration and a fountain of knowledge. I must also add, what a lovely gift from Babak P ! That will never be forgotten. Regards from Cornwall in the UK.
varmartin of Kernow I am so happy for you for your new Scandie :)) you will love it! It is such a versatile tool! I find myself not even needing a knife anymore! Cheers
well, it arrived this morning....what a lovely axe ! Cant wait to take it out in the woods to see how we both get on together. I think it will sleep under my pillow tonight ..lol
varmartin of Kernow That's fantastic :))I keep mine next to my bed and look at it sometimes lol I know what you mean :) just make sure you keep the sheath on or she can cut :) enjoy her
I found several old axes in our barn and you've inspired me to attempt to restore them! They are all rusted and need new handles but once I do get them fixed up, I would love to get a Gransfors Bruks! Of course the Mrs. will wonder why I would buy one after fixing up several old ones...
Just got this very model for my birthday and I am beyond blessed to own it. You just feel quality as soon as you unwrap it and see the mirror polished bevel and the ergonomics of the linseed dipped handle it’s just hard to find many things made in the same fashion as a gransfors bruks axe
Post from northern Sweden (Kiruna). Me and my twin brother both have a Lennart Pettersson axe, the scandinavian axe (large forest axe here) and a carpenter axe. We bought it for approximately 15-20 years ago. And like you, I have bought the American felling axe (I love than one too). I have always said to my brother that the scandinavian axe from "Gränsfors bruk" is the best axe there is. It is amzing, I can literally feel it when gripping the handle and work with wood in the forest. A personal story, we lost one axe during one season in the nature. It was dark at fall and we worked at different locations and it have "hide" under some fir branches (under snow). At the year after when we found it it was almost like new. Just a thin layer of powder rust on some part of the axe head. The handle and functionality was unaffected. Then I knew I had right in my assessment of quality. Btw. I become the 4000 person to give it a "like", (yay!).
Thanks Bud !. I know it´s not a merit to say i misplaced a GB axe in the forest, but still wanted to share this story because I agree what Cody W said about Gransfors quality. Greets from Swed. / Pete
Leanart Petterson is actually 68 years old now so he has almost stopped making axes. he does axe repairs for the most part but he forges axes now and then.
@@TroutCRAZY i was gonna buy a husq so i can save my GBA a bit ....till i seen those photos ...i mean its grabage compared to the GBA... its crazy how it just snapted
I just got a Gransfors Bruks splitting maul and I love it. I had never heard of G.B. until I started watching your channel. I don't have a regular axe, so the scandinavian forest axe will be my next purchased. Thanks for the recommendation.
I would really like to see another axe restoration video like the in the old days of this channel. The fss polaski restoration video is one of my favourites.
I have a LP carpenter's axe that I bought 15 years ago. Never used. Thought I would carve rustic furniture when I retired. Also bought a hunters axe at same time. Again, never used. Used to cut up a half dozen deer a year. Hunting land became scarce. Beautiful. I use my Gerber and another cheap Swedish axe. Thanks for your videos.
It's truly incredible how cheap these are...considering the countless folk who will happily pay $200+ $300+ $400+ for an absurd tactical folder etc etc...
Gotta love Granfors Bruks! A few years back I bought the small forest axe on your recommendation and I have not regretted it. Like you say every time you hold it it makes you smile. Gives you the warm and fuzzys.
Gränsfors bruk is currently in the process of absorbing Wetterlings who will stop existing and produce GB axes instead. If you prefer the Wetterlings, now would be a good time to buy one.
I have bought one Gränsfors Bruk forest axe (64cm - 25 1/4 in handle, the big one) in germany 2 weeks ago. treated it 7 times with linseed oil (leinölfirnis) and i love it, something for generations. thanks for the good videos.
Glad you enjoy the ScFA. It was my first non-Fiskars axe. It has proven to be an absolute joy to use. I do a lot of back-country trips. It can be a hard time justifying the size and weight of it. When I do get to take it with me, I am always glad that I did.
Cody, I recently have been looking for a good non-splitting axe. I really like that you posted a video like this. These are the kinds of videos that got me addicted to the Wranglerstar channel. That being said, I have really enjoyed how the channel has evolved and how you've included us viewers in your family life. Thank you as always, Brad
I totally agree with you Cody i have 8 gransfors axes and the one i always grab is the Scandinavian forest axe. I have thrived in the woods using only that axe no knife no saw. I have skinned a least a dozen animals, felled, bucked, and split countless trees, done some finer carving/carpentry with just this axe and i just can't get enough of it. It is so awesome!
Wranglerstar, thank you for this video. For years I've been trying to find a great faller's axe for the central Oregon coast and narrowed my search down to the Small Forest Axe and the Scandinavian Forest Axe, so close was the race, I was contemplating sending you a message for your recommendation. You beat me to it. Thank you.
For anyone who can't afford or get a hold of a Scandinavian forest axe, that model is essentially the same size as an American Boy's axe. They're by far my favorite size to restore. Very handy to pack, but still large enough to do serious work with
e-mailed them "Was watching another wranglerstar video on youtube where he continued to make me want to buy one of your axes. He has convinced me that you are the gold standard for axes and, when I can afford one, I will purchase one and use it my whole life. I would not have known about your company, or found a love in axes if it wasn't for his show. He has suggested that his viewers e-mail you to encourage you to invite him to tour your factory. That would be such a treat. I would love to see how your axes are made. I think this would do nothing but help bolster your sales of excellent tools."
I’m thinking of getting one when I get a shed up and running. I live in the suburbs and probably only ever use it a handful of times but it’s a beautiful axe that I could see me passing down to my son.
Thank you for your videos friend, I am new to the axe world and absolutely in love with them and maybe finding a new hobby and I learn so much from you.
What a generous gift! I would be hard pressed to part with such a beautiful tool. You must be so stoked to have received it. I look forward to seeing it action. I have the wetterlings axe in that size and I completely agree that it is the perfect all-round size. It lives in my truck and is used more than any other axe that I own. Even more than my small forest axe😲.
Thank you so much for all your videos. I just ordered a Gransfors Bruks Scandanavian Axe, and this video was a deciding factor on me ordering one. 8-) Thanks again.
Thankyou for this review. I really like enjoy the information and knowledge on the topic. I’ve had a wildlife hatchet from Granfors Bruks and just ordered the small forest axe. It’s more a collectors axe for me. I’ll still use it don’t get me wrong.
It so happened that I first encountered the video that showed a good way to carry an axe (Grizzly Peak). Thanks, Wranglerstar. Then I discovered how to properly sharpen an axe (How To Sharpen an Axe by Wranglerstar). Thanks, Wranglerstar. Now I've finally found the preferred axe. Thanks again, Wranglerstar.😊
Thanks for a good video that inspired me to watch several ax making videos that are available here on youtube. Yes, and it's OK to shed a tear or two when looking at a thing of beauty!
I really appreciate you making this video. I now know what I want in terms of an axe. The last axe I purchased was way too heavy and large for me. That Collins axe is quite the treasure too !! You speak with such passion and humility.
Gransfors Scandinavian is my favorite. Small enough that it is reasonable to take it along with most trips, large enough to be able to do most reasonable ax work.
I love your videos man. Your honesty and knowledge from experience is so refreshing in comparison to the majority of guys making videos these days. I have a Collins legitimus and love it. I've been looking at the GB scandinavian fa for along time now..
Gränsfors Bruks allow people to come and visit, check the production on weekdays. So It would not surprise me if They also could do a tour for you . Check with them. :)
Rod Dahl whel i could pay him one euro if he puts metric measurements on it but seriously i don't get how asking a small favour is such a big deal, and i'm not a liberal
Well. I don't think that drawing is available anymore so the copy that Cody owns is pretty rare. It would be nice if he would share it with the rest of us so that it doesen't die out. :)
I just bought the Scandinavian axe - feels nice Just gifted my small forest axe to a friend😉 Used and abused it. Even cut a car bumper that poited in a 90 deg angle after hitting a deer 😜 Never sharpened it and it is still sharp
Hi, I have been to their shop and did a knifemaking course and we got a tour around the factory and it was amazing and very educational. I highly recommend to go there.
"It is expensive but not for what you get" Best way to put it. I had a convo with someone on a woodworking video about traditional joinery piece prices vs. screw and nail constructed items. And it is my belief that it easily justifies spending a little extra for quality compared to paying to replace every so many years but no one seems to get that anymore. Sadly we live in the "disposable age".
you said it all.......the people who build them, use them. My frustration with tools especially the cheaper ones is the designers don't use the item they are building, they just copy someone else's design without the detail of making it work. they just make it look good
Before I started watching your channel I wound never have guessed that Sweden made so good axes, theres a outdoors shop in my city here in Sweden (100 km from Mora) that sells Granfors Bruks axes. Thanks to you I will get a Granfors Bruks axe soon I think :)
Just ordered that axe, looking forward to using it. Trying to teach my sons that quality matters, best to pay a little more now for a tool you can pass down the like for possibly 100's of years than to pay next to nothing and get exactly that...next to nothing.
I'm guessing Granfors bruks uses very dry aged hickory that has been in 0% humidity, they then set the head in 0% humidity. When you get the axe [it is then in ambient environment] it is exposed to humidity and will always be tighter due to swelling, ie.. never gets loose.
Conrad K. Yes probably :} . I have this Scandinavian forest axe by LP. Purchased it approx. 15 years ago when GB was not as famous as it is today. Haven't use it so much. Therefore it's in impeccable condition. This axe are ideal for chopping off branches on a fur tree.
Hi , I definitely enjoy a lot of your videos. I find your passion for tools to be infectious. To receive these amazing tools from people whose passion is the same as you. I find myself wanting them too.
I too, for several years now have been looking to attend the Granfors Bruks log building class. Perhaps in the next two-three years as I'm about to "retire."
all the way from Scotland, and so glad that you and ur good lady still have morels, !!! yes videos r grt, educational,!!!!, pritty get people, written on behalf of Steven, by helper ,J .air. more pls, keeps steven in a happy place ,as he does not get out , I thank use, as find u and family r one big team!!! ,
Have a few different models of these Swedish axes, some for a couple decades...and a couple of LP's. I've always described his Forest axe; handling as well as the best golf club. No loose handles ever...
Hi Cody, very nice Review of the Scandinavian Forest Axe. I absolutely agree to you: that's the best choice of an axe. So versatile size. I got 2 of them, absolutely profi Tools. Cheers, Erik
I believe that Cody mentioned that the LP is the model but it's actually the initials of the smith that made the axe. It's pretty awesome of a company to allow their smiths to make their mark on a product.
I was a logger years ago but don't know a whole lot about axes. My grand father tho, made a life and a living with an axe and a cross cut saw in the Northern Maine woods. Dad told me Grand dad would hold an axe by the handle and shake it side to side. If he couldn't feel it flex , then the handle was too thick. Ol' boy knew his stuff. I couldn't hold a candle.
You talked about cutting down a 26 inch dugless fur in another vide and made it seem like a small forest axe would make it easy so I looked that up and you have a video on that also! Love it
It's funny, a few months ago I decided to finally invest in a nice quality axe. I knew I probably wouldn't be getting more than 1 axe for the near future and wanted something that was versatile and also excellent quality. I ended up with the Scandinavian forest axe. Mine was made by Ulrik, though I still love it.
I have this axe, it was handed down to me from my father. I can also attest to how well they holdup and feel. Sadly he past away... so when I use it makes it extra special. I have a feeling it will come to my sons and outlast me. An awesome axe.
I have an LP small forrest axe. A long time companion in the Swedish Woods, for almost 25 years. I will probably use it to the day I make my last chop.
Hi. I made the shop tour at Gransfors Bruks two weeks ago. Was a great experience and i think if you plan to attend the shop tour you might announce that they should plan 3 instead of 2 hours for you because i think you will throw in much more specific questions then the average visitors. Best regards Daniel
A versatile and venerable tool that was honed to perfection a LONG time a go, a beautiful work of everyday "art" that has a legacy and VERY long history and will last forever with some TLC and hard WORK.
I am sure that Gränsfors would be happy to have you come and visit. I now have three GB axes, mostly because of you, and I live two towns over from GB in Sweden :).
soaking the head/handle in antifreeze works great. It won't evaporate out of the handle and makes a tight fit for a long time. Shout out to AvE's channel for some really good knowledge.
Love the video. Found this channel searching for axe sharpening a year or two ago. Love the channel Cody. I watch every day. Keep up the cool interesting vids!
