+Willy Wonka I would say that as an "artisan" axe it should at least be a piece of art and not a piece of crap. Its ok to be a piece of art and not a good functioner but a loose handle is not artistic or functional in the long run. Right?
+Willy Wonka I would say that's unacceptable for an axe of that price, unless they makes it clear that it's for decoration (why anyone would want a new axe as decoration is besides me). Gränsfors axes are also beautiful and hand-crafted.
Cool. That's why I read your comments, because you vote for Trump. Me too. So I also read my own comments. Sometimes I write them just so I can read them myself, and comment on my comments. Sometimes I like my comments, and sometimes I strongly disagree with something I said. But I definitely believe it.
After all the bad pictures of the Husqvarna axes breaking in half due to bad forging practices, I chose to get the Gransfors Bruks Small Forest axe. I love quality things and believe in buying nice, not twice. This is my first axe ever and I'm 30 lol. Thanks for all your knowledge and help on making my decision. I'm confident it will last and do what I need.
The difference in the first test was accuracy. All it showed was accurate cutting is better. Those first 7 strokes were a shit show, the last 7 were nicely placed in order to capitalise on previous strikes. It doesn't matter which axe you use if you can't hit in the same place twice.
+coffeebuzzz the weight of the head and the shape and length of the handle obviously have an affect on how accurate a persons swings are... so therefore a well designed axe will more times then not, out perform a poorly designed run of the mill axe, even in the most novice axe users hands. the first test is basically showing the difference in design to performance ratio, basically the better the design, the better the performance your gonna get... the estwing is the cheapest which shows even tho it had the longest length it was poorly designed having the second heaviest head but the least ergonomic handle also likely the dullest of the 3 axes, the gransfor had a lighter head but with a better designed wedge and better designed handle even tho i think he mentions its the shortest of the 3 axes its performance in each test is a true testament to its great design and then the autine which had the heaviest head (obviously youll get deep cuts) and likely a better balance between the head weight and handle length/ergonomics which combined for a more accurate swing and effective axe.... that is until it failed haha
+coffeebuzzz I agree, but the reviewer also did a very good job not basing his opinion on his accuracy. His aim with the Gransfors was pretty horrible on two occasions, yet he had the clarity and honesty to base his analyses on how the tool actually cut, not what his work looked like. In the end, the Gransfors "Won," after all. However there is no denying that the Autine had one helluva bite, it also had the weight advantage. All in all it was a good, honest review. Not perfect, but what is?
+Dave Martin Just curious, if you had this footage, how would you interpret the results so that they didn't come out bullshit? The most expensive axe would clearly have won if it hadn't failed. Do you think the Eastman should have won?
I own the estwing 26 inch camp ax and it's amazing, full tang construction with tool steel. My dad also has one that he's had for 20 years and has never had to replace the handle.
Alright, here's my experience and thoughts. I have been working in the woods since I was knee high to my Dad, and have been heating my house with wood for nearly 40 years so I know some about axes. The first thing is that axes are not intended to be used as splitting tools. They can be used as such but that shouldn't be there major function. When you do use an axe for occasional splitting, after the first strike and the axe sticks without completely parting the wood, the axe should be turned to allow the back side to strike the block on the succeeding swings. This works much better than continuing to strike the wood on the block. I noticed that the high end axe doesn't allow for this with it having a rounded back side. As far as the ability to cut there wasn't a huge surprise, it's like comparing a Pinto to a Cadillac, you get (typically) what you pay for. For me, I wouldn't pay that kind of dollars for a tool that isn't used continuously, full time. For most folks it's an occasional use tool. I have a Collins I've had since I was a young buck which has served me faithfully and always done what is expected of it. ( two handles so far) If I had to chose from your choices, I'd pick the Estwing, good tool that will do the job and you won,t have to refinance your home if you loose it!
there handles are irreplaceable once it breaks throw away the whole thing get a wettlerlings Swedish axe or a grand bruks the extra money is worth it the there axes will last longer than a fiskers for the fact that if the handle breaks you can buy a new one and repair the axe there for you won't need a new axe for years to come if you take proper care of it
for $260 I would return that broken axe and show the video, that's bad engineering and poor quality control, I don't know what the %error and reliability rating for a $260 axe is, but it should last for half a century.
I am very familiar using the Estwing axe, and I think your assessment was spot on. I use it logging for firewood, and spend almost as much time holding it as my power saws. I call it my limbing axe, and that's its primary duty- but I have modified it to perform other duties as well. First, the bit itself has been altered to be even thinner than stock, and I maintain a razor edge. It is not as fast as my limbing saw, but it's a whole lot more enjoyable. Next, I drilled and tapped a hole in the bottom of the back side where I screwed in a stainless bolt and cut the head off leaving a point. This allows me to grab similar to a pickaroon. But the greatest idea was slicing a length of vacuum hose, pressing it onto the steel shank, and wrapping it with tape. This allows me to sink the bit in a log and use the axe to carry heavy loads with comfort and ease. Thank you for posting your video. To me, the great advantage of the Estwing is it's all-metal construction, and while lacking the snippy feel of a good wood handle, it will never fail. And I'm sure you know about the Fiskars splitting axe... if not, check one out- I retired all my other splitting axes. Put some paste wax on that thing and it is amazing.
when you did the test with the 3 cuts using the gränsfors bruk axe, you missed the first cut and therefor can not really compare it to the other cuts wich were relatively similar, i think the autine is useless, wouldnt trust it. Gränsfors has been in existens for so long and the products are superb for the price
I saw that too. Both were glances and he did not show the full strikes for the Bruk. Hmm. Not fair! I'd personally pick the Estwing though: I like that full tang metal. If the wood handle breaks while you're in the wild with the other axes, you're done for. :o For $40 (U.S.), Estwing is a great deal! It split log in 7 strikes, only 1 more than the other, but I think he could've pulled the log apart on the 6th strike with Estwing. He just chose not to because then it'd tie the $290 Autine. :P
if it doesnt swing good who cares if it cuts good or not. wranglerstar is no novice axe man so the testing is say still reflects the axe as a whole. if it where just an axe head review well then yes you have a point.
Great video. Thanks. I am a novice axe man on my little ranch.... 63 and not in great shape any more (my bad) so I respect tools that do the work for me. A sharp axe is indispensable, and my favorite one is a "no name" that a friend found laying in the dirt down by his Withlacoochie River (Florida) cabin some years ago - just the head. I talked him out of it. It had surface rust but after I cleaned it up and installed a handle, I gave it a go. It seemed to have a pretty good edge and really looked unused so I did not even put a file to it. It was effortless in light limbing of live trees and splits like a beast. It's one of those rare finds that brings joy to the heart.
@@sh1pme2themune9 Estwing has full tang, thus likely not to break compared to other axes without full tang. It's a good design for that reason alone, even if slightly inferior in cutting performance to the others. I'd rather have slightly inferior performance rather than broken handle while camping or surviving in the wilderness, compared to NO performance with the other more expensive options out there, if their handle breaks.
Jason Arseneau I've seen Janis address this same kind of issue on his Autine Facebook page and he said just send it back to him and he will fix it as his tools come with a lifetime warranty from defects. Now if you snap the handle in two your on your on I think but something like this would be covered. I've been waiting 6 months for my hunters axe and i'm still a ways down on the list. Def gonna be worth the wait.
@@bumstudios8817 oh those physics or the enate nature of internet humans to reach for the destruction of their fellow man??? Yay for the negative side of things!
Your estwing strokes are all over the place, your "high end axe" have decent placement for getting chips cleared.. probably need a rig if you are lighting with an axe. 2:23 cuts about 10 inches apart, very straight entry, cuts ranging from 2-4 inches apart 2:26 cuts about 8-9 inches apart, more angle than 1st axe (still quite straight) cuts
I don't know if they're available in the States, but one of my favorite woods tools is the 'Sandvik', built for lopping large limbs off of trees. 'Sandvik' is the name of the company who built it, as well as the name for the tool itself. When I worked for the Y.C.C. (Youth Conservation Corps- a leftover from the Civilian Conservation Corps that put people to work during the Great Depression, as a kid of 16 way back in '80, the Sandvik was my favorite tool - one swoop of the arm with no real force behind it would leave a beautifully smooth knot where had been a serious limb just a moment ago - effortlessly. Look them up. Whoa! I just googled 'Sandvik axe', and there they were! Beautiful. People even sell them used for a good price. Not the case with crap tools.
The Estwing is just what it's name implies, a "camping axe", no to be mistaken for a survival axe. I've had one for years and it's never let me down. Light enough to pack along for short camping adventures yet strong enough to take whatever I give it. I did notice the head on the one in the video seems to be much longer than the one I have. Perhaps they changed the design?
Jerry Sollien I think it's a regional thing. I believe it is supposed to be Est wing, but here in the upper Midwest most of us call it an Eastwing also. Where I work almost all of the construction crews use Estwing hammers because of their toughness.
+Jackle61 estwing here too. I like te solid build you never feel like the handle is working loose cuz it cant. Holds and edge good comfortable grip. plus its much cheaper the other two. all of that combines for a better axe if you ask me
tool maker here, that polished blade is also adding a whole lot of lubricity to the cut. We polish some metal cutting tools to do just that as well, but all wood cutters are definitely supposed to be highly polished because wood is very abrasive as you must know....
thats what i thought... and that Estwing has grinder marks on it, giving it even more friction on that big face it has. (not that i'm singing it's praises or anything...)
That is an interesting result I have 2 Grandfors axes and both have been replaced after little work the one cracked through the edge. The other the handle broke after about 10 chops. Given the Autine is hand made and supposed to be superior it has left me questioning should I buy one. If an axe is hand made there is no excuse for a loose handle. I've heard that the smith that makes them is heavily over loaded with work so maybe rushing is the issue here? The estwing glances because of its profile. I would only use a splitting maul for splitting as splitting is too damaging by nature.
Forget the review. What is clear is you are a great guy. The difficulty you have saying anything negative about the failed axe handle is apparent, and hats off to you for being honest, fair and impartial. Thanks for spending the considerable time it takes to make these videos for all of us.
this simple demonstratiin of physics is interesting. I'm about to go shop for a bush axe. The Autine is the only polished- surface axe of the group. There may be an advantage even in that.
I have three Transfors axes - the small forest axe (as per the video) the large forest axe and the carpenters axe. I think that the test would have been much closer with the large forest axe as I have felled a sweet chestnut using only this and a bow saw. The trunk was about 18 - 20 inches across and the tree was over 50 feet high. I have not seen the expensive one for sale in the UK but, to be honest, I am so pleased with my other axes, I will not be looking for one. When I go wild camping the small forest axe, a decent knife and my bow saw are all I need to build a shelter and make a fire etc - top kit!
Wranglerstar Me and a friend was doing some Gaming videos some time ago. My name is Jimmy And his name Robin. Its more Simple this way. :) Jag gillar dina videos.
+Wranglerstar Haha ! I like your supercritical mind . I am also from Sweden and can assure that Jimmy and Robin is more common surname for younger people, than Lars-Erik, Ove, Holger, Bengt, Bo, Algot, Folke, Sören, Torsten etc. Btw.Your Ax reviews are excellent to watch. One Q ; Were the 5 year old GB axe sharpened properly before the test??
Great review. Even though the estwing performed the worst, I think I'm still going to buy one. The price and the durability from the singular steel build put it over the top. I can put in the extra effort for my small number of jobs.
I was surprised that the axes value showed their worth in these tests, especially considering I was told I would be suprised, which would lead me to thinking the opposite.
These tests did not show all areas of performance. Drop a heavy weight on those wood handles and they break. Drop it on the full metal Estwing and it might bend, but not break. Estwing wins in the true ALL-AROUND test. ;)
I agree with this 100%. I've got their little 14" Sportsman hatchet and that thing just won't stop working. Not that i've tried to destroy it but it's been a really good little tool over all the work i've put it through. I think i'll pick up one of their bigger offerings here next week and see how well I can fell a tree with it.
There are some really great high end axes out there. But there's not one that is the best at everything. Some chop trees better, some split wood better, etc. IF I remember right Dave Canterbury did a pretty good little comparison vid on his channel about different types of axes. Which he put through different tests. I can't afford the high end stuff. So I just buy what works. Like the Estwings.
I really love the exaggerated curve on the Autine handle, it seems like it's a much better shape for promoting gravity assist during a swing, compared to straighter handles.
great, unbiased review. you can tell this guy speaks from honest experience not from internet forum experience or being set in one way. plus his production quality is on point. win-win.
I think he ment that we would be surprised that the Gränsfors Bruks did not win. He has said on several occasions how much he loves the Gränsfors Bruks and how it's his favorite axe. So much so that I was sure before I started the video that the Gränsfors would win.
But in all honesty Gransfors was a equal to or better considering the length and the weight of the axe. Autin is double the weight and fifth longer than Gransfors and far more than double the price lol.
i dont want to be that guy but on the bigger logs hit the edge of the log, instead of hitting it smack down in the middle... it helps crack the round down the middle instead of digging through it
+Justin Mayfield - I agree! I start on an edge and work a line across until I reach the far edge. Then nail it in the middle and it opens up like a peanut.
I just have to say, I'm not even in to axes but I love your videos. As entertaining and informative of Les Stroud in Survivorman. That said, the noises that Auntie makes in the 2 up 1 down test at around 6:43 is like a sound effect from a movie. Not saying it's fake, it's incredible.
I have purchased around 14 of those Estwing axes and I find that they are ideal for me. I only use them for cutting so I have not experienced any of the splitting difficulties. One thing that he didn't mention is that the Estwing has a full metal handle, meaning that you don't have to worry about the wood handle coming loose on you in the field. I have one that has a slight backward curve in it but it is almost 10 years old. The Estwing axe head is also the longest, as he mentioned which isn't good for spitting but is great for cutting. That also means you can get more sharpens out of it but be mindful of not going too far and making it dangerous... Estwing all the way for the common guy or occasional woodsman, you really get your value out of them.
Never heard of Autine before and from the looks of it I've not been missing out on much. The Autine is £230 as opposed to GB Small forest which is £73 here in Scotland. Really highlights what value is present in the Gransfors.
The cheapest, his cutting area looked like it was 10 inches or more, the most expensive he limited it to under 6 inches. Was there a coordination problem because of the weight or price of the axes? This is hardly an objective comparison.
Good handles help you make good cuts. So low cost badly designed handle do have an opinion. But your comment are still valid IF he would have made some claims about scientific result, which he didn't.
andjack Good point about his not making a claim that this was a scientifically controlled experiment. He was careful to say that the comparisons were somewhat subjective.
The Gransfors Bruks Forest Axe I used this past summer for habitat work. I beat the blade cutting tree roots and stems. I also wrapped the handle toward the head with electrical tape to give the handle a touch of protection. I can see why many are fond of them. I'm looking to get a second one. This video did help guide me to the choice. Cheers.
id call fail testing (and reporting) not only was the 290$ axe favorably swung (its not easy to always hit the same mark) favoring the results, but the reporting of i.e. 6 strokes when infact u reached six, then pry the log apart and cut the remaining wood with it...just saying
Indeed. The Estwing was swung sloppily, never hitting close to the same mark twice, creeping in towards the center. The Gransfors was a little better, and the last axe was proper form. I worked timber for years, and it is amazing how many of the folks chopping on youtube don't use anything close to proper form or technique. BTW, I have an Estwing. Not the best for splitting, but it is a fine chopper and will not break. In a survival situation, that is imperative!
DannoCrutch you have also to take into account the balance of the axe. And the simple Estwing doesn't have volume in the handle engough to get a good grip with it. And if you don't misstreat your axe a loot, your hickory handle will not break and if it looses the head, it is trivial to reseat it. No, I have hade one axe of Estwing type, and I take any properly done axe any day.
andjack I swing my Estwing just fine, and a damn sight better than exhibited here. I prefer a hickory handled axe, specifically Council, due to it having a more springy handle. This reduces shock and fatigue. Gransfors and Wetterlings are excellent axes, but all this video proved is that he can't swing accurately, does not start his cuts at the proper size for the size of the log, and that he possibly made a judgement call after a few strikes each. Patently ridiculous. Also, one thing I never hear these RUclips folks address is versatility. A good bushcraft axe has to have a good balance between splitting and chopping.
autine...6 strokes on the larger chunks...i counted 10 strokes.seems plus 2 more for manually pulling apart ...someone is biased a bit. my estwing doesn't have a problem glancing off chunks and the first test ..could you space out the impacts a little farther apart.from what i saw the medium priced axe was worse....oh yeah and for 40.00 you get an axe who's head will never come off. but for camping I'll stick with my cheap 23" trail boss i paid 20.00 for.
Estwing not two cuts in same place dirty great knot in the cut. Plus it's lighter of course the Neeman will cut better. Doesn't mean to say the estwing won't cut with a bit of TLC and tweaking. Head will never fall of estwing either
These comments are silly. the log was split there were just fibers holding it together. Likely because of nothing to do with the axe, because that simply isn't how splitting wood with a wedge works.
Agree on the Eastwing. I have it in my ATV, use it while out hunting, mostly clearing trails and it is hard to handle, goes away on you, long head and too much weight distributed over the shaft rather than the head where it counts.
Reason I bought the Eastwing is that as a Carpenter, I use Eastwing Hammers, always have, and I also have the Eastwing Hatchet (leather handle look) The Axe is the last of the bunch I bought. The hatchet is the Bomb, that works excellent and I keep it with me while out and when sharpened properly, not only will you split a a Moose's rib cage or chop the hocks, I've been able to skin with it better than other guy's knives. :)
in the first test look at how spread the cuts are on the first then look to the last. its almost double the width on the first one. of course youre not going to get good penetration because the blows are not concentrated in one area. seems like he may have coerced the results to what he wanted them to be
and in the second test you can see the poor control over the axes. he aims for center very carefully on the last axe but seems to swing wildly on the other 2. look how he only catches maybe an inch on the side
the third test looked really fair until rather than splitting fully through on the third he got it most of the way then made 3-4 small bites of the axe and pulled it apart. I think he really didn't want that axe to be bested
4th test. it seems to me hes swinging the 3rd axe harder, just my opinion. then he goes on to say very deep cut when the second axe obviously bit deeper and it only got an "ok"
in his closing he states it puts him in a bad spot because the 3rd axe was a gift, plainly admitting his bias. in my honest opinion the 2nd axe would be the only one I would consider buying. he says he does this a lot but he is out there in dress shirts by the look and made some very wild swings. im not sure what I should take from this video
the handle of the axe is just fine, it became dry and smaller, put the axe for 10-15 min in water so the wood grow and it will be just fine. Its a wooden handle its normal that that think hapen
That may be a temporary solution but, as wranglerstar himself would call it, is not the proper way to do it. The wood might swell by the water, but may shrink even more when it dries. The best way is to hang your axe properly and give it a good coat of linseed oil now and then.
Wow,The reviews are great and I can't really tell you how much I can appreciate these videos. I like to think I am a fairly good outdoors-man, yet I learn something each time. thanks!
Hi, good video. I need a recommendation on a starter axe that can carve, split logs and chop trees. I need it for college so it will have to be small to medium sized and preferably a wooden handle.Thanks.
Why not? I think it was very informative by a woodsman who clearly knows his stuff. I doubt if you could make and refit a replacement handle to the Autine that would do it justice, but I know wranglerstar could because I have seen him fix an antique double bit axe of his grandfathers. Trust me, this guy knows his stuff.
Wranglerstar, after watching the vids on what you do with new axes, such as shaving the varnish off and replacing with Linseed oil (an excellent process, thank you!) I'm wondering what is on the handle of your Granfors Bruks...probably Linseed Oil on the top half, but the bottom half appears to be black. Paint? Rubberized grip coating?Thanks for all your videos. Using them to help me on my place here in Montana.
I was raised using axes and one thing I learned during the years was not to use a single edge axe for cutting wood. We always use the double edge axe which does a great job for the professionals in the woods and for homeowners as well. In the South where we split wood I always used the double edge axe for splitting wood and there are times you have to use special wood splitting axes which makes the job better. If I had to use either of those axes you showed I would not want to do the job and laugh at who ever give me one of them. I have a good axe I have had for years and take good care of it and love it. It is American made and I know how to use it.
I was taught years ago about using the double edge axe and after using both for cutting firewood and loved the double edge better and could do more with it. The old loggers here always used one as well and after trimming rich pine which we use to start fires, and the fire wood itself I learned to love it for the weight and refused to use a single edge axe.
colin forwood Well at least you attempted to give me a reason so thank you. Still, if that were a good reason to add two blades to something then why wouldn't knives have double-blades or anything else that was bladed? And lack of sharpness seems like a reason to carry a whetstone and similar sharpening tools, not to add a second blade. Its more weight, a second blade you have to worry about when swinging or carrying it, and not that much more effective if you keep your blade sharp like any good tool-user does with his tools. I just think this guy that spends an incredible amount of time in the woods would know the best axe to use and I mostly see him using 1-bladed axes.
Halsfield In fact it's because the cutting edges are ground at different angles: one for cutting and finer tasks, the other one for heavy chopping and splitting, so instead of carrying two axes or compromising midway, you have two task-specific bites in the same tool. Incidentally, by dividing the work between the two bites the dulling of the edges is much slower. Not necessarily a "better" approach, but a different one. This also tends to work better with smaller "camping" or "multitask" axes and you have to get used to the straight handle and different balance of the head.
For my money, the Autine would win. I have used axes most of my 68 years and never had one that didn't need the fit of the head adjusted. From very early on. No fault in the head of that axe. My best was (and still is) a Hudson Bay axe. Have had it for thirty some years. It is on its third handle. Not a fault - just the way the critters work...
Hi everyone. First let me say great video. Just an old guy who has chopped a lot and split many chunks for fire wood.. Even older guys told me long ago the thing to look for in a good ax is the contour of the blade. A convex shape will cut and split much better than a concave shape with all other things being equal. I have never purchased a new ax from a store but have found some great ones at garage sales and farm auctions.
Those werent exactly hard pieces of wood to split and if youre out camping you need your one axe to be able to do a few things but splitting some wood so you can get a fire going is a must I wish the wood was like that when I went camping. I feel its hardly abuse what he did.
for 40 bucks I will swing that estwing all day your cuts were biased at best and when those other handles fail you can still use the estwing for a multi tool camp ax
Did they ever get back to you on that head coming off? For a $240 axe hand fitted that is a shame. I was looking for a high end axe and it looked pretty awesome up until fail city.
Agreed, the Fiskers 14 in axe is a solid tool. Over all it preforms better than my 14 in hand forged axe. It keeps its edge like none other and the coating they have on the blade is the key. It has a better blade profile than the hand forged axe. The hand forged does much better at felling thean the fiskers but i will not split with the hand forged, it has a thin profile and has the same issue as the estwing with no wedge.
I appreciate and applaud your honesty, if they ask for your opinion and an honest review, I believe you owe it to them and us to be as honest as possible, good job, excellent review ! thanks
Now that is a great test, i agree with Estwing not only i found would it glance off the wood sometimes (scary) I gave it away.. Now you know what you are talking about in this field.. i'm really looking at this point to buy either Gransfors B. or Wetterling both made in the same country , hand built , hand forged, very old companies, my way of thinking if either one could not build a wonderful axe after 100 years plus it's not going to happen ... I would like to know, what do you think if you own a Wetterlings as you own Gransfors B. ? And why do you lean towards GB and not Wetterlings? What does one brand have that the other does not? Thanks great information as always..
i have a Cold Steel Riflemans Hawk. ive tried to put a good angle and edge on it. all i can afford is budget stuff. how much would you charge for me to send the bit to you to have it reprofiled and have the perfect edge on it for felling small trees and chopping tasks? thanks.
zeekiemp3 I'd have to agree. I've been drooling over Autine & John Neeman axes for a while BECAUSE of the quality & for that much money I'd expect only 100% quality, no filler. That being said I'd love if someone gave me one for free if all I had to do was refit the handle!
I was ready to buy an Autine until I watched this video. I am not going to spend $400 for an axe with a loose handle. Hope they fixed it for you without making you pay shipping.
The axe is fine, the handle got loose due to poor swinging. Something wrong happened because it should not take that many swings to split a log of that diameter, two to four swings is all it should take with good aiming. This guy had poor accuracy.
***** You look like an idiot because you haven't researched who this guy is. The company sent him a free $400 axe to review based on his reputation alone. He gave the fairest, most honest review possible. He does not sell out and hide faults just to keep on good terms with the company. I would trust this man's word. He is honest and deeply knowledgeable in his field. He even gave them a chance to redeem themselves and depending on how they respond, their reputation can be enhanced and I would consider buying the expensive axe.
turnermic17 you gotta be kidding , right ??? I appreciate you doing these reviews Code , and above all , you are fair and very accurate during your axe reviews. No surprise with the Bruks , that's the same axe I plan to invest in. Thanks Cody for the hard work you put into educating and informing the public.
I have a cruiser double bit that I enjoy using and have taken it out hiking before but I find I don't really have a way to carry it nicely. Are there any backpacks that you're aware of that can be compatible with this size axe?
I'd trust my life to the estwing only, it may not cut or split the best but it will outlast both with ease, if you could only take one the estwing is the no brainer option to survive with.
I've been pretty happy with my Council Tools 3.5lb Jersey axe, cuts well (after sharpening) and splits like a champ in the medium sized rounds but if you want to move quick splitting the big stuff just stick with a nice maul. I agree with you fully on the Estwig, I've had one a while now to use when I'm camping and it's just too narrow and light to split logs with, alright for cutting.
Not sure if you will answer this for me or not but I've watched a lot of your reviews and videos! My delima is that I can not decide on the Wetterlings Bushman or the GB small forest axe, will be my pack axe/bushcraft axe
a bit sad you did not try the Gränsfors Stor Skogsyxa its a better axe in the forest and ofc sweden know its axes svenskt stål biter! swedish steel bites
Actually it would have taken 7 hits to split with the autine, due to the fact that you had to help with your hands to spread the log then to the axe to hit the fibers in the middle, you did not have to do that with the other logs with the other axes. Come on guy get real.
It's true, he could've pulled the log apart on the 6th hit with the Estwing as well, but he chose not to. I think he's trying to justify his expensive purchase of the Autine and hates how the Estwing was not far behind in performance in most areas? :P
On the more expensive ax, it looks much, much thicker than the other two. What does the head weigh? wouldn't that drastically effect the splitting performance. You also have to pack it around so its a trade off right?
2.5 million views...personally, I think you deserve more subscribers. Your video quality is great, the videos are helpful on what you might be willing to buy that is semi-cheap. And they are also very informational. All in all, keep up the good work, I love your videos.
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No excuse for a loose handle in that price range.
Looks like the Autine handle was working itself loose from the beginning 1:55
+Jerry Sollien I thought that too.
Willy Wonka If it's decorative, it's form over function.
+Willy Wonka I would say that as an "artisan" axe it should at least be a piece of art and not a piece of crap. Its ok to be a piece of art and not a good functioner but a loose handle is not artistic or functional in the long run. Right?
+Willy Wonka I would say that's unacceptable for an axe of that price, unless they makes it clear that it's for decoration (why anyone would want a new axe as decoration is besides me). Gränsfors axes are also beautiful and hand-crafted.
They call him lightning because he never hits the same place twice.
My grandpa can make a new one
💀
I know this comment is years old but it brought me joy this day.
looooooooooooooooooooool
Lol
I've had the Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe for 15 years and it is great. The best axe in its size range and easily my favourite 'pack' axe.
Why am I watching axe videos all day..
its either this or spongebob with lil sister.... I like this.
Well, I watch him because he votes for Trump
Lol
Cool. That's why I read your comments, because you vote for Trump. Me too. So I also read my own comments. Sometimes I write them just so I can read them myself, and comment on my comments. Sometimes I like my comments, and sometimes I strongly disagree with something I said. But I definitely believe it.
Why do you axe?
Despite living square in the suburbs, I'm running out of reasons not to buy an axe.
We are both laughing over here. mrsw
I also am a square suburb dweller. I own at least 20 axes and mauls
I always just buy the cheapest. it only gets used once then i have to get rid of it along with the rest of the evidence.
lol
well shit if push comes to shove u gonna need an axe
Is there a follow-up on this? Wondering whether the handle got replaced or any comment made by the manufacturer on the fault.
After all the bad pictures of the Husqvarna axes breaking in half due to bad forging practices, I chose to get the Gransfors Bruks Small Forest axe. I love quality things and believe in buying nice, not twice. This is my first axe ever and I'm 30 lol. Thanks for all your knowledge and help on making my decision. I'm confident it will last and do what I need.
For 300 bucks ... there should be no mishaps
Jack Mehoff for 300$ that thing should have a hand job assy and self cleaning and let's herself out.
lol yup. 300 bucks that is a lot of Harbor freight specials lol
Shit for 300 bucks you can say faq it and buy a STIHL Chainsaw lol www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/farm-and-ranch-saws/ms193ce/
@@pup9et It's not a matter of durability as it is about effort involved. 7 swings vs 14 swings is a lot of wasted effort and time.
@@pup9et That being said, I now realize your comment is 3 years old. Lol
The difference in the first test was accuracy. All it showed was accurate cutting is better. Those first 7 strokes were a shit show, the last 7 were nicely placed in order to capitalise on previous strikes. It doesn't matter which axe you use if you can't hit in the same place twice.
+coffeebuzzz the weight of the head and the shape and length of the handle obviously have an affect on how accurate a persons swings are... so therefore a well designed axe will more times then not, out perform a poorly designed run of the mill axe, even in the most novice axe users hands. the first test is basically showing the difference in design to performance ratio, basically the better the design, the better the performance your gonna get... the estwing is the cheapest which shows even tho it had the longest length it was poorly designed having the second heaviest head but the least ergonomic handle also likely the dullest of the 3 axes, the gransfor had a lighter head but with a better designed wedge and better designed handle even tho i think he mentions its the shortest of the 3 axes its performance in each test is a true testament to its great design and then the autine which had the heaviest head (obviously youll get deep cuts) and likely a better balance between the head weight and handle length/ergonomics which combined for a more accurate swing and effective axe.... that is until it failed haha
+coffeebuzzz I agree, but the reviewer also did a very good job not basing his opinion on his accuracy.
His aim with the Gransfors was pretty horrible on two occasions, yet he had the clarity and honesty to base his analyses on how the tool actually cut, not what his work looked like. In the end, the Gransfors "Won," after all. However there is no denying that the Autine had one helluva bite, it also had the weight advantage.
All in all it was a good, honest review. Not perfect, but what is?
+Cernnunos5 This was a BULLSHIT review by someone with a stake in the outcome. Besides that he can't use an axe worth a shit.
+Dave Martin Just curious, if you had this footage, how would you interpret the results so that they didn't come out bullshit? The most expensive axe would clearly have won if it hadn't failed. Do you think the Eastman should have won?
Ja Ha since the test was rigged you can't decide based on it. You would need to rerun the test with an unbiased tester
I own the estwing 26 inch camp ax and it's amazing, full tang construction with tool steel. My dad also has one that he's had for 20 years and has never had to replace the handle.
Alright, here's my experience and thoughts. I have been working in the woods since I was knee high to my Dad, and have been heating my house with wood for nearly 40 years so I know some about axes. The first thing is that axes are not intended to be used as splitting tools. They can be used as such but that shouldn't be there major function. When you do use an axe for occasional splitting, after the first strike and the axe sticks without completely parting the wood, the axe should be turned to allow the back side to strike the block on the succeeding swings. This works much better than continuing to strike the wood on the block. I noticed that the high end axe doesn't allow for this with it having a rounded back side. As far as the ability to cut there wasn't a huge surprise, it's like comparing a Pinto to a Cadillac, you get (typically) what you pay for.
For me, I wouldn't pay that kind of dollars for a tool that isn't used continuously, full time. For most folks it's an occasional use tool. I have a Collins I've had since I was a young buck which has served me faithfully and always done what is expected of it. ( two handles so far)
If I had to chose from your choices, I'd pick the Estwing, good tool that will do the job and you won,t have to refinance your home if you loose it!
Fiskars x18 and have $270 left over. Then buy a proper splitting maul. $ 240 for beer.
+kadijaish Very much so, and wait until you see how easily they split.
i would, but i like holding nice hard wooden shafts
+Adam Spivey same here fiskars is great. affordable price and good quality. it's like buying an echo weed eater or blower. never quits..
there handles are irreplaceable once it breaks throw away the whole thing get a wettlerlings Swedish axe or a grand bruks the extra money is worth it the there axes will last longer than a fiskers for the fact that if the handle breaks you can buy a new one and repair the axe there for you won't need a new axe for years to come if you take proper care of it
if you break a Fiskars handle you should consider " how to properly use an axe school" Skilfull operation keeps quality tools lasting lifetimes.
for $260 I would return that broken axe and show the video, that's bad engineering and poor quality control, I don't know what the %error and reliability rating for a $260 axe is, but it should last for half a century.
It's obviously not bad engineering. It's bad quality control. The head and handle are amazing, they're just fitted improperly.
I am very familiar using the Estwing axe, and I think your assessment was spot on. I use it logging for firewood, and spend almost as much time holding it as my power saws. I call it my limbing axe, and that's its primary duty- but I have modified it to perform other duties as well.
First, the bit itself has been altered to be even thinner than stock, and I maintain a razor edge. It is not as fast as my limbing saw, but it's a whole lot more enjoyable.
Next, I drilled and tapped a hole in the bottom of the back side where I screwed in a stainless bolt and cut the head off leaving a point. This allows me to grab similar to a pickaroon.
But the greatest idea was slicing a length of vacuum hose, pressing it onto the steel shank, and wrapping it with tape. This allows me to sink the bit in a log and use the axe to carry heavy loads with comfort and ease.
Thank you for posting your video. To me, the great advantage of the Estwing is it's all-metal construction, and while lacking the snippy feel of a good wood handle, it will never fail. And I'm sure you know about the Fiskars splitting axe... if not, check one out- I retired all my other splitting axes. Put some paste wax on that thing and it is amazing.
when you did the test with the 3 cuts using the gränsfors bruk axe, you missed the first cut and therefor can not really compare it to the other cuts wich were relatively similar, i think the autine is useless, wouldnt trust it. Gränsfors has been in existens for so long and the products are superb for the price
I saw that too. Both were glances and he did not show the full strikes for the Bruk. Hmm. Not fair! I'd personally pick the Estwing though: I like that full tang metal. If the wood handle breaks while you're in the wild with the other axes, you're done for. :o For $40 (U.S.), Estwing is a great deal! It split log in 7 strikes, only 1 more than the other, but I think he could've pulled the log apart on the 6th strike with Estwing. He just chose not to because then it'd tie the $290 Autine. :P
if it doesnt swing good who cares if it cuts good or not. wranglerstar is no novice axe man so the testing is say still reflects the axe as a whole. if it where just an axe head review well then yes you have a point.
I bought a Gransfors because of you and I freaking love it.
Could you say in the description what the out come was with the Autine axe regarding warranty.
What ever happened with the Autine? Was it replaced?
He rehung it.
Great video. Thanks.
I am a novice axe man on my little ranch.... 63 and not in great shape any more (my bad) so I respect tools that do the work for me. A sharp axe is indispensable, and my favorite one is a "no name" that a friend found laying in the dirt down by his Withlacoochie River (Florida) cabin some years ago - just the head. I talked him out of it. It had surface rust but after I cleaned it up and installed a handle, I gave it a go. It seemed to have a pretty good edge and really looked unused so I did not even put a file to it. It was effortless in light limbing of live trees and splits like a beast.
It's one of those rare finds that brings joy to the heart.
If I had 300 bucks to spend, I'm buyin a Estwing axe and a 5 gallon bucket full of other tools.
+James Cooper lol, good call
Based
James Cooper in that case, save yourself $5 and buy a fiskars.
@@sh1pme2themune9 Estwing has full tang, thus likely not to break compared to other axes without full tang. It's a good design for that reason alone, even if slightly inferior in cutting performance to the others. I'd rather have slightly inferior performance rather than broken handle while camping or surviving in the wilderness, compared to NO performance with the other more expensive options out there, if their handle breaks.
So how did the Autine people react to the waranty claim you most likely placed ?
Regards, Sander
Ditto, what did they say?
I would love knowing as well, it is an axe that I have considered in the past!
Jason Arseneau I've seen Janis address this same kind of issue on his Autine Facebook page and he said just send it back to him and he will fix it as his tools come with a lifetime warranty from defects. Now if you snap the handle in two your on your on I think but something like this would be covered. I've been waiting 6 months for my hunters axe and i'm still a ways down on the list. Def gonna be worth the wait.
You can even tell on the triple cut he swings harder with the autine. He really wanted the autine to win.
Didn't he say it was heavier? It would be hard to swing with the same force because it would require more muscle.
@@bumstudios8817 oh those physics or the enate nature of internet humans to reach for the destruction of their fellow man??? Yay for the negative side of things!
He didn’t want to feel like he wasted his money 😂
It's a bigger axe. Its gonna hit with more force. Chill out. He obviously stated the GB performed the best considering its size disadvantage.
Yeah he said it took 6 swing to cut that log... yeah and the fact he ripped it in half and still had to swing 3 more times :|
Your estwing strokes are all over the place, your "high end axe" have decent placement for getting chips cleared.. probably need a rig if you are lighting with an axe.
2:23 cuts about 10 inches apart, very straight entry, cuts ranging from 2-4 inches apart
2:26 cuts about 8-9 inches apart, more angle than 1st axe (still quite straight) cuts
Thank you so much for leaving this review sir, you are 100% correct
I don't know if they're available in the States, but one of my favorite woods tools is the 'Sandvik', built for lopping large limbs off of trees. 'Sandvik' is the name of the company who built it, as well as the name for the tool itself. When I worked for the Y.C.C. (Youth Conservation Corps- a leftover from the Civilian Conservation Corps that put people to work during the Great Depression, as a kid of 16 way back in '80, the Sandvik was my favorite tool - one swoop of the arm with no real force behind it would leave a beautifully smooth knot where had been a serious limb just a moment ago - effortlessly. Look them up. Whoa! I just googled 'Sandvik axe', and there they were! Beautiful. People even sell them used for a good price. Not the case with crap tools.
Estwing has my vote. Started with their Geologist hammer in 1968. Still have and use it. Never let me down.
The Estwing is just what it's name implies, a "camping axe", no to be mistaken for a survival axe. I've had one for years and it's never let me down. Light enough to pack along for short camping adventures yet strong enough to take whatever I give it. I did notice the head on the one in the video seems to be much longer than the one I have. Perhaps they changed the design?
Jackle61 I also Have the Estwing and mine as well has a smaller head. It works very well.Holds a very sharp edge for quite along time.
Jackle61 Estwing owner here. Great axe, not designed for splitting wood, but my god will it ever fell a small tree! Also, it's really fun to toss.
I always pronounced it "east-wing", silly me.
Jerry Sollien I think it's a regional thing. I believe it is supposed to be Est wing, but here in the upper Midwest most of us call it an Eastwing also. Where I work almost all of the construction crews use Estwing hammers because of their toughness.
+Jackle61 estwing here too. I like te solid build you never feel like the handle is working loose cuz it cant. Holds and edge good comfortable grip. plus its much cheaper the other two. all of that combines for a better axe if you ask me
1:54 Looks like the axe head was already working itself pretty loose there.
Ooof! Good eye, hotshot
Oh yeah it is pretty loose
tool maker here, that polished blade is also adding a whole lot of lubricity to the cut. We polish some metal cutting tools to do just that as well, but all wood cutters are definitely supposed to be highly polished because wood is very abrasive as you must know....
thats what i thought... and that Estwing has grinder marks on it, giving it even more friction on that big face it has. (not that i'm singing it's praises or anything...)
That is an interesting result I have 2 Grandfors axes and both have been replaced after little work the one cracked through the edge. The other the handle broke after about 10 chops. Given the Autine is hand made and supposed to be superior it has left me questioning should I buy one. If an axe is hand made there is no excuse for a loose handle. I've heard that the smith that makes them is heavily over loaded with work so maybe rushing is the issue here? The estwing glances because of its profile. I would only use a splitting maul for splitting as splitting is too damaging by nature.
Forget the review. What is clear is you are a great guy. The difficulty you have saying anything negative about the failed axe handle is apparent, and hats off to you for being honest, fair and impartial. Thanks for spending the considerable time it takes to make these videos for all of us.
Looks like to me he was simply less accurate with the Estwing
I have had my Estwing for over 20 years and it's had some hard use. The blade is quite a bit shorter now than new. It's kinda improved with age.
this simple demonstratiin of physics is interesting. I'm about to go shop for a bush axe. The Autine is the only polished- surface axe of the group. There may be an advantage even in that.
I have three Transfors axes - the small forest axe (as per the video) the large forest axe and the carpenters axe. I think that the test would have been much closer with the large forest axe as I have felled a sweet chestnut using only this and a bow saw. The trunk was about 18 - 20 inches across and the tree was over 50 feet high. I have not seen the expensive one for sale in the UK but, to be honest, I am so pleased with my other axes, I will not be looking for one. When I go wild camping the small forest axe, a decent knife and my bow saw are all I need to build a shelter and make a fire etc - top kit!
I live very close to Grensfors. Seeing axes from were i live, in other countrys is awesome :)
+Jim Rob Jim Rob ar inte ett sveskt namn????
Wranglerstar Me and a friend was doing some Gaming videos some time ago. My name is Jimmy And his name Robin. Its more Simple this way. :) Jag gillar dina videos.
+Jim Rob Jimmy and Robin ar inte typiskt svenskt....Per och Lars? :)
+Wranglerstar Haha, Per, Lars, Stefan, Gunnar, and so on.det är riktigt typiska namn :)
+Wranglerstar Haha ! I like your supercritical mind . I am also from Sweden and can assure that Jimmy and Robin is more common surname for younger people, than Lars-Erik, Ove, Holger, Bengt, Bo, Algot, Folke, Sören, Torsten etc.
Btw.Your Ax reviews are excellent to watch. One Q ; Were the 5 year old GB axe sharpened properly before the test??
Great review. Even though the estwing performed the worst, I think I'm still going to buy one. The price and the durability from the singular steel build put it over the top. I can put in the extra effort for my small number of jobs.
I was surprised that the axes value showed their worth in these tests, especially considering I was told I would be suprised, which would lead me to thinking the opposite.
These tests did not show all areas of performance. Drop a heavy weight on those wood handles and they break. Drop it on the full metal Estwing and it might bend, but not break. Estwing wins in the true ALL-AROUND test. ;)
@@Northanteus No.
Estwing is awesome for people that want a good, durable tool but don't have $100-$300 dollars to spend on an axe. :)
I agree with this 100%. I've got their little 14" Sportsman hatchet and that thing just won't stop working. Not that i've tried to destroy it but it's been a really good little tool over all the work i've put it through. I think i'll pick up one of their bigger offerings here next week and see how well I can fell a tree with it.
Yeah, guess what that is on my RUclips picture? :)
could be ;)
The way I see it, how much can you really improve the wedge?
There are some really great high end axes out there. But there's not one that is the best at everything. Some chop trees better, some split wood better, etc. IF I remember right Dave Canterbury did a pretty good little comparison vid on his channel about different types of axes. Which he put through different tests. I can't afford the high end stuff. So I just buy what works. Like the Estwings.
I really love the exaggerated curve on the Autine handle, it seems like it's a much better shape for promoting gravity assist during a swing, compared to straighter handles.
great, unbiased review. you can tell this guy speaks from honest experience not from internet forum experience or being set in one way. plus his production quality is on point. win-win.
You'll be surprised the best axe did the best the midium axe did middle and the worst was the cheapest
The best got a loose handle, that's a M Night Shyamalan plot twist for you.
lmaoff... axe beef.
I think he ment that we would be surprised that the Gränsfors Bruks did not win. He has said on several occasions how much he loves the Gränsfors Bruks and how it's his favorite axe. So much so that I was sure before I started the video that the Gränsfors would win.
But in all honesty Gransfors was a equal to or better considering the length and the weight of the axe. Autin is double the weight and fifth longer than Gransfors and far more than double the price lol.
Not to mention the Gränsfors Bruks didn't fall apart....
i dont want to be that guy but on the bigger logs hit the edge of the log, instead of hitting it smack down in the middle... it helps crack the round down the middle instead of digging through it
+Justin Mayfield - I agree! I start on an edge and work a line across until I reach the far edge. Then nail it in the middle and it opens up like a peanut.
I just have to say, I'm not even in to axes but I love your videos. As entertaining and informative of Les Stroud in Survivorman. That said, the noises that Auntie makes in the 2 up 1 down test at around 6:43 is like a sound effect from a movie. Not saying it's fake, it's incredible.
I have purchased around 14 of those Estwing axes and I find that they are ideal for me. I only use them for cutting so I have not experienced any of the splitting difficulties. One thing that he didn't mention is that the Estwing has a full metal handle, meaning that you don't have to worry about the wood handle coming loose on you in the field. I have one that has a slight backward curve in it but it is almost 10 years old. The Estwing axe head is also the longest, as he mentioned which isn't good for spitting but is great for cutting. That also means you can get more sharpens out of it but be mindful of not going too far and making it dangerous... Estwing all the way for the common guy or occasional woodsman, you really get your value out of them.
Never heard of Autine before and from the looks of it I've not been missing out on much. The Autine is £230 as opposed to GB Small forest which is £73 here in Scotland. Really highlights what value is present in the Gransfors.
And I'd love to see a compare between the John Neeman and a Gransfors of the same size
The cheapest, his cutting area looked like it was 10 inches or more, the most expensive he limited it to under 6 inches. Was there a coordination problem because of the weight or price of the axes? This is hardly an objective comparison.
Good handles help you make good cuts. So low cost badly designed handle do have an opinion.
But your comment are still valid IF he would have made some claims about scientific result, which he didn't.
andjack
Good point about his not making a claim that this was a scientifically controlled experiment. He was careful to say that the comparisons were somewhat subjective.
Gransfors Bruks smaller than the other two and outdid them both .
Great axes
Gränsfors bruk makes great axes, Can you buy them overseas or do you have to import yourselves?
Holmlund what country are you in ?
Live in Sweden.
Holmlund there's people who sell them here in the states . I ordered mine off Amazon.
The Gransfors Bruks Forest Axe I used this past summer for habitat work. I beat the blade cutting tree roots and stems. I also wrapped the handle toward the head with electrical tape to give the handle a touch of protection. I can see why many are fond of them. I'm looking to get a second one. This video did help guide me to the choice. Cheers.
great vids. it looks like you swing the 3rd axe harder. im looking for a loggers tool belt. do you HAVE a vid?
did they ever fix the Autine axe for ya?
& should try one?
ParkerFriedChicken ftudt2f.Ihavearhthruei$€=€4€=£
3€4€
***** What up brotha tac, just found out for sure who you were talking about in that video lol
Ayyy tac
Thumbs up just because it's @tac
id call fail testing (and reporting) not only was the 290$ axe favorably swung (its not easy to always hit the same mark) favoring the results, but the reporting of i.e. 6 strokes when infact u reached six, then pry the log apart and cut the remaining wood with it...just saying
I seen it too (favoritism)
Indeed. The Estwing was swung sloppily, never hitting close to the same mark twice, creeping in towards the center. The Gransfors was a little better, and the last axe was proper form. I worked timber for years, and it is amazing how many of the folks chopping on youtube don't use anything close to proper form or technique. BTW, I have an Estwing. Not the best for splitting, but it is a fine chopper and will not break. In a survival situation, that is imperative!
DannoCrutch you have also to take into account the balance of the axe. And the simple Estwing doesn't have volume in the handle engough to get a good grip with it. And if you don't misstreat your axe a loot, your hickory handle will not break and if it looses the head, it is trivial to reseat it.
No, I have hade one axe of Estwing type, and I take any properly done axe any day.
andjack I swing my Estwing just fine, and a damn sight better than exhibited here. I prefer a hickory handled axe, specifically Council, due to it having a more springy handle. This reduces shock and fatigue. Gransfors and Wetterlings are excellent axes, but all this video proved is that he can't swing accurately, does not start his cuts at the proper size for the size of the log, and that he possibly made a judgement call after a few strikes each. Patently ridiculous. Also, one thing I never hear these RUclips folks address is versatility. A good bushcraft axe has to have a good balance between splitting and chopping.
autine...6 strokes on the larger chunks...i counted 10 strokes.seems plus 2 more for manually pulling apart ...someone is biased a bit. my estwing doesn't have a problem glancing off chunks and the first test ..could you space out the impacts a little farther apart.from what i saw the medium priced axe was worse....oh yeah and for 40.00 you get an axe who's head will never come off.
but for camping I'll stick with my cheap 23" trail boss i paid 20.00 for.
Estwing not two cuts in same place dirty great knot in the cut. Plus it's lighter of course the Neeman will cut better. Doesn't mean to say the estwing won't cut with a bit of TLC and tweaking. Head will never fall of estwing either
the medium priced axe was also the smallest among the 3. The fact it held it's grounds against the bigger guys suggest it's the best.
These comments are silly. the log was split there were just fibers holding it together. Likely because of nothing to do with the axe, because that simply isn't how splitting wood with a wedge works.
did you even see the video?
Agree on the Eastwing. I have it in my ATV, use it while out hunting, mostly clearing trails and it is hard to handle, goes away on you, long head and too much weight distributed over the shaft rather than the head where it counts.
Reason I bought the Eastwing is that as a Carpenter, I use Eastwing Hammers, always have, and I also have the Eastwing Hatchet (leather handle look) The Axe is the last of the bunch I bought. The hatchet is the Bomb, that works excellent and I keep it with me while out and when sharpened properly, not only will you split a a Moose's rib cage or chop the hocks, I've been able to skin with it better than other guy's knives. :)
have you ever done a comparison with the fiskers or preferable the Gerber???? I keep a gerber with the RV.
in the first test look at how spread the cuts are on the first then look to the last. its almost double the width on the first one. of course youre not going to get good penetration because the blows are not concentrated in one area. seems like he may have coerced the results to what he wanted them to be
and in the second test you can see the poor control over the axes. he aims for center very carefully on the last axe but seems to swing wildly on the other 2. look how he only catches maybe an inch on the side
the third test looked really fair until rather than splitting fully through on the third he got it most of the way then made 3-4 small bites of the axe and pulled it apart. I think he really didn't want that axe to be bested
4th test. it seems to me hes swinging the 3rd axe harder, just my opinion. then he goes on to say very deep cut when the second axe obviously bit deeper and it only got an "ok"
in his closing he states it puts him in a bad spot because the 3rd axe was a gift, plainly admitting his bias. in my honest opinion the 2nd axe would be the only one I would consider buying. he says he does this a lot but he is out there in dress shirts by the look and made some very wild swings. im not sure what I should take from this video
Gets almost a $300 axe as a gift, it doesn't split all the way and then the head becomes loose. *says it's the best splitter*
Wow, 300$ and it fails on the first day, shinny and expensive isn't always better. 40$ Husqvarna anyone?
Billy Minga That's not true. Wetterlings is not owned by Gränsfors Bruk, they are two separate companys.
No because otter box owns life proof now :D they can buy other company's out like Microsoft bought minecraff
the handle of the axe is just fine, it became dry and smaller, put the axe for 10-15 min in water so the wood grow and it will be just fine. Its a wooden handle its normal that that think hapen
That may be a temporary solution but, as wranglerstar himself would call it, is not the proper way to do it.
The wood might swell by the water, but may shrink even more when it dries.
The best way is to hang your axe properly and give it a good coat of linseed oil now and then.
rtyuty htyhtyh you know you want to keep your wood handles dry because if you dont its more prone to cracking right
Wow,The reviews are great and I can't really tell you how much I can appreciate these videos. I like to think I am a fairly good outdoors-man, yet I learn something each time. thanks!
Hi, good video. I need a recommendation on a starter axe that can carve, split logs and chop trees. I need it for college so it will have to be small to medium sized and preferably a wooden handle.Thanks.
That goes to show that you get lemons even with the high priced stuff.
well of course. but you also get after sale support with the high priced stuff. that estwing if something goes wrong through it away and buy a new one
i cannot believe i spent 10 mins watching this
Kevin smith err.. count me in
Why not? I think it was very informative by a woodsman who clearly knows his stuff. I doubt if you could make and refit a replacement handle to the Autine that would do it justice, but I know wranglerstar could because I have seen him fix an antique double bit axe of his grandfathers. Trust me, this guy knows his stuff.
I think it was good if you where thinking on going out and purchasing an axe.
***** We must be twins!
CapeJimmy1 You did.
lol, it looks better because your hitting harder with your chosen favorite
that’s how it goes 😂
ive been thinking about getting the estwing camp axe as a batle/combat axe. simse i dont wamt to use my woodsman axe for that
Wranglerstar, after watching the vids on what you do with new axes, such as shaving the varnish off and replacing with Linseed oil (an excellent process, thank you!) I'm wondering what is on the handle of your Granfors Bruks...probably Linseed Oil on the top half, but the bottom half appears to be black. Paint? Rubberized grip coating?Thanks for all your videos. Using them to help me on my place here in Montana.
I was raised using axes and one thing I learned during the years was not to use a single edge axe for cutting wood. We always use the double edge axe which does a great job for the professionals in the woods and for homeowners as well. In the South where we split wood I always used the double edge axe for splitting wood and there are times you have to use special wood splitting axes which makes the job better. If I had to use either of those axes you showed I would not want to do the job and laugh at who ever give me one of them. I have a good axe I have had for years and take good care of it and love it. It is American made and I know how to use it.
I don't think you said once during that entire comment why you think double-edge is better. "I was raised on it" is not the same as "it is better".
I was taught years ago about using the double edge axe and after using both for cutting firewood and loved the double edge better and could do more with it. The old loggers here always used one as well and after trimming rich pine which we use to start fires, and the fire wood itself I learned to love it for the weight and refused to use a single edge axe.
Halsfield axes are most used for cutting logs, with two blades, if one edge is dulled or dented, the other will still be sharp.
colin forwood
Well at least you attempted to give me a reason so thank you.
Still, if that were a good reason to add two blades to something then why wouldn't knives have double-blades or anything else that was bladed?
And lack of sharpness seems like a reason to carry a whetstone and similar sharpening tools, not to add a second blade. Its more weight, a second blade you have to worry about when swinging or carrying it, and not that much more effective if you keep your blade sharp like any good tool-user does with his tools.
I just think this guy that spends an incredible amount of time in the woods would know the best axe to use and I mostly see him using 1-bladed axes.
Halsfield
In fact it's because the cutting edges are ground at different angles: one for cutting and finer tasks, the other one for heavy chopping and splitting, so instead of carrying two axes or compromising midway, you have two task-specific bites in the same tool. Incidentally, by dividing the work between the two bites the dulling of the edges is much slower.
Not necessarily a "better" approach, but a different one. This also tends to work better with smaller "camping" or "multitask" axes and you have to get used to the straight handle and different balance of the head.
For my money, the Autine would win. I have used axes most of my 68 years and never had one that didn't need the fit of the head adjusted. From very early on. No fault in the head of that axe. My best was (and still is) a Hudson Bay axe. Have had it for thirty some years. It is on its third handle. Not a fault - just the way the critters work...
So you still stand by your words to this day?🤔 🇺🇸 🇮🇱
@@invaderzim1265 Yes. Why do you ask?...
This guy is cutting down trees and he gets a couple of dislikes, but when someone shoots pests he gets 80% dislikes. I have lost faith in humanity.
Have you received the Hoffman Blacksmithing axe yet? pricey but look amazing
Hi everyone. First let me say great video. Just an old guy who has chopped a lot and split many chunks for fire wood.. Even older guys told me long ago the thing to look for in a good ax is the contour of the blade. A convex shape will cut and split much better than a concave shape with all other things being equal. I have never purchased a new ax from a store but have found some great ones at garage sales and farm auctions.
Step one when comparing tools:
Make sure theyre meant for the same god damned thing.
Exactly! These axes were NOT made nor sold as Splitting Axes. Please try again.
Thumbs-down on this video - on this point.
Martin Camp he is showing them as bushcrafting axes whitch need to be good splitting axes
Those werent exactly hard pieces of wood to split and if youre out camping you need your one axe to be able to do a few things but splitting some wood so you can get a fire going is a must I wish the wood was like that when I went camping. I feel its hardly abuse what he did.
The Autine is swung visibly harder on the horizontal test. Seems to be some bias here...
obviously you can swing a 300 $ axe harder because you're pissed you spent so much on that pos
It's heavier...
I'll never buy an axe... but i'm lifeless and decided to watch this video till the end
for 40 bucks I will swing that estwing all day your cuts were biased at best and when those other handles fail you can still use the estwing for a multi tool camp ax
So i have to ask @Wranglerstar Did you have to pay shipping to send it half way across the world? or did they pay?
Did they ever get back to you on that head coming off? For a $240 axe hand fitted that is a shame. I was looking for a high end axe and it looked pretty awesome up until fail city.
You should redo the same test but include a Fiskars.
that's what I was thinking. I have a Fiskars and I split 20 inch diameter rounds with one whack. Its got a wicked wedge on it.
Agreed, the Fiskers 14 in axe is a solid tool. Over all it preforms better than my 14 in hand forged axe. It keeps its edge like none other and the coating they have on the blade is the key. It has a better blade profile than the hand forged axe. The hand forged does much better at felling thean the fiskers but i will not split with the hand forged, it has a thin profile and has the same issue as the estwing with no wedge.
The axe with the loose shaft. Shocking a mistake that cannot be excused
3:54 I REMEMBER WHERE I KNOW THIS GUY FROM he looks like the governer from the walking dead! 😂
YES!!!
Your videos are amazing - by far the best use of my time spent online. Makes me want to get back outside to work and learn. Thanks!
Excellent informational video. Very honest review as always. Thank you!
The tendency to glance comes from a shitty swing, not the axe
A proper test would include a blindfolded test.
axing blindfolded would be VERRRRYYYY safe ! LOL
golfforthebest I was being sarcastic.
I appreciate and applaud your honesty, if they ask for your opinion and an honest review, I believe you owe it to them and us to be as honest as possible, good job, excellent review ! thanks
Now that is a great test, i agree with Estwing not only i found would it glance off the wood sometimes (scary) I gave it away..
Now you know what you are talking about in this field.. i'm really looking at this point to buy either Gransfors B. or Wetterling both made in the same country , hand built , hand forged, very old companies, my way of thinking if either one could not build a wonderful axe after 100 years plus it's not going to happen ... I would like to know, what do you think if you own a Wetterlings as you own Gransfors B. ? And why do you lean towards GB and not Wetterlings? What does one brand have that the other does not? Thanks great information as always..
i have a Cold Steel Riflemans Hawk. ive tried to put a good angle and edge on it. all i can afford is budget stuff. how much would you charge for me to send the bit to you to have it reprofiled and have the perfect edge on it for felling small trees and chopping tasks? thanks.
Just re-shim the axe head or send it to me if you're overly disappointed. I'll give it a good home.
yes it is a quick fix,,,,,,,, but 290 on a axe that has some sort of filler to hold in the head is bullcrap ,,,, what good is a warrenty in the bush
zeekiemp3 I'd have to agree. I've been drooling over Autine & John Neeman axes for a while BECAUSE of the quality & for that much money I'd expect only 100% quality, no filler. That being said I'd love if someone gave me one for free if all I had to do was refit the handle!
Where's Fiskars?
I was ready to buy an Autine until I watched this video. I am not going to spend $400 for an axe with a loose handle. Hope they fixed it for you without making you pay shipping.
I have recently heard from two other subscribers that their Autine axes were welded.
The axe is fine, the handle got loose due to poor swinging. Something wrong happened because it should not take that many swings to split a log of that diameter, two to four swings is all it should take with good aiming. This guy had poor accuracy.
turnermic17 it doesn't matter who swings the axe. If you pay 400 for an axe it better hold no matter what.
***** You look like an idiot because you haven't researched who this guy is. The company sent him a free $400 axe to review based on his reputation alone. He gave the fairest, most honest review possible. He does not sell out and hide faults just to keep on good terms with the company. I would trust this man's word. He is honest and deeply knowledgeable in his field. He even gave them a chance to redeem themselves and depending on how they respond, their reputation can be enhanced and I would consider buying the expensive axe.
turnermic17 you gotta be kidding , right ???
I appreciate you doing these reviews Code , and above all , you are fair and very accurate during your axe reviews. No surprise with the Bruks , that's the same axe I plan to invest in. Thanks Cody for the hard work you put into educating and informing the public.
Wranglerstar what would u recommend for bushcraft/woodland sourvival a small hand hatchet or small 18 or 19 inch woods axe
I have a cruiser double bit that I enjoy using and have taken it out hiking before but I find I don't really have a way to carry it nicely. Are there any backpacks that you're aware of that can be compatible with this size axe?
6:10
Autine 6,5 strokes xD
I'd trust my life to the estwing only, it may not cut or split the best but it will outlast both with ease, if you could only take one the estwing is the no brainer option to survive with.
..was that the axe..with solid steel handle
Showemright YTchannel yes it's the all metal blue one with steel head and neck.
Såklart vi vikingar gör de bästa yxorna!
+CC S Såklart.
+CC S
Uten Tvil . Se på Øksene til gutta som lager store trebåter eller lafter hus ,
der er det snakk om Økser (Eller BILER som de gamle sa)
+CC S Selvfølgeligt..!..smil
+CC S Selvfølgeligt..!..smil
I've been pretty happy with my Council Tools 3.5lb Jersey axe, cuts well (after sharpening) and splits like a champ in the medium sized rounds but if you want to move quick splitting the big stuff just stick with a nice maul. I agree with you fully on the Estwig, I've had one a while now to use when I'm camping and it's just too narrow and light to split logs with, alright for cutting.
Not sure if you will answer this for me or not but I've watched a lot of your reviews and videos! My delima is that I can not decide on the Wetterlings Bushman or the GB small forest axe, will be my pack axe/bushcraft axe
10 on the big log with expensive axe, not 6 ;)
da1uth he was cutting the strings of the wood
a bit sad you did not try the Gränsfors Stor Skogsyxa its a better axe in the forest
and ofc sweden know its axes svenskt stål biter! swedish steel bites
kalle boll We love ye Sweeds for your tools in Denmark aaand the amount of money you spent on alcohol
pff danish drink even more then a swed a lille en
kalle boll We know that for a fact :D but that doesn't change the fact that there's loads of Sweeds just taking the trip to CPH to drink :'D
Mathias Ullehus haha sant
Actually it would have taken 7 hits to split with the autine, due to the fact that you had to help with your hands to spread the log then to the axe to hit the fibers in the middle, you did not have to do that with the other logs with the other axes. Come on guy get real.
It's true, he could've pulled the log apart on the 6th hit with the Estwing as well, but he chose not to. I think he's trying to justify his expensive purchase of the Autine and hates how the Estwing was not far behind in performance in most areas? :P
On the more expensive ax, it looks much, much thicker than the other two. What does the head weigh? wouldn't that drastically effect the splitting performance. You also have to pack it around so its a trade off right?
2.5 million views...personally, I think you deserve more subscribers. Your video quality is great, the videos are helpful on what you might be willing to buy that is semi-cheap. And they are also very informational. All in all, keep up the good work, I love your videos.