Absolute favorite. Always comes back to. Some of the very best cutting tools. For years and years this is still the best. Inless something very tiny or very large.
GB makes good hatchets/axes. This one did break(i have a couple of videos about that) and GB replaced it. I still have 2 GB's. A Scandinavian Forest Axe and a Wildlife hachet(also modified). They are good but they are also pricey. The best Axe Price/performace imo has to be the Husqvarna Carpenter's Axe. Had that one for many years now and I think it is just fantastic. Lately I have been trying out Fiskars(X7 and X11s) and while they are not exactly "bushcraft" tools they are great tools. But in terms of (how the tools looks and feels in hand) few are as good as GB. If it wasn't for the high price i would own a few more.
HI John I just spent two days at GBA, and forged my own little axe ,, what an experience, they are old school it does not surprise me they took care of you even after your mods. axes are my life , and GBA are truely about the axe , The more time on an axe the better keep it up and thx for your great attitude on youtube it helps the hole . over n' out Buckin'
I was actually very surprised at how nice they were. Much nicer than I expected or encountered. I like GB axes. At the moment I have 3 models and I am happy with them. One of them is a Scandinavian Forest Axe which has been abused for years by a friend of mine and his cousin. After all that, a few hours of taking care of it, cleaning/sharpening and it is back to being a great tool. Forged your own small axe? That is really cool! Wish I could do that. However my talents in making working tools are quite limited
...interesting, just the other day I was thinking about the pros and cons of having different edge angles on cutting tools and here you're delivering the answers :) Thanks & best greetings, Tim
+Steintanz I think that I will go for a custom little hathet to help me with carving tasks that can also take on some rougher jobs I always invisioned hatchets like this. Thin edge angle t help with such jobs ad also sturdy enough to not mind a few crossgrain hits
+traderjoes Really good tools. I think that GB does make some excellent tools. I will also let you know how their customer service handles such cases. ;)
Hey John, Ive been using axes and hatchets in the bush at work daily for almost 20 yrs now, and on my own time my whole life. Ill pass you on some tips- an axe is for chopping not cutting like a knife, therefore if you try to thin the edge and make it slicey sharp it will be very prone to rolling and chipping, try for a convex edge at the tip to have some heft backing up the cutting edge, especially for hardwoods, and frozen wood. The biggest danger is swinging in a vertical arch, when swinging vertically keep legs out of the line of fire and bend at the knees as you swing to keep the axe in a more strait movement. Hatchets can be kept sharper than axes because you swing them with less force and use them for finer work. A 1" file is all you really need to sharpen an axe, also learn to "drawfile" with the single cut side of the file. If your blade gets real gummed up with sap, spray a bit of bug spray on it if you have some, wait a minute or two then go back to work, it will come right off. Hope this helps a bit.Cheers
+RealBushMonkey Thanks for the tips. I like using hatchets for carving. This was to be its primary use. But I wanted to be able to also use it as a camping hatchet. I tested this one with the initial edge and it was too thin. The edge bend a bit and there were a few chips. I put a micro bevel after which it held its edge really well. I did not think that it could snap like that. I also have a Scandinavian Forest Axe and I still have to learn to use it properly. I did almost hit myself in the leg although I was careful to keep a log between me and the axe and I was bending. There was a knot and the axe swung by my leg missing it by about 2 inches...these tools can make a lot of jobs easy but technique and focus are always asked for..
it's likely the temper was lost when it was ground. it's very easy to over heat the thin edge with a grinder. If they do replace it (which in my opinion, they shouldn't be obliged to) grinding down your replacement axe will probably cause it to fall as well. that axe should've come with a shaving sharp edge. i don't think you're gonna improve it by modifying it.
Great video, no surprise there! An axe fail?!?! Big surprise there! No doubt you were shocked! That aside.... It's good to see you enjoying and axe. :) That was good footage. Can't wait to see what happens next. Be well my friend Craig
+Forestwalker111 well...i was enjoying it until it broke. I hope they replace it...I will modify that one as well and see how it holds up. If they ever answer the em-mail i sent them.... we'll see... Have a good one ;)
Glad u got ur new wildlife hatchet.. iv had mine for 6 years.. scene alot of work... it is 1 of 5 of the Grantsfor Bruks axe i have .. i will say because its Maybe 3 reasons combined why it snap an crack on u.. 1 u said u change the edge angle.. 2 u said the edge angle was much lower... so sounds like it was made thinner than normal.. 3 an also maybe not as good heat treatment... bt least you have ur replacement..
+Andi1878 Hi Andi...you might want to check the end of the video and wait for an update before you pull the trigger ;) I liked the hatched while I used it...but the day after this video I stopped using it.
+SpartanJohns I'm pretty sure they're supposed to be evenly ground when delivered... And I must confess... I missed the last seconds of the video! After your "I wish you all a great day" I immediately pressed pause and went to the comment section! :-D DAMN! That needs to be cleared...! :-D
I have to agree. I'm glad for you that they were kind enough to replace it. But you should never have modified this. It's like taking the axle on your car and shaving half the steel away to make it lighter or whatever- and then being disappointed when it snaps. It's crazy to think you could remove that much steel and expect it to be the same axe. These guys are expert craftspeople. The apprenticeship is no joke over there. They treat it a lot like the old days. Were it not so, they'd be able to fulfill more orders and there'd be no waiting list for half of their axe line-up. But there is. And their adherence to quality is the reason. It doesn't mean they don't make mistakes. All manufacturers occasionally produce items that fail. But at least "test" the item that they actually built. It's not a test at all once you modify it. They know exactly how thick it needs to be. If it was lopsided, sure, take a bit off and even it out. I personally would not use any high speed sander or grinder due to the risks. When I have for knives and chisels, I constantly dip in water. You have to. But this may not have even been a case of the temper. It may simply be that you weakened it. The shapes are highly specific. They don't make a blade that thin because it won't hold up to the force an axe is expected to take. As far as anyone saying that it should not be used for chopping, that's absurd as a hatchet's primary function is chopping. No offense meant. I will have to start making some videos. So many people don't even know how to swing an axe.
Point taken, however I think that your analogy is wrong. You can reduce the weight of the axle by using other materials. Even if you keep the same axle you can still shave off parts of it and nothing bad will happen. Coming back to the hatchet. The new one they sent me has almost the same thickness that the one I modified had after the modification. I sent GB the video and macro pictures of the structure of the steel where it broke. They wathed the video, knew I modified it, saw the pictures, and said that they will replace it. I do not think that the modification led to the hatchet failing. If the HT would have been altered during the modification in any way it would have softened the steel. Right? The edge, however, did not bend, the hatchet held its edge very well... What hapened was, and it can be seen in the video, the lower corner of the blde burried itself in the wood and it got ripped out. That, with a properly heat treated blade, would not have happened..I think it was just too hard, tensions within the steel were to great. That is the reason why it held it edge so well to start with. No offense taken. I appreciate a conversation rather than "you're stupid for modifying it" I like your American Felling axe. Have a great day Denis
The jagged crack was typical to a quenching issue. He did NOTHING wrong with thinning it out, from the video I can tell the axe was still thicker behind the edge than a stock Husqvarna axe. Let's be real here and stop trying to find excuses for GB. Bad tempers happen, and they owned it. If it wasn't a bad temper and instead was user error, they wouldn't have replaced the axe. Period.
@@SpartanJohns Nu e vina ta absolut de loc. Am topoare, si ma gandesc si tu, cu geometrie mult mai subtire decat ce ai avut tu in acest topor. Nu crapa cand tai un amarat de lemn, si fara nici un pic de presiune laterala, nici macar aia! Era strict o problema de calire si crepaturi vechi din timpul calirii. Oamenii aia de la GB stiu mai bine decat fanboys astia ce zic ca e vina ta, si au observat ca intradevar, forma rugoasa a crepaturii, in loc de semicerc, demonstreaza clar o problema a tratamentului termic.
Nice to emphasize the safety element when utilizing these. Would recommend having a trauma kit nearby just in case. Tourniquet, israeli bandage, and a quik clot dressing.
Looks like you have a Razor edge on your hatchet? Your video makes me want to get one of these too....... I'll need to be very careful so I don't become Axe Poor.....So far I have 6 hatchets & Axes, one of them being a True Temper filing axe from the 1960s or 70s..... My next tool will be an adz or bowl scrapper...what ever they're called? I'd like to make some nice wooden bowls for my wife. But, my first project should probably be a Horse/Bench Style Spoke Shave.. Many years ago on the back roads of Kentucky, I used to see lots of the old time Spoke Shaves in peoples yards that the old timer's built completely by hand with home made hand tools. To me, those old Spoke Shaves are among the greatest tools one can still build themselves...sorry for rambling on about this other stuff....
For me an axe was a tool for chopping and splitting wood. It was not until I received the small forest axe that I owned an axe with a shaving sharp edge. Now I see that you can use the axe as a carving tool to do fine work like feathering a stick. Learned something new. If you are reading this comment you will want to watch this video to the end. Shocking ... just shocking!!!
+EconoChallenge A well built axe can be quite a tool. It wa my goal to learn to work with it and incorporate it within my kit. I must sayafter going out today....not having it along.. I missed it a lot.
The belt grinder may have removed the heat treat! I used a file and sand papers on my small forest axe to bring the grind back for better penetration! Beautiful video as always! Sorry about your hatchet brother! Have a happy new year.
+Babak P not a possibility. even if it would have been overheated on the belt grinder, which was definitely not the case, it would have made the metal softer so it woulldn't have broken away like this....it would have bend. i wil have the chip tested for hardness and see thank you!:) I wish you a Hapy New Year as well! :)
+SpartanJohns Thank you :) I am sure they will replace it! It not I will send you a hand picked one as a gift for your videos I enjoy so much :) I have the same tendency to hold the hatchet close to the choil area as well, and that is why I picked the Kubben hatchet aka hand hatchet and I am very impressed with its effectiveness and how packable it is! They use the same axe head as the wild life hatchet with a shorter and fatter handle that is much nicer for people with larger hands.Cheers bro
I purchased that model you have a month ago and i really like it... The Hickory handle does not have a coating on it or mine does not, in the AXE Book it says the handles are soaked in warm linseed oil for a period of time , so the handle should be fine for many years of use.. I finish off my edge with 600 grit sandpaper , really puts a polish on the cutting edge..
I keep applying coats of linseed oil on all my axes and hatchets...i don't fear tehm cracking but I have found that when it gets really cold or really hot with dry or wet hands those linseed oil coatings help with the grip you should try it! Can't really hurt it!
I have done this before and you are right it does make a difference... Fine rifle stocks are protected from the elements with many coats of lin-seed oil hand rubbed in.... I always wear gloves to protect myself when using tools , and that includes chainsaws...
I got one of these for christmas and the next day I was splitting some wood (with a different axe) and there was a small branch sticking out of the log that was bothering me so I figured I would take it off with my new hatchet. Just after the five or so hits it took to get the branch off I looked at the blade and it had rolled over a little bit in a few places. They came out easily after ten or so minutes on a sharpener, but I still don't think it should have happened. Is that normal or not good?
Hallo, frohes Neues und danke für das Video! Keine Ahnung ob ich Recht habe, aber das ist genau der Grund warum ich keinen Bandschleifer an meine Äxte/Messer lasse. Hab immer Angst, daß der Stahl zu heiß wird und ich Ausbrüche bekomme. Hab gehört das geht ratz-fatz. Gesehen habe ich diesen Effekt bisher nur bei Messern, allerdings sind die ja auch normalerweise dünner. Bin da aber auch kein Spezialist, das Risiko war mir nur immer zu hoch. Meine Wildlife hat ab Werk einen fast perfekt mittigen Anschliff. Hat bisher jeden Job mitgemacht (keine Ahnung ob das einen großen Unterschied macht aber die Initialen auf meiner Axt sind MM). Vielleicht aber auch nur ne "Montagsaxt". Hoffe Gränsfors gibt dir ne neue egal was der Grund ist. Good Luck.
+FoRestInPeace In diesen fall war der Bandschleifen nicht schuld. Wenn die axt zu heiss geworden waehre haette sie die schneide nicht so gut gehalten und waehre nicht abgebrochen sondern haette sich gebogen. Solche ausbrueche wird e geben wenn spannungen im Werkzeug sind...so habe ich das gelernt und so denke ich das es passiert ist. Ich hoffe dass sie erzaetzt wird. Falls ich eine andere kriege wird die auch wieder modifiziert fuer schnitzen. Es macht spass...und eine kleine axt nur zum holz spalten...das brauche ich nicht...ich will das sie mehr machen kann/soll.. Danke... VG Denis
+SpartanJohns Hi Denis! Die Modifikation war auch der Hammer! Als ich die ersten Schnitte gesehen habe, dachte ich: Sch.... beißt die zu :). Hat richtig Spaß gemacht dabei zuzusehen. Ich liebe es mit dieser Axt zu arbeiten aber so gut wie deine schnitzt meine absolut nicht. Naja und ich habe gelesen, daß das "Nachruhen" von Metall(ich glaube Fachbegriff ist "Anlassen"), also der Vorgang bei dem es seine Eigenschaft von spröde zu flexibel ändert, bei relativ niedrigen Temperaturen stattfindet(ca. um die 180°-300°C). Deshalb soll man am Besten nur per Hand oder mit wassergekühlten Schleifmaschienen nachschärfen weil das Metall wieder spröder werden kann falls diese Temperaturen dabei überschritten werden. Eben jene Spannungen entstehen die du erwähnt hast. Aber wie gesagt ich hab das auch nur gelesen. Falls ich da was falsch verstanden habe lerne ich gern dazu. Ich weiß nur wie weh das tut wenn man anfängt sich in ein Werkzeug zu "verlieben" und dann wird man so bitter enttäuscht. Deshalb hoffe ich das es mit deiner neuen Axt nicht passiert. Vielleicht schickt dir Gränsfors ja eine, die schon so geschliffen ist wie du sie gerne hättest. Frag die doch mal. Ich will dann jedenfalls auch so eine :). GLG Daniel
+FoRestInPeace Ich werde sie fragen wenn e moeglich ist dass sie die Axt duenner schleifen. Das ist richtig...bis 150-180 Grad besteht keine Gefahr. Mein Freund, der die modification gemacht hat, hat sehr langsam geschliffen. Habe daran gedacht mir eine Custom lassen zu machen. So kann ich das so haben von anfang an und muss da nicht mehr so viel rumtesten und schleifen.
+Cliff Stamp I wanted this hatchet to help me out with carving tasks. For removing stock it was a great tool. I also wanted it to be able to withstand contact with hard woods. It did that...to some extent
GB keeps the details of the steel they use a secret but right on their website they warn not to try to modify or even sharpen their axes using a grinding wheel because the heat it generates will alter the steels temper and weaken it.
+Rawhead Rex if you heat the edge up too much then you might indeed compromise the HT. but not to the point where you get such large chips. however this was not done by a novice. My friend is a knifemaker and this is not the first blade he modified
Frohes neues Jahr Denis, ich habe schon seit ein paar Jahren ein Wildlife Hatchet und habe es relativ viel benutzt, Holz spalten, schnitzen ... auch durch Nadelholzknoten oder hakhen in Eichenholz. Habe es eigentlich immer dabei wenn ich keine große Axt mitnehmen will (GBA large Forest Axe oder schwedische Militäraxt, auch sehr schön und günstig, oder Hultafors Carpinters Axe) der Anschliff ist bei meinem Beil auch asymetrisch, für rechtshänder ausgelegt. Bin bis jetzt sehr zufrieden mit meinen GBAs hatte nur micro Ausbrüche und das auch nur selten, kein Rollen, geschweige denn große Ausbrüche. Denkst du es war ein Materialfehler oder könnte es beim Modifizieren heiß geworden sein, wegen des Flacheren Anschliffs allein sollte sowas ja nicht passieren. Hoffe GBA ist kollant und du krigst ein neues. LG, Maximilian.
+Ma Wu Ho Hi Maximilian, Es hat die Schneide sehr gut gehalten daher denke ich nicht das die WB beim modifizieren irgendwie gelitten hat. Wenn es so waehre haette ich das gemerkt weil es die schneide nicht mehr so gut gehalten hat. Ich wuerde sagen dass es ein Problem mit der Axt war so wie es von GB gekommen ist. Ich habe ihnen schon geschrieben und hoffe auch das GB diese ersaetzen wird. LG Denis
Great axe, i got mine a few months ago and thought it might be just a cool looking toy but i found out it is quite capable and an amazing tool. I did the opposite though and made the edge bevel less steep since the edge rolled when splitting hardwood with a lot of force.
+321berber Mine was very sharp from the getgo. I wanted to use it more for lighter tasks and have it bite in more. But also wanted it to be able to do some harder tasks if needed. I expected the edge to bend a bit or for it to dull faster but not to lose a piece of it
The axe might have gotten to hot on the belt grinder, that could be the reason why it broke. after heat treatment you shouldnt use powertools on your blades, or if you do keep the rpm low and the steel cool
+Cliff Stamp at firt I was just shocked and I could not understand how it happened. After watching the video and looking at it I realized that something was off.. the grain structure was too coarse in my opinion. I have written an e-mail to Gransfors and included a video and some macro shots. I hope to get an aanswer from them soon. I will add another video on how it happened and as soon as I sort it out I will make an update.
those first few strikes are at an angle that is much different and are usless chops, the next angle takes off all the material never even needing those first energy wasting chops
Hey, I’m thinking about getting this hatchet. How do you think it would perform if all I did, was put a microbevel on it with an 8000 grit Arkansas whetstone? I’m talking a tiny bevel.
the new one i presented in a video and then played around with for a while. then I gave it to a friend who was looking for a WH but could not find one at a decent price
Can thinning out the edge that much with a belt grinder affect whatever heat treatment GB does to the edge? That is an odd looking break no matter what.
+Random Button Pusher Not in this case. A friend of mine thinned out the edge and he was very careful. He also thinned out other edges for some of my knives and I have not had any issues.
You seem like a nice enough person and your videos are nice and slow and calm. Nice approach. However, meaning no offense, I think you're giving out bad information. No matter how careful your friend is, he's CHANGING the angle. He's removing material not meant to be removed. Your result is PRECISELY why newbies are warned against these modifications. To compare it to a knife is apples and oranges. A knife will never sustain the amount of force as an axe simply because of the weight, shape, leverage and subsequent forces due to these and other factors. Even baton info is a very different thing with pressure in different areas. Your break is almost surely a result of weakening the axe with your friend's mod. People who can't forge one of that caliber, shouldn't be screwing with anything except sharpening. Not without great care. Now, with a much thicker piece of steel, perhaps or someone whose worked out the math. I'm not against modifying. But to do it to these beauties is just silly. I own these axes. If it's not performing, you're likely not using it right.
Bee Snow I have to agree with Bee Snow here. The minute SpartanJohn started listing the modifications done, I said, "That can't be good, ultimately." And even as the axe worked marvelously thru the wood, I couldn't get out of my mind the incipient damage the modifications must have done. When I saw the catastrophic break at the very end, it was confirmation. GB has it's act together. The axe's already thin profile was achieved no doubt through trial and error. Further thinning it is obsessive messing with perfection. Put rocket fuel in your Lamborghini why don't you
+CedricAda Gear and Outdoors they alreasy sent one my way...the post office is surely taking their time...I hope that it gets to me. Yes...I think I will modify it and do about the same task with it. I need a hatchet to help me out with carving and also general camp chores
Grinding the cheek, a micro bevel and removing the handle coating of in my opinion the best axe manufacturer in the world all in one video?? Leave this for a 20 dollar hardware store axe, not a GB
I just got done watching your video where this hatchet broke and I gotta tell ya...your boy ruined the heat treat when he modified it. I guarantee he got the bit too hot thereby ruining the heat treat and thus weakening steel even more than he did by thinning it out. Which in my opinion is crazy to begin with because GB axes are already uber thin.
+BAZYRKYRS BUNKER can you guarantee that? Would you take a bet? Do you know how he did it? That is your assumption. And you are mistaken. He has not ruined a HT yet
Here's the deal...there's really only few options. One...either your boy ruined the heat treat and/or thinned out the bit too much. (and personally I think it's likely a combination of both). Two....Gransfors Bruk, who is known for quality and consistently good products, fucked up (which is not likely even with them ramping up production to max capacity to try and meet worldwide demand). Or three...you left your hatched in a cold environment for many hours prior to using it thus making the bit brittle. Which in combination with option one would undoubtedly crack the bit like an iceberg cracked the hull of the Titanic. Lucky for you Gransfors Bruk has on hell of a warranty and will likely replace it...even if it's your fault.
+BAZYRKYRS BUNKER how can someone pass such a definitive sentence over something that happened without knowing, me, my tool, the person who modified it, or having tested the tool before or after it failed? the answer is: he/she can't. I mean anybody can pass a sentence... without being correct, of course. And if you cover all possibilities, one of them might be right. that is like me saying: "Tomorrow 73 people will slip on ice, or a banana peal, or the won't slip at all(which is unlikely)." as to what happened...well if you really are interested you will wait for the update videos.
+Yehoshua Jason D. Stone I never could warm up to the imperial system. it is a bit hard for me to understand 3/16" aso. I guess it is based uppon which system you grow up knowing and using. ;)
After watching this video and the next one where you show the broken axe, I really think you received a dud. Unfortunately, modifying the axe probably voids the warranty, as we no longer have the original product to make a decisive decision on. As you know your axe was made by Mattias Mattsson, one of GB's oldest smiths. I've owned several axes made by him with no issues as yet, however, that's not to say all his work would be at par. Anyway, the reason I think you just got a bad axe is that you had to re-profile it so dramatically as you say. My BG hatched (again made by MM) has what appears to be very close to your modified profile right from the factory, at least from what I can see in the video. As I don't know what your original profile looked like I can't say for sure but if it had to be reduced so much to get what you have now, it would suggest that it wasn't right to begin with and you probably should have returned it then, especially as you say if the grind was't even to begin with, a clear sign of a defective grind. All said, given your honesty and a careful look at the grain structure of the break and considering the original grind angles, I think GB should send a replacement; if for nothing else, at least to maintain their reputation. As I said, it is my opinion the axe was defective from the get go.
+ymlas02 I agree with you. I have heard form more people that their axes also came with a lop sided grind. I have send a few pictures and a video to Gransfors Bruk and they wrote me back telling me that they will replace the axe. That did make me happy as I really liked the axe and really I had no negative points about it. I hope that the replacement gets to me soon. I will make an update video with more information as soon as the new hatchet reaches me.
If you try to improve this axe and it brakes up...post your stupid action..Not that smart.If your friend didn't cool the cutting edge with the grinding..it gets weak and brakes.I've been chopping wood for 30 years and know that there are no better axes than GB !
@Sidewayyys oh yes! when someone says: "I am an expert!" that'show you know they are really an expert. You stupid, half-witted, too lazy to think for yourself idiot!
Развлечения
Absolute favorite. Always comes back to. Some of the very best cutting tools. For years and years this is still the best. Inless something very tiny or very large.
GB makes good hatchets/axes. This one did break(i have a couple of videos about that) and GB replaced it.
I still have 2 GB's. A Scandinavian Forest Axe and a Wildlife hachet(also modified).
They are good but they are also pricey.
The best Axe Price/performace imo has to be the Husqvarna Carpenter's Axe. Had that one for many years now and I think it is just fantastic.
Lately I have been trying out Fiskars(X7 and X11s) and while they are not exactly "bushcraft" tools they are great tools. But in terms of (how the tools looks and feels in hand) few are as good as GB. If it wasn't for the high price i would own a few more.
Thank you so much for this video and your interaction. It’s a BIG help and lots of insights to uphold. 😊
Thanks for the nice words. I am glad you liked the videos and I am even happier they were of use to you
HI John I just spent two days at GBA, and forged my own little axe ,, what an experience, they are old school it does not surprise me they took care of you even after your mods. axes are my life , and GBA are truely about the axe , The more time on an axe the better keep it up and thx for your great attitude on youtube it helps the hole . over n' out Buckin'
I was actually very surprised at how nice they were. Much nicer than I expected or encountered. I like GB axes. At the moment I have 3 models and I am happy with them. One of them is a Scandinavian Forest Axe which has been abused for years by a friend of mine and his cousin. After all that, a few hours of taking care of it, cleaning/sharpening and it is back to being a great tool.
Forged your own small axe? That is really cool! Wish I could do that. However my talents in making working tools are quite limited
Buckin army ... be kind.
...interesting, just the other day I was thinking about the pros and cons of having different edge angles on cutting tools and here you're delivering the answers :)
Thanks & best greetings,
Tim
+Steintanz I think that I will go for a custom little hathet to help me with carving tasks that can also take on some rougher jobs
I always invisioned hatchets like this. Thin edge angle t help with such jobs ad also sturdy enough to not mind a few crossgrain hits
These are some of my Grail hatchets :) That company is really really amazing. Very nice job Denis!
+traderjoes Really good tools. I think that GB does make some excellent tools. I will also let you know how their customer service handles such cases. ;)
Hey John, Ive been using axes and hatchets in the bush at work daily for almost 20 yrs now, and on my own time my whole life. Ill pass you on some tips- an axe is for chopping not cutting like a knife, therefore if you try to thin the edge and make it slicey sharp it will be very prone to rolling and chipping, try for a convex edge at the tip to have some heft backing up the cutting edge, especially for hardwoods, and frozen wood. The biggest danger is swinging in a vertical arch, when swinging vertically keep legs out of the line of fire and bend at the knees as you swing to keep the axe in a more strait movement. Hatchets can be kept sharper than axes because you swing them with less force and use them for finer work. A 1" file is all you really need to sharpen an axe, also learn to "drawfile" with the single cut side of the file. If your blade gets real gummed up with sap, spray a bit of bug spray on it if you have some, wait a minute or two then go back to work, it will come right off. Hope this helps a bit.Cheers
+RealBushMonkey Thanks for the tips.
I like using hatchets for carving. This was to be its primary use. But I wanted to be able to also use it as a camping hatchet.
I tested this one with the initial edge and it was too thin. The edge bend a bit and there were a few chips. I put a micro bevel after which it held its edge really well. I did not think that it could snap like that. I also have a Scandinavian Forest Axe and I still have to learn to use it properly.
I did almost hit myself in the leg although I was careful to keep a log between me and the axe and I was bending. There was a knot and the axe swung by my leg missing it by about 2 inches...these tools can make a lot of jobs easy but technique and focus are always asked for..
that one that snapped was all heat treat, you were using that one exactly what it was meant for, hope you get some redemption on that one.
it's likely the temper was lost when it was ground. it's very easy to over heat the thin edge with a grinder. If they do replace it (which in my opinion, they shouldn't be obliged to) grinding down your replacement axe will probably cause it to fall as well. that axe should've come with a shaving sharp edge. i don't think you're gonna improve it by modifying it.
Again a nice video. Thanks for sharing. And I wanna wish you a Happy New Year, health and success. Greets, Frank
+frandi63 Thank you Frank. I wish you the same. :)
Great video, no surprise there!
An axe fail?!?! Big surprise there! No doubt you were shocked! That aside....
It's good to see you enjoying and axe. :)
That was good footage.
Can't wait to see what happens next.
Be well my friend
Craig
+Forestwalker111 well...i was enjoying it until it broke.
I hope they replace it...I will modify that one as well and see how it holds up. If they ever answer the em-mail i sent them....
we'll see...
Have a good one
;)
Glad u got ur new wildlife hatchet.. iv had mine for 6 years.. scene alot of work... it is 1 of 5 of the Grantsfor Bruks axe i have .. i will say because its Maybe 3 reasons combined why it snap an crack on u.. 1 u said u change the edge angle.. 2 u said the edge angle was much lower... so sounds like it was made thinner than normal.. 3 an also maybe not as good heat treatment... bt least you have ur replacement..
Salut, Denis!
I guess I finally need to get myself a Gränsfors... :-D
Thanks for sharing your test and your thoughts on it!
Andi
+Andi1878 Hi Andi...you might want to check the end of the video and wait for an update before you pull the trigger ;)
I liked the hatched while I used it...but the day after this video I stopped using it.
+SpartanJohns I'm pretty sure they're supposed to be evenly ground when delivered...
And I must confess... I missed the last seconds of the video! After your "I wish you all a great day" I immediately pressed pause and went to the comment section! :-D
DAMN! That needs to be cleared...! :-D
+Andi1878 i have written an e-mail to Gransfors and a waiting for their answer
Cool Video 👍
Thank U for the Info and the testing 👍
Links would be nice....
U got a new subscriber...
Brutal!
I have to agree. I'm glad for you that they were kind enough to replace it. But you should never have modified this. It's like taking the axle on your car and shaving half the steel away to make it lighter or whatever- and then being disappointed when it snaps.
It's crazy to think you could remove that much steel and expect it to be the same axe. These guys are expert craftspeople. The apprenticeship is no joke over there. They treat it a lot like the old days. Were it not so, they'd be able to fulfill more orders and there'd be no waiting list for half of their axe line-up. But there is. And their adherence to quality is the reason. It doesn't mean they don't make mistakes. All manufacturers occasionally produce items that fail. But at least "test" the item that they actually built. It's not a test at all once you modify it. They know exactly how thick it needs to be. If it was lopsided, sure, take a bit off and even it out. I personally would not use any high speed sander or grinder due to the risks. When I have for knives and chisels, I constantly dip in water. You have to. But this may not have even been a case of the temper. It may simply be that you weakened it. The shapes are highly specific. They don't make a blade that thin because it won't hold up to the force an axe is expected to take.
As far as anyone saying that it should not be used for chopping, that's absurd as a hatchet's primary function is chopping.
No offense meant. I will have to start making some videos. So many people don't even know how to swing an axe.
Bee Snow spot-on comment, with hilarious car axle analogy
Point taken, however I think that your analogy is wrong. You can reduce the weight of the axle by using other materials. Even if you keep the same axle you can still shave off parts of it and nothing bad will happen.
Coming back to the hatchet. The new one they sent me has almost the same thickness that the one I modified had after the modification.
I sent GB the video and macro pictures of the structure of the steel where it broke. They wathed the video, knew I modified it, saw the pictures, and said that they will replace it.
I do not think that the modification led to the hatchet failing.
If the HT would have been altered during the modification in any way it would have softened the steel. Right? The edge, however, did not bend, the hatchet held its edge very well...
What hapened was, and it can be seen in the video, the lower corner of the blde burried itself in the wood and it got ripped out. That, with a properly heat treated blade, would not have happened..I think it was just too hard, tensions within the steel were to great. That is the reason why it held it edge so well to start with.
No offense taken. I appreciate a conversation rather than "you're stupid for modifying it"
I like your American Felling axe.
Have a great day
Denis
The jagged crack was typical to a quenching issue. He did NOTHING wrong with thinning it out, from the video I can tell the axe was still thicker behind the edge than a stock Husqvarna axe. Let's be real here and stop trying to find excuses for GB. Bad tempers happen, and they owned it. If it wasn't a bad temper and instead was user error, they wouldn't have replaced the axe. Period.
@@SpartanJohns Nu e vina ta absolut de loc. Am topoare, si ma gandesc si tu, cu geometrie mult mai subtire decat ce ai avut tu in acest topor. Nu crapa cand tai un amarat de lemn, si fara nici un pic de presiune laterala, nici macar aia! Era strict o problema de calire si crepaturi vechi din timpul calirii. Oamenii aia de la GB stiu mai bine decat fanboys astia ce zic ca e vina ta, si au observat ca intradevar, forma rugoasa a crepaturii, in loc de semicerc, demonstreaza clar o problema a tratamentului termic.
Nice to emphasize the safety element when utilizing these.
Would recommend having a trauma kit nearby just in case. Tourniquet, israeli bandage, and a quik clot dressing.
Looks like you have a Razor edge on your hatchet? Your video makes me want to get one of these too....... I'll need to be very careful so I don't become Axe Poor.....So far I have 6 hatchets & Axes, one of them being a True Temper filing axe from the 1960s or 70s..... My next tool will be an adz or bowl scrapper...what ever they're called? I'd like to make some nice wooden bowls for my wife. But, my first project should probably be a Horse/Bench Style Spoke Shave.. Many years ago on the back roads of Kentucky, I used to see lots of the old time Spoke Shaves in peoples yards that the old timer's built completely by hand with home made hand tools. To me, those old Spoke Shaves are among the greatest tools one can still build themselves...sorry for rambling on about this other stuff....
For me an axe was a tool for chopping and splitting wood. It was not until I received the small forest axe that I owned an axe with a shaving sharp edge. Now I see that you can use the axe as a carving tool to do fine work like feathering a stick. Learned something new. If you are reading this comment you will want to watch this video to the end. Shocking ... just shocking!!!
+EconoChallenge A well built axe can be quite a tool. It wa my goal to learn to work with it and incorporate it within my kit.
I must sayafter going out today....not having it along.. I missed it a lot.
The belt grinder may have removed the heat treat! I used a file and sand papers on my small forest axe to bring the grind back for better penetration! Beautiful video as always! Sorry about your hatchet brother! Have a happy new year.
+Babak P not a possibility. even if it would have been overheated on the belt grinder, which was definitely not the case, it would have made the metal softer so it woulldn't have broken away like this....it would have bend.
i wil have the chip tested for hardness and see
thank you!:)
I wish you a Hapy New Year as well! :)
+SpartanJohns Thank you :) I am sure they will replace it! It not I will send you a hand picked one as a gift for your videos I enjoy so much :) I have the same tendency to hold the hatchet close to the choil area as well, and that is why I picked the Kubben hatchet aka hand hatchet and I am very impressed with its effectiveness and how packable it is! They use the same axe head as the wild life hatchet with a shorter and fatter handle that is much nicer for people with larger hands.Cheers bro
I purchased that model you have a month ago and i really like it... The Hickory handle does not have a coating on it or mine does not, in the AXE Book it says the handles are soaked in warm linseed oil for a period of time , so the handle should be fine for many years of use.. I finish off my edge with 600 grit sandpaper , really puts a polish on the cutting edge..
I keep applying coats of linseed oil on all my axes and hatchets...i don't fear tehm cracking but I have found that when it gets really cold or really hot with dry or wet hands those linseed oil coatings help with the grip
you should try it! Can't really hurt it!
I have done this before and you are right it does make a difference... Fine rifle stocks are protected from the elements with many coats of lin-seed oil hand rubbed in.... I always wear gloves to protect myself when using tools , and that includes chainsaws...
I got one of these for christmas and the next day I was splitting some wood (with a different axe) and there was a small branch sticking out of the log that was bothering me so I figured I would take it off with my new hatchet. Just after the five or so hits it took to get the branch off I looked at the blade and it had rolled over a little bit in a few places. They came out easily after ten or so minutes on a sharpener, but I still don't think it should have happened. Is that normal or not good?
Oh crap that was heartbreaking at the end.
+docnightfall yup.. i was a bit shcked and very sad
Hallo, frohes Neues und danke für das Video!
Keine Ahnung ob ich Recht habe, aber das ist genau der Grund warum ich keinen Bandschleifer an meine Äxte/Messer lasse. Hab immer Angst, daß der Stahl zu heiß wird und ich Ausbrüche bekomme. Hab gehört das geht ratz-fatz. Gesehen habe ich diesen Effekt bisher nur bei Messern, allerdings sind die ja auch normalerweise dünner. Bin da aber auch kein Spezialist, das Risiko war mir nur immer zu hoch. Meine Wildlife hat ab Werk einen fast perfekt mittigen Anschliff. Hat bisher jeden Job mitgemacht (keine Ahnung ob das einen großen Unterschied macht aber die Initialen auf meiner Axt sind MM). Vielleicht aber auch nur ne "Montagsaxt". Hoffe Gränsfors gibt dir ne neue egal was der Grund ist. Good Luck.
+FoRestInPeace In diesen fall war der Bandschleifen nicht schuld. Wenn die axt zu heiss geworden waehre haette sie die schneide nicht so gut gehalten und waehre nicht abgebrochen sondern haette sich gebogen. Solche ausbrueche wird e geben wenn spannungen im Werkzeug sind...so habe ich das gelernt und so denke ich das es passiert ist.
Ich hoffe dass sie erzaetzt wird. Falls ich eine andere kriege wird die auch wieder modifiziert fuer schnitzen. Es macht spass...und eine kleine axt nur zum holz spalten...das brauche ich nicht...ich will das sie mehr machen kann/soll..
Danke...
VG
Denis
+SpartanJohns Hi Denis! Die Modifikation war auch der Hammer! Als ich die ersten Schnitte gesehen habe, dachte ich: Sch.... beißt die zu :). Hat richtig Spaß gemacht dabei zuzusehen. Ich liebe es mit dieser Axt zu arbeiten aber so gut wie deine schnitzt meine absolut nicht.
Naja und ich habe gelesen, daß das "Nachruhen" von Metall(ich glaube Fachbegriff ist "Anlassen"), also der Vorgang bei dem es seine Eigenschaft von spröde zu flexibel ändert, bei relativ niedrigen Temperaturen stattfindet(ca. um die 180°-300°C). Deshalb soll man am Besten nur per Hand oder mit wassergekühlten Schleifmaschienen nachschärfen weil das Metall wieder spröder werden kann falls diese Temperaturen dabei überschritten werden. Eben jene Spannungen entstehen die du erwähnt hast.
Aber wie gesagt ich hab das auch nur gelesen. Falls ich da was falsch verstanden habe lerne ich gern dazu. Ich weiß nur wie weh das tut wenn man anfängt sich in ein Werkzeug zu "verlieben" und dann wird man so bitter enttäuscht. Deshalb hoffe ich das es mit deiner neuen Axt nicht passiert. Vielleicht schickt dir Gränsfors ja eine, die schon so geschliffen ist wie du sie gerne hättest. Frag die doch mal. Ich will dann jedenfalls auch so eine :).
GLG
Daniel
+FoRestInPeace Ich werde sie fragen wenn e moeglich ist dass sie die Axt duenner schleifen.
Das ist richtig...bis 150-180 Grad besteht keine Gefahr. Mein Freund, der die modification gemacht hat, hat sehr langsam geschliffen.
Habe daran gedacht mir eine Custom lassen zu machen. So kann ich das so haben von anfang an und muss da nicht mehr so viel rumtesten und schleifen.
Interesting, I think that is the first time I have seen someone thin out the edge on one of those.
+Cliff Stamp I wanted this hatchet to help me out with carving tasks. For removing stock it was a great tool. I also wanted it to be able to withstand contact with hard woods. It did that...to some extent
GB keeps the details of the steel they use a secret but right on their website they warn not to try to modify or even sharpen their axes using a grinding wheel because the heat it generates will alter the steels temper and weaken it.
+Rawhead Rex if you heat the edge up too much then you might indeed compromise the HT. but not to the point where you get such large chips.
however this was not done by a novice. My friend is a knifemaker and this is not the first blade he modified
Frohes neues Jahr Denis, ich habe schon seit ein paar Jahren ein Wildlife Hatchet und habe es relativ viel benutzt, Holz spalten, schnitzen ... auch durch Nadelholzknoten oder hakhen in Eichenholz. Habe es eigentlich immer dabei wenn ich keine große Axt mitnehmen will (GBA large Forest Axe oder schwedische Militäraxt, auch sehr schön und günstig, oder Hultafors Carpinters Axe) der Anschliff ist bei meinem Beil auch asymetrisch, für rechtshänder ausgelegt. Bin bis jetzt sehr zufrieden mit meinen GBAs hatte nur micro Ausbrüche und das auch nur selten, kein Rollen, geschweige denn große Ausbrüche. Denkst du es war ein Materialfehler oder könnte es beim Modifizieren heiß geworden sein, wegen des Flacheren Anschliffs allein sollte sowas ja nicht passieren. Hoffe GBA ist kollant und du krigst ein neues. LG, Maximilian.
+Ma Wu Ho Hi Maximilian,
Es hat die Schneide sehr gut gehalten daher denke ich nicht das die WB beim modifizieren irgendwie gelitten hat. Wenn es so waehre haette ich das gemerkt weil es die schneide nicht mehr so gut gehalten hat.
Ich wuerde sagen dass es ein Problem mit der Axt war so wie es von GB gekommen ist.
Ich habe ihnen schon geschrieben und hoffe auch das GB diese ersaetzen wird.
LG
Denis
So satisfying to watch wood getting chopped away with hardly any effort :D
+LionheartSJZ That is why I wanted a thinner edge. It was a pleasure to work with it
+Ben Brucker printr-un mesaj privat pe RUclips.
Great axe, i got mine a few months ago and thought it might be just a cool looking toy but i found out it is quite capable and an amazing tool. I did the opposite though and made the edge bevel less steep since the edge rolled when splitting hardwood with a lot of force.
+321berber Mine was very sharp from the getgo. I wanted to use it more for lighter tasks and have it bite in more. But also wanted it to be able to do some harder tasks if needed. I expected the edge to bend a bit or for it to dull faster but not to lose a piece of it
that's the weirdest break I ever saw on a hatchet. shame, it really beautiful
+Mihai Fischer same here. I never seen a break like this.
The axe might have gotten to hot on the belt grinder, that could be the reason why it broke. after heat treatment you shouldnt use powertools on your blades, or if you do keep the rpm low and the steel cool
+Thilo Schwedmann it was not the belt grinder that caused this. I can definitely state that. Either the steel or the initial heat treatment
The grain looks really coarse in the break, seems to look like a steel problem. Have you contacted Bruks?
+Cliff Stamp at firt I was just shocked and I could not understand how it happened. After watching the video and looking at it I realized that something was off.. the grain structure was too coarse in my opinion. I have written an e-mail to Gransfors and included a video and some macro shots.
I hope to get an aanswer from them soon. I will add another video on how it happened and as soon as I sort it out I will make an update.
those first few strikes are at an angle that is much different and are usless chops, the next angle takes off all the material never even needing those first energy wasting chops
Very nice GB. How did you get that mirror finish?
Sandpaper...2000-2500 grit should give you a mirror finish
Hey, I’m thinking about getting this hatchet. How do you think it would perform if all I did, was put a microbevel on it with an 8000 grit Arkansas whetstone? I’m talking a tiny bevel.
the newer ones have a thinner grind and are better for general woodworking tasks...not just for splitting
Can you please make a video on your new one if you still have it? Nobody else seems to make a quality review like yours.
the new one i presented in a video and then played around with for a while. then I gave it to a friend who was looking for a WH but could not find one at a decent price
What website did you use to buy your axe??? Or does anyone know where to buy this type of axe?
Can thinning out the edge that much with a belt grinder affect whatever heat treatment GB does to the edge? That is an odd looking break no matter what.
+Random Button Pusher Not in this case. A friend of mine thinned out the edge and he was very careful. He also thinned out other edges for some of my knives and I have not had any issues.
Good to have a friend with the right tools and skills.
You seem like a nice enough person and your videos are nice and slow and calm. Nice approach. However, meaning no offense, I think you're giving out bad information. No matter how careful your friend is, he's CHANGING the angle. He's removing material not meant to be removed. Your result is PRECISELY why newbies are warned against these modifications. To compare it to a knife is apples and oranges. A knife will never sustain the amount of force as an axe simply because of the weight, shape, leverage and subsequent forces due to these and other factors. Even baton info is a very different thing with pressure in different areas. Your break is almost surely a result of weakening the axe with your friend's mod. People who can't forge one of that caliber, shouldn't be screwing with anything except sharpening. Not without great care. Now, with a much thicker piece of steel, perhaps or someone whose worked out the math. I'm not against modifying. But to do it to these beauties is just silly. I own these axes. If it's not performing, you're likely not using it right.
Bee Snow I have to agree with Bee Snow here. The minute SpartanJohn started listing the modifications done, I said, "That can't be good, ultimately." And even as the axe worked marvelously thru the wood, I couldn't get out of my mind the incipient damage the modifications must have done. When I saw the catastrophic break at the very end, it was confirmation. GB has it's act together. The axe's already thin profile was achieved no doubt through trial and error. Further thinning it is obsessive messing with perfection. Put rocket fuel in your Lamborghini why don't you
if paracord is too thick use bankline.
Hopefully Gransfors send you a nice new one soon. That polish looked great! Do you think you'd do the same work again to it, if they send you another?
+CedricAda Gear and Outdoors they alreasy sent one my way...the post office is surely taking their time...I hope that it gets to me.
Yes...I think I will modify it and do about the same task with it. I need a hatchet to help me out with carving and also general camp chores
Grinding the cheek, a micro bevel and removing the handle coating of in my opinion the best axe manufacturer in the world all in one video?? Leave this for a 20 dollar hardware store axe, not a GB
Holy shit, you sound like someone that keeps a GB axe on the wall instead of USING IT. That shit isnt perfect, deal with it.
@@jackwoods535 not much of a reply without telling us who is the best..I'd like to know
Rich man's axe .
Buy once, cry once?
I just got done watching your video where this hatchet broke and I gotta tell ya...your boy ruined the heat treat when he modified it. I guarantee he got the bit too hot thereby ruining the heat treat and thus weakening steel even more than he did by thinning it out. Which in my opinion is crazy to begin with because GB axes are already uber thin.
+BAZYRKYRS BUNKER can you guarantee that? Would you take a bet? Do you know how he did it?
That is your assumption. And you are mistaken. He has not ruined a HT yet
Here's the deal...there's really only few options. One...either your boy ruined the heat treat and/or thinned out the bit too much. (and personally I think it's likely a combination of both). Two....Gransfors Bruk, who is known for quality and consistently good products, fucked up (which is not likely even with them ramping up production to max capacity to try and meet worldwide demand). Or three...you left your hatched in a cold environment for many hours prior to using it thus making the bit brittle. Which in combination with option one would undoubtedly crack the bit like an iceberg cracked the hull of the Titanic. Lucky for you Gransfors Bruk has on hell of a warranty and will likely replace it...even if it's your fault.
+BAZYRKYRS BUNKER how can someone pass such a definitive sentence over something that happened without knowing, me, my tool, the person who modified it, or having tested the tool before or after it failed? the answer is: he/she can't. I mean anybody can pass a sentence... without being correct, of course. And if you cover all possibilities, one of them might be right.
that is like me saying: "Tomorrow 73 people will slip on ice, or a banana peal, or the won't slip at all(which is unlikely)."
as to what happened...well if you really are interested you will wait for the update videos.
Both of the Gerber/Fiskars I have came with a lopsided bevel grind also. Sorry to see it break like that!
+Yehoshua Jason D. Stone My Hunter's Axe had a symetrical grind. But I found the handle to bea bit too long for carrying it with me
SpartanJohns How big is the handle? I like 18"-20" for carrying, a hand and a half handle. I don't have one now, looking to make one.
+Yehoshua Jason D. Stone The handle on this one is about 39 cm if I am not mistaken
SpartanJohns That is around the size I am talking about. I am in the USA so we still use the Standard system of measures
+Yehoshua Jason D. Stone I never could warm up to the imperial system. it is a bit hard for me to understand 3/16" aso. I guess it is based uppon which system you grow up knowing and using. ;)
That looked like a cast iron head and not a forged head. That steel looked really porous in the pictures.
+mark keenan I have not seen something like that before. So I was a bit surprised at how porous it looked.
After watching this video and the next one where you show the broken axe, I really think you received a dud. Unfortunately, modifying the axe probably voids the warranty, as we no longer have the original product to make a decisive decision on. As you know your axe was made by Mattias Mattsson, one of GB's oldest smiths. I've owned several axes made by him with no issues as yet, however, that's not to say all his work would be at par. Anyway, the reason I think you just got a bad axe is that you had to re-profile it so dramatically as you say. My BG hatched (again made by MM) has what appears to be very close to your modified profile right from the factory, at least from what I can see in the video. As I don't know what your original profile looked like I can't say for sure but if it had to be reduced so much to get what you have now, it would suggest that it wasn't right to begin with and you probably should have returned it then, especially as you say if the grind was't even to begin with, a clear sign of a defective grind. All said, given your honesty and a careful look at the grain structure of the break and considering the original grind angles, I think GB should send a replacement; if for nothing else, at least to maintain their reputation. As I said, it is my opinion the axe was defective from the get go.
+ymlas02 I agree with you. I have heard form more people that their axes also came with a lop sided grind.
I have send a few pictures and a video to Gransfors Bruk and they wrote me back telling me that they will replace the axe.
That did make me happy as I really liked the axe and really I had no negative points about it. I hope that the replacement gets to me soon. I will make an update video with more information as soon as the new hatchet reaches me.
Wow your buddy just ruined your axe by reducing it that much. Lmoa wow
If you try to improve this axe and it brakes up...post your stupid action..Not that smart.If your friend didn't cool the cutting edge with the grinding..it gets weak and brakes.I've been chopping wood for 30 years and know that there are no better axes than GB !
+Ivo Hamers wow! thanks for your "Expert" opinion. "I really appreciate it"!
@Sidewayyys oh yes! when someone says: "I am an expert!" that'show you know they are really an expert. You stupid, half-witted, too lazy to think for yourself idiot!
States the same blah blah blah!