Reddit reviews Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet 13.50 Inch, Axe, 415
We found 6 Reddit comments about Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet 13.50 Inch, Axe, 415. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Length with handle: 13.50 inch, Item-ID: 415Weight: 1.3 lbsSheath in vegetable-tanned leatherTraditional scouting and camping axeThe Axe Book comes with every axe purchased from Gransfors Bruk, Made in Sweden.
Thanks!
You can start pretty simple. All you HAVE to have is a decent knife. A simple Mora knife is what I use a lot. You can always go for nicer knives if you prefer but a Mora will do wonders because of the Scandi grind edge. Any sharp knife will carve but I personally recommend knives with a Scandi grind because they can cut deeper and they offer more controlled cuts.
Here are my typical spoon carving tools
Gransfors Brooks wildlife hatchet but you can use cheaper options like a Fiskars hatchet. You don't HAVE to have a hatchet, it just helps take out large waste pieces quicker.
Mora knife for general shaping and carving.
Pfeil palm gouge for scooping out the bowls of spoons. This CAN be done with the knife but it is a huge pain. You could also Dremel the bowl out if you have one and don't want to buy a gouge.
Opinel folding saw for making stop cuts and cutting wood to length. Any wood saw will do though.
Other than that just some sandpaper and some food safe oil like mineral oil or Howard's butcher block conditioner to finish it off and make it water resistant.
Resources
Here is a great video of Jill Swan showing how to carve a spoon with a hatchet, saw, knife, and gouge.
Here is a video with Ben Orford showing his process for carving a spoon as well. He uses a hook knife instead of a gouge for scooping the bowl out. Both methods work but I find a palm gouge to be easier to work with and a bit easier to sharpen.
Here is a video with Barn The Spoon using an axe a knife and a hook-knife.
If you don't want to spend the money on a gouge or a hook knife then you can always carve a Spatula because they don't require a bowl!
TIPS
You can avoid using an axe by using a saw to make a series of stop cuts and then sawing down or using your knife to "baton" off the side pieces. You can also just knife carve the whole thing with a knife but it will take way more time.
Wood: make sure your wood is food safe. Most fruit woods and oak and maple or birch are perfectly safe. Here is a list of common spoon carving woods
Make sure your tools are sharp! A super sharp knife, hatchet, and gouge not only makes the work a lot easier and enjoyable but also a lot safer because you have way less chance of slipping. There are tons of videos on youtube on how to sharpen knives, specifically scandi grind knives, hatchets, and gouges.
Just have fun! Your first couple of project may not come out beautiful but you will get the hang of it.
Your requirement for one piece seems arbitrary - check out some of the top options in this review.
Gränsfors Bruk Small Hatchet, 0.7lbs, $129.99.
Gränsfors Bruk Wildlife Hatchet, 1.3lbs, $99.99.
Wetterlings Wildlife Hatchet, 1.2lbs, $99.99
Fiskars X7, 1.4lbs, $21.85.
Eastwing Sportsman, 1.8lbs, $26.99, one piece.
Wetterlings and Gransfors Brux are the considered by many to be some of the best axes and hatchets you can buy (and they certainly cost enough!).
However, on the more normally priced, but still higher-end of things, you can safely get an Estwing, Fiskars, or Condor - with the edge going to Condor for being the most 'traditional' of those more normal priced hatchets.
Of those that I listed, I own the Estwing and Fiskars, as the others have just been out of my price range. I like them both very much. Over time, the finish on the leather handle of the Estwing will crack and flake, which is probably likely due to sun exposure - you will need to maintain the handle a bit eventually. The Fiskars, though definitely the most modern looking - are quite awesome hatchets for the price, and are incredibly durable. It's edge might be a little more fragile (it's just an angle thing, you could probably reprofile it if you were desperate) than the Estwing, but it cuts a little better too - you just have to avoid rocks (as you should be anyways).
Gorruck 34L GR2 Coyote Tan - a good bag, heavy, uncomfortable, probably give it to my grandchildren in like 50 years
Flip Flops - generic things
Bigblue 28W solar charger - very good, can charge my battery up during the day if i leave it in the sun which I've never really done honestly
Jakemy hardware tools - seamed useful? i've never needed this
Army glove shells - i thought i used these a lot and were indistructable but now that i think of it, i don't use them that often and are probably pretty cheaply made.
Sharpie, pen, all weather notebook - probably should switch over to a fisher space pen...
Straws - these are probably already broken.
Whistle - really really really loud
Fire-striker, matches, lighter - i'm not sure i have enough ways to start a fire
Fresnel lens - ok, now i have enough
LED flashlight - i used to go running in the middle of the night with this flashlight, its tiny
LED flashlight - this isn't the one i have but looks kinda similar? i don't remember where i got mine
Earbuds - generic cheap earbuds
Leatherman Surge - given to me by my wife for passing the bar. thanks wife!
First Aide kit - i put mine together from stuff i've stolen from friends houses whenever i go over and use the bathroom
playing cards - these look very similar to the ones i have, they are plastic so they won't get rained on
glasses/ sunglasses - i have really bad vision
personal hygiene kit - aahhhh dry shaving
Sawyer Mini / syringe, collapsible canteen (dirty), heavy duty straw - i've never used this
collapsible canteen (clean) - i've never used this either
sewing kit - i've used this a lot
ID tags - i guess if i get blown up they'll know my blood type?
garbage bag - for when my pockets are full
elastic bands - i use these when packing to keep rolled socks and things from falling apart
Salt - i have nooooo idea why i have this
cooking grate - i'm not going to hold meat over a fire with a stick like some sort of caveman
heavy duty ziplock bag - in case my mapcase breaks and other reasons
rip-patch - leftover from when i needed a pack because i bought a crummy cheap inflatable sleeping pad.
Army Fleece Beanie - i always keep this at the top of my pack
4 Bungie Cords - not the one i use but similar. to make a field-expedient shelter
Trowel - for disposal of biological wastes
Lensatic compass - because GPS should only be a backup
Pocketboy 130 folding saw - i have a bigger one for yardwork, this small one is really great
Tent stakes - for tent staking
Ravpower 26800 Battery - use this all the time can fast chage my stuff
Battery Battery holder, cables, wall charger - all fits togehter like glove!
Army Poncho - wear it, make a tent out of it etc
Microfiber towel - not the one i use but similar. i mainly use this for when the kids accidentally fall in a lake like they tend to do for some reason
Down Jacket - cheap chinese knockoff... i feel bad for not buying american
Wet weather top - not sure this is worth the space/weight
Wet Weather bottom - not sure if this is worth the weight/space
Silkweights - PJs! and warmth
Jungle Blanket - this is a lot better than the army's woobie. lighter and warmer
Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet - again, gift from wife. she wanted me to chop things and be more manly, generally. now i come home with parts of wildlife for her to cook
Map of New England - or, how i stopped worrying and love dismounted land navigation
PT belt - keeps me safe in all situations
Compression straps - i don't like lashing things to the outside but i guess i can if i wanted to
Fork and Spoon - stole these from the kitchen. i'll probably be replacing this soon with something titanium.
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EDIT: i just priced it out: $1,585.08 total
I've been eyeing a couple different hatchets and small axes by Gransfors Bruks. They are expensive but from what I've read they are solid as hell.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WIX6YC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_NCL.BbR6RFM06
That's what I've been looking at to carry with me.
In that pricerange I'd spend the extra $10-$15 and get a Becker BK2 instead. Everyone that uses them seems to love them. I don't use one personally because it seems a little oversized, but I've handled them and they have really solid construction.
If you want my tool recommendations, personally, I use the ESEE-4, Gransfors-Bruks Wildlife Hatchet and Tramontina 24" Machete combo. Three tools to do just about anything.