Thread: A word to the wise. Quality axes

Originally Posted by Shelley

Nice collection there, did not know you could get them in NZ, there double bit version looks mean.

There is no one in NZ retailing GB's. I purchased my first one (Hunters Hatchet) mail order from Germany when I found it on special. The price landed worked out better than anything of any other brand being sold in NZ at the time. That started my interest in GB's. I have bought all of the rest of them on TM over the past couple of years. There was a GB carpenters axe went for just under $300 last week on TM, which was bang on new price ex the USA.
I do have a nice double bit, but its not a GB.

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

I bought the foresters / limbing axe after reading this thread. There were only two in the store to choose from and I grabbed the one with the better handle.
What I did notice was that the cutting edge was slightly out of line with the line of the handle - just the way that the head was ground, not the casting. Anyway it took quite a bit of work to true it up, probably an hour on top of the shaping work. I am very happy with the end result - even mixed a little stain into the linseed oil and rubbed some blueing paste over the draw-filing.
If I was buying another I would take a couple of lengths of 4x2 timber and a G clamp with me and sit each short-listed axe's cutting edge in the crack between the two boards to check that it is true to the line of the handle before making the final choice.

My brother was looking around for a camping axe 12 months ago, and as much as he liked my GB's he didn't want to spend the coin for high end, and like @akaroa1 discovered the Husqvarna. I think there were some youtube reviews that he saw promoting the good "bones" of the Husqvarna, but also cautioned the quality control (alignment and handles).
His research showed that if you are going to buy a Husqvarna, go to a store that has as many samples as possible for viewing, and choose carefully, inspecting for all the defects that could exist in an axe. I think in the end he managed to go to the Husqvarna warehouse and selected his axe there.
Once purchased, in comparison to a GB, you have a beautiful 'diamond in the rough' that now deserves your personalisation. Because the Husqvarna's are so well priced, don't be afraid to 'have a go' at modding the handle for the perfect fit, change the cutting angle by a degree or two. Worst case you have to put a new handle in it or you end up with and awesome felling axe that is shit at splitting and you are forced into buying a second as a better splitting axe.

@Moa Hunter, correct me if I am wrong, but I bet the time you have invested into your new Husqvarna has actually brought you much closer together, <que peaceful background music>, strengthening the bond between tool and craftsman, co-aligning your purpose ……….
But seriously, you have invested time and effort into the new axe and that will come to mind every time you use it

Also, don't overlook TM and a good second hand Plumb, Kelly or similar shaped Granfors that requires a new handle and some file work. Make sure you have a handle on the price of replacement handles first, as you will very quickly be up to the price of a new Husqvarna since they are so well priced.