My uncle cut wood years ago for a living when there was no chain saws ( couldn't afford one) He used Collins Axes from Conn. He said they were best. He also made his own handles. He has passed away many years ago but I followed his advice and have many Collins axes and hatchets. Happy cutting and be careful.
In the 23 years that I have been following your work & the 13 years since I met you......you still amaze me. We are all So blessed that you chose to teach this, all those years ago! Thank you! And Thank you Karamat (Randy & Lori) for doing what you do...so well!
Good Video, some say potatoe, some say pattatto, some say Estwing some say Eastwing, I sharpen my axes sharp, my Estwing's perform, infact I have the 14", 17" and the 26", i have G.B.'s and now that Oxhead, really the Estwing's rock!
Here in Interior Alaska, the Estwing ax and the Hudson Bay ruled for decades. The trappers loved the Estwing because it would withstand almost limitless abuse at all tempratures. Chopping holes in ice, knocking down poles and surviving rollovers in dogsleds and snow machines. Working in the dark, (before headlamps) many wooden axes would get the handles broken from overswinging.
I agrre with Mors about the Estwing in many respects, but I did indeed grow up with one. Oddly enough I bought my first as a teenager wanting to go ice fishing in Manitoba but not wanting to carry both an axe and an auger. I still have that Estwing and it is still in great shape, straight, holds a good edge. Indestructable. Only axe I ever had that I haven't had to replace a handle on. But I admit, its heavy, it often sticks in wood, it is poorly balanced and frankly I prefer my long and thin handled Hudson Bay head axes for general work.
Estwing axes are great if you spend the time to learn its idiosyncrasies. With every tool, one has to learn how to use it properly. Mors, Ray, Pathfinder are all great outdoors guys but they all promote what works for them.
Very interesting. I think the swedish military (infantery) axe is an Infyxa KB41. I personally prefer the Infyxa KB43. Roughly the same size but with a hole in the blade to fix the sheath and/or attach to a carrier. It also has a metallringscrew into the upper side of the shaft, also for carrier? Manufactured around 1940-45 by Hults Bruk probably. They both has the three crowns and marked KB41 & KB43.
Eastwing is a hammer manufacturer. They designed a camp axe by enlarging and altering slightly their design for a roofing hatchet that they make. The camp axe looks a lot better than it works.
The axe you show at the minute 4:15 and on seems a local cheap copy of a Biscaynne axe. Original ones have an oval handle, not round one, and they don't make you swinging it incorrectly. As you see they are the safest axe you can have and the easiest ones to hang. You are correct about them, you can store them unhanged, indeed till our days it was the way you bought them. When we are going to use them we hang them with the type of handle we need.
Mr. K, regarding the Swedish infantry axe, how is it for splitting wood? I never did get a good look at the bulk of the axe from the top profile. For all intents and purposes, I'm looking to spend this coming summer boondocking in the Canadian Shield bordering MB. and Ont. and was hoping to find myself a single axe competant in both felling and splitting. Any thoughts and opinions are greatly appriciated.
Trust me the Estwing Axe are great, I even baton and feather stick with mine. But I wish you elaborated more on that German Axe is it a Oxhead, I had one made with a 2 3/4lb head and a 5" cutting edge and 21" handle, its 2" longer than my G.B. but a tich heavier, I pay attention on your vid's so my Ox is portable and I hope it will cut better because of the weight, what do you think of the weight what do you think of the Oxhead German Axe?
wsdm911 This is a cheap copy of a Biscaynne axe, a member of the Basque axe family. Jauregi is the last Basque artisan who produces them, www.hachasartesanas.com/ But if you don't live in west Europe it's better to contact this seller, www.lamnia.com/en/sc/134/tools/axes-and-hatchets?page=&mcid=&mid=505
I wonder what Mors' opinion of Ray Mears is (or Raymond Mears as he called him)? I admit to buying two gransfors bruks because of ray's "endorsement" they are great axes but Mors has a point, that they are just a little light and a bit too narrow for the work done in northern Canadian boreal, I live about two hours south of Mors and it's a very similar forest between us. I think I'll be looking at that hultafors or making my own axe more along the three pound range. Always a pleasure to listen to Mors experiences. Shame Ray didn't have Mors on as a guest in one of his shows.
justin bartelen I'm curious too even though. Probably admiration for both even though I'd be more inclined to think Mors would call him a bit of a gearhead (which he very well is if you ever get around to pricing out the stuff that he brings lol). I'd love to get my hands on the GB axe that has Ray's name on it since it essentially is a Scandinavian axe with a thicker/heavier head. I'd kill to get a Neeman but I don't use axes nowhere near enough to justify a $400 axe.
he doesn't like him Ray Mears was one of Mors Kochanskis students, I believe Mors opinion of Mears chilled somewhat when he (Mears )tried to patent the term Bushcraft!!
+Rusty Shackleford the RM wilderness axe by Gransfors Bruk isn't worth the extra fifty odd U.K. pounds you have to pay over a standard SFA I know I've just purchased one!
Randal Flagg I have a scandinavian FA also. Its excellent. Geometry of it looks more conducive to splitting. Something I know my ScandiFA doesn't excel at. I'm content with it. Even made a canoe paddle with one and a orford crooked knife.
THIS AX - that ax - this ax =- that ax - For the love of god - we would like to know the weight of the ax!! With this lack of information, I will go to my ax store and have No FN idea what size of head to buy.
I love that he skims right over Gransfors like it’s not special.
My uncle cut wood years ago for a living when there was no chain saws ( couldn't afford one) He used Collins Axes from Conn. He said they were best. He also made his own handles. He has passed away many years ago but I followed his advice and have many Collins axes and hatchets. Happy cutting and be careful.
In the 23 years that I have been following your work & the 13 years since I met you......you still amaze me. We are all So blessed that you chose to teach this, all those years ago! Thank you! And Thank you Karamat (Randy & Lori) for doing what you do...so well!
thanks mors, great video about axes,
fredde
Good Video, some say potatoe, some say pattatto, some say Estwing some say Eastwing, I sharpen my axes sharp, my Estwing's perform, infact I have the 14", 17" and the 26", i have G.B.'s and now that Oxhead, really the Estwing's rock!
Here in Interior Alaska, the Estwing ax and the Hudson Bay ruled for decades. The trappers loved the Estwing because it would withstand almost limitless abuse at all tempratures. Chopping holes in ice, knocking down poles and surviving rollovers in dogsleds and snow machines. Working in the dark, (before headlamps) many wooden axes would get the handles broken from overswinging.
I agrre with Mors about the Estwing in many respects, but I did indeed grow up with one. Oddly enough I bought my first as a teenager wanting to go ice fishing in Manitoba but not wanting to carry both an axe and an auger. I still have that Estwing and it is still in great shape, straight, holds a good edge. Indestructable. Only axe I ever had that I haven't had to replace a handle on. But I admit, its heavy, it often sticks in wood, it is poorly balanced and frankly I prefer my long and thin handled Hudson Bay head axes for general work.
Estwing axes are great if you spend the time to learn its idiosyncrasies. With every tool, one has to learn how to use it properly. Mors, Ray, Pathfinder are all great outdoors guys but they all promote what works for them.
Dzięki za drugą część! Pozdrawiam!
Very interesting. I think the swedish military (infantery) axe is an Infyxa KB41. I personally prefer the Infyxa KB43. Roughly the same size but with a hole in the blade to fix the sheath and/or attach to a carrier. It also has a metallringscrew into the upper side of the shaft, also for carrier? Manufactured around 1940-45 by Hults Bruk probably. They both has the three crowns and marked KB41 & KB43.
Eastwing is a hammer manufacturer. They designed a camp axe by enlarging and altering slightly their design for a roofing hatchet that they make. The camp axe looks a lot better than it works.
The axe you show at the minute 4:15 and on seems a local cheap copy of a Biscaynne axe. Original ones have an oval handle, not round one, and they don't make you swinging it incorrectly.
As you see they are the safest axe you can have and the easiest ones to hang. You are correct about them, you can store them unhanged, indeed till our days it was the way you bought them. When we are going to use them we hang them with the type of handle we need.
Mors Kochanski's parents are Poles like me :)
Mors thanks for another great video.
Who is the maker of the other Swedish axe that you were asked to review?
Mr. K, regarding the Swedish infantry axe, how is it for splitting wood? I never did get a good look at the bulk of the axe from the top profile.
For all intents and purposes, I'm looking to spend this coming summer boondocking in the Canadian Shield bordering MB. and Ont. and was hoping to find myself a single axe competant in both felling and splitting.
Any thoughts and opinions are greatly appriciated.
Trust me the Estwing Axe are great, I even baton and feather stick with mine. But I wish you elaborated more on that German Axe is it a Oxhead, I had one made with a 2 3/4lb head and a 5" cutting edge and 21" handle, its 2" longer than my G.B. but a tich heavier, I pay attention on your vid's so my Ox is portable and I hope it will cut better because of the weight, what do you think of the weight what do you think of the Oxhead German Axe?
anyone know if he made the video about digging without a shovel, and, if so, what its called?
Does anyone know who makes the slide on pick-handle ax or where it can be found? (4:14) in the video.
wsdm911 This is a cheap copy of a Biscaynne axe, a member of the Basque axe family. Jauregi is the last Basque artisan who produces them,
www.hachasartesanas.com/
But if you don't live in west Europe it's better to contact this seller,
www.lamnia.com/en/sc/134/tools/axes-and-hatchets?page=&mcid=&mid=505
What was the "other" swedish axe mentioned after the GB's? It looked a lil like my hultafors............
Hults Bruk....
I wonder what Mors' opinion of Ray Mears is (or Raymond Mears as he called him)? I admit to buying two gransfors bruks because of ray's "endorsement" they are great axes but Mors has a point, that they are just a little light and a bit too narrow for the work done in northern Canadian boreal, I live about two hours south of Mors and it's a very similar forest between us. I think I'll be looking at that hultafors or making my own axe more along the three pound range. Always a pleasure to listen to Mors experiences. Shame Ray didn't have Mors on as a guest in one of his shows.
justin bartelen I'm curious too even though. Probably admiration for both even though I'd be more inclined to think Mors would call him a bit of a gearhead (which he very well is if you ever get around to pricing out the stuff that he brings lol).
I'd love to get my hands on the GB axe that has Ray's name on it since it essentially is a Scandinavian axe with a thicker/heavier head. I'd kill to get a Neeman but I don't use axes nowhere near enough to justify a $400 axe.
Hence Les Stroud's Bushman axe, have you seen the wedge on that thing? Damn!
he doesn't like him Ray Mears was one of Mors Kochanskis students, I believe Mors opinion of Mears chilled somewhat when he (Mears )tried to patent the term Bushcraft!!
+Rusty Shackleford the RM wilderness axe by Gransfors Bruk isn't worth the extra fifty odd U.K. pounds you have to pay over a standard SFA I know I've just purchased one!
Randal Flagg I have a scandinavian FA also. Its excellent. Geometry of it looks more conducive to splitting. Something I know my ScandiFA doesn't excel at.
I'm content with it. Even made a canoe paddle with one and a orford crooked knife.
The german axe is a Bahco, made in germany by halco works...excellent steel
Hultafors, making axes since 1697. Now available in Canada.
I found the same thing with the Estwing, total garbage. nearly impossible to get any amount of work done.
Agreed.. totally useless axe
only one axe has a good handle 5:14 . Handles of all others axes is not good
THIS AX - that ax - this ax =- that ax - For the love of god - we would like to know the weight of the ax!! With this lack of information, I will go to my ax store and have No FN idea what size of head to buy.