I’m pretty sure the axe featured in this video was designed to be a throwing axe...correct me if I’m wrong but the slippery handle and angle of the head...it just seems like a throwing axe
@@Zedlolmyster it also says it was designed by an outdoorsman for utility use, and draws inspiration from the bearded axe, which was a wood processing tool and weapon. Seems like a tool that doesn't know what it is intended for, which isn't usually a good way to design something.
ya, a combat axe, get blood on that handle or even if your palms sweat too much and see it fly straight out of your grip, if you want cheap and effective just go find a m48, you can get 3 or 4 of those for what the spyderco goes for.
I know that German got a big injection of Africans but Germany is a white country a Englishmen or American saying they don't like Germans isn't racist .
You'd need a ton of work to "fix" this. It looks like it'll actually be easier to make a NEW axe. By then, you'd have several other channels dedicated to smithing.
Maybe I'm missing something but the design looks more like a tomahawk than a woodcraft hatchet. The narrow blade width is for cutting into skulls not splitting wood. The hammer side is quite small. The idea being to focus all the energy of the blow into a small area. Almost like the intent was to smash through a helmet or crush somebody's skull. His comments on the handle make me think it was not intended for bush craft. Also the blade gives a tell as the bottom of the axe head is angled off at a 90 degree angle. This is not something you would use in bush craft. But it might serve a purpose if you were coming in between somebody's legs or back of the neck. Now, with all of that said, I'm not sure why the design includes a polished metal. For wood work this would get gummed and covered up in tree sap. For combat, it will shine. something nobody wants who is using the tool. The coating on the handle does give the impression it is intended for easy cleaning. I think this axe was meant more for show than function. And I think the OP just assumed it was meant for bush craft.
That is easily a throwing axe, the bottom seems to be uniform in thickness meaning it would slip out of the hand easily, amazing for throwing but horrible as a tool, also the slim axe head/blade makes it great for penetrating and horrible for chopping. Next up is that forward edge, it comes to a point at the top that is yet again amazing for penetrating when thrown. And lastly that thickness of the handle makes it hard to get a straight grip on, that’s because you use a more open almost knife hand hold on a throwing axe with the palm not fully touching the handle so it can slide better. Everything about that axe screams throwing axe and noting about it resembles a tool at all.
In my own post, that was my final note on the subject of this being more designed as a weapon, than a tool. Your points on it being a throwing axe are very sound. The angle of the blade is more suitable to throwing, rather than jabbing as a melee weapon. You wouldn't need all that forward lean to make a sharp tip on the toe. Simply arching the brow upward would like many axes already do, accomplish that.
@DidntITellu What you call a 'hammer' is the pole and is used as a counter balance for the longer, sharpened blade end of the axe. Most poles are not meant to be used as a hammer, though more modern models are hardened for such use. If you are unsure, you need to contact the manufacturer before using the back end as a hammer or you may ruin the eye and the head may come loose. On this little tomahawk, it seems designed more for looks than actual use. There is no reason to design the pole with such obvious weak points, if anything but for looks.
In my experience, throwing axes work better without a pole, the hammer part behind the blade. Unfortunately most first-time buyers tend to get ones with poles.
"Its bearded profile, raised toe, and slightly canted edge angle provide a long working edge that is ideal for both chopping and detailed cutting chores. A hammer poll excels at tasks that require focused impact instead of a sharp edge and helps create an exceptional balance that maximizes the tool’s power." spyderco says its a tool
@@carpediem5232 Feels like kind of a weird thing to make, sport axe throwers wont buy multiples at that price and HEMA people would want something more authentic.
Pointed head, plastic metal haft... would make an excellent thrower. You wouldn't have to worry about the haft shattering or coming loose, and the point would help stick on a hit.
@@moorshound3243 I disagree. A Lee Enfield rifle and even the .303 it fires makes a great hunting rifle if needed. And it was designed as an implement of war. Just sayin.
@@blackflycanada4943 yea I get it, but you know what I'm trying to say right? for hundreds of years men who could not afford a sword could use their axe or hammer if needed in battle, tools they used every day, but a sword is of no other use then a weapon or a paper weight I guess!. I get what your saying my Grandfather in Norway used a German mauser rifle for hunting in the mountains, he took it off a soldier during the war. But his tool the side by side shotgun was used far more for hunting game. I would rather have an old hunting rifle then some AR-15 for example!
@@blackflycanada4943 Guns are always weapons, that term doesn't only apply to things that were meant to be used against humans specifically, as long as the purpose is inflicting damage or harm (and I mean, good luck using your "tool" hunting rifle for cutting down a tree). Doesn't matter whether it was designed for the battlefield or for hunting. Of course, that doesn't mean that weapons are always entirely useless as tools. Like, a sword still can do most things you can do with a knife, it's just probably not gonna handle very well and might get damaged. A lot of weapons could probably be used as an improvised hammer (though some of them might not respond kindly to that kind of abuse).
I thought it looked a bit like a sheetrock hammer as well. Or a throwing hatchet but the handle is wrong for throwing. That forward leaning edge may work well for a throwing hatchet however.
The only reason spyderco has those people is because they were actually the supplier's for military personnel and police. Otherwise their products are pretty good
They try to make real tools look like video game zombie killing bullcrap. I don't understand it. If I want a cool looking prop weapon, then I'll search for that. If I want a real tool, then I expect practical designs.
Yeah. Someone is going to try to depend on this tool to write a check it can't cash. That's how you get hurt. And I'd hate for someone to depend on it with their lives as a survival tool.
Well I would have said the same thing about it being a weapon but the back side with the hammer part kind of screams tool. I wonder if it throws well though?
Considering they literally state that it's modeled after combat axes, I feel that spyderco made the mistake of thinking "an axe is an axe" and didn't take into account the design of those similar axes have no real utility value. It'd be like trying to perform surgery with a dagger, hell, a small shard of glass could be used a surgical tool if applied in that way, sure, in a completely technical way it is possible, that doesn't mean it will do it well, nor that it should be considered over another alternative, considering it's form isn't lending any favors to that function.
Bass Ackwards if it’s a throwing axe/hatchet why bother with a sheath? At $300 you need two or three perhaps more. I understand now why it’s so slippery and doesn’t have a large hoof at the bottom. Still $1,200 for a decent brace of throwing axes is way expensive but definitely durable with the weird handle. Is it better then a dozen sheet steel hatchets for the same price?
Then you should read the description for it . This axe seems more like something somebody thought would be unique and cool, followed by crafting an overblown bs marketing spiel that is long on buzz and short on knowledgeable experience. That’s why it’s a POS! This is an axe made by knife making zealots. They stepped outside their expertise and it shows. Period.
That whole design was copied from an ancient Germanic hand axe that was primarily used for combat. Only the Germanic warriors had wood handles, which of course are better for gripping.
I'm loving this format of completing a project with the tool in question for a real-world, active use case scenario. It's always nice to learn about new practices/techniques while we're sitting through a product review!
@@blazenblues8031 man, I wonder how things ended up for him. Last I heard was about him being druged by some guy and raped and he in self defence killed the guy.
@@right8630 I throw also. The ax just looks too damn small to be useful other than throwing. And I feel exclusive throwing axes/ knives. Has no business being in a Bushcraft/ survival situation.
The head seems to be of a fighting axe, to be honest. The edge leading up to a point, the Gothic hammer backend to combat armour, this'll be more appropriate for a fifteenth century battlefield.
Yeah, as soon as it came to anything precision he started to get wound up, but if I had to do three times as much work with an axe three times less comfortable than my usual one, I'd be pissed too!
Did someone say Trail Boss? I'll admit I am a fan of Cold Steel. Say what you will about their marketing, but they sell knives and other cutting tools, and they aren't ashamed to show you how they cut.
@@paulwhat322 Actually no, to say it's legally part of China is not correct (unless you're China). Sure, China claims ownership but it's pretty much a separate nation and China has no authority over the Taiwan government. China promises to invade them in the future....someday and they get really pissy if you imply that they are not part of China anymore.
These are the videos that I wish he did more of now. He is testing a commonly bought tool while educating us on some very fine bushcraft skills. Very good video!
It looks like a decent combat axe, but the handle needs to be replaced. For woodwork a more pronounced beard and a slightly different blade configuration would make it that much better...
I don't think it was really designed to be used at all. Designed to give a satisfying bite into wood if you swing it, to be light weight and to look cool. Any real weapon/tool would have paid more attention to giving it a non-slip grip.
It's pretty I'll give it that lol but I imagine that aluminum handle is like hitting a fence post with a baseball bat.. you learn that's a bad idea when you're a kid
Some tennis racket handle “grip” wrapped around a few would thicken handle and offer way comfier grip. Can’t do much about leading edge of axe head......🙏
I have used athletic ankle tape for an anchor at the end of the handle. And yes, that is a fighting edge on that hatchet. Look at just about any american double bit axe and you'll see a nice curved edge. There is a certain amount of slide / sawing once the head hits the wood so it's not a sudden complete stop. I made the same handle mistake on a home depot purchase. It was a long handle double bit axe made out of some kind of plastic. In contrast to your handle being a sudden burst of pain and then it stops, this plastic handle was more like a looney toons cartoon where the shockwave goes from the axe head, gradually to your arms and then feet and then back to the axe again. It is rugged, but as soon as I crack it, I'm replacing it with a wood handle. Conveniently I seem to use the short handled double bit brush axe so I don't have to deal with the plastic handle. I should just replace it and be done with the plastic handle.
@@sirblocketh To be fair, there are upsides to the polymer covered aluminium handle. It's more durable than wood. If it takez a bit of tennis bandage to make it work, and in exchange you get a tool that will last many times longer, that's a tradeoff I am willing to take.
@@horvathbenedek3596 It will never be as comfortable though! I hear what you are saying, but if you are good with the tool the handle will still last long enough. Especially if you somewhat enjoy the process of replacing the handle.
That is true. Tennis grips are made to absorb the vibrations of hitting a ball and depending on the type you get offer great grip even to sweaty hands are offers a comfortable one at that.
A tomahawk isn’t meant to be a hard working tool, it’s meant to be a weapon... that’s why it’s so small and comparatively light. It’s also meant for throwing hence the leading edge and aluminum handle.
Wranglerstar: "Leave it up to a German to over-complicate something to try and fix something that's not broken." *VW, BMW & Mercedes have left the chat* 😂
Yeah, isn’t German engineering famously sturdy simple an long lasting? Aren’t old German tools som of the best tools you could find at the garage sale? Or am I not remembering it right?
Actually, German engineering is know for over-complicating things in the process of designing something to prevent the dumbest possible user breaking something or doing something unforeseen. If you want simplicity and sturdiness, then you will be good with classical socialist production. The lack of resources from outside was the fuel for long lasting, easy to repair and simplistic engineering. For that check out some DDR (GDR) or Soviet product designs, while not fashionable it had its pros. Even today many eastern Germans (rightly) remember that DDR (GDR) production was in many ways ahead of its time.
@@Anfangxs It's pretty much like that all over the eastern Europe. You have no resources so the usability and sturdiness comes first. I still have couple of things that my grandfather was using, and sure it looks shitty but hey show me a product that will last 50 years as for today.
Well... that completely depends on what you are hitting as well where are you hitting it, sir! I would take hurt hands and a nearly unbreakable handle over comfort and the possibility of my tool being rendered useless if in the right situation! But that's my opinion.
Hi, I noticed that you were using a Spyderco tomahawk as a working tool. Generally, Spyderco knives and tomahawks are used more like items to participate in knife/axe throwing.
Soon as the words aluminium and handle were put in the same sentence it was a hard pass from me. Kudos to Wranglerstar for not throwing it into the weeds after the first green chop
He explained to use wet or green wood on the sides so it (hopefully) doesn't do that but that's what I was thinking that whole thing is just going to be a smouldering pile in a few hours
@@SamuelJamesVideos a smouldering pile in a few hours is acceptable, from my experience with campfires, they only last one to two hours between feedings, if I were in a survival situation and wanted a fire that would last me the night, this seems to be a viable solution, if it can last 6hours, then good, if 7, excellent
I agree - that looks purpose built for throwing, especially with that weird leading edge sticking out there seems like that's designed to work with the rotation of the throw. That would certainly explain its super slick handle with no swell at the bottom too.
I mean if you get stranded in the middle of canada for example, its cold as hell there. You build a shelter and this campfire design will keep burning through the day/night and keep you warm even when you go to sleep.
yeah i always thought a stone pit would be safer, but eh i don't live in a colder region so i can't really say if it's that much better for the northwest
honestly that makes a lot more sense, the plastic wrapped aluminum handle is probably "food safe" health inspector approved. Wood handled kitchen tools (spatchulas, knives, ect) are not NSF approved for use in commercial cooking.
Der Boi I thought that at first but the hammer bit isn’t large enough for counter weight and the handle is too slippery if it was textured it would work or if the handle was wood or lead weighted the design is conducive to throwing if it was a spike at the end or the hammerhead was larger
@@american23t Don't think it would make a good roofing hammer either. Roofing hammers usually have a straight wide wood handle, and often a leather strap on end (you lose friends quick if your grip slips and your axe goes sliding off the roof toward your buddies on the ground) The axe head is generally more wedge shaped on the vertical profile for sliding the axe under shingles and lifting. They have nail puller grooves on the bottom edge and a larger, textured hammer head for driving wide headed roofing nails in straight and not slipping on the strike. The edge is not pitched forward to a point and is usually fairly dull compared to a chopping axe so they can cut the shingle but not dig deeply into the ply wood underneath. Not sure what this axe would be good for honestly, but I would hard pass on this for roofing.
@@lililililililili8667 Yes, that is true👍. That's the reason I wrote "most". But a price around 300,00€ and more for a Spyderco Knife, is not justifiable for me.
R A ,,,Ganzo,Kubey,Ruike,Indians,Knife King etc..Spyderco I don't think so,,My Raider SP-10 was only $100 CDN and it's waaayyy better than that overpriced crappie hatchet...
"Designed by German outdoor enthusiast and historian Martin Genzow, the Genzow HatchetHawk is a versatile, high-performance utility tomahawk"-from the description of the Genzow HatchetHawk on Spyderco's website. I haven't owned a Spyderco product but I've been following them for a few years, gotta say i'm disappointed thus far, Maybe you could try and improve the faults of the axe?
I knew that handle would be a deal-breaker. The way the cutting edge is shaped on the axe, maybe it's good for throwing? Could you regrind the cutting edge a bit? Cheers from Tokyo!
problem is that the edge is likely a laminated bit of high carbon steel forge welded into softer steel (comon practice on axes) so grinding that edge back to get rid of the point would likely leave you with most of the edge being the softer steel.
@@hammerslap5639 Also that wouldn't do anything to solve the problem with the shape of the head, the lack of weight or the abominable handle. No this was designed as a throwing axe with limited usability and some tacticool design cues. I love the look and the build quality but it's not a practical tool, and to make it one would be very hard. Swapping out the handle and reprofiling the head might make it a workable carpentry tool. But doing this to an axe that sell for close to $300? I think I'd rather hang it on the wall as a conversation piece.
@@hammerslap5639 With a laminated bit they are still fine to regrind atleast before they are extremely worn. You say it's common but realistically 95% of modern axes are made completely of high carbon tool steel
To be more specific, the angled blade would be better for puncturing armor and drawing material into the cut when striking an opponent, and the hammer looks very simmilar to something you would find on a warhammer or halberd. The thinness of the blade would also be good there to keep it agile when fighting. All in all the head isn't really a bad design, just not practical for what you want a hatchet to be.
That is not a tool, that is a weapon. That leading point, which makes it terrible for bush work, makes it perfect for a thrown weapon. The belly is straight (ish) again, bad for cutting, great for throwing. The cheeks are also hollow growned for penetration at the cost of splitting. Throwing axes can have much narrower, smaller handles because you do not hammer-hand grip them, it is more like a pointed grip. As an axe, I'd say your review is spot on, but it was really designed for only one purpose, throwing, with the second being tacked on because it is still technically an "axe". That being said, if the primary function of your $300 weapon is to be thrown... I think somebody missed a memo somewhere XD
Buy this Axe if you "Have More Money Than Brains" You know Cody, they say that some men can learn from Reading. Some men can learn from listening to other men. But there are just those men who can only learn by going out and pissing on the electric fence themselves. Thanks for the great review for those of us in the first two groups.
"To many people, knives are much more than mere cutting tools; they are vivid reflections of an individual’s character, status, and personal tastes. Just as a luxury watch tells far more than the correct time, a sophisticated knife design reveals a lot about the person who carries it. Specifically created for the discriminating lady or gentleman who wants to make a statement, Spyderco’s Prestige knives will allow you to speak volumes without saying a word."
good, honest review. a quick fix to alleviate your major concerns (which i agree with your assessment - shouldn't even be necessary on a $300 item) would be to cover the handle with self-sealing, rubberized Tommy tape to: 1) build up/increase surface area to better fit in your large hand 2) dampen vibration from the aluminum handle and 3) add an A1 level of gription with gloves or without. In the end i agree - the handle should be made of wood.
"Worst tool" - Yeah, it's clearly not designed for splitting wood. Like, extremely clearly, it has a tiny head and a hammer on the back. That is a weapon, meant for soft targets or throwing.
From the sellers website: Its bearded profile, raised toe, and slightly canted edge angle provide a long working edge that is ideal for both **chopping and detailed cutting chores.** But they also market it as a utility tomahawk as well.
@@A-G-F- The leading edge helps expedite the scalping process. The lightweight construction allows for extremely fast massacres against entire wagon parties. For the ultimate warrior that wants the most trophies in the least amount of time: the Spider Co. Genzow!
Even though this video is three years old, I've been falling down the rabbit hole of Wranglestar axe reviews. Hope you'll design and sell a Mr. Wranglestar axe of your own. With your knowledge and skill, I'd buy that axe.
It could have been designed as a throwing ax primarily, that would explain insufficient grip on the handle and maybe the lightweight handle would provide for proper balancing in flight.
Yes, it’s certainly not really designed to be a great tool. They mention the Francesca, which was a throwing axe used by the Franks as a weapon until the 7th century. The Tomahawk is of course also a weapon and the bearded axe also, thus it’s really not designed to be a tool for chopping wood. „Designed by German outdoor enthusiast and historian Martin Genzow, the Genzow HatchetHawk is a versatile, high-performance utility tomahawk that integrates the best features of the traditional Francesca Frankish axe, the classic bearded axe, and the tomahawk and expresses them with a dynamic fusion of old-school craftsmanship and state-of-the-art materials and engineering.“
Estwing make some great hand tools, I've not used their tomahawk but have used one of their camping axes for many years. It also has a rubber handle to absorb vibration! Hultafors also make some great axe heads, check them out
Jimmy Rustler I’ve always loved all the different style hammers I’ve purchased from them. Can’t wait to explore the tomahawk! Their rubber handles hold up forever too!
www.homedepot.com/p/Estwing-Double-Bit-Axe-with-Leather-Grip-EDBA/203759827?mtc=Shopping-B-F_D25T-G-D25T-25_1_HAND_TOOLS-Multi-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-HandTools_PLA&cm_mmc=Shopping-B-F_D25T-G-D25T-25_1_HAND_TOOLS-Multi-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-HandTools_PLA-71700000034127224-58700003933021546-92700049573927173&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAiAp5nyBRABEiwApTwjXujvG34ULb2X-U6Ca5RM1rRpYy2VRf7cOUkHJiu4yIXmW0OHMEgwnBoCvj8QAvD_BwE This one look interesting though.
I feel like what you could consider when it comes to survival tools is Functionality, then comfort, & finally aesthetics, but it seems like a lot of people make their tools look nice before thinking about comfort or how well it does its job.
I feel like this hatchet was designed for the guy that owns a bunch of high end pocket knives but only ever uses them to show off to his friends and to open amazon packages
I feel like opening packages is a main reason I carry a pocket knife. I like traditional fixed blad knives for skinning and all but a spider Co folder is my daily. What do normal people use a pocket knife for?
@@casychapin4647 I totally agree, opening packaging is one of my most common uses too, especially when I worked in a kitchen and had to open and breakdown boxes and bags of produce all the time, and I recently bought a Spyderco because I got a good deal. There's nothing wrong with carrying high end knives or being an enthusiast. It's mostly just a jab at people that have to have every new Benchmade or Sebenza that are really only interested in the status of owning it and don't have any appreciation or use for the quality. My apologies if it came off judgemental
an axe for a poser, to hang on the wall, walk around a forest wearing his smart looking axe to impress the bears, its not designed to chop wood you could mark the finish
When I was young and just starting on my own, solitary outdoors experiences I fell for the bling-factor. It took a few miserable, sorry experiences of maybe not having a warm fire, shelter for the night or a full belly, to purge those tendencies.
Yeah, this is one of those "tacti-cool" weapon type "battleax" type of axes. It's meant to be a "weapon" but is a poor excuse for both a weapon and an axe. This thing is garbage. :-/ Thank you for taking the pain to review that junkpile of a piece of metal.
If you like that axe, then you will like this offer.... I am an uncrowded Royal Prince And I am moving my money from here to the Americas. If i could use your bank account to hold my millions fir a few days, I will give you 30% commission Please send bank account details, so I can transfer my Gould bars to your account
As someone with a couple of years in the industry, I completely agree with your assessment. That is a weapon, not a tool. The angle of the edge in relation to the handle plus the narrow head and small hammer face point to combat, not survival.
As soon as i saw the axe, i knew it was a combat designed axe. Good review, but i dont know if i would have done one in the first place. Itd be close to a chef reviewing a claymore for cutting a steak. Not really in the same wheelhouse. Good review none the less
@@calebmagoon7023 checked their website description of this axe. Over hyped but maybe not the fairest review for what it is meant to do. The handle choice was poor decidion anyway.
Well it certainly looked the part. The sheath looks amazing. It's a reel shame it isn't any good. :-( maybe put a hickory handle on it and reshape the blade. Can't not use it because it cost so much. Fix the axe. Ha. John
Hard not to have it all light up with that much surface area and overhanging fuel. Solid cube or pyramid has worked better cause no air gets to the middle and so delays burning. Bigger logs in the middle/bottom.
I bought an axe with an aluminum handle and had to wrap 550 paracord around the handle to make it useful enough to process wood. Each strike reverberated up into my arm and into my hands as well. The axe was wrapped or enclosed with a rubber grip but it was still hard to maintain a "safe" grip causing me to adjust my hand with each strike to a log. The paracord wrap made a significant difference and wearing a pair of leather gloves helped with the grip. As you know paracord is rather smooth when first used but friction causes that slick feel to diminish after constant use. The axe was useful enough for several camp outs but eventually I relented and spent money on a decent axe with a hickory handle.
It looks like a cross between a war hammer and a modern-day hatchet, an unfortunate fail as a bushcraft tool. It would probably be excellent as a weapon.
I love your channel. I recently started getting outdoors more through hunting and now I’m dabbling in “Bush crafting” I liked learning how to make the self feeding fire!
MY FAVORITE $40 AXE amzn.to/2vBkQiw (this link will direct you to my amazon page)
I’m pretty sure the axe featured in this video was designed to be a throwing axe...correct me if I’m wrong but the slippery handle and angle of the head...it just seems like a throwing axe
SuperCreeper132 I agree
@@supercreeper1326 A $300 throwing axe. Shiver me timbers! 😬
You sure are bitchy this morning 😂🤣👍
It isnt an Axe. Its a hatchet
Me, 3am, out of shape, watching a dude craft a campfire I'd have no clue how to even start on:
"Haha what a shitty axe"
Bro, you been playing to much minecraft.
@@SilverDungeoneer What are you talking about. Minecraft taught me everything I know about living in the wild. I even built my own house
@@EPSleightofhand but did you kill the dragon is the question?
@@SilverDungeoneer Is your question indeed a question is your question? yes it is a question.
Exactly the same hour as me.
Came for the ax review, and stayed to see the self feeding camp fire ;-)
lol me too!
I want to see a timelapse of that camp fire going through all the wood he fed it.
Fr tho homestly
@@boyantsanov2334 was thinking the same thing
You know he’s mad when he doesn’t even say "I don’t want to offend anyone"
Hahahaha
Thats his ''With all due respect''
Closest he got was at 9:48 I think.
I heard that this is actually supposed to be a throwing axe
@@3dprintworld503 Nope.
"This could not possibly have been made by someone who uses tools." -- The best thing about the axe is the sheath.
The designer has little girl hands?
No man it’s definitely meant for being a weapon, small head, hammer looking counterweight.
Niktuono A modern day weapon at that, the shock goes straight into your arm. Dare you to wack a steel helmet with that
Alex yeah the axe has it’s flaws, but battle axes and war pikes were made exactly for punching trough armor from leather to steel.
@@Alex-ih9lc Nobody wears a steel helmet and you aim for the neck and other weak spots. Before you say it, nobody wear full steel armor
I don't think it was intended as a tool, more like a weapon, honestly.
I was thinking that, the way it punches into wood rather than splitting
the website say it was inspired by the francisca axe which is a combat tool rather than a bushcraft tool.
He already said that
@@Zedlolmyster it also says it was designed by an outdoorsman for utility use, and draws inspiration from the bearded axe, which was a wood processing tool and weapon. Seems like a tool that doesn't know what it is intended for, which isn't usually a good way to design something.
ya, a combat axe, get blood on that handle or even if your palms sweat too much and see it fly straight out of your grip, if you want cheap and effective just go find a m48, you can get 3 or 4 of those for what the spyderco goes for.
“Leave it up to a German to over complicate something”
H&K: *confused screaming*
@@pemehl6414 I’m not mad and I’m literally German myself, what?
@@pemehl6414 ah I see
I know that German got a big injection of Africans but Germany is a white country a Englishmen or American saying they don't like Germans isn't racist .
@@pemehl6414 What race are 'Germans' supposed to be?
@@d.ag.b1135 caucasian
Next week : replace the handle with Hickory.
+1
It's not even worth it - you'd have to get rid of that leading edge.
I would love to see him change the handle and regrind the axe face. That would be a ton of work. But very fun to watch.
You'd need a ton of work to "fix" this.
It looks like it'll actually be easier to make a NEW axe.
By then, you'd have several other channels dedicated to smithing.
+1
Ah I love it when he speaks his uncensored opinion.
well he wasn't gifted it so
ha
Yup
Absolutely! Thats what attracted me to this channel and hes a treasure trove of advice
Maybe I'm missing something but the design looks more like a tomahawk than a woodcraft hatchet. The narrow blade width is for cutting into skulls not splitting wood. The hammer side is quite small. The idea being to focus all the energy of the blow into a small area. Almost like the intent was to smash through a helmet or crush somebody's skull.
His comments on the handle make me think it was not intended for bush craft. Also the blade gives a tell as the bottom of the axe head is angled off at a 90 degree angle. This is not something you would use in bush craft. But it might serve a purpose if you were coming in between somebody's legs or back of the neck.
Now, with all of that said, I'm not sure why the design includes a polished metal. For wood work this would get gummed and covered up in tree sap. For combat, it will shine. something nobody wants who is using the tool. The coating on the handle does give the impression it is intended for easy cleaning.
I think this axe was meant more for show than function. And I think the OP just assumed it was meant for bush craft.
That is easily a throwing axe, the bottom seems to be uniform in thickness meaning it would slip out of the hand easily, amazing for throwing but horrible as a tool, also the slim axe head/blade makes it great for penetrating and horrible for chopping. Next up is that forward edge, it comes to a point at the top that is yet again amazing for penetrating when thrown. And lastly that thickness of the handle makes it hard to get a straight grip on, that’s because you use a more open almost knife hand hold on a throwing axe with the palm not fully touching the handle so it can slide better. Everything about that axe screams throwing axe and noting about it resembles a tool at all.
agree 100%, its a throwing weapon that they didn't want to sell as one
In my own post, that was my final note on the subject of this being more designed as a weapon, than a tool. Your points on it being a throwing axe are very sound.
The angle of the blade is more suitable to throwing, rather than jabbing as a melee weapon. You wouldn't need all that forward lean to make a sharp tip on the toe. Simply arching the brow upward would like many axes already do, accomplish that.
@DidntITellu What you call a 'hammer' is the pole and is used as a counter balance for the longer, sharpened blade end of the axe. Most poles are not meant to be used as a hammer, though more modern models are hardened for such use.
If you are unsure, you need to contact the manufacturer before using the back end as a hammer or you may ruin the eye and the head may come loose.
On this little tomahawk, it seems designed more for looks than actual use. There is no reason to design the pole with such obvious weak points, if anything but for looks.
In my experience, throwing axes work better without a pole, the hammer part behind the blade.
Unfortunately most first-time buyers tend to get ones with poles.
"Its bearded profile, raised toe, and slightly canted edge angle provide a long working edge that is ideal for both chopping and detailed cutting chores. A hammer poll excels at tasks that require focused impact instead of a sharp edge and helps create an exceptional balance that maximizes the tool’s power." spyderco says its a tool
This axe looks like it was designed more as a weapon/for axe throwing than as a practical tool.
@@carpediem5232 Feels like kind of a weird thing to make, sport axe throwers wont buy multiples at that price and HEMA people would want something more authentic.
I think it's just a "tacticool" item... probably you are right. For sure is not so practical!
carpe diem are you sure that’s true? I mean I guess the top looks a little like the fancisca but other than that they aren’t similar in anyway
It being a weapon makes sense as it was a german "historian" who designed it. Historical axes were often both weapons and tools.
Pointed head, plastic metal haft... would make an excellent thrower. You wouldn't have to worry about the haft shattering or coming loose, and the point would help stick on a hit.
My impression was that it looked more like a weapon than a tool.
all good tools can be used as weapons, but things designed as weapons cannot be used as tools!
same, looks tomahawk.
@@moorshound3243 I disagree. A Lee Enfield rifle and even the .303 it fires makes a great hunting rifle if needed. And it was designed as an implement of war. Just sayin.
@@blackflycanada4943 yea I get it, but you know what I'm trying to say right? for hundreds of years men who could not afford a sword could use their axe or hammer if needed in battle, tools they used every day, but a sword is of no other use then a weapon or a paper weight I guess!.
I get what your saying my Grandfather in Norway used a German mauser rifle for hunting in the mountains, he took it off a soldier during the war.
But his tool the side by side shotgun was used far more for hunting game.
I would rather have an old hunting rifle then some AR-15 for example!
@@blackflycanada4943 Guns are always weapons, that term doesn't only apply to things that were meant to be used against humans specifically, as long as the purpose is inflicting damage or harm (and I mean, good luck using your "tool" hunting rifle for cutting down a tree). Doesn't matter whether it was designed for the battlefield or for hunting. Of course, that doesn't mean that weapons are always entirely useless as tools. Like, a sword still can do most things you can do with a knife, it's just probably not gonna handle very well and might get damaged. A lot of weapons could probably be used as an improvised hammer (though some of them might not respond kindly to that kind of abuse).
I can just feel him getting angrier and angrier, making me feel like I’m the one who fucked up
For real, he’s got the dad vibe down. He makes me, a full grown man who is a dad, feel ashamed of myself lol.
Looks like a really expensive Sheetrock hammer.
really does look like
Cheaper than both a sheetrock hammer and drywall stilts :)
Evan Massey Couldn't have said it better myself , had the same one since I was about 18 or 19 , when I learned how to hang and finish .
@@bixby9797 this
I thought it looked a bit like a sheetrock hammer as well. Or a throwing hatchet but the handle is wrong for throwing. That forward leaning edge may work well for a throwing hatchet however.
Wranglerstar axe reviews.
It's why I've been here 5 years.
He got some shitty reviews
I think axe reviews might have been the reason I first found his channel as well. I recall it was likely in early 2016.
@@PBGetson the "Triple axe challenge" kept bugging me in my feed until I clicked.
@Sven3xs bro this axe is obviously a fighting and throwing axe but he acts like it's a bushcraft axe
Sounds like it was perfectly designed for its target demographic: Tacticool Man-Boys.
Hey not all spyderco fans are like that! But I have to agree that many are.
Yup, the people this channel was designed for. 😂
Yea you got that right youtube channel Black scout survival caters to the man boy kool gadget aficionados
Yeah I've always been a big fan of Spyderco products so this was hrad to watch. I want to replace my small axe but it wont be with this one.
The only reason spyderco has those people is because they were actually the supplier's for military personnel and police. Otherwise their products are pretty good
I don't like this current trend of "Eye Candy" tools.
I remember my Grandpa saying once. "Monkeys like shiny things"
Yup
They try to make real tools look like video game zombie killing bullcrap. I don't understand it. If I want a cool looking prop weapon, then I'll search for that. If I want a real tool, then I expect practical designs.
Yeah. Someone is going to try to depend on this tool to write a check it can't cash. That's how you get hurt. And I'd hate for someone to depend on it with their lives as a survival tool.
@@sinpac6161 some are trained to steal stuff like watches on tourists
This is what I call a "tacticool" axe, not a functional one.
I think it’s more a weapon than tool.
Well I would have said the same thing about it being a weapon but the back side with the hammer part kind of screams tool. I wonder if it throws well though?
Functional for what? It's a weapon, not a tool.
@@MrMadeinthe80s did you know sometimes hitting people with a hammer is more expedient and a better option than a blade?
@@bassackwards8422 or just carry a hatchet that can cut properly... why would someone ever carry this over a hatchet of the same weight?
Considering they literally state that it's modeled after combat axes, I feel that spyderco made the mistake of thinking "an axe is an axe" and didn't take into account the design of those similar axes have no real utility value.
It'd be like trying to perform surgery with a dagger, hell, a small shard of glass could be used a surgical tool if applied in that way, sure, in a completely technical way it is possible, that doesn't mean it will do it well, nor that it should be considered over another alternative, considering it's form isn't lending any favors to that function.
I feel like this review was made more positive than it should have been.
Bass Ackwards if it’s a throwing axe/hatchet why bother with a sheath? At $300 you need two or three perhaps more. I understand now why it’s so slippery and doesn’t have a large hoof at the bottom. Still $1,200 for a decent brace of throwing axes is way expensive but definitely durable with the weird handle. Is it better then a dozen sheet steel hatchets for the same price?
@@john-paulsilke893 such a waste of money for some LARPing
@@Rainaman- yea. larpers use real axes..
I felt he was pretty clear. It's the worst Ax he's ever used. How is that getting off easy? Or are we confusing being respectful with something else?
Then you should read the description for it . This axe seems more like something somebody thought would be unique and cool, followed by crafting an overblown bs marketing spiel that is long on buzz and short on knowledgeable experience. That’s why it’s a POS! This is an axe made by knife making zealots. They stepped outside their expertise and it shows. Period.
That whole design was copied from an ancient Germanic hand axe that was primarily used for combat. Only the Germanic warriors had wood handles, which of course are better for gripping.
@@bushwhackedonvhs yeah I think they said it’s based on a francisca
I myself enjoy a more slippery surface when gripping my wood. To each their own I guess.
@@20TonChop bro 🤨
@@20TonChop 🤨📸
@@gamedivision3627 lol. I don't even remember commenting that. I been hacked I swear...lol
I'd love to see a timelapse shot of that self-feeding log fire.
It seems to me, the whole thing would just catch fire. Like the fire would travel up all the logs.
@@kekkto he did a hasty video on this. Make the angle less steep, and bury the ends of the posts more in dirt or flat rock etc.
@@kekkto I agree but to be fair he did say it would ' buy you a little time'.
If you jump in 30 second increments from 11:00 onwards, you can see the logs slip down just a little bit.
@@kekkto -- That's what I'm thinking as well.
I'm loving this format of completing a project with the tool in question for a real-world, active use case scenario. It's always nice to learn about new practices/techniques while we're sitting through a product review!
"It is not... I don't like it" lol. Felt your pain then.
By the sound of things it looks like it’s made for throwing.. away.
LMAO 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
It's for people....not wood.
@@ethanstang9941 Most axes are for people. Unless you know a beaver that is pretty handy with its paws and fed up using its teeth.
@@ToothpasteJuiceBox i mean combat wise.
@@ToothpasteJuiceBox This axe is meant for killing. Not arts and crafts.
Honestly it looks like it was designed more for fighting then bushcraft.
That or throwing.
When you throw it it just slips right out of your hand! (But wait... isn't the axe slipping in your hand a bad thing?)
Yeah.... Because most of us spend our time killing each other in modern times. Great idea spyderco
@@svenulfskjaldbjorn5401 I think Gerber makes one of those.
@@svenulfskjaldbjorn5401 bannnnnn it!!!!!
@@Prosecute-fauci IKR its like people are saying the next thing it could be is a combat axe, which isnt something thats common
As a leather worker, I love how you appreciated the work that went into a lot of people don’t realize what goes into working with leather
That fire technique is cool. Would love to see a timelapse of it.
Maybe swap the handle out or return it?
The fire jumps up the logs, dosen't self feed well at all
@@baconatoromg6062 it needs to be further apart. We learned this in Boy Scouts back in the day. His V is too close, too steep.
Cool but worthless in real life. Infrared is what makes you warm, and this type of fire, points the majority if heat, AWAY from you.
@@joeh4295 did you not hear him say his is rough and ready just to show the idea and will work well once you get the angles right .
@@PaulA-il7ms I did, but I was answering someone else's question/statement about the fire climbing up the "rack".
"Great for killing"
German designer hears a knock at the door and squirms in his seat...
Germans are good at that historicaly
Kai the hitchhikers favorite axe
@@blazenblues8031 man, I wonder how things ended up for him. Last I heard was about him being druged by some guy and raped and he in self defence killed the guy.
@@Rainaman- en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kai_the_Hatchet-Wielding_Hitchhiker
@@MPPaladin what a POS judge
I love how you teach a skill as you’re reviewing
I have a feeling this tool was never intended to be a field axe, but more of an anti-personnel weapon to be used by LRRP type of soldiers....
Didn't he say pretty much the same thing?
I would think LRRP type soldier would want a field axe. Cause a wood axe can cleave skulls as easy as it chops wood.
Robert Copeland or throwing it looks like a throwing axe the name would make sense then.
Same as throwing knives they don’t make great all around knives.
@@right8630 I throw also. The ax just looks too damn small to be useful other than throwing. And I feel exclusive throwing axes/ knives. Has no business being in a Bushcraft/ survival situation.
The head seems to be of a fighting axe, to be honest. The edge leading up to a point, the Gothic hammer backend to combat armour, this'll be more appropriate for a fifteenth century battlefield.
handle is still way to slippery
@@9051team ikr, spill blood on that axe and well, off it flys lol
@@9051team it's because it's a modern throwing axe. The only reason they added "hatchet" to the description is to up sales
@@adamhunter3692 And I dont think that's ethical. Someone can get hurt.
@@adamhunter3692 not to mention I dont think you want an axe to slip out of your hand mid throw.
You can see how he starts off so positive, then gradually gets more and more frustrated to the axe.
Yeah, as soon as it came to anything precision he started to get wound up, but if I had to do three times as much work with an axe three times less comfortable than my usual one, I'd be pissed too!
This looks more like a medieval combat axe. If I had to guess that historian based his design off a weapon instead of a tool.
shows that being a historian doesnt make you a good designer
@@mornmorn4367 or maybe it was designed as a weapon; but the marketing guy screwed up, who advertised this as a tool.
Did someone say Trail Boss?
I'll admit I am a fan of Cold Steel. Say what you will about their marketing, but they sell knives and other cutting tools, and they aren't ashamed to show you how they cut.
Since cold steel moved production from Japan to China, they lost me as a fan.
@@paulwhat322 Most of their production is in Taiwan. At least for their knives and tomahawks.
@@dtester yeah, like I said, China. I know Taiwanese manufacturere is a lot better, but its still legally part of China
@@paulwhat322 Actually no, to say it's legally part of China is not correct (unless you're China). Sure, China claims ownership but it's pretty much a separate nation and China has no authority over the Taiwan government. China promises to invade them in the future....someday and they get really pissy if you imply that they are not part of China anymore.
@@dtester hehe. Yeah, anyway my point was I really miss Japanese made cold steel and spiderco.
These are the videos that I wish he did more of now. He is testing a commonly bought tool while educating us on some very fine bushcraft skills. Very good video!
This was clearly designed as a Pseudo-Fighting Hawk.
It looks like a decent combat axe, but the handle needs to be replaced. For woodwork a more pronounced beard and a slightly different blade configuration would make it that much better...
I don't think it was really designed to be used at all. Designed to give a satisfying bite into wood if you swing it, to be light weight and to look cool. Any real weapon/tool would have paid more attention to giving it a non-slip grip.
In the weapon-lovers community we call those 'Wall hangers' they look kewl, but are ultimately lame
The designer only showed that it was meant as a bushcraft tool.
That hammer head looks like it was made to puncture plate armor with how small it is and how it's shaped.
Company: doesn't make a good axe
Wranglestar: "so you have chosen death"
it's a tomahawk.
@@ethanstang9941 thank you commander technicality
@@griffinkelley8785 i don't understand
@@ethanstang9941
Captain obvious= person who points out the obvious
Commander technicality= person who points out technicalities
It's a joke
Not even funny
When the sheath gets a rave review at the top of the tape you know it has to go downhill fast..... really fast.
It's pretty I'll give it that lol but I imagine that aluminum handle is like hitting a fence post with a baseball bat.. you learn that's a bad idea when you're a kid
@Rand Name lol wood is a renewable and green resource, aluminum is not
@Rand Name Yeah due to toilet paper companies and for farmland. 1 good hickory tree will do alot of axes
I'd say more like hitting a boulder with a metal pole
You also learn that tools have different uses, this tool is not meant to cut trees, This tool by the axe design is made for killing
Oof, I can feel my wrists hurting now.
Some tennis racket handle “grip” wrapped around a few would thicken handle and offer way comfier grip. Can’t do much about leading edge of axe head......🙏
for $300 having to add anything to make the handle work for a normal human is BS.
I have used athletic ankle tape for an anchor at the end of the handle. And yes, that is a fighting edge on that hatchet. Look at just about any american double bit axe and you'll see a nice curved edge. There is a certain amount of slide / sawing once the head hits the wood so it's not a sudden complete stop. I made the same handle mistake on a home depot purchase. It was a long handle double bit axe made out of some kind of plastic. In contrast to your handle being a sudden burst of pain and then it stops, this plastic handle was more like a looney toons cartoon where the shockwave goes from the axe head, gradually to your arms and then feet and then back to the axe again. It is rugged, but as soon as I crack it, I'm replacing it with a wood handle. Conveniently I seem to use the short handled double bit brush axe so I don't have to deal with the plastic handle. I should just replace it and be done with the plastic handle.
@@sirblocketh To be fair, there are upsides to the polymer covered aluminium handle. It's more durable than wood. If it takez a bit of tennis bandage to make it work, and in exchange you get a tool that will last many times longer, that's a tradeoff I am willing to take.
@@horvathbenedek3596 It will never be as comfortable though! I hear what you are saying, but if you are good with the tool the handle will still last long enough. Especially if you somewhat enjoy the process of replacing the handle.
That is true. Tennis grips are made to absorb the vibrations of hitting a ball and depending on the type you get offer great grip even to sweaty hands are offers a comfortable one at that.
A tomahawk isn’t meant to be a hard working tool, it’s meant to be a weapon... that’s why it’s so small and comparatively light. It’s also meant for throwing hence the leading edge and aluminum handle.
Wranglerstar: "Leave it up to a German to over-complicate something to try and fix something that's not broken."
*VW, BMW & Mercedes have left the chat* 😂
Yeah, isn’t German engineering famously sturdy simple an long lasting? Aren’t old German tools som of the best tools you could find at the garage sale? Or am I not remembering it right?
Actually, German engineering is know for over-complicating things in the process of designing something to prevent the dumbest possible user breaking something or doing something unforeseen.
If you want simplicity and sturdiness, then you will be good with classical socialist production. The lack of resources from outside was the fuel for long lasting, easy to repair and simplistic engineering. For that check out some DDR (GDR) or Soviet product designs, while not fashionable it had its pros. Even today many eastern Germans (rightly) remember that DDR (GDR) production was in many ways ahead of its time.
@@Anfangxs It's pretty much like that all over the eastern Europe. You have no resources so the usability and sturdiness comes first. I still have couple of things that my grandfather was using, and sure it looks shitty but hey show me a product that will last 50 years as for today.
Not gonna lie kinda took offence when he said that 😆
Slingshot channel enters the chat
I'm a gamer and even I know that wood handles are better than metal ones...
Well... that completely depends on what you are hitting as well where are you hitting it, sir! I would take hurt hands and a nearly unbreakable handle over comfort and the possibility of my tool being rendered useless if in the right situation! But that's my opinion.
Hi, I noticed that you were using a Spyderco tomahawk as a working tool. Generally, Spyderco knives and tomahawks are used more like items to participate in knife/axe throwing.
It really looks like a Roofer's axe for doing shingles.
Jacob Lewis that was my first thought too
Jacob Lewis
Yup!
Jacob Lewis I agree. It looks an awful lot like a roofing hatchet. Wonder if there’s any influence? Obviously needs a straight hardwood handle.
Yes resembles a Carpenters axe, but those are actually useful.
It's hard to get around a tool having a bad handle.
Soon as the words aluminium and handle were put in the same sentence it was a hard pass from me. Kudos to Wranglerstar for not throwing it into the weeds after the first green chop
Looks like that whole contraption will go up in flames uncontrolled
ive done similar, just remember its not some kinda forever solution and use dont use dead dry wood
He explained to use wet or green wood on the sides so it (hopefully) doesn't do that but that's what I was thinking that whole thing is just going to be a smouldering pile in a few hours
@@SamuelJamesVideos a smouldering pile in a few hours is acceptable, from my experience with campfires, they only last one to two hours between feedings, if I were in a survival situation and wanted a fire that would last me the night, this seems to be a viable solution, if it can last 6hours, then good, if 7, excellent
Almost looks like it is meant for throwing at targets? No reverb on the arm...
But the hammer on the back end isn't typical of throwing axes.
I agree - that looks purpose built for throwing, especially with that weird leading edge sticking out there seems like that's designed to work with the rotation of the throw. That would certainly explain its super slick handle with no swell at the bottom too.
Vladdimir Todd well you can’t put a pipe on it
Also that skinny and slippery handle.
No throwing axes have straight handles and no pommel. It doesn’t even look good for that.
4:48 tell us how you really feel... hahaha
The self feeding principal is really cool so I can go do something else, but I always thought it was a bad idea to leave a fire unattended.
I mean if you get stranded in the middle of canada for example, its cold as hell there. You build a shelter and this campfire design will keep burning through the day/night and keep you warm even when you go to sleep.
yeah i always thought a stone pit would be safer, but eh i don't live in a colder region so i can't really say if it's that much better for the northwest
@@Botan-VEVO Why not mix the 2 and build this in between rocks? Also you dont need to be in a cold place to cook bacon on campfires.
Or just do a swedish torch that uses less fuel, safer and is easier to cook on.
@@Tatwinus I see
To be fair that looks more like a butcher's axe than something wood should be cut with.
honestly that makes a lot more sense, the plastic wrapped aluminum handle is probably "food safe" health inspector approved. Wood handled kitchen tools (spatchulas, knives, ect) are not NSF approved for use in commercial cooking.
Der Boi I thought that at first but the hammer bit isn’t large enough for counter weight and the handle is too slippery if it was textured it would work or if the handle was wood or lead weighted the design is conducive to throwing if it was a spike at the end or the hammerhead was larger
Kevin Monzel but an axe flying out of your latex gloves isn’t and neither is handling it barehanded
Actually I thought of a roofing hammer when he first took it out of the sheath.
@@american23t Don't think it would make a good roofing hammer either. Roofing hammers usually have a straight wide wood handle, and often a leather strap on end (you lose friends quick if your grip slips and your axe goes sliding off the roof toward your buddies on the ground) The axe head is generally more wedge shaped on the vertical profile for sliding the axe under shingles and lifting. They have nail puller grooves on the bottom edge and a larger, textured hammer head for driving wide headed roofing nails in straight and not slipping on the strike. The edge is not pitched forward to a point and is usually fairly dull compared to a chopping axe so they can cut the shingle but not dig deeply into the ply wood underneath. Not sure what this axe would be good for honestly, but I would hard pass on this for roofing.
$300 for that piece of trash?!? Man that’s a rip off.
Rip off is the definition for most of Spyderco products. They are to expensive.
@@lililililililili8667 Yes, that is true👍. That's the reason I wrote "most".
But a price around 300,00€ and more for a Spyderco Knife, is not justifiable for me.
R A ,,,Ganzo,Kubey,Ruike,Indians,Knife King etc..Spyderco I don't think so,,My Raider SP-10 was only $100 CDN and it's waaayyy better than that overpriced crappie hatchet...
"Designed by German outdoor enthusiast and historian Martin Genzow, the Genzow HatchetHawk is a versatile, high-performance utility tomahawk"-from the description of the Genzow HatchetHawk on Spyderco's website. I haven't owned a Spyderco product but I've been following them for a few years, gotta say i'm disappointed thus far, Maybe you could try and improve the faults of the axe?
I knew that handle would be a deal-breaker.
The way the cutting edge is shaped on the axe, maybe it's good for throwing?
Could you regrind the cutting edge a bit?
Cheers from Tokyo!
problem is that the edge is likely a laminated bit of high carbon steel forge welded into softer steel (comon practice on axes) so grinding that edge back to get rid of the point would likely leave you with most of the edge being the softer steel.
@@hammerslap5639 Also that wouldn't do anything to solve the problem with the shape of the head, the lack of weight or the abominable handle.
No this was designed as a throwing axe with limited usability and some tacticool design cues.
I love the look and the build quality but it's not a practical tool, and to make it one would be very hard. Swapping out the handle and reprofiling the head might make it a workable carpentry tool. But doing this to an axe that sell for close to $300? I think I'd rather hang it on the wall as a conversation piece.
@@hammerslap5639 With a laminated bit they are still fine to regrind atleast before they are extremely worn. You say it's common but realistically 95% of modern axes are made completely of high carbon tool steel
hockey tape or tennis racket wraps really help reduce reverberations on tools, hockey tape also adds a ton of grip
Axe-- 0 Self feeding fire-- 10, Next.... : )
Jen farmer - I was thinking the same thing about all those dry pine needles.
The blade reminds me much more of a fighting axe than a working axe. I doubt it was designed with bushcraft in mind.
Yeah there's NO way it was.
To be more specific, the angled blade would be better for puncturing armor and drawing material into the cut when striking an opponent, and the hammer looks very simmilar to something you would find on a warhammer or halberd. The thinness of the blade would also be good there to keep it agile when fighting. All in all the head isn't really a bad design, just not practical for what you want a hatchet to be.
Who does self defense with an AXE??
Not me,
Caleb Angell my ancestors 😀
I like that this guy is not only reviewing an axe, but at the same time, also giving a tutorial and tops on how to do stuff.
You should review the classic estwing hatchet with a leather handle
"Greasy slippery nightmare" that is a perfect honest review
Don't walk behind the chopper in mid swing. He needs to run a lanyard through the end.
Kris Gustafson, sounds like my hair after not showering for a few days.🤣
That is not a tool, that is a weapon. That leading point, which makes it terrible for bush work, makes it perfect for a thrown weapon. The belly is straight (ish) again, bad for cutting, great for throwing. The cheeks are also hollow growned for penetration at the cost of splitting. Throwing axes can have much narrower, smaller handles because you do not hammer-hand grip them, it is more like a pointed grip.
As an axe, I'd say your review is spot on, but it was really designed for only one purpose, throwing, with the second being tacked on because it is still technically an "axe".
That being said, if the primary function of your $300 weapon is to be thrown... I think somebody missed a memo somewhere XD
Buy this Axe if you
"Have More Money Than Brains"
You know Cody, they say that some men can learn from Reading.
Some men can learn from listening to other men.
But there are just those men who can only learn by going out and pissing on the electric fence themselves.
Thanks for the great review for those of us in the first two groups.
I feel like this is just made for Spyderco bro's to collect with their knives.
I would say a lot of their products go directly into collections and are never actually used.
"To many people, knives are much more than mere cutting tools; they are vivid reflections of an individual’s character,
status, and personal tastes. Just as a luxury watch tells far more than the correct time, a sophisticated knife design
reveals a lot about the person who carries it. Specifically created for the discriminating lady or gentleman who wants to
make a statement, Spyderco’s Prestige knives will allow you to speak volumes without saying a word."
good, honest review. a quick fix to alleviate your major concerns (which i agree with your assessment - shouldn't even be necessary on a $300 item) would be to cover the handle with self-sealing, rubberized Tommy tape to: 1) build up/increase surface area to better fit in your large hand 2) dampen vibration from the aluminum handle and 3) add an A1 level of gription with gloves or without. In the end i agree - the handle should be made of wood.
Come back in an hour and the whole stack will be burning . Tried this in boy scouts back in 76
I dont doubt it. Maybe if the angle was more shallow?
Self-feeding fires *don't!* They inevitably fail!!
self feeding fires only work if there is a draw to keep the flame away from the stack
A good bed of banked coals would do better than that silly mechanism.
"Worst tool" - Yeah, it's clearly not designed for splitting wood. Like, extremely clearly, it has a tiny head and a hammer on the back. That is a weapon, meant for soft targets or throwing.
From the sellers website: Its bearded profile, raised toe, and slightly canted edge angle provide a long working edge that is ideal for both **chopping and detailed cutting chores.**
But they also market it as a utility tomahawk as well.
@@Slowchu i dont think "splitting skulls and tearing flesh" are words that any company would use to sell their stuff
@@A-G-F-
The leading edge helps expedite the scalping process. The lightweight construction allows for extremely fast massacres against entire wagon parties. For the ultimate warrior that wants the most trophies in the least amount of time: the Spider Co. Genzow!
Even though this video is three years old, I've been falling down the rabbit hole of Wranglestar axe reviews. Hope you'll design and sell a Mr. Wranglestar axe of your own. With your knowledge and skill, I'd buy that axe.
as i thought, its not a tool... its a 300$ artistic axe
It looks cool on the wall tho.
SOMEBODY PUT A DRYWALLER'S HAMMER HEAD ON AN AXE HANDLE.
It could have been designed as a throwing ax primarily, that would explain insufficient grip on the handle and maybe the lightweight handle would provide for proper balancing in flight.
Yes, it’s certainly not really designed to be a great tool.
They mention the Francesca, which was a throwing axe used by the Franks as a weapon until the 7th century. The Tomahawk is of course also a weapon and the bearded axe also, thus it’s really not designed to be a tool for chopping wood.
„Designed by German outdoor enthusiast and historian Martin Genzow, the Genzow HatchetHawk is a versatile, high-performance utility tomahawk that integrates the best features of the traditional Francesca Frankish axe, the classic bearded axe, and the tomahawk and expresses them with a dynamic fusion of old-school craftsmanship and state-of-the-art materials and engineering.“
Looks more like a fighting axe than a wood chopper to me
I’ve got an upcoming test of the Estwing Tomahawk againt their regular hatchet! Can’t wait to see how it does!
Torqued Up can’t wait to check it out!
I didn’t know they made a Tomahawk, can’t wait for your video!
Estwing make some great hand tools, I've not used their tomahawk but have used one of their camping axes for many years. It also has a rubber handle to absorb vibration!
Hultafors also make some great axe heads, check them out
Jimmy Rustler I’ve always loved all the different style hammers I’ve purchased from them. Can’t wait to explore the tomahawk! Their rubber handles hold up forever too!
www.homedepot.com/p/Estwing-Double-Bit-Axe-with-Leather-Grip-EDBA/203759827?mtc=Shopping-B-F_D25T-G-D25T-25_1_HAND_TOOLS-Multi-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-HandTools_PLA&cm_mmc=Shopping-B-F_D25T-G-D25T-25_1_HAND_TOOLS-Multi-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-HandTools_PLA-71700000034127224-58700003933021546-92700049573927173&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAiAp5nyBRABEiwApTwjXujvG34ULb2X-U6Ca5RM1rRpYy2VRf7cOUkHJiu4yIXmW0OHMEgwnBoCvj8QAvD_BwE
This one look interesting though.
I feel like what you could consider when it comes to survival tools is Functionality, then comfort, & finally aesthetics, but it seems like a lot of people make their tools look nice before thinking about comfort or how well it does its job.
I feel like this hatchet was designed for the guy that owns a bunch of high end pocket knives but only ever uses them to show off to his friends and to open amazon packages
I feel like opening packages is a main reason I carry a pocket knife.
I like traditional fixed blad knives for skinning and all but a spider Co folder is my daily. What do normal people use a pocket knife for?
@@casychapin4647 I totally agree, opening packaging is one of my most common uses too, especially when I worked in a kitchen and had to open and breakdown boxes and bags of produce all the time, and I recently bought a Spyderco because I got a good deal. There's nothing wrong with carrying high end knives or being an enthusiast. It's mostly just a jab at people that have to have every new Benchmade or Sebenza that are really only interested in the status of owning it and don't have any appreciation or use for the quality. My apologies if it came off judgemental
Loved your honest on this cody, “ the plastic over the handle was a stupid idea” thought that was pretty funny
I know many folks do hate this guy a lot in the comments but hey lets keep something straight in line he is honest at least when it comes to reviews
an axe for a poser, to hang on the wall, walk around a forest wearing his smart looking axe to impress the bears, its not designed to chop wood you could mark the finish
When I was young and just starting on my own, solitary outdoors experiences I fell for the bling-factor. It took a few miserable, sorry experiences of maybe not having a warm fire, shelter for the night or a full belly, to purge those tendencies.
One look at the head tells ya it's not a working axe. This guy should know that at a glance
Suggestion: saw off the aluminum handle, make a proper hickory handle, re-test and give away!!
And reshape the cutting edge
sinpac6161 at that point bust out the forge and start using it as a hammer
That handle looks more conducive to throwing than actually chopping. As someone else said in the comments, that is a weapon, not a tool.
Yeah, this is one of those "tacti-cool" weapon type "battleax" type of axes. It's meant to be a "weapon" but is a poor excuse for both a weapon and an axe.
This thing is garbage. :-/ Thank you for taking the pain to review that junkpile of a piece of metal.
You forgot to put a link in the description- after that review I wanted to buy one. I am soft in the head.
If you like that axe, then you will like this offer....
I am an uncrowded Royal Prince
And I am moving my money from here to the Americas.
If i could use your bank account to hold my millions fir a few days, I will give you 30% commission
Please send bank account details, so I can transfer my Gould bars to your account
RichieB76 that sure doesn’t sound like a scam
@@roughfishdreams9137 🤣🤔 sounds like a deal 💀💀💀💀
Buy Cody's from him, $300... have him sign it
As someone with a couple of years in the industry, I completely agree with your assessment. That is a weapon, not a tool. The angle of the edge in relation to the handle plus the narrow head and small hammer face point to combat, not survival.
As soon as i saw the axe, i knew it was a combat designed axe. Good review, but i dont know if i would have done one in the first place. Itd be close to a chef reviewing a claymore for cutting a steak. Not really in the same wheelhouse. Good review none the less
But from what I understand this is marketed for bushcrafting? They really had to double down that this is a modern version of a combat axe.
@@Rainaman- either that, or he just tests axes in leather sheaths lol
@@calebmagoon7023 checked their website description of this axe. Over hyped but maybe not the fairest review for what it is meant to do. The handle choice was poor decidion anyway.
Yeah, because that’s how we do combat these days.
@@rubikrawler call of duty would like to think so lol
You were hammering the steaks into each other since they were so close together
Well it certainly looked the part. The sheath looks amazing. It's a reel shame it isn't any good. :-( maybe put a hickory handle on it and reshape the blade. Can't not use it because it cost so much. Fix the axe. Ha. John
Love that Cello piece. Great pick for intro music.
I'll stick with my gransfors bruks small forest axe.
is it cheap?
@@johnnyklingborg8960 there are cheaper axes out there.
@@bradhobbs1745 it seems they can be found for 130$ (1200SEK) were i live, i thought they were more expensive.
His review of the small forest axe was my introduction to his channel. Made me end up buying one.
If you want relatively inexpensive but very high-quality my choice would be the Husqvarna axes.
How slim that "blade" is, that one is for killing, not working.
too bad the handle wouldn't support the use of that blade as a weapon either.
your acting like because its not for that purpose it can execuse straights up bad design
i expected a budget 50 dollar price tag. 200+ dollars is absurd
Cold Steel Trail Hawk has a proper wood handle, chopping head, hammer and is under $50.
I've tried that fire technique before and the flames always run up the logs and the whole thing turns into a big fire.
Win win
It’s happening in the video.
Hard not to have it all light up with that much surface area and overhanging fuel. Solid cube or pyramid has worked better cause no air gets to the middle and so delays burning. Bigger logs in the middle/bottom.
I bought an axe with an aluminum handle and had to wrap 550 paracord around the handle to make it useful enough to process wood. Each strike reverberated up into my arm and into my hands as well. The axe was wrapped or enclosed with a rubber grip but it was still hard to maintain a "safe" grip causing me to adjust my hand with each strike to a log. The paracord wrap made a significant difference and wearing a pair of leather gloves helped with the grip. As you know paracord is rather smooth when first used but friction causes that slick feel to diminish after constant use. The axe was useful enough for several camp outs but eventually I relented and spent money on a decent axe with a hickory handle.
Looks to me like a drywall hammer... Gucci, all-be- it.
Your ability to resist the lure of "collaborating" with manufacturers earns my deepest respect. I can imagine how hard that can potentially be.
Just cordle it with paracord, you get a nice look, a lot better grip and will avoid vibration
I was waiting to see him through it and stick it in a tree. It looks horrible I love my Estwing hatchet.
It looks like a cross between a war hammer and a modern-day hatchet, an unfortunate fail as a bushcraft tool. It would probably be excellent as a weapon.
You have never handled a fighting axe while pressure testing. It blows even more as a weapon. Its a wall hanger
I love your channel. I recently started getting outdoors more through hunting and now I’m dabbling in “Bush crafting” I liked learning how to make the self feeding fire!
That moment when you see your own product in the thumbnail....now that's priceless!
How so
@@calebchan-nantais5308 i think he's saying he owns it so he recognized it in the thumbnail
"These pieces will slide down that V-pattern."
*In the background the entire contraption catches on fire at once.*