Gransfors Brucks or Helko Werk axe

bish789

Well-Known Member
Looking to buy a decent axe
Got it down to these two
GB Small Forest axe £114
Helko Werk similiar as GB £75
Is the GB really £40 better?
 
i’ve got one and it really is a decent piece of kit, cuts and chops well above its weight
pleased its in the back of the truck, good for clearing fallen small trees etc
 
GB!

Although consider if the Forest Axe would be a better choice for your needs. I’ve got a selection of GB axes including the Small Forest Axe, for some jobs, such as felling small trees and limbing the longer handle of the Forest axe would be a better choice.
 
Probably not what you want to hear, but the only Gransfors axe I have handled was a double headed throwing model and disappointingly it had a bad twist in the head. The blades were not in the same plane as each other or the shaft. Not impressed. I felt very sorry for the owner who had set his heart on it.

It depends what you want it for and why you want one of those brands.

For felling there are so many superb English or Canadian pattern Elwell, Brades, Nash, Tyzak or other of the Black Country originals around for a few pennies at every car boot sale or on Ebay that I wouldn’t look any further. But then I rarely use an axe in preference to a chainsaw. Adze, side axe and draw knife I do use occasionally.

If specifically wanting a new one I would be inclined to buy direct from John Beavis... Brinkworth Smithy

Alan
 
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Thanks all
Mainly wanting one for splitting small logs, have a cheap one which does the job, but want something a bit more decent.
Have a chain saw for anything bigger.
Small forest would probably do it.
Helko get good reviews, and they're German so theoretically should be good quality.
Guy near me has a GB for sale but isn't answering messages.
I'll do what we normally do when we've got a choice of two tools, think about it for a couple of weeks, hit the buy button, then immediately think, actually should I have got the other?
Decisions decisions
 
If it's for splitting look at the husqvarna splitting axes. I have a short handled one (little longer than a GB small forest axe) I use it as a wedge pounder for falling and have reprofiled the blade so it can do a bit of chopping too. I wouldnt use a maul for splitting small stuff.

I have about six GB axes since they are my favourite but also a helko among the collection and the steel isnt a patch on GB stuff.

Never tried posting pics on here but below should be my short husky wedge banger/spitter.
The first two inches of blade is what I did to give it a little chopping ability.
In seasoned wood that size of axe (small forest axe size) starts to struggle at around six inches
20210801_153212.jpg20210801_153228.jpg
 
Blade profile and haft length next to GB Scandinavian forest axe, I'll keep the pics a little smaller this time lol
Personally for splitting smaller stuff I'd go for a splitting axe head (not a maul) on a boys axe length haft, same as pictured GB
20210801_153904.jpg20210801_153846.jpg
 
I was going to buy Helko felling axe but they wanted a photo of my photo ID but I was not doing that. Bought Hultafors instead.
 
Don’t get a GB if it’s primary purpose is splitting - unless you get one of their specialist splitting axes.

While very nice indeed, the various Forest axes all have profiles optimised for chopping. They’re fine for splitting kindling (up to about 6-8” diameter), but poor beyond that. Even at 6-8”, they can struggle with tougher, knottier wood.

And since splitting really doesn’t require a terribly sophisticated tool, it’s not worth spending the premium on a GB splitting axe. A Fiskars or B&Q own brand will do.
 
Gb wilderness axe for me I've been using it regularly for about 5 yrs and does everything a great all rounder wouldn't be without it
 
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Thanks all
Mainly wanting one for splitting small logs, have a cheap one which does the job, but want something a bit more decent.
Have a chain saw for anything bigger.
Small forest would probably do it.
Helko get good reviews, and they're German so theoretically should be good quality.
Guy near me has a GB for sale but isn't answering messages.
I'll do what we normally do when we've got a choice of two tools, think about it for a couple of weeks, hit the buy button, then immediately think, actually should I have got the other?
Decisions decisions
Fiskars X25/27 for splitting, if only short and small diameter logs, I’d consider the X11, all are superb at the task, and half the weight of most.

 
For splitting I use a maul, the profile is designed for the job and is much more efficient than an axe.

Alan
Absolutely, for log splitting both of those axes are a complete waste of Money and also quite useless. A splitting axe shouldn’t even be sharp so pretty much anything will serve well for splitting small stuff, provided it has the correct shape.
ive got a small chopping axe that lives by the fire for kindling, i only use it for splitting despite its design being meant as a chopper and thus keep it nice and blunt ( half a millimetre of flat edge on its ‘cutting’ edge) as it would claim many fingers if it were sharp.
kindest regards, Olaf
 
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