Gransfor Brucks Sweden - AXE Review

[NothingClever]

Condor is the brand and Classic is the model.

Overall length is 16.5". The handle is made with American hickory. The head is stamped "El Salvador".

The head wedge is SS. No gaps between the wood and the head on top. Very slight gaps on the underside but no looseness.

Head depth is just shy of 6".

Cutting length is 3.75".

Rivets on the thick leather sheath are smooth on both sides.

Purchased at Sportsman's Warehouse last summer. Made short order of everything on the back of my truck.

 

[RHINO]

looks like a great little axe, i'm intrigued. gonna have to look into these and see what info i can find. looks like they are calling it a greenland pattern axe.

can you post a pic same as #2 but with the whole head so i can see the taper? kinda big deal to me.

 

[thecriscokid]

Nice axe
I remember reading that Gransfor Brucks has a 20 year warranty...

 

[NothingClever]

looks like a great little axe, i'm intrigued. gonna have to look into these and see what info i can find. looks like they are calling it a greenland pattern axe.

can you post a pic same as #2 but with the whole head so i can see the taper? kinda big deal to me.

Certainly. In the photo is a medium size tape measure for perspective. The taper of the axe appears to have a very slight bias to the right in this photo. In person, the blade is true.

I don't have any game when it comes to the warranty.....20 years is EXCELLENT. Also, the extra length on the Gransfor Brucks might translate to less fatigue over the day for those that are using theirs for daily work chores over a season. Mine is used only when camping for a week or two at a time so for me, it's "good 'nuff".

 

[RHINO]

it has a pretty good profile, heres an interesting quote i stumbled on:

"CONDOR TOOL & KNIFE traces its proud history back to 1787, the year GERB WEYESBERG COMPANY was founded in Solingen, Germany. The quality of the swords, military knives, agricultural tools and household cutlery they manufactured made Solingen the cutlery capital of the world. Over the generations, the world's largest manufacturer of swords and knives found it necessary to expand operations to other countries to better serve its customers. In 1964, the company formed IMACASA with a new plant in Santa Ana, El Salvador and filled it with state of the art German equipment. Some of the original local employees who were sent to Solingen for extensive training forty years ago are still working in the factory today, turning out the finest quality machetes, shovels and other hand tools."


i think this thread has officially been hijacked.

 

[Fresno]

What, the Gransfor has been making axes for one hunded and ten years (1902)? Condor since 1787! This changes everthing.:exclaim::exclaim:

 

[McZippie]

What, the Gransfor has been making axes for one hunded and ten years (1902)? Condor since 1787! This changes everthing.:exclaim::exclaim:

Yeah well, my girlfriend's axe is still better than your girlfriend's axe.

 

[Fresno]

Yeah well, my girlfriend's axe is still better than your girlfriend's axe.

 

[Quill]

There are more than a few good axes out there for sale. Gransfor Bruks is definitely top of the line. You can buy a good American made ax head and put a new handle on it and save a pile.

 

[alexfm]

When I was in high school, my Econ teacher was telling us about his old job as a third party safety inspector. He was telling us about one factory that essentially just sewed the tags onto shirts/blouses. While he was being walked around, they stopped at a table where a woman was sewing tags onto some rather nice looking ladie's blouses. the whole setup was basically a pallet of shirts on the left, a table with a sewing machine and a box of tags, and a pallet on the right for the finished product. My Econ teacher notices she's nearing the end of the box of tags she's working on, and when she does, she yells out, "Finished with the Dillards tags!". The manager/foreman comes over and hands her a new box of tags, and she starts sewing them on the shirts. Remember, there was a pallet full of shirts, so she's nowhere near through with them. My Econ teacher looks a little closer, and sees the tags and their box are labeled Talbot's. So someone bought a blouse at Dillards for maybe $20, and someone else bought the same one at Talbots for something closer to $80. Exact same shirt, different tag.

But regardless of that, I've used some really nice, name brand axes, several of the brands mentioned here actually, and I have noticed no difference in them or the axe that I use. I found my axe in the woods several years ago, and its nowhere near new. Its at least as old as I am, if not older. And it works just fine, all I did was replace the handle. Please note, I'm not bashing these lovely looking Swedish axes, or anything else. I'm just saying that not everyone has the cash to buy one like that, and a cheaper axe would work just as well. Hence why I have a cheap old axe that I found for free.

 

[Woodsman]

But regardless of that, I've used some really nice, name brand axes, several of the brands mentioned here actually, and I have noticed no difference in them or the axe that I use. I found my axe in the woods several years ago, and its nowhere near new. Its at least as old as I am, if not older. And it works just fine, all I did was replace the handle. Please note, I'm not bashing these lovely looking Swedish axes, or anything else. I'm just saying that not everyone has the cash to buy one like that, and a cheaper axe would work just as well. Hence why I have a cheap old axe that I found for free.

Well-said and I do agree. Using an axe and accomplishing something with it is mostly operator skill. I've also had a chance to play with a couple of the "boutique" axes at "Paul Bunyan " shows and find that I feel more comfortable and get more done with my old Keen Kutter or Craftsman.

 

[AeroNautiCal]

Here's some good info if you're thinking of a mini hatchet.

http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/tinyhatchets.html

 

[Sno Dawg]

Gransfors Bruks is a superior tool - if you can afford it - get one.

gmafb
While yes using an axe appropriately is a very important skill, the craftsmanship of Gransfors Bruks axes is superior to most axes made today. It is not only in the hand forged head, appropriate position of the wedge in the eye and shape of each axe (there are many uses of axes as all of you know from a splitting maul to a small skinning axe), but also in the quality hickory and shape of the handle. I own close to 50 axes and about 7 Gransfors Bruks axes (I bought them before they were very expensive) and use them regularly. There is a certain quality standard in each of their axes that is far superior to anything made today including Wetterling, Snow and Neally or anything else other than a professionally hand forged axe from a knifemaker.

Like any quality tool they need constant upkeep and although the sheaths are adequate, I find that when put to hard trail use they do not stand up.

I will say that the axe I take our on trail when I guide canoe trips in Northern Canada during the summer is not one of my Gransfors. I carry a very old (relatively speaking) Plumb Victory axe with a Hudson Bay pattern. The only reason that I cary this instead of my Gransfors is the handle length allows me to leave it strapped on my backpack while I roll a canoe on to my shoulders. I can also unclip it with one hand and unsheath it to cut brush without rolling down my canoe. My Gransfors Scandinavian Forest Axe has a handle that is 2 inches too long and my Gransfors Hunters axe is too short. My Gransfors small splitting maul is too heavy.

just my thoughts on Gransfors Bruks axes.......


Teeth to the wind,
Sno Dawg