GTG or not? Local store has a few different varieties of these at a pretty decent price point. So I'm wondering are they any good? I know my wife used to swear by their scissors for all her sewing stuff.

I own a hatchet and I think its a 20" axe made by them. So far they have held up great and keep a nice edge. I am happy with them and would buy them again.

idk, when I had a huge splitting job for the folks a few years back, they were getting crap reviews.  Ended up getting Ames true temper splitting axe from IIRC lowes really cheap.
It explodes wood.

I love the one I have.  Of course, I'm a suburbanite, so I'll split at most a few cords a year.

Fiskars is good reliable quality.

However for axes why not go get a nice restored vintage hickory handled Plumb, Collins, or Kelly. They can be had for under $100 on eBay and the Steel will impress the heck out of you.

Council Tool or Gransfor Bruk are two of the top of the line if money isn't an issue.

But I'm an axe addict and have way too many.... I mean not enough of them.

I think they are great.  The plastic handles hold up pretty well.

I also have a Gerber/Fiskars hatchet and it does good duty for making kindling.  

For the price I think they are a bargain.

I have a smaller axe and will be purchasing a larger one from Gerber/Fiskars.

If I were looking to buy something new I would choose Council Tool.
http://www.counciltool.com/
Most of my axe heads are old and have been re-handled.
I do have a couple cheapo trupper hard ware store axes and they are good for beating around but not serious use.  I am also a cold steel hawk fan but that doesn't really apply to this thread.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_1/605734_Axes_and_Hatchets.html

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_1/680487_What_axes_to_start_out_with_.html

Old but worth watching:

They are good when you have to carry them.  I don't use any for a couple hours at a time or hard use.

Do not buy the smallest hatchet, if they still make it.  When they first came out I bought one for my truck gear because I love hatchets and the small, light weight, compact size just drew me in.  When I was a kid my first big survival knife was a hatchet.  This thing sat in my truck for a couple years until finally I used it.  Dangerously short handle is a real finger muncher for anything beyond making kindling.  I never realized what a difference it made compared to all the hatchets I owned and used All my life.   It rides on my garden belt these days.

I don't know if you can even get them anymore, but the blade made in Finland were superior to the Chinese versions.

Gerber and Fiskar axes are basically the same thing, so check around.

I think the husqvarna axes are the best bang for your buck.

Edge needs a little work, that's it.

The Fiskars are made in Finland and marked so. They are fantastic and hold up better then most. There are some durability tests done to them on YouTube that show how tough they are. A real Woodsman will prefer something like a GB axe or something along those lines but for the money the Fiskars cant be beat!

After taking the plunge and finally buying a fiskars axe I was very impressed with it once I used it on a few logs/trees.  I ended up buy another Axe and a Splitting axe and a hatchet.

They do have plastic handles that would be very hard to replace in a SHTF type scenario, but other than that they have a lifetime warranty.

Don't worry about the plastic handle breaking. They are far stronger then wood. People drive over them with a truck propped up on a rock and the handle supports the weight of the truck and does not break.

It's not often in life you can buy something that is the greatest on the planet.  We are lucky that axes are one of these things.  Get a Gransfors Bruks axe.  For less then $200 you can own the best axe in the history of man.  How often can you buy the best for so little?

any ideas on this one?

http://shophardcorehammers.com/index.php/survivalist/hardcore-survivalist-hatchet.htmlhttp://shophardcorehammers.com/index.php/survivalist/hardcore-survivalist-hatchet.html

I have the 20" in the back of my truck.

Beat to shit, but it can still take down smaller trees without fail


Would buy again

Are you referring to the Fiskars?

Yes, sorry for not making that clear

</a>"


This one was delivered Friday.

4lb felling axe. Council Tool Velvicut Heirloom Axe.

I need to linseed oil the handle but I expect she will be a great addition to the family.....

That looks really nice! The exact one in the picture does not appear to be listed on their site. Where did you get that picture from? Might be an older model? Thanks!

its the survival hatchet

They were chopping nails with it , don't know much but I'm curious. . .  4140 tool steel

Have Fiskers Axe mounted in my truck. Love it.

i have a fiskers hatchet. i like it a lot and have been using it a lot here the last few weeks since my new house is on a lot that i neglected for about 10 years so you can imagine the amount of saplings. it does need sharpening at this point but still cutting nicely.

Do you have a link to the Nail cutting and testing? I'm just blind but I don't see it on the site. Thank you very much!

 
Nope, it'll never break.




Unless you get one with defect, in which case you won't find out until it breaks. Then you are SOL. I'm sticking with wood handles that can be replaced in the field if need be.


Yes, that was mine, and no, it wasn't being abused.

Not trying to start a debate because we've been down this road before (Gransfors vs Fiskars) and both sides will never agree.

That being said, the Gransfors is a work of art, the Fiskars is a modern tool tolerant of some brutal abuse. The Gransfors will cost you about 4X as much money but will not perform the job any better than the Fiskars.

Ultimately in my mind it comes down to 2 camps of people, each has their opinions and neither one is wrong, but one group looks on the other group down their nose from a position of "superiority"... even you have subtly pointed out that the Gransfors is the greatest on the planet; you're on a high-horse. The Gransfors is no greater than the Fiskars in functionality; only in beauty. So who is the judge of "greatest" and what criteria are being judged?

I make the decision what criteria are important for me, and for me there are only 3 criteria: functionality, durability (warranty is factored into this), and price. And of all those criteria Fiskars is either tied with Gransfors or beats Gransfors. Seems to me that the "greatest" is actually the Fiskars...

Now, on to the topic at hand. The Fiskars is still made in Finland last I checked out of quality forged steel. The handle is a glass-filled nylon, similar to the PMAGS, Glock frames, and so many other firearms related items we so highly praise for their durability.

I've been using mine (old 28" version super-splitting axe before they revamped the line and added a 36" version) for 6 years now, split 20+ cords of wood with it by hand, use it to drive the occasional fence-post, and use it for felling (driving wedges etc). It not only works, it works quite well and it holds up to a lot of abuse. As a matter of fact, just this weekend I was splitting on my hydraulic splitter; I keep it nearby all the time in case I end up with a stringy split that needs a little help. I had an exceptionally stringy split and I was carefully chopping at the strings when it deflected a bit and hit the wedge of the splitter. While my axe edge is a bit chipped up from the occasional "oops", I didn't notice any new chips from striking the wedge. After I got the splits out of the way I inspected the wedge, 1/4" deep gash into steel of the wedge, and didn't even take a chip out of the splitting axe... For anybody that doubts the quality of the steel used, it can stand up to some abuse. It will chips if the conditions are right, but so will any edge. For splitting purposes the edge doesn't have to be a razor anyways, the wedge part of the head does 99% of the work.

I will say that my axe has a hairline crack in the handle; but that's been there since the first year and it hasn't grown since then. I don't want to let it go for a replacement because I like the older style axe better than the newer style.

Murphy's law!!! That sucks! I noticed yours is a Gerber and most of the Gerbers were China made and not Finland made. Do you know which yours is?  If I had to bet I's say China. Either way that should not happen.

Great, light weight, cheap, all around ax.  I use it in the woods/garden constantly.  Easy to sharpen.  Holds an edge, but I don't worry when i hit rocks while hacking at roots.

It's so light that it's easy to carry or use all day.  With a bow saw it's a light package to do most of my wood chores.

I also got the small hatchet and a large folding saw for backpacking, but the full sized ax is light enough for carrying too.

Eta... I used it for at least 2 hours yesterday.(15 years old), large ax, not the splitting ax.

I hand split 10-12 full cord every year.  Ive used a fiskars X27 for the last 4.  I won't use anything else now.  Pops the toughest rounds apart in no time.

Great response guys, thanks for the opinions!

Actually that is incorrect. The Gransfor will do several things measurably better. While the fiskars is not a bad axe I have had experience with high end axes. Mid level axes and cheapo axes.

All around beat it up duty they may be similar but a top notch axe will outperform on an axes real job.... Chopping trees. The bite, the ease of swing, the reduction of glancing blows, and even the speed of felling is very dramatic when comparing a high quality axe and a general use axe. Cut two 24" trees with the Gransfor and cut two with the fiskars and you will see and feel a very significant difference.

There is a reason the older axe heads still bring a premium. And why companies like Gransfor, wetterling, and council are still in business.

Now if you want to beat up an axe by all means Fiskars is a good choice but compare all aspects an axe would be needed for and they don't come close to high end axes.

Or... you could fell trees with a chainsaw.  Or crosscut saw...

 

People don't need to really axe trees anymore, so paying $200 for an axe to do the most common job of an axe, splitting home firewood is really just a luxury.


Also, having used traditional axes and mauls for splitting, I'll never go back to traditional axe blades again after using the true temper/ fiskers style.


$200 bones for an axe?  That's a LOT of money that could be put into other tools.  



 

I have chainsaws for that purpose. The last time I chopped a tree down with an axe was when I was about 8 years old. The ONLY purpose for me having my fiskars super-splitting axe is for splitting wood, driving wedges while felling trees with my chainsaws, and general rough-use.

I don't care one iota about the axe's grace while chopping trees. I will say the Gransfors is very likely MUCH better at chopping in a normal use application... but it's when you get to rough use (and abuse), splitting, and cost that the Fiskars starts to win out...

Different strokes for different folks... there is a very limited audience that could benefit from the added expense of the Gransfors axe...

I'm glad you understand the difference and agree with my opinion.

And since this is a survival forum and we often discuss options when equipment fails... (Like when chainsaws fail to run)... I think it makes a significant difference when picking my equipment. Now comparing axes to chainsaws would be a completely different topic.

Except when that chainsaw fails to start or runs out of fuel. In a modern perfect world none of us would need back ups as the Home Depot is minutes away. But in a survival forum when discussing tools, having the option of the better axe would make good sense just as having stored quality food is a preferred over boxes of twinkles.

i love fiscars stuff... everything they sell is sharp as hell from the get go...i have several of their small hatchets... several medium sized hatchets, several brush hooks, a few medium axes, a few large axes and a splitting axe. i think i blew $200-$300 one day on several of each model of fiscars axe/ hatchets / brush hooks, when i found a local walmart with a large selection in the garden center. i had all i could carry and the cashier thought i was nuts... im set for life pretty much, as are my kids, and grandkids. lol

they make REALLY good stuff..... i was going to buy a fiscars shovel... but rural king stopped carrying them, it was really well made as well.


the only mods i do to them, is add some skateboard tape to them, as the handles are kind of slick.

i have wondered if you could fill the handle with some epoxy or something to add strength close to the head..... say, first 6 inches of so of the handle.. or if it would be a waste of time.

LOL. What did you think I meant when I said crosscut saw?   Cheap axe, good splitting axe, maul, wedges a good crosscut saw is going to get a hell of a lot more done than just a $200 axe.


 
 

Big crosscuts can cost a bit, but dollar per dollar can do a LOT more than an axe.   A cross cut combined with a cheap but serviceable axe can work better than a $200 axe by itself.  Here's a slick video showcasing just that. With the bonus of some old school ingenuity for running a saw by yourself.

 
If you epoxied an aluminum rod in for the full length it would never break.

Those broken axe pics are why I bought the True Temper version of the theme, they have a typical solid fiberglass core, and easily replaceable handles. AFAIK the eye is standard dimension, so any fiber or wood replacement shaft should fit.

 

The rod idea would transmit a lot of shock, and would break eventually, just like any handle.  

fiskars axes have a life time warranty. If you get a defect and the plastic handle cracks, just send it back for a new one. These handles with out defects will not break.

See the videos in this link. A tank, tractor and truck drive over a propped up handle and it took the abuse with out breaking. No chance wood can take this level of abuse:

http://www.fiskarsgroup.com/media/focus/november-18-2013-fiskars-unbelievable-axes

Maul and wedge or maul plus wood grenade for splitting....

Having done tons of eucalyptus and other hard woods, by hand, an axe is a joke.

Chopping and splitting are not the same in my book.

I have a little gerber hatchet though that is great around the campsite for small kindling jobs.

Oh I agree completely. I love a good cross cut saw. I even use one sometimes instead of a chainsaw.
But I thought we were discussing axe vs axe.

Heck a nice fellabuncher or bulldozer would beat all of us combined in an hour even if we all had axes and a full week to chop.

Nope, strictly discussing the value added on a $200 axe, and why that value is better spent on a $200 axe and not a larger variety of tools for the same money, or a more versatile tool for about the same or less.

 

Nevermind..

I'm certainly not ignorant enough to think my saws could never fail, but buying quality, professional saws, maintaining them properly, having common parts on hand, and the knowledge of how to repair them goes a LONG way toward preventing you from having to even resort to a cross cut saw or axe... not to mention it's VERY highly unlikely all my saws would fail all at once and that time would coincide with a SHTF scenario and that SHTF scenario also presents a life-and-death matter where-in I NEED to have a saw. I'm a realist prepper and realistically the odds of me EVER needing a manual tool like that are so minutely slim that if push comes to shove I'll improvise before I spend $200 for a wall-hanger.

Regarding the fuel running out, just how much fuel do you think a chainsaw runs through? Let me put it in perspective for you. This spring I mixed up a 2 gallon jug of 2-cycle mix. I run that mix in my string trimmer that I use weekly for trimming/edging after mowing my yard and monthly for knocking down 1/10 acre of weeds around my firewood piles. I run that mix in my leaf-blower that blows off the driveway after mowing. Last, but not least, I run it in my chainsaws to cut firewood. So far this year I've cut about 12 full cords of firewood, enough to last me 3 years of wood burning. I still have about 1/2 gallon of 2-cycle mixed gas remaining from the original 2 gallons I mixed back in March... The odds of a SHTF lasting long enough that it requires 2 gallons of 2-cycle mix is super unlikely, and if you don't even have 2 gallons of gas stored you have MUCH bigger fish to fry than $200 chopping axes and cross-cut saws... lets get real here...

There is nothing wrong with owning a quality tool if you have a use for it but I have no use for a $200 chopping axe so I can play Paul Bunyan so don't come in here with a snooty attitude of superiority and explain to me why I'm wrong. I prep realistically to best prepare myself and my family for what may come. Do you really believe that you know what's best for me and mine?

This isn't GD..... I'm done.

Exactly... your GD-like comments should have never been put here in the first place...

My vintage Collins is a very nice axe.

My Fiskars is every bit as good as it is though not nearly as beautiful.