Are Wetterlings axes as good as they are made out to be? Are

>>20160
I don't know, but I'm wondering the same. In alot of Amazon buyer reviews, people say they got a wonky/off-centered one.

>>20160
Are the Cold Steel trail axes any good? They seem to get pretty good reviews on Amazon

>>20161
Im looking for a new axe and they seem to fall into a very attractive price range considering how hyped they are

I've had two Wetterlings. They are good, but not top-tier. The handles and fit/finish are not anything amazing -- good, but not great. Otherwise, the head design and steel are very good. I think they are overpriced now but a few years ago when you could get 'em for $50-60 bucks it was the best axe on the market.

I believe the Wetterlings brand is going away. Gransfors Bruks bought them out a while ago and will be converting the factories over to their brand soon.

My favourite ever axe is an old Husqvarna branded one that I believe was made in the old Wetterlings factory before they were purchased by Gransfors. It is better than any actual Wetterlings I own.

The axe market has shot up in price a ridiculous amount since the popularization of bushcraft. I have no idea what a good deal is these days.

>>20164
exactly, the axe market is completely fucked. Luckily I will get to handpick the axe so will be able to give it a good inspection beforehand.

Honestly no
I prefer hasquavarna since price is good for what you get which is a good axe that will last 3 years with good upkeep before needing to be replaced or repaired

File: 518sk4v8I4L.jpg (62KB, 500x333px) Image search: [Google]

62KB, 500x333px

I have a helko axe I've been very happy with so far.

Flea markets, old axes are best axes

There's always a guy with axe heads for sale.

>>20160
I havent seen a wetterlings I really liked. They dont look as good as what they cost. Granfors has them beat by a mile; and desu they are probably the best non-custom axe you can get. But I reccomend buying vintate axe heads and hanging them yourself.

I have a hultafors (made by hults bruk) axe and It looks about as good as that wetterlings, so maybe check them out.

Dont get a husqvarna though like soke others have said; they are forged by hults bruk but finished by husqvarna and they are good steel but shit handles, grinds, hangs, etc.

>>20169
>Husqvarna, bad hangs etc

Yes, true. I mentioned having a nice Husqvarna, but let me make it clear: this one came from one of their older suppliers, not the current factory building them. I've had it for around a decade and it is a totally different pattern. The current ones are hit and miss from what I've seen in local shops.

>>20164
Wetterlings is not owned by Gransfors. But both are owned by the same guy. And it has been that way for almost a decade so neither company is going away.

>>20162
Based on my experience with one of their folders I wouldn't recommend it. Yeah they make sharp as shit steel but they used the grade that flakes and snaps. Surgical steel rated carbon levels or some shit. You don't want that in an axe. I would check their carbon rating and do some research because their shit is really pricey.

>>20171
A bunch of vendors have been blowing out their wetterlings saying the brand is going away. I'm basing it off that.

What does one look for when choosing an axe? I wouldn't know what to look for when comparing the same axe side to side

http://www.ehamono.com/washiki/nagasa/mokue.html

What is this thing?

File: IMAG0088.jpg (3MB, 3000x4000px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 3000x4000px

Just buy a cheap vintage axe from ebay, costs nothing. All you need to do is take a chisel to it, then a sharpening stone for bonus points. Mine's 60 years old and I kinda love it.

File: 20170205_145039.jpg (2MB, 3264x2448px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3264x2448px

Opinion incoming

About a year ago I bought the bushman one with the straight handle gig going on. Here's the deal.

Wetterlings is good but then again, so is an old axe you can find at a garage sale or flea market. There's no huge difference except one costs you 20 bucks and a few hours of work fixing up and the other costs 200.

So having both the wetterlings and some other old axes, I still use the wetterlings just because this one (the bushman) seems to be the perfect size and weight and I like the straight, round handle. I use it for prospecting dry firewood and mayble splitting some kindling. The problem with the axe is that I'm overly afraid of damaging such an expensive item. I never take it if I go with a friend who isn't a part of this knife/axe/saw gear culture because I don't want them to borrow it and put a nick in it or something. I probably take the axe about half the time I go innawoods.

If I could un-buy this product, I would. Its absolutely fantastic but the difference between a garage sale axe and this is not equivalent to the difference in price.

Pic is the axe in a leather sheath I made recently. I dunno if it will be practical but fun project anyway.

>>20176
>chisel
dear god I hope not

I think the tool you're looking for is a bastard file my guy

>>20174
Like old ones in a garage sale?
>Is it the correct shape/type of axe head
>Is it the correct weight you want?
>look for stamping like USA or Sweden or Germany or good brands like Plumb or something
>Is it repairable? (could you fix it with a bastard file?)
>Does it look like it was ever placed in a fire (some scrub old timers liked to put their axe heads in a fire to remove the last bit of handle left in the eye when rehafting it)?
>Rust is fine
>Is the handle still good? If not, do you think you could replace the handle or is it some really fucked shaped eye that is beyond your skill?

Done. I think that's everything.

>>20174
Oh I didn't read this carefully. The same axe side by side... right.

>Handle grain, it should be running straight up and down or pretty close (tiny hatchets it doesn't matter, heavy axes it does), look on the bottom of the handle, the tree rings should be parallel to the blade
>Is the handle straight? look down lengthways obviously
>Is the grain straight, look along the handle to see if the grain twists a bunch, only majorly fucked one's are a no go, a lil bit is fine
>Flaws in the wood? Knots and giant discoloured scars are bad, it messes with the grain and therefore the strength
>Fit of the head, gaps between the handle and axe head are generally acceptable but the tightest fit is the best.
>Is the head on straight
>Is there any splitting of the wood in the eye of the axe from when they put the wedge in? This is ok for a shit teir axe but for 200 bucks make sure its good. It doesn't really affect the quality tremendously but for that much money you better get the best axe possible
>lastly, any obvious flaws?

Unfortunately, there isn't a huge amount of info you can get from just looking at the axe head itself to tell if an axe is good quality steel. All that info is reflected in the price.

>>20169
>Dont get a husqvarna though like soke others have said; they are forged by hults bruk but finished by husqvarna and they are good steel but shit handles, grinds, hangs, etc.

Ehh their QC sucks but i got relatively lucky with mine. Luck of the draw

>>20172
oh yeah dude good point I'm sure they make their axes out of the same steel as their $30 folders which are for a totally different market and utility.

why don't you guys just get a modern axe like Fiskars?

>>20160
meme tier

File: 117a593.jpg (82KB, 934x545px) Image search: [Google]

82KB, 934x545px

>>20183

>>20185
i have seen a russian guy vice one of those and try to break the handle with all his bodyweight and jerking it violently and barely manage at the fifth go.

what the fuck did they do to that poor axe?

File: 12113-c28c7cee2562ef9a44129c99234b011b.jpg (93KB, 600x450px) Image search: [Google]

93KB, 600x450px

>>20186
I'd guess that long term wear slowly weakened the polymers? I dunno, but it's a commonly cited problem.

Either way if I'm not going to use a wood-handle hatchet, I'd go for the Estwing metal one. The only issue with that one is that it needs to be re-profiled for it to be efficient.

>>20185
>>20186
>>20187
shitty chinese knockoff real fiskars are indestructible plus have a lifetime warranty

>>20172
You sound dumb. I don't think anyone should listen to you.

>>20187
>polymers
it's not polymer it's a fiberglass resin composite.

File: 31tGVbFCmnL.jpg (15KB, 500x459px) Image search: [Google]

15KB, 500x459px

Rate my axe, /out/.

>>20188
>fiskars are indestructible
that has been my experience too. unless you strike something real hard with the handle it will not break.

>>20191
interesting art project/10

File: 1280px-Teleopsis_dalmanni.jpg (83KB, 1280x854px) Image search: [Google]

83KB, 1280x854px

>>20191

i love it