Best Felling Axe

Discussion in 'Baryonyx Knife Co.' started by The Warrior, Nov 25, 2016.

  1. JAD

    JAD Member

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    If I'm ordering from Baryonyx I'm getting his special grade. :)

    I can't help you with your decision as I have no knowledge of the axes you mentioned. But I did trade away one of my GB's since getting my Rinaldi Milano. And if I was honest with myself I could stand to lose another because the Milano is covering multiple axe sizes for me, especially with two custom handles from Benjamin (15" and 25") for that Milano head.
     
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  2. The Warrior

    The Warrior Member

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    I remember that thread. It is cool with the different sized handles. I have the GB Wildlife hatchet, and a Roselli axe, so I'm wanting something on the rather large size. Gonna keep it my cabin. I may get the Racing axe instead. 4lb head, over 6lbs overall. Sounds like fun to me, haha.
     
  3. The Warrior

    The Warrior Member

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    I'm not sure wth to get. The Calabria is throwing some serious chunks of wood as well. Dammit. :confused:
     
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  4. Stone

    Stone Member

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    <ahem>
     
  5. The Warrior

    The Warrior Member

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    The Trento it is.
     
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  6. Stone

    Stone Member

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    The Trento.

    Looks like an excellent choice.
    Hard to miss with that cutting edge.

    Could come in handy in certain ... unfortunate social situations, also.

    <ahem>

    I mean, that heel hook says, "Badass."

    Designed and tested by Vikings.

    [​IMG]
     
  7. Stone

    Stone Member

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    Oh, totally forgot to mention ...

    Even though I'm going to buy a Rinaldi Carpenter's Hawk,
    it's second choice to the axe I really would like to try out,
    but is not in production, so availability is scarce:

    Gransfors Bruks Swedish Viking Axe

    I mean, check out this belly. Big like the Trento.

    Handle (13") seems too short -- needs to be at least 16", IMO, maybe 19".
    But that can be fixed easily -- handles are not that hard to make.

    And da'yum -- that's a fine blade.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2016
  8. The Warrior

    The Warrior Member

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    I've seen those before. Love em. Looks like it would make a good carving axe.
     
  9. FortyTwoBlades

    FortyTwoBlades Moderator Staff Member

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    More landing on Monday if things go to schedule. ;)
     
  10. The Warrior

    The Warrior Member

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    Awesome man. Do you think the Calabria works as well as the Trento for felling?
     
  11. FortyTwoBlades

    FortyTwoBlades Moderator Staff Member

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    It depends on what you're cutting. The Trento's thinner geometry will do better in hardwoods while the thicker Calabria will do better in softwoods, but even the Calabria is a lot thinner than most American axes. Personally I prefer the Trento as a feller and limbing/bucking axe, but it's one of the worst axes you could think of for splitting, while the Calabria is able to split better with its slightly-hollow wedge shaped geometry. The Trento just bites SO deep with so little force that you can literally whistle while you work, and the broad bit easily connects blows across the face of the log with a minimum of strikes, which aids in overall accuracy, and therefore cutting efficiency.
     
  12. The Warrior

    The Warrior Member

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    Thanks man. Def leaning toward the Trento. Can't wait to get it in hand.
     
  13. JAD

    JAD Member

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    You guys just keep talking and I'll keep soaking it in. This is good stuff for filling my resevoir of knowldege on axes. :)
     
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  14. Stone

    Stone Member

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    I suspect you're right for carpentry carving. Not sure about smaller stuff (bowls, spoons, etc) -- seems it would be too broad to be effective there, but then I'm no carver with axes. I owned a GB Kubben -- same head as on the Wildlife Hatchet, but on a short, odd-shaped handle made for carving (according to some, even though that GB page doesn't mention it as a carver. Indeed, it was an effective camp axe and carried easily). It now lives with a friend who loaned me some money as collateral; he claims I can buy it back in the future if I want, but I think I'm moving on. I just don't have the time to devote to learning axe carving.)

    Here is GB's modern version of the Viking Axe, their large carpentry axe specifically set up as a carver. Notice how similar it is to their Swedish Viking Axe. Supports your point.

    [​IMG]
     
  15. The Warrior

    The Warrior Member

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    Yep, that's what it reminded me of. That's the carving hatchet I want, but they are pricey.

    I'm familiar with the Kubben as well. Hults Bruk makes one very similar called a Jonaker. Here's a video of a bowl carving with the Kubben:

     
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  16. Stone

    Stone Member

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    ^ That's the very video that sold me the kubben. I thought, "wow, how cool. I gotta try that." But as one might expect, training to do bowls takes a lot of time that I just don't have -- too many irons in my fire already, other bushcraft skills I need/want to learn more (I've got fire-craft down pretty well, but need a LOT of work on shelter-craft and knife-craft carving).

    If you ever get serious about buying a Kubben and want to consider a used one, let me know: I can see if my friend wants to sell the one he's holding for me, and how much he wants for it. I'm betting your Trento needs to come first, though, as it should. ;)
     
  17. The Warrior

    The Warrior Member

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    Personally, if I were going to make a bowl, I'd prefer the GB small adze to hollow it out with.

    This is not a GB adze, it''s a Hans Karlsson adze, but gives you the idea:

     
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  18. Stone

    Stone Member

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    ^ I totally agree. If I ever buy another carving axe, it's far more likely to be an adze than an axe. I think it'd be far more useful for a bunch of stuff, including bowls and boats (dugouts).

    Once I get my company up and running, I hope to build a company bushcraft kit of tools, one of each to illustrate the use of such tools in outdoor living/survival skills, for students to use while studying them. An adze would certainly be among them.
     
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  19. Stone

    Stone Member

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    I currently own the GB Wildlife Hatchet (WH) also. It's been my camping/hiking tool for a couple of years (even though I've done sadly little camping/hiking during that time). I originally bought the Small Forest Axe (SFA), but it felt a little big for general camp and carry for three seasons**, so I traded it for the WH. It's a good axe -- I love GB stuff, and their company philosophy (one reason I support them even though their products are probably overrated). But I'm honestly thinking I'm likely to replace the WH with the Rinaldi Carpenter's hawk; it seems to me perfect for general camp chores for three seasons. For winter, I may add the larger SFA back to the kit -- I liked it a lot, and that has been my plan all along once cash improved -- I couldn't afford both at the time.

    ** For me, that's mainly production of kindling, splitting some small rounds sawed out of downed wood (I don't remember the last time I needed to fell a whole tree for anything), and general building -- shelter, sleeping and sitting platforms, making and driving stakes while building seats and shelters, occasional nailing (yes, I carry an assortment in my kit for shelters and seats), etc.
     
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  20. The Warrior

    The Warrior Member

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    The GB Wildlife is an awesome hatchet. I love mine. I hear ya, an axe may be overkill camping, but I can see it perhaps coming in handy if you were gonna spend some serious time in the woods. A saw is the way to go on a lot of that stuff, tbh.

    I have the woods I own where my cabin is. That's where I'll be using the Trento at. I chopped a goodly sized tree down there with the Roselli, haha. It worked, but about killed me getting it down. I probably chopped for at least an hour, probably more.

    [​IMG]

     
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