How durable is the Gransfors Bruk Scandanavian Forest Axe?

This is the latest video in a series I have made about my Gränsfors Bruk Scandinavian Forest Axe. In my previous videos I outlined the problems with the grind as it came from the factory. It was very thin, a knife edge at 15 degrees toe and heel, and 17 degrees at the centerline. This thin bit would not hold up during use.
I filed the bit back to 20. degrees, and after removing approximately 1/8 inch of steel on the bit, I uncovered true Swedish Steel. This is the steel that made the company famous.
I believe that grinding the bit so thin ruined the temper on a portion of the bit. Once this steel has been removed, I am quite happy with the performance of the axe, and recommend anyone with edge retention problems on their Scandinavian forest axe give filing it back to 20 degrees a chance.

[@j.p.4541]

Great axe review, thank you

[@ronkay1573]

I’ve been using my GB Scandanavian axe for 8+ yrs with great success. Good all around size. I recommend increasing the cutting edge angle if chopping hardwood. Quality product.

[@urbanlumberjack]

It’s a great size for sure. Very capable. I put a video up on how I fixed it, and there are some good comments under it. One guy spoke directly to Gransfors about how the axe is supposed to be ground and these two I got came out too thin and were soft. I filed it back and am extremely happy with how it performs now

[@grumpyoldwizard]

Man, that GFB scandi ax hits as though it has a personal hatred of the log. Every time I see a video with someone using this to chop, I noticed this. The pieces just fly!

[@urbanlumberjack]

It’s a great axe! I’m very happy with it. Put it through some very hard use this last weekend and trust it now fully.

[@kurts64]

Glad to see the Granfors up to par! Good stuff. Good choice of log for testing on too. Nice!👍👍 Agree with u about the 24 inch handles too. They can pack a punch with the right swing

[@urbanlumberjack]

Your comment from way back when put that together for me. Made so much sense about the pack axe handles using more of the body.

[@kurts64]

@@urbanlumberjack that's cool!

[@brettbrown9814]

Happy to see you sorted out the GB edge. That looked like a pretty tough log.

[@urbanlumberjack]

It was really tough. I turned it into a chopper, because there was so much internal tension on the log It kept bending the bar on the chainsaw mill.

[@foggy7595]

The local fungus network when it sees your yard: 👁👄👁.

[@urbanlumberjack]

They love it! We dumped four or five loads of wood chips and about half that in compost into our backyard. Fixed all our runoff problems and we have tons of crazy mushrooms everywhere now!

[@cestmoi7368]

I’ve had a couple of gransfors axes for a dozen or so years. Excellent edge retention, good balance and all around performance. From bushcraft to a weekend of splitting they hold up.

[@urbanlumberjack]

They are extremely well designed. The handles on the SFA are perfect. I also have their broadaxe, and the forging is excellent it’s a joy to use.

[@MQuinn-eb3zz]

Very interesting, you got skills! I recently saw a video by David Canterbury where he made a good point. He said that GB axes were made for softer woods which filled the forests of Scandinavia, not the predominant hard woods of North America.

[@urbanlumberjack]

Thank you! I have found Scandinavian axes work much better in softwood.

[@Brian2bears]

URBAN LUMBERJACK, great chopping, the USFS Boys Axe with the 28 is my favorite...

[@urbanlumberjack]

Thank you! I do really like that axe

[@Joey-L]

Looks like you fixed the GB. Great work.

[@urbanlumberjack]

Thank you! I’d say it’s fixed I’m very happy with it.

[@aceman1126]

I have that exact same council pack axe and have used it about a year now and it's fantastic. It's my go to cold weather camping axe.

[@urbanlumberjack]

That’s awesome. I love mine. Has been with me on many camping trips and I’ve used and abused it and it’s never let me down.

[@MavrikWillowbough]

Great work dude! I always love watching your vids. How did you treat the jute twine on your Ct?

[@urbanlumberjack]

Thank you! I’m thinking about doing a video on it, it’s my go to method for fixing handle cracks. I wrap the jute the same way I would wrap a handle with para cord. The only thing to watch out for is due is much less strong then Paracord, and it’s really easy to break pulling on it. After I get a nice tight wrap are used tight bond three because it’s waterproof. I put probably three light coats on the twine.

[@farklestaxbaum4945]

nice goat buddy

[@user-qi4mx4ds2m]

I really like my vintage Stanley small forest axe, super thin cutting edge, sexy curved handle dark wood hickory the head almost weighs 2 pounds the handle is original 18” inches 👍

[@townieoutdoors8121]

Do you have a video sharpening the CT Boys axe ?

[@urbanlumberjack]

As I recall, I included some sharpening on my video for the FSS boys axe. I might do another one. Kurt S has some awesome axe sharpening videos.

[@drunknnirish]

TLDR version just buy a Council Tool boys axe and live a happy life! Glad you got the Gransfors functioning well its just a shame you have to put so much effort into such an expensive product.

[@urbanlumberjack]

Totally agree! It was a lot of frustration and time which is too bad given the cost of the axe. Hard to go wrong with council. They’re great axes at a good price

[@BurimPrroi]

@@urbanlumberjack What did you actually do on Gransfors?

[@LastAphelion]

Do you know if the Gränsfors Bruk splitter line had the same grind issue? My mom was ordering the small splitter for the family and I just want to make sure I can identify if it's good to go

[@urbanlumberjack]

I haven’t heard anything about the grind on the small splitting ax. I would imagine it doesn’t have the same problem because the grind wouldn’t be as thin as a chopping axe.

[@davidlaws6119]

Of all the axes i have, the CT boys axe is my truck companion and if i could only have one axe, that would be it. I wish CT made it in 5160! I have the Scandinavian axe in my cart and it might be a Christmas present for myself. I love the CT pack axe in 5160 but a bit heavy for my old joints.

[@urbanlumberjack]

It’s a great axe to have handy on the road!

[@davidlaws6119]

After I commented, I got curious and did a little search to find that CT's velvicut line actually does make a "bad boys axe" in 5160! Looks like I just added another axe to my list 😅

[@MattKeevil]

Glad the Granfors has turned it around! Did you epoxy the jute wrap?

[@urbanlumberjack]

I used titebond 3, I’m very happy with it. I thought about epoxy but wasn’t sure how repairable epoxy would be. I definitely went to school on this one, I applied glue before the wrapping and it set up way faster than I could wrap! But it turned out well regardless, and the jute is essentially wood so super strong and if I damage the twine I can always reapply glue.

[@MattKeevil]

@@urbanlumberjack good to know the specifics, I may have to try that at some point.

[@gosonegr]

Mine has been with for....7 years?, came perfect from factory and still has the original handle but, if I recall correctly, a few years ago the had some problems keeping up with stock and a few bad batches, plus a rather bad claims department.

[@urbanlumberjack]

That makes sense. My local dealer had basically no stock all through 2020-late 2022. Now they have way too much stock!

[@CalThompson-oj2kk]

Personally, I don't like cross wedged handles or ring wedges. Cross wedges look super cool, but weaken the handle at the shoulder making it more prone to break. Steel ring wedges are virtually impossible to remove without tear-out. If I'm going to take the time and effort to make a handle, I want that sucker to last my entire lifetime. I'm way too lazy to do it more than once. I always do a single wood wedge first. Then, years later when it slips I will add a metal wedge or two. I've never had to hang the same handle more than twice in 20 years, but I could see myself going to a cross wedge for the third hanging, and only going to a ring wedge as a last-ditch effort once all other options have been exhausted.

[@urbanlumberjack]

That makes a lot of sense. I think the cross wedging system developed from Russian and Scandinavian axes having such a massive eye, and needing that extra compression. For North American axes it seems to be for aesthetics mostly.

[@danielgeng2306]

I hope you made some money from this video because you certainly worked your butt off !

[@urbanlumberjack]

Haha it’s on track to buy me a cup of coffee

[@DriftaholiC]

My initials are BK would be so cool to find a BK stamped Gransfors.. though I guess they weren't the best craftsman?

[@urbanlumberjack]

That's awesome! I went to the same dealer I bought the axe from, they had a whole new shipment in. BK is still making all the SFAs I saw. HOWEVER, the grind has been reset to a more appropriate degree, around 20 or so. The axe is very nicely forged, and very well hafted. I believe the only issue with this axe was grinding it too thin, and that seems to have been fixed. If I were in the market for one of these SFAs, I would pick one out in person and bring a bevel gauge with me to make sure the bit isn't too thin. Aim for 20 degrees. If its thinner than 20 degrees I'd pick another one or expect to re file the bit to make it useable.

[@scatman8963]

Mine is a BK too and I've got some pretty bad chipping

[@urbanlumberjack]

@scatman8963 I definitely recommend filing it back and setting it to around 20-22 degrees. I did this with mine and I am very happy with it now.

[@urbanlumberjack]

@scatman8963 definitely file it back! It’s ground too thin and too hot at the factory. Better steel after you file the bad stuff off

[@KVILLE211]

You should try the "Chopper 1 Axe"

[@urbanlumberjack]

I’ve heard of that! Never seen one I’d like to try it.

[@johnnyrivers2519]

Sorry i was to distracted by your goat messing with your alaskan mill

[@urbanlumberjack]

The goats are hilarious! They love to chew on wood chips and nibble the saw dust off the mill. The chickens also like to make an appearance every once and a while.

[@johnclarke6647]

There ain’t no axe that will cut that dried oak without difficulty. My Ms 360 would make short work of it, though.i will be damned if I would stand there cutting it with an axe when I have a stable full of chain saws that would make short work of it. My arthritis would be killing me, afterwards, otherwise. My Scandinavian Forest axe was made by Oscar Elliason. OE

[@urbanlumberjack]

Very cool. Definitely a chainsaw is most efficient

[@user-su3mo5mi1c]

А что там Кадыров на заднем плане делает в начале ролика ?

[@urbanlumberjack]

The goat? She is always causing trouble! Chewing on my chainsaw mill

[@johnclarke6647]

Anything the Russians make is oversized and clumsy. Mostly, they do perform poorly. My 4# True Temper Dayton is a much better axe. It has been my go-to axe for about fifty years. It has a 31.5” hickory doe’s foot handle on it. You can generate more speed with a 24” axe than a longer handle but you cannot generate the energy and it is energy that cuts wood, is it not?