Hultafors Classic Hunting Axe for Bushcraft and Woodland Survival

Gillan and Steve from Northern Wilderness Bushcraft Wild Campsite in County Durham look at the Hultafors Classic Hunting Axe for bushcraft use around the woodland camp before the monthly Durham Bushcraft meet. www.northernwilderness.co.uk

[@Fell_Wanderer]

Both companies are from the same town or region in Sweden and both axe brands are equally as good in use, they are almost indistinguishable when first picked up. The Gransfors small forest axe's I've seen are slightly better finished than the Hultafors classic that I own. They are tools at the end of the day and not ornaments, mine keeps an edge and gets the job done, that's what matters to me. I'd rather save almost 50% on the price of a Hultafors than the Gransfors. I don't care whether uncle Ray has one or not, I'll always choose the best value tool for the job without sacrificing performance

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

My thoughts exactly, love my axe. 👍

[@fireantsarestrange]

I put bees wax on my handle... it sticks on your hand well and protects from the wet well. Changes color to more dark. I have the same axe.

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Jay Sims nice, a few people have said that. do you just boil it down and the rub it on?

[@fireantsarestrange]

Just take a 100% candle and rub it on... takes awhile... and then you can just rub it with a rag until it smooths out. :) paraffin prolly wouldnt work as well but i suppose it would work.. just that its not as soft as bees wax and won't smell nice. And would burn easy.

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Jay Sims ahh, kk that's ks for the tip and comment. I am doing a axe day at our moot in November and normally I use linseed oil but a few people sware by beeswax. Thanks again ;)

[@fireantsarestrange]

Northern Wilderness Bushcraft It will darken your handle like a honey color.. of course but i like that,.

[@fireantsarestrange]

Also unless you use a polish wheel on a grinder or something ... when you sharpen that thing its gonna have a rough finish on the blade. i use a strop that is glued to a wood block and polishing compound. Be careful with the angle.. You know this already im sure.

[@ritesideofthefence5857]

Far better feather sticks than mine. Thank you both for sharing.

[@ianjarrett2724]

I love this axe and have one too. That said, my favourite is my Wetterlings outdoor 118 with 20" handle (the same) and yet with a slightly lighter 700g rather than 850g head. This makes it much more packable on a day hike or overnight camp and there is nothing it cant do. Such a pity they don't make them any more but I look after mine like a baby. I have never found an axe that keeps such a keen edge. I brought mind on e-bay as 'nearly new' for £40 about 5 yrs ago. So glad I did. PS this is also a 5* outdoor axe by HB. No doubt about that! Have fun!

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

I know that feew, I have a few bits like that. Thanks for sharing. 👍

[@BlazinBlades]

Amazing Tool! Just ordered mine.

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Blazin'Blades I second that ;)

[@RhysTucker2603]

I own the gransfors bruks and a husqvarna. I might get one of these to compare all of them in a low, medium and high end axe test. Good video too! :)

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Rhys Tucker thanks for the comment, I would definitely like to watch that as I have often thought about it. let me know if you do ;)

[@TimKollat]

The Husqvarna is a Hults Bruk/Hultafors..they make them for Husqvarna. I guess they just aren't finished quite as nice so Husqvarna can sell them a little cheaper, but the axe and handles are exactly the same.

[@randalflagg9086]

No probs brother I wasn't trying to be a know all with my comment about kneeling, it's just a lot safer with the smaller axes, as you know, thanks for the reply. liked and subbed 👍

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Not at all man. knowledge is key. thanks for the sub ;)

[@paulie4x1]

Say Heah M8's, Cheers, A couple of years ago, I bought a closeout 17" Agdor Hatchet, I think it was the Trekker 17" Hatchet. They up-dated the range, so I got a very good price on it. The steel is very good, The only difference is mine has a European Style instead of the Scandinavian style like the new ones. But the 1 3/4 lbs. head makes short work out of processing firewood. I have it as sharp as my Small Forest Axe. So I can carve with it as good. It's compact enough so I got a Axe Hikster to carry it. I got the Axe Holster from a Youtiber, just search Axe Hokster and you should find him, It's a very high quality Holster. Yeah, I feel I got lucky.,,.

[@jamesmurphy8014]

Great demo! Love the axe.

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

James Murphy thank you ;)

[@farstrider79]

I ordered mine last week. Shipping from the UK, so it should get here next couple of weeks in the States. I won't be using goose or pig fat on my sheath since I camp in bear country and like to keep an axe or knife in my tent, might smell too tasty for them! Looking forward to owning it, this is one of the videos that swayed me.

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Kevin McCall that's fantastic stuff, I belong to a Wilderness Club and every member had one. u sleep with my axe when I camp too but we don't have bears haha. gun oil works fine too on all parts. let us know how you get on. - Steve

[@farstrider79]

I got it, and love it! As is tradition with my tools, I beat the hell out of it immediately! It withstood being used to cut roots out boxwoods that I was eliminating in yard. So I basically slammed it into the dirt for about an hour and a half, saw a few sparks fly up where there was a bit of gravel. The edge didn't chip and was actually fairly sharp considering at the end. Looking forward to resharpening this weekend. I can't stand shiny new looking tools, it means they're not used!

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Kevin McCall that's one way of breaking it in haha. Enjoy ;)

[@hikershaulofsurvival4517]

Nice video Steve, God luck with the channel.

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Cheers Ian, looking forward to seeing what I can get up to :D

[@jonnyboy9584]

great axe great review

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

don ellis thank you. 👍

[@eleveneleven572]

The price has rocketed since this was made.

[@bucknash]

They are nice axes but the quality and design is still not near as good as the gransfors or wetterlings. I've seen quite a few with poor grain orientation and heart wood in the handles. I noticed Steve's axe had both those problems. The heart wood looks nice but doesn't have the spring of sap wood, plus the seam that joins the heart wood to the sap wood is a weak point. On a smaller axe like that it may not end up failing but why not give it a proper handle. I also found that neither the gransfors not the hultafors split very well compared to the wetterlings. I have the "boys axe" size 2lb heads 24" handles in all 3 brands and the wetterlings is by far the superior axe for splitting. However the price difference is pretty significant. For what you're paying the hultafors is a really nice piece of kit.

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

thanks for that information, fantastic stuff, we will look into the other axes. ;)

[@MrSIXGUNZ]

wow I really like your channel!!! I subscribed today, well done !!

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Thanks Mrsixgun ;)

[@randalflagg9086]

GB and Wetterlings are owned by the same family Hultafors are made by Hults Bruk the oldest surviving axe forge in Sweden and Ray Mears had nothing to do with the design of the GB hunters axe your thinking of the Wilderness axe, nice vid.

[@randalflagg9086]

Your better off kneeling to work with axe of that size!

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

thanks for the comment and information, yeah I always advise to kneel when using an axe. I think I may do another video with myself in it and do proper use of the axe along with maintenance, wedges and changing out a axe handle etc. glad you liked the video. ;)

[@TimKollat]

Hults Bruks/Hultafors are every bit as good as Gransfors..Actually Hults Bruks is the oldest axe maker in Sweden, in the world actually. HB and Gransfors are very very similar and equal in quality..same as Wetterlings which Gransfors Bruks owns

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

mojo jojo I find that, today it has become like a bit of jewellery to be worn as a bank statement. I see guys who really hate these axes and I never see them swing there GB, instead it's all polished up. Thanks for the comment 👍

[@garyveitch235]

thanks a lot, I should of watched the whole video before commenting,,( Durr) thanks again, atb Veitchy 64

[@tom_olofsson]

Thanks for the review.

[@steveburt1824]

first vid I've watched of yours. subscribed.

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Thats fantastic, hope you enjoy the rest. - Steve

[@steveschofield9243]

Where did you get the cover from

[@kasperwulff]

Great video. Great buy. Hultafors are great axes. Just as good and in some points better than Gränsf. It makes no sense, that G.´s cost so much more than H. Both are hand-forged Swedish steele. Hultafors does not make axes. They own Hults Bruk. Hults Bruk makes Hults Bruk axes, and some of them are stamped "Hultafors".And HB makes axes for Huqvarna (they are absolutely not as good as HB axes). Hults Bruk has been forging axes since 1697. Gränsfors makes Gränsfors axes and bought Wetterling in 2009 (or ´07 cant remember). They decided to discontinue the Wetterling brand as of 2017 and only focus on the G. Oh. And wether you buy G or HB or any other axe for that matter... you bought THAT axe. and it will be different from any other axe. In other words: you have to check every axe, before you purchase. I´ve seen both G and HB axes that was not as well made, as we know they can make them. Yes it is humans who make the axes, aided by machines. So you will have diviations and you will have flaws and fault, that have passed through quality control.

[@matyaskolarik5739]

wow, my was dull AF, it literally had a flat edge when i took it out of the box, any ideas why is that ?

[@Phantomedc1]

cheapest i can find is like 90 quid i know this vid is a few years old but you guys know any cheaper places?

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Wow that's a shocking price. 😲. Tools direct used to be the one for these. I bought a smaller version few years back for like £22 without a sheath.

[@garycully6656]

Gillan...Are you the same chap I used to speak to at events at the University of Nottingham? It's Gary here, I used to host them.

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Gary Cully, hi there it's Steve here. I have asked Gillan amd he said he had not been to Nottingham, well at least not in this life time haha. hope that helps.

[@scottsmith6571]

Need to put boiled linseed oil on handles

[@shanelonergan1792]

Could you kindly tell me where he bought that axe for that money?

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

Hi there, thanks for the comment. It was through Google at Tools Direct I belive. I also got one myself but it was a few years back now. Since then they have become very popular and the price has shot up. Good luck. 👍

[@kasperwulff]

If you want to go axe-nerd-amok go and check out skillcults videos. Absolutely fantastic.

[@Justben7]

Hello I live in the Gateshead area and would love recommended places to camp out what do you think?

[@Justben7]

Also is olive oil good for the handle I heard it was

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

TITCHYPIZZA hi there, hope your well. we have a few areas around Gateshead for stealth camping. one place I heard was good was Ravensworth woods but I heard there is a shoot there during the winter. legal wild camping then we have two options, option one Brokwell woods in Newcastle but it has a bit of a bad rep due to gangs been allowed on and drinking etc. then we have our site at Finchale in County Durham and that allows wild camping on the last full weekend of each month at our bush moot or you can become a member of the club there and use the site when you like. olive oil is fine, I use it on my kuksa cup etc. but ypu need to leave it about 48 hours before use incase it's still slippery.

[@Justben7]

Northern Wilderness Bushcraft thank you very much for your advice I am considering joining the club in finch ale also do you know any wild camps that are legal up near the lakes?

[@JustaDudeintheWoods]

TITCHYPIZZA I would suggest a Google search as some people allow camping on there land but its wild. Good luck ;)

[@Justben7]

Northern Wilderness Bushcraft thank you very much for your help ! :)