I’ve long appreciated the Gransfors-Bruks line of axes. But their 10″ model, which my pals and I call the “brook trout,” starts at about $100.
Here’s a line of heritage Swedish axes from Ben’s Backwoods, a new OYB indy biz sponsor, that starts at $29 for a 13″ hatchet. Cool!
They say they’re a bit less polished, but maybe some stain and oil could take care of that. I bet they’ll break in and dial in just fine.
I really like my 10″ GFB but I rarely get to do the kind of mellow, longterm camp living that makes it shine. It’s best for fine fire work and camp cooking.
I tend to grab my old 14″ no-name hatchet for lots and lots of everyday rough camp use and yard work. (I’ve had the same 14″ hatchet since my teenage trapline days—it’s a dandy one, with a slightly busted handle as its only flaw, but that kind of adds character. I paint my everyday tools with a good portion of fluoro-orange so I don’t lose em.)
https://www.bensbackwoods.com/servlet/Detail?no=53
