- Joined
- Apr 21, 2001
- Messages
- 1,385
I just picked up one of the new Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchets (which has been re-styled). The description in my earlier thread was based on information received over the telephone. Here's the first-hand report.
The overall length of the new Wildlife is about a half inch shorter. This has been achieved by reconfiguring the gripping end of the shaft. The oversize knob on the handle of the old model is gone. The result is that the head of the new axe is the same distance from your hand as the head of the old axe. You simply have less wood sticking out the base of your palm. I think this is at least a small improvement in efficiency.
The handle of the new Wildlife is straighter, and wider in the area where you grip it. This means that there is less "hump" pressing on your palm. Furthermore, the pressure is distributed over a slightly wider surface. I like the change, but I can see how some people could like the old grip better.
The cutting edge on the new Wildlife is about 1/4 inch longer. It cants back toward the user a tiny bit more than on the older model. This is the confiuration of my Mini and I like it.
The new Wildlife has a hammer poll that is about 1/8 inch longer than the old one, but a little narrower. It doesn't rise quite as high above the top of the handle. The poll is now polished, as it is on the Mini. I'm not sure any of these changes make much difference.
The center of mass of the head on the new Wildlife has shifted down a bit. What I mean is that there is less metal in the hammer poll, but the portion of the head directly under the shaft is beefier. I don't know whether this will make a difference in practice, but as a matter of physics I think I'd rather have more weight below the center line of the handle than above it.
The taper of the new blade is more radical. The old head tapers from the area near the shaft to the cutting edge at a more constant rate. On the new head, it starts off thicker then tapers more quickly. This might help with splitting, but I can see arguments on both sides.
I weighed the two axes (with sheaths) on a very accurate digital postal scale. The old one came in at 1 lb 8.3 ounces. The new one is 1 lb 8.1 ounces. Interestingly, both were made by the same blacksmith (Mathias Mattson) so the comparison is probably a bit more valid than if it were made between products handcrafted by different blacksmiths.
Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to do the most important comparison---chopping. Maybe tomorrow or next weekend. However, I can't see anything about the new hatchet that I dislike and a couple of the changes may be beneficial. And, by the way, it really does look like a Mini on steroids!
The overall length of the new Wildlife is about a half inch shorter. This has been achieved by reconfiguring the gripping end of the shaft. The oversize knob on the handle of the old model is gone. The result is that the head of the new axe is the same distance from your hand as the head of the old axe. You simply have less wood sticking out the base of your palm. I think this is at least a small improvement in efficiency.
The handle of the new Wildlife is straighter, and wider in the area where you grip it. This means that there is less "hump" pressing on your palm. Furthermore, the pressure is distributed over a slightly wider surface. I like the change, but I can see how some people could like the old grip better.
The cutting edge on the new Wildlife is about 1/4 inch longer. It cants back toward the user a tiny bit more than on the older model. This is the confiuration of my Mini and I like it.
The new Wildlife has a hammer poll that is about 1/8 inch longer than the old one, but a little narrower. It doesn't rise quite as high above the top of the handle. The poll is now polished, as it is on the Mini. I'm not sure any of these changes make much difference.
The center of mass of the head on the new Wildlife has shifted down a bit. What I mean is that there is less metal in the hammer poll, but the portion of the head directly under the shaft is beefier. I don't know whether this will make a difference in practice, but as a matter of physics I think I'd rather have more weight below the center line of the handle than above it.
The taper of the new blade is more radical. The old head tapers from the area near the shaft to the cutting edge at a more constant rate. On the new head, it starts off thicker then tapers more quickly. This might help with splitting, but I can see arguments on both sides.
I weighed the two axes (with sheaths) on a very accurate digital postal scale. The old one came in at 1 lb 8.3 ounces. The new one is 1 lb 8.1 ounces. Interestingly, both were made by the same blacksmith (Mathias Mattson) so the comparison is probably a bit more valid than if it were made between products handcrafted by different blacksmiths.
Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to do the most important comparison---chopping. Maybe tomorrow or next weekend. However, I can't see anything about the new hatchet that I dislike and a couple of the changes may be beneficial. And, by the way, it really does look like a Mini on steroids!
