Cold Steel Trail Boss 26" Axe

[user 122190]

Just ordered a new Cold Steel Trail Boss axe. Seems like quality forestry equipment. Yet as I was shopping, I was astounded at the prices of other axes that look very similar to me.

$25 for the Cold Steel or $134 for the Hults Bruk Kisa felling axe. What's the deal? Besides a name I can't say without hurting the roof of my mouth, what does the >$100 get a purchaser?

 

[user 122190]

Yikes!!! Here's one for $274.

https://www.amazon.com/Leveraxe-Splitting-Axe-Vipukirves-36-inch/dp/B00KOUACZY?tag=bestsplitti05-20

 

[svk]

Just ordered a new Cold Steel Trail Boss axe. Seems like quality forestry equipment. Yet as I was shopping, I was astounded at the prices of other axes that look very similar to me.

$25 for the Cold Steel or $134 for the Hults Bruk Kisa felling axe. What's the deal? Besides a name I can't say without hurting the roof of my mouth, what does the >$100 get a purchaser?

For the HB price you are probably getting a better chunk of metal and the name. Worth the extra $? Probably not.

 

[svk]

Yikes!!! Here's one for $274.

https://www.amazon.com/Leveraxe-Splitting-Axe-Vipukirves-36-inch/dp/B00KOUACZY?tag=bestsplitti05-20

I believe these are available elsewhere for less now that Leveraxe is being mass produced. These are probably old stock.

If you want to try out the two variations of Leveraxe, the members of AS have access to them through a couple of "pass around" demo axes. Let me know and I can get you in touch with the member who has them.

 

[user 122190]

Thanks for the offer on the demo test.

And that's how I feel also. 5* the cost for maybe 10% better quality. My long-time woods axe is a cheapo Collins, that I am now on my 3rd handle. It is a bit long for a wilderness axe, and no longer is viable for splitting now that I have a Fiskars. Still the Collins is keeps on working and gets painted and ground and sharpened all the time. In my mind, it is an ongoing experiment.

For the HB price you are probably getting a better chunk of metal and the name. Worth the extra $? Probably not.

 

[dancan]

It's made in China , that's why it's cheap .

 

[user 122190]

Cheap or inexpensive? Isn't everything now made in China? It does greatly matter who owns the production and whether they still want to maintain quality and are there for the low labor wages.

Critical reviews I've read gripe about the hickory handles. Wood is wood. Its integrity is an imbedded mystery, only learned thru use -- it either lasts or it doesn't.

In my experience, the more experience I gain, the longer axe handles last.

It's made in China , that's why it's cheap .

 

[dancan]

I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with a 30$ Chinese axe but at 30$ retail ...

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Hand-outdoor-tool-wooden-handle-broad_1844879594.html?s=p
https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/axe-head.html

1 to 5 bucks is what it's worth .

 

[user 122190]

Damn! $5, then I see you have to order 400 of them. Time to open a Amazon store front and get in on this.

 

[7sleeper]

Hult brucks is hand forged in sweden. I have one and am very happy with it. It was a present from my brother in law. He found a bunch of "garden tool's" in the garbage. It had a even light rust coating but easily cleaned up with a wire wheel on the angle grinder revealing the stamp markings of hult brucks.

7

 

[gotrek]

Hulatafor bruks makes the husquavarna line of wood handled axes they are same quality but cheaper in price then what a real hultafor goes for.

 

[dancan]

I don't think all the wooden handled Husqvarna are made by Hultafors (owners of Hults Bruks), I think the cheaper hatchet is a Chinese import .

 

[dancan]

Travel the yard sales and find a head that needs a new haft , there are plenty of marked and unmarked Swede heads around , they musta been the Chinese import of days gone by , plenty of good US and Canadian axe heads out there to be had as well that just need a refurb for little money .

 

[gotrek]

I don't think all the wooden handled Husqvarna are made by Hultafors (owners of Hults Bruks), I think the cheaper hatchet is a Chinese import .

I'd have to see which one you mean but I have the husquavarna hatchet and it's a hultafor bruks.

This one

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/accessories/axes/hatchet/576926401/

http://www.hultafors.com/hand-tools/cutting/axes/trekking-axes/hatchet/

The composite axes they have I don't know where they are made.

 

[svk]

I believe Gardenia (sp?) makes the composite ones.

 

[dancan]

There was an in between period when Husqvarna switched from Wetterlings to Hultafors when a similar one was available that there was no confirmation or denial to the origins .
I have an unmarked Jonsered 26" that would have been from the Wetterlings era which is my main user for woods work and the Husqvarna carpenters axe which should be from the Hultafors production.

Mighty Mouse Logging LLC

 

[7sleeper]

I believe Gardenia (sp?) makes the composite ones.

Gardena is a part of the Husqvarna company.

7

 

[user 122190]

I must have axes on my mind. The trail boss is enroute, but I had to get a Gränsfors Bruks Small Forest Axe from LLBean. I had coupons to use. The downside is -- it is on backorder. ETA for shipping is May 29th. Hopefully that is May of this year.

My axe collection is really growing. I do use an axe almost as much as I do a chainsaw, but rarely carry one when going into the wilderness. My collection is now incorporating these smaller size handles, so carry is now possible.

 

[gotrek]

Find some Walters axes from canada. Probably not hand forged but great axes none the less.

 

[Big_Al]

You have more patience than I do. I would be hard pressed to wait that long. Looks like a handy size.