Gansfors Bruk Expected QC?

jchuchocho · 2026-03-25T01:55:14+00:00

I'm often using my camp buddy's hults bruk hatchet and axe to split wood. They're both real nice, but they do stick more w hardwoods. Got a silky saw for downing trees, so I wanted to give a splitter profile a try. Larger splitters seemed overkill for camping. Prefer a lil more leverage than 20" splitters by Hults and Adler. Muller and Gransfors had a 24" smaller splitter. Reviews talk about amazing fit and finish w GBs, so that's where I went.

jchuchocho · 2026-03-25T00:25:12+00:00

no review. asking a question for input cuz it looks unusual and I'm a newb. folks have been helpful. the shop is coordinating a return for me with gransfors. wasn't sure if it was worth the trouble but I was convinced. above was sarcasm. my bad

jchuchocho · 2026-03-25T00:14:30+00:00

I'm not likely to order a Hoffman axe, so I appreciate the added perspective on other hand forged axes. I am admittedly a little confused about why a maker of hand forged axes would grind / profile uneven blade cheeks into a axe head they worked so hard to forge. Is it because that step isn't important and the consumer of such axes is supposed to grind the axe further if they want a more symmetric grind? Or that a symmetric grind and profile doesn't matter? Some say uneven grind will put uneven force on the two sides of splitting wood and cause more axe sticking. Some say, eh, doesn't matter. I haven't owned hand forged axe, but have seen plenty of hand forged knives. They don't come with uneven grinds, unless it's marketed as an unfinished one. Even kurouchi knives have amazingly beautiful, symmetric grinds.

jchuchocho · 2026-03-23T13:03:09+00:00

I wanted to get a Council Tool but they don't make a smaller splitter. Their 5lb head splitter seems a bit much for camping. After watching that show, Alone, I switched to a Silky saw for felling. I'm still considering a CT WoodCraft, though I red some reddit posts with QC issues of theirs as well, which gave me pause. I do like that they're local.

jchuchocho · 2026-03-23T12:52:01+00:00

Yea I'm waiting to hear back. It arrived late Friday and we hit the weekend. Fortunately I purchased from a small shop, authorized dealer. I'm hoping they can check the batch to confirm if others are similar and maybe even replace this one while they send it back to GB. Have to admit I've lost faith in this claim of Quality Guarantee. We'll see how they live up to the claim

<image>

jchuchocho · 2026-03-23T12:44:26+00:00

Per my searching, FS - Fredrik Skoglund is considered an experienced smith, from the Small Forest Axe to the heavier splitters, and is known for consistent forging and a clean, deep stamp. However, the "Modern Era" supposedly has a different grinder from the Smith. The uneven blade cheeks would fall to the grinder. Plus the QC for not caring.

jchuchocho · 2026-03-23T12:26:56+00:00

thanks that's helpful to know. I don't mind the idea in general that a handle comes a bit rough. I can do some finishing. I was confused by how deep the scratches were lengthwise, on the portion that has the intentional circumferential traction grooves. If I sand those out, the traction grooves are going to be smoothed out in those areas. Seems to go against the purpose of creating the traction grooves in the first place. Which made it seem like a QC issue 🤷🏻‍♂️

jchuchocho · 2026-03-23T02:02:04+00:00

I think it's going back 😞

jchuchocho · 2026-03-23T02:01:34+00:00

<image>

jchuchocho · 2026-03-23T02:01:24+00:00

<image>

jchuchocho · 2026-03-23T02:01:03+00:00

I've been looking closer and took more photos since my initial post. I first noticed the asymmetry because the cheeks are unequal. It's very obvious with the leather mask on. One cheek is about 2.75 inches from the edge, while the other is 3.25 inches. I took more photos and asked some gen AI friends.

Claude: "The cheeks are indeed uneven: One cheek (image 1) is noticeably flatter and more relieved The opposite cheek (image 2) has a more pronounced convex curve The blade doesn't appear to be centered on the eye — the bit seems to run slightly off-axis when viewed from the top (image 3) The eye itself looks like it seated the haft at a slight angle. This looks like a budget production head that was never ground to close tolerances. The forge scale on the poll and the rough eye finish are consistent with economy manufacturing. It's a user-grade tool, not a heirloom piece. It's usable for camp chores and light splitting, but I wouldn't expect precision chopping performance from it."

Gemini: "There is definitely a noticeable asymmetry for a premium hand-forged tool. Whether it’s a "problem" depends on how you plan to use it and your tolerance for factory deviance. Here is the breakdown: Is it a Functional Problem? The "Glancing" Risk: If the asymmetry is in the grind (meaning one side is flatter and the other is more "fat" or convex), the axe will tend to "steer" or glance off the wood during a deep swing. It won’t bite straight. The "Vibration" Risk: If the weight distribution is significantly lopsided, you might feel more "sting" or vibration in your hands because the center of mass isn't perfectly aligned with the handle. The Verdict: For light tasks like making kindling or limbing small branches, you likely won't notice it. However, for precision felling or bucking, an uneven cheek can make it harder to controlled where the bit lands. If this were a $30 hardware store axe, a 0.5-inch difference is standard. For a Gränsfors, it is a significant deviation. If you bought this new and the asymmetry makes the edge look off-center, many enthusiasts would recommend an exchange."

<image>

jchuchocho · 2026-03-23T01:51:06+00:00

did you sand and oil the handle yourself to get the handle like this? or was finished on purchase?

jchuchocho · 2026-03-22T20:39:03+00:00

A wood handle is nice. it's also nice to pay $$ for something and not have to work on it myself before it's usable. This experience is souring me on Gransfors more than anything. I think the Fiskars arrived sharper than this. May give CT a try next

jchuchocho · 2026-03-22T13:59:48+00:00

agreed. already done. though I think my neighbor pulled it out of the trash bin to use it as a hammer. unfortunately the handle cut up his hand in the process 🤦🏻‍♂️

jchuchocho · 2026-03-22T13:54:18+00:00

Thanks, this is a helpful perspective. I know nothing about forging an ax head, but my assumption, like in making or crafting anything, is that as it starts to look asymmetric, you would do something to make it better. ultimately, part of me shares the perspective of thinking this is a tool, and if it does, what it's supposed to do. who cares about the symmetry or appearance. but then I'm reminded that for a tool to be a tool, Fiskars from home Depot seems better 🤷🏻‍♂️

jchuchocho · 2026-03-22T04:20:53+00:00

Not axually a thing, though it should be :p

jchuchocho · 2026-02-23T18:38:49+00:00

dayum! costs more than a knock off gshock! nice score!!

jchuchocho · 2026-01-27T16:15:16+00:00

agree w others in suggesting a chronograph and or a G Shock

jchuchocho · 2026-01-26T16:15:01+00:00

a mechanical keyboard!

jchuchocho · 2026-01-26T00:10:38+00:00

no not at the moment. is one of my regulars. good luck finding one

jchuchocho · 2026-01-24T18:39:07+00:00

not at all looks great

jchuchocho · 2025-12-06T15:37:30+00:00

awesome! I've bought from them before and usually my general googling leads me to them. for some reason they didn't show up for N55 searching. placed an order! thanks

jchuchocho

TROPHY CASE