Which Gransfors Bruk Hatchet?

[Comancheria]

Rand,

Good to know.  I don't think it is perfect, but it is close.  Tomihama in his book "Backyard Bowyer" describes a 70" red oak board bow 1.5 " wide with a glue on handle.  Such a "pattern" bow is very attractive to a beginner like me.   The author also says he prefers quarter-sawn boards--which I found surprising.  I do not intend to use the hatchet, but admittedly, I did not think of being able to use a plane on squared off wood.  Duhh.  And it may be the one item of bow-making equipment (other than a bandsaw) which I have not bought.

I have been turned off that author's use of drywall tape as it is not primitive, and also it's as ugly as
sin.  So I will take your advice and carve out a self bow and see what happens and back it--with rawhide--if necessary.

But no, the GB axes were not for that--rather, the new hobby of bow making simply provided me with an excuse to buy a GB axe--and then another--and another.  😊

Best regards,

Russ

[bubby]

Russ, the backyard bowyer while certainly well versed in pvc pipe bows he's by no means an expert in wood / primitive / traditional bows, you can take that for what it's worth, have fun building

[Comancheria]

Rand,

You are right of course about the steeper angle--and after I play with it a while, I may find I need another one with the flat bevel for right handers. 😊. You are also correct about the three options--but the price is $179--although some sites jack that way up.

[Comancheria]

Bubby,

Yeah, I picked up on that!  This first board will be no more than practice with the tools, sing his "pyramid" pattern.  I will back it (assuming I ever get it floor tillered) with either rawhide or sinew, and after seeing the great salmon skin backing, I will use the skins of some of our Texas fish.

Russ

[Comancheria]

Exhuming this thread from a well-deserved grave in order to give my initial reaction to the arrival of the three GB axes I ordered, and I will not continue it further so as not to extend a bow-related subject to an axe review.  Suffice it to say I took delivery of: (1) the Scandinavian Forest Axe, (3) the Large Swedish Carving Axe, and (3) the Wildlife Hatchet.  The largest of the three will have little to do with bowyering--although the smaller two, I will use (very carefully) for stave reduction.

The first thing I will say is that they are TINY.  I am used to big old honking 'Murkin Axes, like my Grandfather's huge 4 pound-head felling axe.  I do not believe any of the three weighs as much as my farrier's rasp.  Moreover, I did not picture how short a 25 inch handle is, let alone a 14 incher.  The second thing I will say is that they are indeed addictive.  I confess I ordered the 10 inch mini-hatchet yesterday and am looking at the American Felling Axe and the Small Forest jobbie.  Can I justify the expense?  No way.  But I have two grandsons and a granddaughter who just hit 15, 15, and 14 who will need an axe shortly.  Until then...😊

Also, I really like the look of their broad axes and adzes-- I mean what the heck?  If I were to build the Wife a log cabin with a sod roof, we can take out a home equity loan on this too-big house, default on the loan, and I can use the cash to buy some Yew and Osage bow staves, a decade's supply of firewater, and, oh yes, more axes!

Best regards,

Russ

[mikekeswick]

Russ - me and you think along the same lines!! Glad you like your axes 
A friend of mine needed a 2 1/2 foot diameter ash taking down on his land. Yesterday we felled it using the American felling axes (one each). Pure joy compared to noisy,smelly chainsaws 
Now we have enough perfectly straight wood for hundreds and hundreds of arrows and i'm stocked up with firewood for the winter.

[Comancheria]

Mike,

The first job for the wildlife hatchet was harvesting several pieces of River cane--at least I THINK it was River cane. Not a 40 inch ash tree, but you gotta start somewhere!  I have a whole lot of homework to do--both with the local wetlands biologist and in book and Internet researh--then will no doubt have lots of questions about cane arrows.  They seem to be about the only natural materials in my area except possibly for Youpon.  I have 360 acres of that stuff and access to about a million more acres--if I had the guts to sneak onto the King Ranch.  😊

Best regards,

Russ