I can answer that BJBJ. We are looking for PERFORMANCE. If you can show me a knife that performs as well as my SY steel at a lower cost- I'll buy it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />. I do have knives from other vendors- but the cost is about the same as SY- maybe more - some a tad less. When it comes to an axe- I am looking for pure comparison. If somebody can honestly tell me that the Gransfors PERFORMS MUCH better than the Gerbers/ Fiskars- that is what I want to know <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />. I have used SY knives " head to head" against other brands and I know why I buy SY. That is exactly how I became a loyal SY user/ buyer. Probably why a bunch of folks are here. So if the lower cost Gerber/Fiskars perfoms as well as upper line axes- I'll use them <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />. At this point I have ordered one Gransfors and two Fiskars and will see for myself after reading the diffent opinions. In the end I have a feeling that I " might" find that the upper line takes and holds an edge better but both perform pretty well after edge is set. We shall see. Something being just " legendary" is not enough for me or most likely other dogs- we want to see PERFORMANCE. I am speaking from a SY point of view as I don't buy the big Busse blades. Hope this answers your concerns about us " drooling dawgs" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Thanks <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I always thought gerber axes were made by fiskars, I think the only difference is the color of the handle and the sizes, same construction. I had bought a 14" fiskars as a christmas present for a buddy he loves it to make kindling for his wood stove.

Thanks for the kind reply ordawg1. I have many Busse, SR, and SY knives. I have a few GB and Wetterlings and many Fiskars/Gerber products - as well as various axes/mauls etc. by manufacturers unknown. I have many hand-forged tomahawks, a few Laganas, and several from Cold Steel. Like I said above, I meant no ill. I am frugal about many things. Maybe that's why my Spyderco knives are used to cut much more than my Busse kin. Also, my axes are used to chop more than my Busse kin, and my Stihls get plenty of work.

All that said, I always have a Busse kin near me if not actually carried.

I also like kaiser blades (including the tiny Gerber Brush Thinner), hand powered saws, and various pole loppers/saws/pruners.

Each of us has individual tastes, needs, and uses.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

bjbj thanks your response to my question.
To give my $0.02 on your question about Granfors Bruks, there are two to big factors to performance one is how well the tool will execute the accomplishment (example, the GB may chop and split wood better than the Gerber/Fiskars). The other factor is durability/toughness in the face of use, abuse, and/or neglect. (Example, the GB handle is wood and no matter how nice a piece they use it cannot take some forms of abuse like water and extreme shear forces, like this at least.

And the less $ we spend on axes in general the more $ we have to spend on our beloved Busse kin, until we try these upper level products like GB and become addicted to those too.

Granfors Bruks is on my "got to get list"
The Small Forest Axe and the Hatchet are what I'm looking at.

Cheers ODog....

I love the plain jane gerber/fiskars plastic handled axes. They are exactly the same. The fiskars just has orange paint on the handle. They are bulletproof. I have a large and a smaller one. They hold a very nice edge and get sharp as anything. They are not hand forged or hair whittling sharp but you will not be breaking a handle any time soon. I have used them for years. Cut many trees and lot of ice marking trails. I have not seen the equal for use here in Alaska.

I saw eastwing mentioned and I used to use those but they are forever dull. The handles flex like crazy on the fullsize model and the just dont have that much weight up front being that the handle is metal.

Hey Tundra, welcome. I've not seen/noticed your posts before.

Got any snow up there?hehe

They are. Fiskars owns Gerber. For some reason they sell the Gerber ones for more, but they're the same.

got a gerber sport axe for $25 at gander mountain yesterday

did a little choping and splitting today

it did great