Chopper Comparo

Comparison of Corona Machete, Becker BK-9, Fiskars 14" Sport Axe, Cold Steel Norse Hawk, and the Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe. All are effective, but trade length, weight, portability, expense, or edgeholding in one way or another. Thanks for watching.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Chopper
• Comparo

[faultroy]

It's nice that you did the video, but to compare a machete and the Becker BK9 with axes that are choppers is inappropriate. For reasons I cannot understand, people want to take a 7 or 9 inch blade and chop with it. That is not what it is designed for. If you wanted to actually compare, you would baton with it in a cut similar to an axe. You would cut deeper, and more efficiently. With a buck saw I could make all those tools--including the axes look bad--and no heavy breathing!.

[thetopgearpicks]

@faultroy The video was done so that people could see the difference. Yes, the tools are vastly different, but many don't understand just how much so. What the tools have in common though, is that they are all often used as chopping tools on camping trips.

Hopefully this video will let people make a better educated guess on the best tool to take, depending on what they need to do, how much they want to carry, and how much room they have.

[thetopgearpicks]

@faultroy Yes, the saw is easier, but this was a CHOPPER comparo... :-)

[wb5mgr]

One thing you did not mention is the GB costs $75 more than anything else there and $100 more than the machete. That being said, my wetterlings SFA never gets left behind. I always have it and an 18" machete in my truck behind the seat.

[thetopgearpicks]

@wb5mgr The cost can vary from one place or time to another, and money may be more or less available for some than others. The vid was focused on the performance, the cost/worth needs to be up to the individual.

[Haasenpad]

so, either the machete or the last axe... just depends on what else you need to do, or just take both, or everything... :)

[thetopgearpicks]

@Haasenpad Exactly! I usually take the machete, but if I'm clearing wood I usually take the machete, the tomahawk, and the Small Forest Axe. Well, those and a chainsaw... :-)

[Psychlonic]

I'd like to add this from experience: using a typical machete for firewood is not a viable long term solution. They're simply too thin and you stand a good chance to damage the blade eventually if you hit a knot or frozen pitch. I've had a good Ontario get screwed this way. If you live in the woods, you need BEEF. Either an axe or a really heavy machete like a kukri or strong bolo. 1/4" thick and nothing thinner, convex grind.  "Long term" can be within a week, even.

[ForlanceAbice]

Speak of the devil.

I found one of those machetes in the woods, for whatever reason, abandoned.

It has a considerable amount of rust, but other than that, it works nicely. I think if proper care is taken, I think it could be restored to it's former glory.

[Terratracks]

The CS norse axe did the best for the amount of energy used. I also noticed that your axe action was loose and the axe twisted on most of the strikes. Weak wrist twisting and tipping wastes most of the energy in the strikes.