Here at Woodlore, we’ve been using and stocking the classic Gransfors Small Forest Axe for as long as we can remember. Woodlore customer Peter Burton recently got in touch with us to offer his feedback on this tool, after really putting it to the test:
Hi Woodlore,
My name is Peter Burton, I purchased a Small Forest Axe from you two years ago to split some logs in my garden for my indoor wood burning stoves. I have access to three trees felled by a farmer – Chestnut and Sycamore, as well as fallen Beech and Ash branches from his land. I have cut these using a bow saw and my axe, splitting over 5 tonnes of logs this year:
Pete’s reward for many hours of log splitting…
The Ray Mears & Woodlore Bushcraft Blog 
I have a small forest axe and I’ve also split a lot of wood but to be honest it’s not the best tool for the job, especially with wood that is hard to split.
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Yes, the Gransfors axes are a delight. I have both the small and the normal forest axe. Both were birthday presents, on different years! I can just get the larger axe into my rucksack, but when on walkabout the smaller one is the better choice. The extra momentum obtainable with the larger one makes it a superb tool for cutting fallen trees that block old tracks. With these the internal stresses are often far from obvious, and axe work is often preferable to cross cutting with a saw, thus avoiding blade snags.
Peter, you mention your internal wood burners. I wonder to what extent you use wood for heating, and what is the mass of timber you burn in Winter.
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Gränsfors makes excellent high quality products and you can actually visit them and watch them make the axes from start to finish.
I have a small forest axe and I’ve also split a lot of wood but to be honest it’s not the best tool for the job, especially with wood that is hard to split. So I’ve just ordered a Gransfors small splitting axe for log splitting. It’s called small but it’s still a bit longer and heavier than the small forrest axe. If it’s too small I have to get the large splitting axe as well 🙂
Best Regards from Sweden,
Peter
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For splitting Logs I prefer Fiskars Axes! But on Tour my Gransfors Mini Axe is with me.
Greetings form snowy Austria,
Reini
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Very nice! I’ve had my Small Forest Axe for 3 months now and man is it a dream. Can’t recommend them enough!
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