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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มี.ค. 2020
- I am also a big fan of the council tool boys axe and Muller axes, though those are a bit heavier but still excellent options especially if you need more chopping power. If you are in the USA and cannot buy the cheap hultafors substitute it with the husqvarna forest axe, they are made by the same company.
Phenomenal chopping skills. I learned more about chopping with efficiency by watching you chop than from anywhere else.
Once I get back to my family in Italy I am going to visit Rinaldi. They are only 40km from my apartment. Great video as usual, Ben
I like how I can change handles easily with my Rinaldi. I've made different lengths and used different woods. Oak, Hickory, Elm and Dogwood make great handles. It's a very versatile axe!
Another thing that is nice is many of their tools share the same eye, my axe is compatible with a adze I also have so I can share the different handles with it also
Ben Scott
I have Warwood US Forest Service adze. The are very good tools and are still made in the USA.
Rinaldi is 100% old school axe, from when they knew how to make them! I've spent hundreds of $ and all axes come with big issues. So big, that they don't work at all. I've used literally a pack of Nicholson files, to create decent bevels. and I still have n't found an Axe that works. My next is Muller, if they ever answer me, hw the hk do I place an order from their page...
@@greekveteran2715 The Rinaldi axe design comes from a time when the same tool a farmer used to do everyday chores would become a war instrument during dangerous times.
Nice been playing with my friends Hultafors a bit more repairing the edge as he lent it to someone for him as well as thinning the handle down etc and noticed the bit shape is different yours is more rounded whereas his is more flat like the Gransfors. Both really capable tools which still suprise me with their ability. Edit: Also just noticed your Rinaldi handle is Beech whereas mines Ash.
Just ordered council tool pack axe 24 inch handle can’t wait
Great information, thank you.
Thank you for the good info
I agree with you mate. I have had four 20" axes. They are so awkward. I gave away two and I am going to rehandle the other two with something like 24-26". A 16" hatchet is a bad idea too unless you are a very big person. In my opinion every woodsman should carry a small 13" hatchet on his belt and a 24-26" general purpose axe on his backpack.
I really love the medieval style of Rinaldi axes.
And they works very well
They work better than anything else for thier intended use. Italian axes are better than swedish or german imo
@@benscottwoodchopper I have a 500 gr Rinaldi and a 750 gr Angelo B. Both great, but I never tried german or swedish axes. Why do you think Rinaldi is better? And what do you intend by "intended use"?
Thanks for your time, you are a point of reference in the matter of axes
I must say the little lady is well able to swing that axe!
She does a good job limbing and helping clear the area of branches, its a big help
I’ve been extremely pleased with my Prandi Piemonte 800 gram head . Very similar to the Rinaldi . It’s not the best splitter but it has a really wide blade and enough weight to really do some work .
If you’d like to review one I’d be happy to post my spare for you to evaluate . Since discovering these I’m done with Swedish axes .
I think you said so many true things in this video.
First of all that you don't need always an axe or an hatchet to do bushcraft, if you don't need a lot of fuel or you live in a country where you are not allowed to cut down trees or light an open fire a folding saw and a knife (or a billhook as every countryman did in the past here in Italy) is more than enough.
A big thing that you've also said in this video is about the axe lenght, I think that most of us that likes to "play" in the woods (be honest we are not wood workers neither trappers in the great outdoors) discovered the subject with Ray Mears (or other authors) videos, if they say that GBSFA is the best option usually we don't have the experience to say no, neither most of us are really objective, we just follow what is being told.
Like with Bahco's axes, a LOT of people say that they are crap just based on a bad experience of a SINGLE PERSON (wranglerstar), when in fact they don't have any direct experience with those tools.
I think you're channel is really "fresh air" in youtube axe channels, as you are clearly open minded, you talk for experience and give many many valuable informations! Thanks Ben!
I really love the italian billhooks, I have one from rinaldi that is hard to beat
Interestingly ray mears designed an axe that you can only buy on his website, 24" and a bit heavier head than the SFA. I think people need to talk less from theory or parrot what some well known person said and get out and chop, experience will tell you very quickly what works. Thanks, glad you liked the video.
@@benscottwoodchopper I've handled one of those Ray axes and it had the worst bit alignment I've ever seen on any axe
@@rogerharvey9863 A common issue with handforged axes. I mean theyre cool but its quite a re-occurring issue that keeps me from justifying the enormous price hike. Hence the only handforged axes I have are old and ive looked at before purchasing. I think Rinaldis might be "hand forged" but the bit on that is fine.
I like a folding saw, that is why I have a Gränfors large carving axe. I like that axe because it is quite heavy for its size, and with inertia, I find that it is more accurate than a light one. Plus, you let the weight do the job.
I agree that a 20" handle is not so useful. The shortest I have is a 26" boys axe, but I prefer my 28".
I’ve got a 2 1/4 lb (1020gram) on a 25” handle that I’ve taken out and I’ll tell you, the difference between a little hatchet is insane. I’m actually surprised at what I’ve done with this thing. I’ve had to go from the outside but I’ve tackled some decent sized rounds with it
My go to for camping is the 26” Husqvarna boy’s axe.
I think it is basically the same thing, both made by hults bruk
They look the same. And the handle was a fence post when I got mine as well, so you’re probably right.
Whats your opinion of a council tool flying fox head (1.625 pounds) on a 24 inch handle?
Hi, Are this Hultafors the Qvarfot with the 850 grams head? Do you think it is good for felling 20-25cm in diameter trees? Now i use an axe with 1250 grams head (1900gr total, 70cm) but i feel that is too heavy and tiring for my hands.
My takeaway from this: The SMFA is great for someone 4-5 ft tall.
It might seem like an odd choice but my favourite bushcraft axe is a small elwell Kent pattern, altogether it weighs 570 grams, I only really split wood camping for making crafts and small kindling but the main reason I like it is with such a wide narrow stock it doesn't throw chips out and I feel alot happier cutting green wood with it as it leaves a nice neat cut the tree can recover from with minimal damage, I suppose it's the work you do plus your priorities so for small green wood and the beginnings of a fire while leaving minimal damage to tree's and no big chunks of wood on the floor then something like my elwell with a fairly finely ground edge is good enough, its like the machete of the axe world, only being an axe its much more suited to our woods, I do have a few gransfors, brades and billhooks but I'd say the elwell followed by the billhook gets the most use
Oh I forgot, the best bit is the head cost me 20p from the car boot fair and had barely been used 😂 that was before the collectors went and sent the prices through the roof
I know this comment is 2 months old but i set up an axe exactly like you described and sent it to another channel who really liked it th-cam.com/video/9ZKcznlUzxs/w-d-xo.html
Just had a watch, a good video I do think for bushcraft rather than work they are a great tool, my wife found me a 2, 1/2lb head for father's day, another elwell and I can't wait to get the time to hang it
Have you ever watched
Happy People of the Taiga?
It's interesting to see the type of axe that they use.
As always Ben your the best!
Checked out that documentary, was great, thanks for the reccomendation
@@benscottwoodchopper
You're welcome! : )
Hello, is that your forest?
Great video with useful demonstration. @Ben What you choice should be if you could take 1 UNIVERSAL axe in to woods for long term survival -1 year (firewood preparation (splitting) and trees felling and other tasks for settled survival in woods) Any thoughts for such axe size and weight (maybe ochesenkopf universal forestry axe (or similar) is suitable 1.250 kg head, 700 mm handle and 120 mm blade size). Thank you
Rinaldi calabria 1.3kg
Ben Scott,
Finally i get it- my treassure 1.3 kg Rinaldi Calabria- the first seriuos axe in my collection after some chinease noname disappointments..Im really impressed how it feels, how it looks and hope shall be impressed how it works ( just need more practice) on the second place remained pricey muller and sons beaver (biber) series and above mentioned ochesenkopf universal forestry axe.. sadlly not much choice left nowadays (if not counting hultafors and gransfors or Hachas Jauregi). Best regards
The Rinaldi looks sweet. I like the old look. Think of trying the Hultafors Aby. But the Rinaldi also look sweet. Can you depend on the Rinaldi for hours of splitting, if you need one axe to do it all? And is there a risk the Rinaldi will end up with loose head? I’ve never ended up with loose head on Gransfors of Wetterlings after years of use in the outdoors. I do however take care of the axes.
The rinaldi by design is not prone to coming loose and the more you use it the tighter it gets. If you want one that can also split really well and chop the rinaldi calabria pattern is great. Its more wedgey but my experience is when camping you dont need an axe that can split good and chopping dead wood is what the axe should specialise in
Ben what make of axe head is your restored axe? I'm unsure as to what to look for, as it isn't really specified what steel is in vintage axes. I have been looking at buying a Brades axe, have you had any experience with this make?
The restored hatchet is an elwell, here is a brades th-cam.com/video/WFIvnsOa2pM/w-d-xo.html
👍
Could you recommend a Rinaldi (both model n. and head weight please. I was thinking something like a 500g/600g head) to use in place of the gransfors outdoor or the wildlife hatchet? I'd like one that could be backpacked fairly easily and would be a good compromise between a chopper and a splitter. Thanks for the videos, they are really helpful 👍
Rinaldi 331 Sicilian, my video is the 350gram head but the 500 gram model would suit your needs th-cam.com/video/m0wMFbfm8_4/w-d-xo.html
Thank you! Admittedly I'm a novice and this would be my first axe. I thought that 500g/600g would be the bare minimum by seeing what's marketed as capable outdoor axes. Do you think that I should go with that or should I stick to a lighter one? On another note i saw that the handle Is 60cm long while i thought to choose a 45cm one for portability's sake. Is the shorter handle that much less effective? I'm looking for the best portability/weight/effectiveness ratio, so what would be your pick? Thanks again
@@alessandroalbani3727 For your first axe I would probably just get the rinaldi 302 boys axe, it is the most versatile by far adn remember the handle can be changed very very easy depending if you need it as a hatchet or longer axe. You can make some different handles and decide what works best for your needs. 700 gram head works well in all forms
Hey im just wondering how reliable it is to regularly swich handles on the rinaldi. for exaple if i want to switch to shorter handle for carving and a longer one for other tasks, will the hanldes get to loose if i change often.
It gets tigher the more you use it.
Dear Ben, I have been watching some of your videos with great interest. You obviously know a lot about axes. However, the point you make here about using a 24 inches axe for carving being not such a big deal, kind of contradicts your other point about the GB small forest axe (and other 19-20 inches axes): just as you can hold the handle closer to the head with your 24 inches Hultafors, you can with a 19-20 inch axe. I think at the end of the day it is a matter of anatomy and body measurements (I am 1.73 meters tall and, a relatively short arms guy). I can chop, cut, limb, and even split wood as well with my 24 inches axe as I do with my GB 19 inches SFA. I just have more power with the longer axe and probably will take me a bit longer time with the shorter. Just my two cents. All the best
My point about 19 to 20" being an awkward size is it is almost as clunky to carve with as a 24" axe but easily half or less swinging power when heavy chopping, and a hell of a lot more dangerous and uncomfortable to use standing. The tradeoff for 4" shorter just isn't worth it imho for slightly nicer one hand use. You end up losing so much capability. Either bring a small hatchet and saw or a 24" axe minimuim if you plan on cutting firewood with no saw. Interesting that ray mears (the guy who popularised the sfa) designed an axe made by gransfors that is 24".
What weight would you guys recommend for a rinaldi calabria pack axe - to replace either the GB Small forest axe, or the GB Outdoor axe?
700 grams
@@benscottwoodchopper Thank you!
Ive got a GFB small forest axe and a Hultafors 3.5lb felling axe but i want something in between the two. I was thinking something with a 2.25-2.5lb head and about 26-28" handle . I live in Canada so my best options are the Council Tool Dayton (28" handle) , the Hultafors woodsman 2.25Lb head 28" handle or the Agdor Montreal pattern 2.5lb head with 28" handle. Would you recommend one over the other? Will be using mainly for splitting, chopping, and some felling. Thanks
I would go for the montreal pattern
also, have you ever thought to shorten the hndle on your small forest axe? i mainly use it one handed and its a bit awkward for that
@@Sk8ter-Dad I just sold my sfa, if you want something shorter you can buy much better hatchets for less
@@benscottwoodchopper what would you recommend for small hatchets?
@@Sk8ter-Dad any Rhineland pattern works great
What do you think about the hultafors agdor 28" , 2.5 pound head ? I have this axe and its a good axe .
yeah thats another good option
@@benscottwoodchopper thank you Ben your a good guy , and a beast axeman lol
I’m struggling to find anywhere to buy Rinaldi axes (I’m in Australia). I can only find one site on eBay which has a couple but very poorly described. And another in USA which I’ve emailed but their communication is quite poor. Anyone any ideas? I’m will to pay for shipping.
BaryonyxKnives used to be the Go To, apparently but everytime I've gone on there they've been out of stock, massive waiting lists and on hold because of covid.
In the same boat in Brissie mate
Nice vid. Does anyone have a link to an EU shop selling Rinaldi axes?
i buy mine on ebay, it think lamnia has them also
Hi Ben, really like your channel. Is this Rinaldi the Calabria or the American? Can't see the profile that clearly. Thanks!
this one is the american, very thin profile. the calabria has a wedge profile that still chops great but can split better
@@benscottwoodchopper Thank you Ben for clarifying it. Do you think that for overall bushcraft and wild camping the Calabria is a more fitting choice?
@@tamasbarad8202 depends how much splitting you plan on doing. personally I see splitting wood as pointless (as the wood isnt going to get drier unless you leave it a few weeks) and like the thinner profile of the American as it cuts the dead wood better yet still can make kindling which is all I want from a camping axe. the slightly wider bit is also nicer for clearing limbs and brush
@@benscottwoodchopper Thank you Ben, I think you are right. For the most time I tend to be working with 4-5" branches that can be split sideways. Probably I'll get a heavier Calabria later specifically for the winter.
I have a Gransfors and I never liked it too much, for the exact reasons you are explaining. Thank you for the advice, and I wish you the best!
Is that the stock rinaldi handle? And where do you get them? eBay turns up the best selection but all with the same picture!
Aye stock handle, it is best to look through the catalogue and match the ebay listing with the correct item number in the catalogue
Ben Scott cool. I shall find the catalogue. Thanks for that!
@@Channel1rm The axe in this video is 302, No.2, 700grams. The 330 calabria pattern is also nice, not as thin but a wedge profile that works better for splitting, but the 302 in this size is better imo
Ben Scott thanks Ben! A quick eBay for that number nothing popped up. Maybe they go in ebb and flow. But good to know the 302 is better in that size. Can imagine the Calabria becomes more of a regular flat cheeked axe? Where as the 302 keeps that amazing cutting profile.
I kind of want a Trento just for the lols
Rinaldi over the Basque as well?
Basques have become so hard to get now plus I think in dry dead wood the rinaldi wins
im between two Hultafors HY 10 models. The 0.9 kg 26 inches or the 1.0 kg 28 inches for allround use, camp crafting, canoeing, felling. I Can’t decide. you decide for me please.
1kg, 28 definitely
@@benscottwoodchopper Appreciate that. thank you!!
@@MCapo-kb9bx let me know how you like it. Trying to decide between the council tool dayton, Agdor montreal and hultafors 1kg w/28 handle
@@Sk8ter-Dad i love that blue agdor 28 inch expedition axe. Shame that we can’t get it in Europe I think. Is exported to the US and Canada.
@@MCapo-kb9bx did you receive your hultafors axe yet? I'm trying to decide between that agdor 2.5lb and the hultafors woodsman 2.2lb.... i guess they are pretty similar in retrospect
Can any1 recommend any online shops in uk to to buy my first proper chopping axe?
Depends, which brand are you most interested in?
I’m think Ochsenkopf or Hultafors
Hultafors Chopping axe dude 850 grams the heads are a straighter bit than on this video it seems now only 40 quid or so I think. And it comes with a decent edge whereas the Oschenkopf seems to be a ball ache out of the box whereas the Hults you just want to scrape the handle and maybe file if you want to but its perfectlt adequate as edges go.
Have you come across Prandi Piemonte axes Ben.
One of the few i do not have, but i have heard good things from a friend and seen some pictures, they look very good, probably on par with rinaldi
@@benscottwoodchopper I was looking for Rinaldi axes and I could only see them for sale in the US. The bushcraft store sells the Prandi's
@@vinniesdayoff3968 I get mine on ebay, rinaldi 302 700grams. With italy shut down though its a bad time to order
🤝🤝👍👍👍
It seems to me that with GB small forest axe they tried to aim for Jack of all trades - master of none. It can be pushed do all types of work, but excels at none of them.
it would be a lot better with 10cm longer handle. 50cm is a middle ground that does nothing for me
I guess the length of an axe should be determined by your height aswell. For example, how tall are you? Since 24 inch is the shortest you will go with, I think your height would be a good reference.
perfect length is armpit to where your fingers start, I am 6 foot 4 and for me about 28" is ideal.
@@benscottwoodchopper I did not know that, great little tool to find the right length. Thanks for the reply.
You can do a fair bit of work with a hatchet if you put your mind to it. Not as easy as with something bigger certainly. It's hard to know what bushcraft even is these days. It is getting sillier and sillier on TH-cam (They are all building forts now 🤔). I'd say most people only make a bit of a fire and they could do that with what they find lying around. I talked with a few Canadians and Alaskans in the comments from time to time and they are very much into carrying proper tools when they travel in the bush
The trends that sweep through the "bushcraft" side of TH-cam are so strange sometimes.
Yeah i get that, seems like a lot of justifying the tools by making up jobs most of the time. Even a hatchet is uneccesary for most people. I figure though if you are going to bother and have a genuine need then just take the extra 200-300grams and have a tool that actually performs well enough, the focus on pack wieght has gotten people genuinely killed
I've gone the other way and do tiny hatchet jobs with an arvika 5 star 😄
@@rogerharvey9863 Like using an elephant gun to hunt mice!
@@benscottwoodchopper I use the arvika to whittle tiny traps to catch the mice, I'm not a monster
I think the reason you got so many 'dislikes' on the video u referred to in this one, is because your conditions and wood density is likely quite different to those in the USA which is probably the biggest portionnof audience. I'm from Australia, and many sound US ax vidyas with great advice for their conditions simply wouldn't translate when dealing with our dense hardwoods. A 20-24" handled 2-1/4lb boys ax WON'T do a majority of work here where it will there for them. Just keep that in mind I think.
While it is true aussie woods require bigger axes most woods in the UK vs USA are similar if not the same. My argment is 20" is an awkward middle ground that tries to be a jack of all trades but 24" is a better compromise do it all size if you need to chop firewood and also do a bit of carving. The hate comes from gransfors 20" sfa fanboys because ray mears used it a lot and it got popular and they didnt like my critisms of the size. Funnily enough ray mears designed his 'wilderness axe' produced from gransfors and he chose 24", lol
Fair enough. 20" is kinda a nowhere size handle, 24".... different story.
@@aussiehardwood6196 yeah for actual work 28" minimuim but ideally 30" and 3.5lb plus
I bet that Rinaldi is brilliant limber, no?
Probably the best limbing axe on the market, I also use a 1.2kg mueller axe with the same geometry
strong miss hit @15:30 ;)
Moving target, its the dreaded duck and slip gum tree
Yeah a 20" handle on a hatchet makes no sense. I'd say that's why people like them. Imagine having a 20" handle on a framing hammer. No thanks.
Get a Tuatahi
I can see you're passionate about your favourite tools, Ben, and that is absolutely fine.
However, from a purely practical point of view, I have some questions of you:
Firstly, why would one do heavy cutting (like tree felling, log cutting) using an axe, instead of using an appropriate saw?
Secondly, why would anyone even contemplate doing carving with an axe/hatchet, when smaller, more precise tools like knives, chisels, etc are so much better?
Thirdly, given that the axe would be part of a "camp tool team", where would the axe fit in with other team members (saw, large knife, bushcraft knife)? Does it have a legitimate place on the team?
Thanks for the video and I look forward to your reply..
I think it would be easier if you purchased a copy of mors kochanski's bushcraft book, but briefly the axe is the traditional way and is fast enough whilst saws arent fun to use. The axe can perform lots of tasks whilst saws only can crosscut wood, thats all. Carving from a log into a spoon for example a hatchet is needed to rough out the shape. Literally watch any spoon carver they almost all use a hatchet.
The last point assumes you are in a team which i certainly dont bother with as i prefer to spend time alone.
The axe is the most important tool historically and still is today, however few people can use it well hence popularity of saws/ knife combo. large survival knifes weigh often close to the weight of an axe head, saws are easily bent rendering them useless and cant split or carve. Large saw and small hatchet with a SAK is a great combo, or a boys axe and a SAK
@@benscottwoodchopper Mors Kochanski - wasn't he that dude from around Lord Baden Powell's time, the century before last, before technology was invented? Quite a legend in his own right.
Ha Ha Ha! I was using the word "team" , referring to what's in brackets (saw, large knife, bushcraft knife). This is the "team" I was referring to! What could the axe do that those three team members can't do? If nothing, or very little, then the axe doesn't make the "team". Get it?
Who, in this day and age, would be in a camping/wilderness situation without a spoon? Huh? And would need to spend hours of hard work (and about 712 calories) carving a spoon out of wood to eat his/her supper? Seriously?
You said "saws aren't fun to use." And there we have it! That's what this bushcrafting is actually all about! It's about getting away from "life" into the wild and having a shedload of fun! Got it! So it seems that over the years our friend Mors and his Supreme Disciple uncle Dave Canterbury have turned a fun activity into a really nice little money-spinning Sport, with a full set of rules and regulations, and interesting ways of doing stuff with outmoded tools and stuff. And that's GREAT! Power to them!
But seriously, in a tight spot I'd really like my trusty aluminium spoon I've had for decades that lives in my cook pack. [Although I did recently see a very nice " spork" that I might adopt, and retire my old alu-spoon! Ouch! I feel like a betrayer! ]
I'm still getting my head around the fun stuff and the serious stuff, and which is which!
I really get the fun thing with the axe-wielders! I really enjoy doing that. A great workout, using up tons of calories! But when food is scarce, then I want to cut down calorie usage as much as possible. Also, using a bow-drill to make fire - crazy! But loads of fun!
Nice sharing stuff!
@@dennisleighton2812 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mors_Kochanski
Just google answer it yourself mate. get a copy of his book
why does calories matter in the modern day and age where most people are obese and unfit.
You keep conflating camping and bushcraft. Most people think buys craft is camping with a ferro rod where it is really about making things out of natural materials harvested yourself. there is cross over but its not really bushcraft if you bring a tent, all your cooking stuff etc. thats camping with a campfire
also you keep insisting a big knife replaces an axe. show me a large knife performing anywahere close to the same as an axe
@@benscottwoodchopper Where exactly did I ever insist that a knife replaces an axe? I said I can't see how an axe is needed if one has "the team" (saw, large knife, bushcraft knife). You don't seem able to comprehend this concept.
@@dennisleighton2812 no i understand the concept, but at this point i dont even know what you are asking? You seem to have all the answers anyway so this is a complete waste of my time
There is no “one” axe that covers all the different chores.
Obviously, but there are some pretty good jacks of all trades that when applied to a certain context are the best option
Hey ben. I would like to make you 2 leather sheats for your 2 favourite axes in return for your great videos and insight in axe usage… please pm me if you are interested. I am a knife maker and enjoy your videos above all on here. Thanks for your videos and input. Best regards, iulian.
Thats a very kind offer, glad you like the channel. At the moment i think my axes all have sheathes my gf made. Do you have a website or page for your knife making? Id be ibterested to see
@@benscottwoodchopper hey Ben, if you can see this message please reply, i have written a couple of replies to this but each one seems to get deleted. Thanks, best regards
@@JuliusCaesar125 hello yes i can see this response
@@benscottwoodchopper thanks for that, i tried to tell you that i dont have a shop curently but i can show you some pics of some of the knives i have built lately. I dont know yet how but maybe you can suggest where i could share those with you 😁🍻. Cheers
@@JuliusCaesar125 you can email me at scott.ben60@yahoo.co.uk