Thanks for the awesome video! Here in Germany the Gräns fors products are a bit cheaper compared to what they cost in the USA. I believe its due to import costs but I'm by no means an expert on the matter. My dad and I use them for splitting larger and smaller wood. We also have a polymer fyskers splitter which I absolutely hate to use. On one of them the handle broke, no real easy and smooth way of re-handling it yourself. We had to use a drill to help cut the axe head out of the polymer. Nothing beats a sexy, natural and strong wooden handle.
Thanks man I'm glad you enjoyed watching I've heard they were cheaper across the pond but I could never confirm it and those fiskar axes are idk I just never liked the idea of a plastic axe there's no way of fitting it to yourself
I feel like if people were raised, not say poor, but rural and in hard times and axes of different patterns and lengths and weights were a common part of every single day life, hatches also, they can really understand what constitutes a good one. Enjoyed your review.
Brother, you should be cutting at an angle instead of straight down. You don't cut straight against the grain the way you was doing. Im surprised you didn't break your handles swinging straight down on a log.
Good video! I bought a trail boss 3 years ago. Think it was 32 bucks. My handle was amazing. Perfect grain orientation and no run off. It hasn’t came loose yet. Either you got a bunk one or I got lucky. It’s actually my favorite axe but I never spent $100 or more for an axe.
Amazing to watch and the first pass we would be fresh. Conditioning sets the tone in the chopping ordeal. Allow the tool to dictate and perform the work wow
I'd imagine part of the problem with the Trail Boss could be the Hudson Bay pattern head. The issue I have with them is the short eye, it doesn't leave as much surface area to mate with the wood as the Boys Axe and the Forest Axe has the big European eye and the ears to help in comparison. You can definitely still get a solid hang with Hudson Bays though if the process is done correctly, obviously yours was not. That does look like some super hard, seasoned hardwood though
That is the biggest problem with the Hudson bay patterns is the short eye section they are very difficult to hang and after some time of using it and learning more about axes as a whole the handle is decent it turns out mine is ash but that's not a big deal I have a few axes that are ash and never had issues
@Running-with-skizers One of the reasons European axes tend to have the larger eye is traditionally they were using Ash because they obviously didn't have access to American Hickory species. Ash is a good handle material though, it's not quite as strong and resistant to stress as Hickory, but few woods are. One of it's benefits; especially with longer axes; is its light weight. You can get away with a slightly heavier head
@AnarchAngel1 that's really informative thankyou for sharing I've known shovel handles to be made of ash but never thought of it to be a good axe handle material I may have to haft a vintage head to a good piece of ash and compare it with hickory I do have one more woodings verona 3 lb head sitting here could be an interesting experiment
I always thought the trail boss is a German rineland pattern but I'm no expert in axe patterns. To me the hudsonbay looks as if it has a straight line on the top of the bit in a right angle to the handle while on the trailboss it is flared out like on a rineland by oxenkopf, Müller, adler and the other german made axes. Is there any difference that I'm not seeing? I'm more than happy to learn something new
@tobiasfreitag2182 it is a rineland pattern very good chopper for sure! But at that price point I probly got a bad one since I fixed it its been an amazing axe but like gransfors I can't help myself from putting them down just because they are what I consider a "mainstream" axe there is a lot of other options out there for sure I just wanted to see what the hype was about because since barefoot, hat guy said they are the best and the crowds migrated to them without a question maybe this video would give people a second thought to find their perfect axe for themselves thanks for your Imput your obviously know a thing or 2 about axes and patterns 🤘🏻
They were all factory grinds touched up with a file I've reprofiled all the edges since making this video and I'm really starting to like the trailboss it's a good work axe for sure
Nice test! Absolutely right about the GB! Council Tool is essentially the Forest Service Axe! Although somehow you got one with a short handle, usually the Boys Axe is 28-27 inches! Trail Boss head is just pressed on not fitted! Plus the Trail Boss has such a short eye the handle has less contact area with handle!
Thanks man nice of you to notice!Mine did come with a 27 inch handle but I swapped it out for a 24 because I use it as a fallers axe "even though its only a 3 inch difference its much easier to carry without all that handle sticking up" I ended up using the 27" for another project. Thanks for watching
Why anyone would buy a product from cold steel is beyond me. Literally the most cringes company on earth. Their products and their promotion are embarrassing
You know that they are no longer owned by Lynn Thompson. They also have some releases that are absolutely unmatched by any other makers. For example, the 4Max: There is not another hard use folder manufacturer, that even begins to approach it. Not Strider, not Benchmade, not Spyderco, not Medford, not Extrema Ratio, not Lionsteel, not Hinderer, not Emerson, not Zero Tolerance…literally no one, save Andrew Demko, who designed Cold Steel’s hard use folders. In design, they are light years ahead of other manufacturers and makers.
@dertnberny I wouldn't say light years ahead it's an ok product but some of the axes you compared it with are not the best designs they dont have much profile for splitting or much use as actually being an axe some of those companies should just stick to making knives honestly but cold steel is not a bad product just a cheap one so there are some corners cut I may have just gotten a bad one though
Cold Steel has produced some amazing products at incredible prices for decades. The Trail Boss for maybe $30 is incredible. I have knives from the '90's when they were made by Camillus that are fantastic tools. Hate on Lynn T. all you want but in the end it's all about performance. The axe in this video is clearly a failure but the one I have has been great.
Thanks for the awesome video! Here in Germany the Gräns fors products are a bit cheaper compared to what they cost in the USA. I believe its due to import costs but I'm by no means an expert on the matter. My dad and I use them for splitting larger and smaller wood. We also have a polymer fyskers splitter which I absolutely hate to use. On one of them the handle broke, no real easy and smooth way of re-handling it yourself. We had to use a drill to help cut the axe head out of the polymer. Nothing beats a sexy, natural and strong wooden handle.
Thanks man I'm glad you enjoyed watching I've heard they were cheaper across the pond but I could never confirm it and those fiskar axes are idk I just never liked the idea of a plastic axe there's no way of fitting it to yourself
I feel like if people were raised, not say poor, but rural and in hard times and axes of different patterns and lengths and weights were a common part of every single day life, hatches also, they can really understand what constitutes a good one. Enjoyed your review.
That's a great point glad you liked it!
Brother, you should be cutting at an angle instead of straight down. You don't cut straight against the grain the way you was doing. Im surprised you didn't break your handles swinging straight down on a log.
I am aware the reason I do that is because when testing the new axes I try to break them thanks for watching
Nice Axes Greetings from Germany Peter
Thankyou very much peter!!!
Good video! I bought a trail boss 3 years ago. Think it was 32 bucks. My handle was amazing. Perfect grain orientation and no run off. It hasn’t came loose yet. Either you got a bunk one or I got lucky. It’s actually my favorite axe but I never spent $100 or more for an axe.
I'm really glad you enjoyed the video I talk a lot of crap on that trail boss but I have to admit now that it is fixed it is a really good axe
Amazing to watch and the first pass we would be fresh. Conditioning sets the tone in the chopping ordeal. Allow the tool to dictate and perform the work wow
I'd imagine part of the problem with the Trail Boss could be the Hudson Bay pattern head. The issue I have with them is the short eye, it doesn't leave as much surface area to mate with the wood as the Boys Axe and the Forest Axe has the big European eye and the ears to help in comparison. You can definitely still get a solid hang with Hudson Bays though if the process is done correctly, obviously yours was not. That does look like some super hard, seasoned hardwood though
That is the biggest problem with the Hudson bay patterns is the short eye section they are very difficult to hang and after some time of using it and learning more about axes as a whole the handle is decent it turns out mine is ash but that's not a big deal I have a few axes that are ash and never had issues
@Running-with-skizers One of the reasons European axes tend to have the larger eye is traditionally they were using Ash because they obviously didn't have access to American Hickory species. Ash is a good handle material though, it's not quite as strong and resistant to stress as Hickory, but few woods are. One of it's benefits; especially with longer axes; is its light weight. You can get away with a slightly heavier head
@AnarchAngel1 that's really informative thankyou for sharing I've known shovel handles to be made of ash but never thought of it to be a good axe handle material I may have to haft a vintage head to a good piece of ash and compare it with hickory I do have one more woodings verona 3 lb head sitting here could be an interesting experiment
I always thought the trail boss is a German rineland pattern but I'm no expert in axe patterns.
To me the hudsonbay looks as if it has a straight line on the top of the bit in a right angle to the handle while on the trailboss it is flared out like on a rineland by oxenkopf, Müller, adler and the other german made axes.
Is there any difference that I'm not seeing? I'm more than happy to learn something new
@tobiasfreitag2182 it is a rineland pattern very good chopper for sure! But at that price point I probly got a bad one since I fixed it its been an amazing axe but like gransfors I can't help myself from putting them down just because they are what I consider a "mainstream" axe there is a lot of other options out there for sure I just wanted to see what the hype was about because since barefoot, hat guy said they are the best and the crowds migrated to them without a question maybe this video would give people a second thought to find their perfect axe for themselves thanks for your Imput your obviously know a thing or 2 about axes and patterns 🤘🏻
👍 ….. say, were these axes sharpened before you tried this experiment? Just wondering.
They were all factory grinds touched up with a file I've reprofiled all the edges since making this video and I'm really starting to like the trailboss it's a good work axe for sure
😮😊Thanks for sharing 😊
Thanks for watching and subbing!
Nice test! Absolutely right about the GB!
Council Tool is essentially the Forest Service Axe!
Although somehow you got one with a short handle, usually the Boys Axe is 28-27 inches!
Trail Boss head is just pressed on not fitted! Plus the Trail Boss has such a short eye the handle has less contact area with handle!
Thanks man nice of you to notice!Mine did come with a 27 inch handle but I swapped it out for a 24 because I use it as a fallers axe "even though its only a 3 inch difference its much easier to carry without all that handle sticking up" I ended up using the 27" for another project. Thanks for watching
I choose Council being they are made in USA and GB went full woke.
I completely agree with you man. These companies need to focus on their product and not feelings
Heard the same thing on other reviews of the trail boss, excellent head. Horrible handle
Typical these days.
Why anyone would buy a product from cold steel is beyond me. Literally the most cringes company on earth. Their products and their promotion are embarrassing
I can't say it's a horrible product just horrible quality
You know that they are no longer owned by Lynn Thompson. They also have some releases that are absolutely unmatched by any other makers. For example, the 4Max: There is not another hard use folder manufacturer, that even begins to approach it. Not Strider, not Benchmade, not Spyderco, not Medford, not Extrema Ratio, not Lionsteel, not Hinderer, not Emerson, not Zero Tolerance…literally no one, save Andrew Demko, who designed Cold Steel’s hard use folders. In design, they are light years ahead of other manufacturers and makers.
@dertnberny I wouldn't say light years ahead it's an ok product but some of the axes you compared it with are not the best designs they dont have much profile for splitting or much use as actually being an axe some of those companies should just stick to making knives honestly but cold steel is not a bad product just a cheap one so there are some corners cut I may have just gotten a bad one though
Cold Steel has produced some amazing products at incredible prices for decades. The Trail Boss for maybe $30 is incredible. I have knives from the '90's when they were made by Camillus that are fantastic tools. Hate on Lynn T. all you want but in the end it's all about performance. The axe in this video is clearly a failure but the one I have has been great.
What's right is whats right for you
So true
Yes i agree the handle is only as good as the axe,vise versa
How NOT to use an axe. 🪓