Gransfors Bruks Ray Mears Wilderness Axe

  1 of 55

  For its size this axe is an absolute beast! Head weight and handle length work together, allowing the axe to chop with a bare minimum of exertion from the user. Choking up on the handle allows one to handle finer tasks. A must have for the serious bush crafter.  

  Darrell Smith

  2 of 55

  Excellent piece of kit, razor sharp out if the box. Looking forward to giving it some serious use.  

  Nigel

  3 of 55

  I ordered this axe and only had it a week when a buddy borrowed and refused to return it he liked it so much. He placed a Benchmade knife in front of me in trade and said 'I'm keeping the axe' Shortly after, I ordered another for myself then other coworkers began ordering this axe for themselves. Mr. Mears obviously knows that a light axe is more work to use and that a heavy axe is less work to use but harder to carry. With this in mind he found the sweet spot (for a bushcraft axe) when he designed this axe. This axe isn't specific to doing any one thing quite well, it actually does many things well for its size. It is a very handy and well-made axe. Splitting rounds of firewood will take a few more strokes but nonetheless it will get the job done while still being light and maneuverable enough for fine one handed work yet still being easy to carry. This axe fits the bill perfectly between a felling axe and a hatchet. As always the service at Woodlore is top notch and their people were very patient with me when I mistakenly thought my order was lost. (don't panic folks, it takes time to ship items overseas and through customs) these folks are honest and reputable.  

  Nowhereman

  4 of 55

  Great product, great service! Will recommend this company to all of my friends.  

  Kevin R Burroughs

  5 of 55

  Initial impressions, just unwrapped. I was stoked to receive this axe and was anticipating close to perfection. The top of the head on the one side has a chamfer ground along the top edge the other side is not ground. This gives the head a look of being warped to the side. The handle has a small gap top and bottom on the cheek side of the head. The axe has a nice feel to it and I am looking forward to using it. I have the GB SF axe and the Outdoors axe and would say the handle fit and first impression was much better with these GB axes. I may be too nit picky, but with the increased cost of the wilderness axe I did not go wow when I unwrapped the package. The axe head cover is sized very tight and has to be forced on. I will be looking for a replacement. The buying process and shipping was all good. After using the wilderness axe on several winter missions over the last several months I would like to update my review. The chopping capability is excellent for an axe of this weight. Balance and feel are also excellent. Splitting is a big step better than the SFA and an equivalently sized wetterlings large hunter. I would like to change my rating from a 3 to a 4.5. It would be a 5 except for the issues noted on the original review. This axe performs much better than one would think for its weight and length. The head geometry functions better than it looks like it would. This will be my go to axe for everything except light weight backpacking.  

  Herb Butters

  6 of 55

  I considered the purchase of this axe long and hard, since I already own the small forest axe. I can say without a doubt this purchase is worth every penny. The added handle length and head weight give this axe quite a bit more oomph while splitting and chopping wood, without making it too cumbersome for a backpack. The fit and finish are what you expect from Gransfors Bruks. My only complaint is about the shipping of the axe, as my axe arrived with a damaged sheath clearly caused by rough handling by the postal service, other than that, perfect.  

  Jeff

  7 of 55

  I would like to express my gratitude by for taking care of my purchase, the Ray Mears Wildeness Axe. Your company is 2nd to none, first class, and I will be a future repeat customer in the New Year, and will definately be recommending you to all my friends. Great products and great service thank you once again.  

  Dino Anagnostakos

  8 of 55

  Awesome customer service, thank you. I received the item in time to give at Christmas as a gift.  

  Jerry Grassetti

  9 of 55

  I thought long and hard about purchasing this axe vs the Small Forest or Scandinavian Forest. In the end I went for the Wilderness axe, not solely due to the reviews but due to the specifications. A weightier head than the small Forrest axe and a shorter profile than the Scandinavian Forrest axe. Based on the measurements and on comparison to previous axes I have owned, this axe seemed a to be a winner. I have used it for medium duration off track bush walking - 2 nights or longer - for basic shelter frames/camp construction but mainly firewood gathering and processing. I don't use it for fine carving but definitely for feather sticks to make kindling. I'll start with postage: to Brisbane Australia the axe arrived within a week, which is outstanding. First impressions: overall quality is also outstanding. Sharpness, fit of handle, grain orientation and density of handle are all better than any axe I have used or seen. I'm not sure whether the Woodlore folks get to hand pick the handles or whether I was just lucky but again, the physical qualities of the axe are close to perfect. Side by side against a friend's Scandinavian Forrest axe the poll is quite a lot more substantial and the head is a bit broader around the eye and cheek, it tapers a bit more steeply into a nice narrow bitey toe. I'm not sure whether this is a consistent difference but that was the only comparison I could make with another GB axe. I initially found the weight to be a little too much for comfortable single handed use but after a month of regular use, it feels like an extension of my body and it instils confidence. Two handed use is excellent. It has great balance and the bite is deep. For those who use axes regularly, it will feel balanced and very predictable. Also balances surprisingly well when choked for feathering or finer work - the heavier head seems to offset the longer handle. For my intended purposes, I couldn't be happier. For felling moderate dead standing timber, splitting firewood and general camp use it has served me better than any axe I have owned. If it's a basic camp axe you are after, perhaps the small Forresr axe would be better. For a survival or broad spectrum bushcraft axe, this is the winner. Overall one of the better online purchasing experiences I have ever had, my heartfelt thanks to Woodlore.  

  Daniel, Brisbane Australia

  10 of 55

  There is little left to be said about the Ray Mears Wilderness Axe that has not already been heard. I purchased this axe with the intention of it being an heirloom to my children, and on to theirs. I have every confidence that it will stand that duty with honour.  

  James Singleton