Budget Axe Upgrade
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- If you want a cheap, entry level axe and you're working to a budget, Ben is now offering these Bahco axes. Reground, modified and restored to an razor sharp Orford cutting edge.
Bahco Axe Upgrade: bit.ly/35LgHHi
I love the fact that Ben still has his first axe, and as worn as it appears, the cutting edge still shines, ready to go!
what a nice idea. I did the same thing starting out with a cheap hardware shop axe and improving it. Learned a lot about what I wanted from an axe in the process and how to maintain one properly before I bought a gransfors.
Ben with this type of product & demo you're developing customers for a lifetime.....ATB
Absolutely brilliant. Very well done. I love the pride that you take in work and kit.
Propper Bushcraft on a Budget there buddy. great job.
Great video, and glad to see you are reaching out to the budget limited bushcrafter also.
The axe/hatchet I use is a Silverline, which I applied an edge to using a flap wheel on my grinder, then finished with a DC3 stone and a strop (took forever).
It cuts really well, but these cheaper axes do not hold an edge as well as the premium axes. It just means you have to be more meticulous with your sharpening regime, and be prepared to occasionally sharpen in the field.
Another hint for a sheath, is to use a strip from an old belt, and hold it in place with some shock cord.
Looks rough as a badgers backside, but protects you and the axe. 😂
I will probably have one of these Bahco axes from you as my primary hatchet, and put a different bevel on my Silverline for very delicate work.
Keep making the great videos.
Steve.
They are drop forged, they put a hot piece of steel in the press and pressed out under terrific pressure, and cut out in one movement. Sound advice!
Great video and good to see an offering (as you've said) for those on a budget. I bought my Hultafors about 35 years back and put a longer handle on it - it's still going strong.
The amount of sparks tell me this axes have a good amount of carbon in them. Bahco is an alright brand, personally never used their axes though.
Great idea Ben. 👍
It's like you read my mind! I was pondering my need for an axe only a few hours ago!
I'm a forest school leader, so I've have the pleasure of using good quality axes on a regular basis but I just can't justify the cost for the amount of use it will get at home. I can't wait to get one of these. Keep up the great work!
That is a canny idea. I think they will sell well. I think that after cost sharpening is the limiting factor in any edge tool purchase.
Good episode!
Alda make a better version with hickory handle, for a few quid more get the professional version, two different weights and a couple of quid difference. Really nice for carving. I have had a bahco for years. Take the paint of and scrape the handle and oil it. Great hatchet. The make the axe in a press, stock steel is heated then shape in a press under great pressure several times. The scrap metal is cut from around the edge. Then the axe shape has a eye punched in. Then then are ground. Ten minutes sharpening and it's ready!
I've got one of them! Takes ages putting the edge on yourself without power tools. might get one of your covers though for the edge
Use a mill file for heavy material removing and the first rough shaping. Worked with a similar axe shaped object I own and use. Then I used sandpaper on a piece of mdf as a coarse 'stone', then a small, cheap, two sided oilstone (use them like the puck in one of Ben's axe sharpening vids), then some leather on a piece of wood with polishing paste (apparently tooth paste supposedly works as well). Cheap, but a lot of work. Still, I learned a bit about sharpening.
More cost effective (unless you work for free) is buying the Orford version. Also a better end product, because he has the skills I lack (it's his job, after all!).
Looks good been looking for a budget axe for my Chanel
Will check them out - nice 1 Ben
Thanks for the video, Ben!!! Love that mirror edge on the axe! So satisfying! Quick question: comparing your modified bahco axe to a gransfors axe, which is a better first axe? Would the gransfors be more suited to a more experienced carver?
If i may answer to this question, the bacho would be the better option for carving over the gransfors. Mostly because it has a bit mor weight to it and a longer cutting edge. Just the handle needs s bit thinned down for better grip.
Love your posts! Keep up the great work!!
Good video mate 👍👍
Very nice looking pipe
Ive got a small £25 Husqavarna with a normal grind, Its really sweet, the weight and size are perfect.. But I need a new grind on it for carving
Nice groooiiiind
funnily enough I've modified one of these myself, the orange paint is horrific. great for working on tree surgery jobs as the horrid colour means you wont lose it. The wedge is terrible too. I used a pair of round head brass screws in a wooden wedge . I also bearded it to get rid of a little of the weight as it was too heavy for delicate stuff.
Then I gave it away.......time for a new one .
In fact, hickory and ash have the same abilities. Just because people try to lure more money out of your pocket by making you believe, hickory is so superior, it not necessarily has to be true.
Ash is more shock dampening in my experience Hickory tends to be harder and less vulnerable to chunking out if you miss the target. But also Ash has fewer shipping miles on it which is worth considering.
Good vid and new subber .ps where can my head get a hold of one of those Buffy bunnets ?
Many thanks glad you like the video. We have the hats on the our store if you have trouble let us know.
Many thanks cheers Ben
Hi Ben,
can you tell me where you got that leather belt?
Hi I'm interested in any hatchet or small axes
is that bottle you use to oil the axe home made or brought ?
This is one of our camelia oil applicators that are available on our store here’s a link benandloisorford.com/store/#!/Camellia-Oil-Applicator/p/52141242/category=13646583
I'd be interested to know how these axes work out in terms of edge retention.
I have one and got a good edge on it but I found the edge does peel over slightly and needs quite regular touch up sharpening. They are cheap, my go to axe now is a stubai side axe, superb bit of steel on that one
The edge hardness is 52 Hrc so it's on the softer side. Don't give it sharp angle like wranglerstar did and you will be just fine.
@@ReasonAboveEverything Thanks, I'll give it a go.
It's a little self defeating though.....buys cheap axe to modify, then uses huge machinery to re-bevel
Noooo Ben! It is impossible to cast axe head! Every ax head is forge like this from Bahco! Casted tools don´t exist
Australian maker Keech/Keesteel makes cast racing axe heads, regarded as the best in the world
@@kurts64 maybe it is from high speed steet that is possible to cast, but normal carbon steel such this one is forged... Big anvils is casted from steel but it is special steel and big object
@@marekkaspar811 not sure about the bahco steel, but I've read that the Keech steel is some crazy stuff, specifically designed for casting edge tools.
@@kurts64 yea, steels for casting is expensive and proces itself namely casting is more expensive than casting... Look at wranglerstar, he said that bahco is very poor quality, he made whole video about bahco axe
Wonderful, everyone has a commercial grade sharpening assembly in the back shed and a dream work shop. How about an Axe / Bastard file, a puck shaped two sided stone that is portable and viable in the bush. These are not axes, they are hatchets and are dangerous in the wrong hands.
No hearing protection when grinding? :)
true dat, i even sometimes wear earplugs during wet sanding my axe
No doubt you ruined the heat treatment an the hatchet.
Not at all these ceramic belts and the technique doesn’t get the steel hot. If you used a high speed bench grinder that would be a different matter.
35 quid is still expensive for an axe you can get on ebay for 15..
Well we have spend extra time grinding it and getting it working so it’s razor sharp out of the box. Unfortunately we cant do that for free so there is a up charge for that service 👍
@@BenOrford yeh your right, just me and my budget head at work .. Sorry .. Stay safe .. Lee