New addition on the way

[AimlessWanderer]

It's August, the sun is out and I'm eagerly looking forward to a little camping trip this weekend  This is the time of year though when I need to be considering wood processing ready for the cooler times ahead. I checked out the axes and noticed that they could do with a little touch up, but also the glaring gap in the range was still there ... 

I've got a Roughneck splitting maul for the heavy splitting, a GB Scandinavian Forest Axe for the limbing and moderate crosscutting, a GB Wildlife Hatchet for the smaller chores and a couple of other smaller hatchets (gotta love the Vaughan Mini). There's nothing for the mid sized work though - when it comes to splitting theres nothing between the big maul and wood grenade and the little GB hatchet. The larger GB is far too thin a profile and though it bites deep it doesn't split too readily. When you're processing a fair amount this can be a real pain in the backside, and leaving it a year doesn't seem to have fixed the problem so time to batter the wallet again 

Being a big Granny B fan I was looking at their smaller splitting axes/hatchets, but decided not to be blinkered and give someone else a chance ... so I've gone for one of these ...



A Roselli 850 Allround Axe which is apparently similarly sized to the GB Short Forest Axe. I'm quite looking forward to playing with this as it's really different from what I'm used to. Scandi ground instead of convex  with lots of belly, a wide angled profile with bearded head and hammer poll - this could be a big winner for me 

I decided to cough up the extra £6.50 for next day delivery too, so I'll have this in time for the UK meet on Friday 

[Sparky415]

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I have a sneaky suspicion the review of this might be a team effort 

[Sparky415]

And we might end up burning more chips than logs 

[AimlessWanderer]

And we might end up burning more chips than logs 

Yeah, I've heard about you and potatoes 
(sorry mate, couldn't resist  )

I'm going to have a good snoop round on Thursday for as much big stuff as I can fit in the boot of the car. I noticed this weekend a couple of the chunks I'd got earmarked have got a bit of rot so I'll try and get shot of that to free up a bit more space/weight. With what me and you are bringing alone in respect of wood and choppers I don't think the fire is going to go hungry (I'm pretty sure Gareth is bringing some too) Besides, the chip's will keep the kelly kettle going  There could be more axes than multitools there at this rate 

[Sparky415]

And we might end up burning more chips than logs 

Yeah, I've heard about you and potatoes 
(sorry mate, couldn't resist  )
I'm going to have a good snoop round on Thursday for as much big stuff as I can fit in the boot of the car. I noticed this weekend a couple of the chunks I'd got earmarked have got a bit of rot so I'll try and get shot of that to free up a bit more space/weight. With what me and you are bringing alone in respect of wood and choppers I don't think the fire is going to go hungry (I'm pretty sure Gareth is bringing some too) Besides, the chip's will keep the kelly kettle going  There could be more axes than multitools there at this rate 

Gareth has some nice smallish axes (GB's I think) and his throwing axes are good fun!
I don't play with my toys very much so any excuse to get them out 

[Zed]

   very nice Al, i hope i find some sort of axe next sunday   

[Gareth]

Brilliant mate, I've been wondering about these for years so I'm really looking forward to seeing one in person.

Just been sawing up the few bits of scrap wood I had, sadly not quite as much as I'd hoped, but if it was any heavier I'd just be paying more in petrol.   That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

[AimlessWanderer]

If you drove down without it, stopped halfway, hacked down some random tree and brought that - you could bring twice the amount of wood for the same amount of petrol   

Yeah, these Rosellis have been on my radar for a while too. Its another of those love/hate tools by the sound of the reviews - but seen as much of my axe work is splitting rather than crosscutting (especially at this size) I think it's worth a try. I saw a review by "Old Jimbo" somewhere who seems to turn up on all the outdoorsy forums full of great axe info and experience. His review pitched it as far more capable than a GB short forest axe in many ways, then in his conclusion he said he'd sold the Roselli 6 months ago and carried on using the GB  One of those right tool for the wrong job scenarios

  very nice Al, i hope i find some sort of axe next sunday   

I hope so too mate - Tony's monopolising the axe forums at the minute and we need to even it up 

[Sparky415]

  very nice Al, i hope i find some sort of axe next sunday   

I hope so too mate - Tony's monopolising the axe forums at the minute and we need to even it up 

I like the Axe forum, its nice an quiet an people don't    me too much

 

[AimlessWanderer]

  very nice Al, i hope i find some sort of axe next sunday   

I hope so too mate - Tony's monopolising the axe forums at the minute and we need to even it up 

I like the Axe forum, its nice an quiet an people don't    me too much

 

[AimlessWanderer]

  It's landed 

I did have a niggling doubt last night as to whether I was getting set the R860 (short version) or R850 (longer) as it was a bad line when I was placing the order. Thankfully the right one (R850) is the one that has come. Initial impressions are very positive, good straight grain, good in-line symetrical grind, head feels secure and I'm really looking forward to trying this out .... because it's the wierdest bloody thing I've ever come across that calls itself an axe 

The haft seems really substantial, but the head seems tiny!!
It goes against everything you would expect to see in an axe of this size

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I'm looking forward to the review of this one