Best Bushcraft Axe by George Carlyle

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Best Bushcraft Axe – Buyer’s Guide by George Carlyle | Last Updated: October 23, 2018

Choosing an best bushcraft axe is more complicated than nding the shiniest looking blade; axes range in size, weight, power, and exibility, and each type of axe is suitable for different instances. When choosing an axe, it is important to know what tasks you will be using it for, and what characteristics of an axe would be useful for that type of work. For example, one looking for an axe to whittle and carve wood might opt for a model with a straight edge, whose design facilitates slow and precise directing of the blade for accurate carving, while someone looking for more power might prefer an axe with a longer handle for increased momentum and control with harder strokes.

Contents [show]

What is the best ax in October 2018? If you’re searching for the right Bushcraft axe for your wood-working needs, look no further than this guide.

Make

Small Forest Axe

Velvicut Premium Axe

SCAXEL2L

2# WOOD-CRAFT

Aneby

Model

(Editor’s Choice)

Survival Axe

Pack Axe

Hatchet

Brand

Gransfors Bruk

Council Tool

Husqvarna

Woodcraft

Weight, lbs

1.5

2.0

2.2

2.75

Length

19"

16"

17"

24"

20"

Check Price

1. The Gransfors Bruks “Small Forest Axe” – Best small axe for bushcraft I wanted to take a moment to give you a little description, a little quick review on the Gränsfors Bruks Small Forest Axe, so this is it right here. It’s about 20 inches long, really handy little axe. It’s kind of a medium sized head, bigger than the wildlife, a lot bigger than mini axe, but a little bit smaller than the Gränsfors Bruks Scandinavian. If you want something you can put in your backpack, something you can carry around that’s light and handy and easy, I highly recommend the Gränsfors Bruks Small Forest Axe. One thing that you wanna pay attention to when you’re looking at axes, you’re gonna wonder, “Okay, why is this axe so much more expensive than the ones I see in the hardware store or other good quality American makers like … you know there’s several different makers out there.

Perfect product What you’re paying for to some extent besides the fact that this is handmade and it’s the best materials, you’re also paying for the fact that they’ve taken the time to sharpen it. They’ve re ned the edge. I don’t know how well you can see it in the picture, but this is a very elegantly re ned edge right here, all of the hard work has been done. You can buy a good quality but less re ned axe, even something ne made in America or Europe, but the edge is not gonna be as sharp. It’s not gonna be as re ned as this one. You can buy that. You can spend three, four hours or more doing your own ling, doing your own honing and getting it to the point where it’s a

Gränsfors Bruks but if you don’t wanna mess around with it, and there’s nothing wrong with that. A lot of people love doing that. Myself, I don’t really like doing that. I’ve got too many other things to do, so I don’t mind paying the money and just getting something that’s already done. These things are absolutely hair shaving sharp right out of the box, crazy sharp. Come with a nice leather sheath. There’s no excuses for the axe. Basically that’s it. You have a super high quality axe that’s absolutely ready to go. This one’s got the initials CS on it. They all sign their initials, so great quality control. Nobody wants to put a bad one on and get embarrassed by putting their initials on a bad axe, so everything that leaves is awesome.

Can be carried in a backpack These are handmade. They’re all gonna be a little bit different in the sense that this is hand forged. It’s not perfectly smooth and polished. It’s not supposed to be. This is how it comes right from the forge. They all have their unique characteristics. All of the handles on these things are American hickory, which is the best material that you can get for an axe handle. They’re put together correctly. They use a special blend of beeswax paraf n, nice oils in the handle. It’s a great little axe. With the backpack, this thing is really great for it. So typical medium sized pack. This thing slips right in and you can put the lid over it and there you go. Completely concealed, especially if you wanna travel covert through the woods. You don’t wanna have a big axe sticking out your pack so everybody knows what you’re up. It’s a great size. You can always get something smaller. You can always get something bigger. If you wanna get your one rst axe, this is a great one to have. A lot of people that buy Gränsfors end up buying a lot of ’em anyways. You wanna have each tool for the job. This is one of my favorites, one of the ones that I always go to. So there you have it. The Small Forest Axe by Gränsfors Bruks.

Conclusion The Gransfors Bruks “Small Forest Axe” is our choice for the best Bushcraft out there. This axe goes for power, with a longer, 19 inch handle, and a large head. Nevertheless, it is not too heavy, at 2 pounds. Despite its size, this axe still retains the compact qualities of a good Bushcraft axe, and is small enough to t in a rucksack. Simple and sturdy, the Forest Axe has an elegantly plain hickory handle with a small lanyard hole at the end.

Each handle on a Gransfors Bruks axe is designed using old Swedish traditions by expert Hans Erik Persson, providing an ergonomic and steady, comfortable grip on the axe. Hickory is the perfect wood

for the job, as it is exible and sturdy, with long, parallel bers. The axe has a 3-¼ inch face and a vegetable-tanned, grain-leather sheath.

The Small Forest Axe’s extra power gives it the qualities desired for when felling and limbing trees. Gransfors Bruk’s standard, 20 year warranty covers the axe head, but not the handle or the leather sheet. The axe is not the most economic axe model, but its quality is certainly worth its price tag.

Pros

Cons

 Powerful and sturdy

 Expensive

 Ergonomic, comfortable grip

 Not as compact as other axes

 20-year warranty  Expert design and manufacturing

2.The Council Tool “Velvicut Premium Saddle Axe” – The Best Bushcraft Axe This Council Tool masterpiece axe is built for the grind and wear-and-tear of heavy axe work. Produced by Council Tool, one of the most trusted tool manufacturers for over 125 years, the Velvicut Saddle Axe is a versatile axe designed to be multifunctional and packable. This speci c design received its name for being traditionally carried on horseback. The axe has an American Hickory Handle, a preferred wood type for axes, and has a 16-inch “prehanging” height, and a 15.5-inch “post-hanging” height. This premium axe is renowned for its heat treated and tempered, 5160 Steel blade, a strong and sharp metal with long-lasting blade retention. The Council Tool axe is also multifunctional, with two blades; the left blade has an incredibly sharp 25-degree at grind, which is perfect for shaving and carving, and the right blade has a blunter 32-degree at grind, which is more tting for heavier jobs such as chopping or splitting wood.

In line with its title, this axe is as premium as it gets. Aside from a superior axe blade and beautifullycrafted hickory handle, the Velvicut model comes with a ne leather double bit blade cover- and with premium qualities comes premium price.

Pros

Cons

 Small, sturdy design

 Pricy

 Quality 5160 steel

 Slightly heavy

 Double-sided for more functions

3. Schrade “SCAXEL2L Survival Axe” – Best budget bushcraft axe This axe is perfect for those looking to buy a good axe for a low price. While its price tag is one of its main selling points, this axe is also quite an effective Bushcraft axe. At 15 inches and under 2 pounds, the axe is compact and transportable, as a traditional Bushcraft should be. The blade is made from the strong 3Cr13 Stainless Steel and coated with Titanium. The black glass ber lled PA handle has an ergonomic rubber grip and the rod has lanyard holes. The axe also comes with a polyester belt sheath. While the Schrade Survival Axe lacks some of the more premium features of more expensive axes, such as hickory handles, more premium steel, and ne, hand-forged craftsmanship, it is still a very good axe choice. The axe is ideal for starting res and the occasional light woodwork and can be held with one or two hands,

depending on the task at hand and the power needed. The axe’s stainless steel, coated in titanium, while susceptible to getting scratched up, retains sharpness for a long time, and can de nitely get the job done. While it may not be a Gransfors Bruks, this axe is certainly up to the test, and can go a very long way for a very good price.

Pros

Cons

 Very inexpensive

 Not as quality of an axe as some more expensive models

 Versatile  Transportable

4. The Council Tool “2# WOOD-CRAFT Pack Axe” – Wetterlings bushman axe At number three on our list lies another Council Tool piece. The 2# WOOD-CRAFT model is a very long axe, with a 24inch, American Hickory wood handle. This means lots of power.

With a sturdy design and ergonomic, comfortable grip, this pack axe has the length, power, and leverage for serious

wood cutting.

Aside from heavy work, the axe is also capable of many other tasks, making it one of the more multi-functional axes you’ll nd, despite its size. This premium axe can chop, split, carve, shave, hew, hammer, and even start res. This axe’s multi-functioning characteristics make it our choice for the best outdoors axe. Extremely sharp and forged from the quality 5160 steel, this axe is always up to the challenge. It is accompanied by a high quality leather mask to protect the head from the elements and its user from the extremely sharp edge. The axe is a little pricy, but not too over-the-top, a good price for a very capable axe.

Pros

Cons

 Long and powerful

 Slightly expensive

 5160 steel

 Hard to transport due to size

 Many functions

5. The Hults Bruk “Aneby Hatchet” – Best survival axe Nothing says powerful like an Aneby Hatchet. Built by the Swedish Hults Bruk axe manufacturers, which was created in 1697, the Aneby model is a long axe, with a 20-inch handle, and weighs 2.75 pounds, making it suitable for forest work, chopping and cutting lumber. Despite its size, the axe is carefully designed to give its user maximum leverage, allowing it to be used for animal skinning and other, more delicate tasks. The axe head is hand forged using Swedish axe steel. Built for durability, the axe head is struck multiple times during the hand-grinding production process, increasing the density and making the end product as durable as possible. The tempered zone of the axe facilitates maximum blade retention.

As with the previous axes, the handle is made from premium axe wood, American Hickory. The handle is curved and treated with linseed oil. The axe comes with a premium leather sheath. One look at this model and it is obvious that it was made to last. For axe users who often nd themselves doing heavy axe work in dif cult conditions, this axe is more than suitable for the job. Additionally, the Hults Bruk team promises that this axe has the potential to last a lifetime, and is happy to provide a warranty on faulty parts.

The Aneby model is not the cheapest Bushcraft axe you will nd, but is at a fair price for the qualities it offers.

Pros

Cons

 Long blade retention

 Heavy

 Powerful

 Not as compact as other models

 Trusted manufacturer  Warranty

6. The Wetterlings “Outdoor Axe #118” – Best backpacking axe Wetterlings is a trusted Swedish axe manufacturer that has been growing and adapting for well over 100 years. When you buy one of their axes, you are not only purchasing a quality axe, but also a rich tradition and historical design passed down by expert axe welders. The Outdoor axe is a lightweight but long axe that can be used with one or two hands. This allows it to be used for more dif cult jobs, such as felling trees, and more intricate jobs, such as whittling or carving. This model is particularly effective in bringing down large trees, with an ergonomic, hickory handle that facilitates all uses of the axe. The Outdoor Axe is 19-¼ inches long, fairly long but not enough to become unwieldy. A total weight of under 2.5 pounds makes it fairly lightweight for its size, which allows for more comfortable use. The axe is small enough to t in a large backpack or can be carried in a belt.

Wetterlings describes the axe as “recommended when living a traditional life in the forest, where forest, wood, axe, and re are intertwined.” This accurately describes the axe’s versatility. In terms of blade

hardness, the use of HRC57 steel ensures that this axe will have excellent blade retention and maximum hardness for easy chopping and cutting. The Outdoor Axe is very decently priced for such a quality axe.

Pros

Cons

 Good for chopping down trees

 Slightly light for tasks that require very sturdy axes

 Lightweight despite size  Hardened HRC57 steel  Decently priced

7. The Hultafors “Classic Hunter’s Axe” – Best hunting axe This Hunter’s Axe is, as its name implies, an axe designed for use by hunters. Sturdy, strong, and powerful, this Swedish made axe is ideal for hunting, skinning, and light forest work (which often comes along with hunting). This powerful piece has a rounded neck, is hand forged, and is made using traditional Swedish methods with quality Swedish axe steel. While this axe was designed speci cally for hunters, it has many other functions, including tree cutting, carving, and whittling, which is facilitated by the axe’s rounded neck.

The axe’s ergonomically designed hickory shaft is a little under 20 inches long and it weighs 2 pounds, giving it the heft for the tasks done by hunters while offering its user the comfort necessary for long sessions of use. The blade’s clear tempered zone allows for it to be sharpened continuously without the edge losing strength. Instead of a sheath, this axe comes with just a leather edge protector, where some axe users prefer full sheaths.

A quality that many nd appealing about this axe is that it is hand forged using the traditional methods Hultafors has been using for hundreds of years. This speci c, intricate forging process makes each axe its own, special work that many nd gives the piece a more personal touch.

This axe is not just effective but also affordable, for those searching with a budget.

Pros

Cons

 Cost effective

 Does not come with a full sheath

 Power

 Blade retention might not be on par with previous models

 Designed for hunters  Multi-functional

8. Snow and Nealley “Hudson Bay Axe” – Best camping axe Unlike many Bushcraft axes, the Snow and Nealley brand is pure American, and with American goods always comes the American spirit. This axe, produced by the Amish, is hand crafted and known for its expert craftsmanship. The axe was originally designed for trappers, hunters, and sherman. We chose it for our “Camper’s Axe” model because in addition to being perfect for catching all types of game, this axe is also ideal for wood cutting, carving, lighting a nice big camp re, and many other requirements of camping life. All campers need a good axe, and this Bushcraft Hudson Bay Axe is the perfect one to camp with.

Americans like big, and this axe does not fail to adhere to the American standard. At a lengthy 23 inches and 2.5 pounds, this axe is sturdy and powerful, but its smaller 1-¾ inch head allows for its use in even the most intricate tasks. The long handle is made from hickory, and the axe comes with a genuine leather blade guard, as opposed to a sheath.

Particularly appealing about the Hudson Bay Axe is the manufacturer’s lifetime warranty, which ensures you don’t need to constantly worry about your axe breaking. The axe is also quite inexpensive.

Pros

Cons

 Multifunctional

 Smaller head may be bothersome during large tasks

 Hand crafted

9. Husqvarna 26″ “Wooden Traditional (Multi-Purpose) Axe” – Best felling axe The long, 26 inch length of this Husqvarna multi-purpose model and its 3 pound weight provides the axe all of the power necessary for the most dif cult tree-cutting tasks, from tree felling to wood chopping. While its size sacri ces the traditional compactness of a Bushcraft axe, user will nd that once they get over the axe’s size, it is a very ef cient, powerful axe.

As is necessary for axes built for heavy impact, the heat tempered steel blade is attached to the axe’s handle using both a wooden and steel wedge to insure a secure fastening and the blade staying in place even under the most strenuous circumstances. The long handle is made using premium hickory and is designed for maximum comfort while wielding. The piece comes with a leather edge cover.

This Husqvarna model is not very expensive, adding cost-effectiveness to the characteristics of this ne piece.

Pros

Cons

 Powerful

 Large size compromises the compact nature of a traditional Bushcraft axe

 Blade is very securely fastened to the handle  Cost effective

10. Husqvarna 19″ Wooden Carpenter’s Axe – Carpenters axe This Husqvarna Bushcraft model, unlike its 26 inch counterpart above, is designed for precision and control over size and brute power. It is 19 inches long and weighs almost three pounds- which is rather heavy- and is ideal for carpenters and others involved in intricate woodwork.

The axe is designed with a long, straight cutting edge, and has a very thin blade as to allow for stability and control while cutting. This is not an axe for those who need brute strength, as the blade is very thin. A recess in the head allows for the hand to come very close to the head for maximum control of the blade. The ergonomically designed hickory handle is built for close contact, very speci c and careful use.

Due to its clean, easy to control nature, this axe is best suited for carpenters and those doing similar jobs, rather than campers or hunters. Nevertheless, the axe is still sturdy and strong, if the need arises for a greater use of it.

Pros

Cons

 Straight cutting edge and thin blade for very precise cutting

 A little heavy for its length  Thin blade may make larger tasks dif cult

 Ergonomically designed, hickory handle  Very sturdy

Buyer’s Guide – Bushcraft Axe of 2018 A sturdy and effective Bushcraft axe is a must-have for anyone working with lumber or involved in other forms of woodwork. The right axe can mean the difference between a job well-done and a less than impressive result when it comes to chopping wood. Choosing the best bushcraft axe, therefore, is very important.

Best Bushcraft axes are built to be both powerful and exible. Highly versatile, these axes are small enough to be wielded with one hand and carried in a backpack, but are sturdy enough for more heavyweight, two-handed jobs. In addition to being versatile, Bushcraft hatchets are easier to handle than larger axes, and accordingly easier to learn to use. When searching for the right Bushcraft axe, it is very important to take into consideration what you wish to

get out of your axe. Someone looking to be knocking down trees twice a week will certainly have something different in mind than someone who mainly uses his/her axe for light camping trips every month, or has a whittling hobby.

What steel and wood for an ax to choose With the products described above, I hope I was able to explain to some extent the different qualities of these axes, and what to look for. Swedish made axes are often made extremely well, and Swedish axe steel is often very strong. Hickory is probably the most popular and preferable material for an axe handle, as it is strong but exible, and often very comfortable. Just to reiterate, it is crucial to understand what a Bushcraft is (explained above), and whether it ts your needs. Furthermore, some of the axes described above differ in ways from the traditional Bushcraft axe and its characteristics. Those looking for stronger, more powerful axes might have to compromise on versatility and compactness, as with the Hults Bruk Aneby Hatchet, while those looking for more intricate woodworking capability may have to sacri ce some power, as with the Husqvarna Carpenter’s Axe. As with most things, it’s very important to know what brand you’re buying from. Brands like Wetterlings and Gransfors Bruks are renowned for their craftsmanship and the quality of their pieces, so one can expert superior quality when buying an axe from them.

My choice Personally, the two axes of these 10 that I nd the most attractive are the Council Tool Premium Saddle Axe and the Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe. The Council Tool to me is the most useful axe, as it has two sides or different angles, is built to last, and can do just about anything. The Gransfors model is just too beautiful to pass up, especially when I consider the intricacy of any Gransfors design and how much preciseness, care, and effort goes into each model to produce an elegant yet powerful, multipurpose axe that will get you through just about anything. If you can trust the manufacturer and have a good sense of what you need from your axe, this guide should set you up for the perfect axe pairing. Good luck in your axe-related pursuits!

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