If you are thinking that you can do the work of an axe or a hatchet with a survival knife, you are wrong. You might be able to do a few of the tasks done by the axe with the help of a knife, but you will be left wanting for more. A bushcraft axe is a very essential part of camping gear. Without it, you will not have a fulfilling & easy camping trip. There are loads of items out in the market. The sheer number & types of the available bushcraft axes will leave you baffled & confused. To help you with finding the perfect one, we have reviewed the top 7 best bushcraft axe out there.
Is it accurate to say that you’re an outdoors enthusiast who loves camping outdoors? If that is indeed the case, you will need a complete survival kit for the outdoors. And surely, no outdoors camping kit will be complete without a bushcraft Axe.
It is pretty difficult & challenging to survive out in the middle of a dark, grumpy forest with incomplete camping equipment. If you want to make your camping trip pretty easy & convenient, then a bushcraft axe is a must-have. Although survival knives are pretty compact & portable, they don’t do all the things which can be done by a bushcraft axe.
Even in this world of cutting-edge tech, axes & hatchets are pretty important & useful. They are quite useful indoors, however, when it comes to their usage outdoors while camping, they are pretty much irreplaceable. Whether you need to clear the ground for making camp or you need to cut down wood to build a fire, you would need a good bushcraft axe.
Now that we have established the importance of Bushcraft axes, here comes the main question. Which bushcraft Axe is the best amongst the plethora of available ones out there? Bushcraft axes all vary in size, function, weight, the purpose of usage & cost. Thus, it can get a little confusing for people who are buying a bushcraft axe for the first time.
To spare you the tension & worry, we have reviewed the top 7 best Bushcraft axes factoring several of your needs. Hopefully, you will find one which you think fills your needs perfectly.
Furthermore, in the end, we have included a comprehensive buying guide which will help you with what to look for in the best bushcraft axe in the first place.
Hults Bruk Jonaker Hatchet
Jonaker Hatchet is intended to do outdoor errands like making a fire, light clearing, and so on. The axe accompanies the customary defensive sheath made up of leather. For a large portion of outdoors campers, this is a standout amongst all the available ones as it can easily be worn on the belt and conveyed effectively. Plus, the Swedish hand-produced steel gives a warranty of a lifetime.
Generally, this bushcraft axe made it to the list of best bushcraft axes since it is very portable & you can carry it you anyplace you need. You can do the majority of the camp work with the Hults Bruk Jonaker Hatchet. In case you’re searching for a lightweight axe for your upcoming camping trip, this is the one for you.
It fits perfectly inside a backpack & can also be worn on a belt. This axe has a head weight of one pound. The length of the handle is 9.4 inches.
- Dimensions: 10.9 x 7.1 x 2.3 inches
- Weight: 1.79 pounds
- Amazing hickory handle
- Comes with a leather protective sheath
- Head is made up of solid Carbon-steel
- Compact
- Durable
- Portable
- Light in weight
- Efficient
- The cost is a bit high as compared to other bushcraft axes
Estwing Special Edition Fireside Friend Axe
Estwing’s Fireside Friend Splitting Tool is produced in one piece. The length, as well as the weight of this Bushcraft axe, give the influence and power required for simple wood splitting. In case you have to build a fire to stay warm amid the winter season ahead, you’re going to require a decent wood splitting equipment. Estwing Special Edition Fireside Friend Axe is the splitting tool you are looking for!
There are several different reasons for the fame of this extraordinary axe. It has a one-piece manufactured steel structure that ensures the purchaser doesn’t need to change its handle, ever! This bushcraft axe weighs only 1 lb. That is very hard to believe when one considers its excellent performance which is on par with its heavy counterparts. You can easily carry it inside your backpack.
The head of this bushcraft axe doesn’t get loose as it is forged with the help of strong, excellent quality steel. Notwithstanding that, this bushcraft axe comes with a solid nylon sheath for additional strength. It is lightweight, durable & easy to carry around.
- Dimensions: 14.2 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches
- Weight: 7 ounces
- The design is one-piece
- No need to worry about a loosehead
- Great balance
- Light in weight
- Comfortable
- Made of high-quality steel
- It tends to get slippery if the handle is wet
- A bit expensive
Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe
The Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe is an incredible multi-tasker with regards to bushcraft. Just 19 inches long and weighing 2 pounds, it can easily perform several outdoor tasks. It is additionally lightweight and minimal, which makes it amazingly simple to bring with you on your undertakings in the wild!
It is quite an expensive axe when compared to other bushcraft axes; however, it is made up of the finest materials. It is entirely handmade. The handle is made of American Hickory while the edge is made of particularly solid Swedish carbon steel. In addition, this hatchet accompanies a stunningly refined sharp edge, adding punch to its capacity.
In case you are one of the individuals who is searching for a hatchet that can be used for camping adventures outdoors, then pick this hatchet without further thought. It has a substantially large head, which makes it helpful for completing tough tasks!
- Length: 19 inch
- Weight: 2 lbs.
- Pretty light in weight
- Can be easily tucked inside your backpack
- Pretty powerful
- High efficiency
- Portable
- Durable
- A bit costly
- The handle starts to wear off after continuous usage
Husqvarna Wooden Multi-Purpose Axe
In contrast to numerous other bushcraft axes, this one performs a wide assortment of cutting tasks instead of being explicit in its purpose. In case you are a normal user aiming to purchase a hatchet that can work for any kind of cuttings, then the Husqvarna multipurpose axe is the perfect one for you.
This is a medium-sized instrument with a 26-inch long wooden handle having a decent orientation of grain. The finish of this axe’s handle is pretty smooth to guarantee the fact that you feel good while using it. You can also polish the handle with linseed oil to make it more comfortable.
The hand manufactured Swedish steelhead has 3.25-inch broadened sharp edge equipped for hacking and chopping small logs, around 2-3 inch in width.
In order to prolong the life of this bushcraft axe, you need to use it with consideration, and you should ensure appropriate upkeep & maintenance. You should keep this axe in a dry spot & clean it after every use.
- Dimensions: 25.6 x 7.2 x 1.6 inches
- Weight: 2.1 pounds
- Excellent performance
- Durable
- Portable
- Light in weight
- Comes with a curved handle which improves support
- Good handle length
- Easy to carry around
- Multi-purpose axe
- Needs continuous sharpening
- Does not have wedged shape, thereby it gets difficult to split large pieces of wood
Council Tool 2# Wood-Craft Pack Axe
This bushcraft axe is well worth its cost. With a 24-inch long handle and a head weighing 2 pounds, it contains a lot of intensity for chopping, cleaving, splitting, felling, and several other tasks. Additionally, despite the fact that it is long, it is fit for finer errands, for example, carving, cutting and shaving.
A drawback to this bushcraft axe is the very thing that makes it so incredible; its length. Despite the fact that the axe tips the scales at less than 3 pounds, it tends to be unwieldy to carry in light of its sheer size. Its quality and numerous uses may take this drawback away from the light. If you don’t mind its length, you are going to be pretty satisfied with its performance.
The bit is molded to lessen the weight without decreasing the capacity to be powerful. The heaviest part of the bit still makes the best impact, enabling it to be utilized for parting & splitting wood successfully.
The most important feature of this excellent axe is that it is intended for both carving and shaping wood. The bit feels amazing in your grasp – even when you are wearing gloves. This will be quite helpful when it comes to tasks like making wood stakes or tinder.
- Dimensions: 30 x 9 x 3 inches
- Weight: 4.38 pounds
- Long handle length
- Portable
- Comfortable
- Durable
- Efficient
- A tad bit heavy on the pocket
- A bit heavy as compared to other axes
CAMAQUI Hatchet
The CAMAQUI Hatchet has two distinct styles: the Northern and the Eastern style. The Eastern style tends to be lighter in weight at 1.88 pounds. It has a small head & a slim handle made of rosewood.
The Northern style bushcraft axe is slightly heavy & weighs 2.10 pounds. It has a bigger handle & a bigger head. The handle is made of hickory. All the other features present in the two different styles of the axe are somewhat similar.
The axe is hand-manufactured with every unit bearing its own one-of-a-kind look that is particular from some other hand-cut units. For any individual who esteems the credibility of high-quality items, this is pretty amazing.
The ergonomic handle is marginally bent for impeccable grasp. The weight is equally circulated between the head and handle, the consequence of which is a very well-balanced axe with an ideal capacity-to-weight proportion.
At 13.5 inches, the handle is sufficiently long to convey a somewhat amazing swing, enough to cut through most average-sized woods. It accompanies a free, uncompromising leather sheath for the cutting edge. The company does not give you a lifetime guarantee. However, you get a money-back guarantee. In case you’re disappointed with any part of the axe, get in touch with them, and they will give you your money back!
- Overall length: 15 inch
- Weight: 2.6 lbs.
- Hand-forged
- Well-balanced
- Durable
- Comes in 2 options of style
- Comes with a free leather sheath
- The head tends to get loose after some time
Prandi German Style Hatchet
Prandi is an Italian organization with considerable authority in cutting instruments for almost fifty years. The high levels of their aptitude and craftsmanship imply they can deliver the absolute best bushcraft axes in Europe. Every one of the blades is solidified, hand-finished and cleaned to a fine edge for a definitive cutting instrument.
The Prandi “German Type” 1000g highlights a carbon steel C45/1045 cutting edge with a Hickory handle. It is provided with a protective leather sheath and cord. The size is especially valuable around the camp since it is light in weight.
This bushcraft axe is provided with a decent edge; however, this can be enhanced to make it sharp like a razor’s edge whenever required for cutting. The head weighs 600 grams or 1000 grams. The handle is produced using hickory wood and measures 32 cm or 40 cm.
- Weight: 2.1 pounds
- Overall Length: 15.75”
- Strong axe head
- Durable
- Portable
- Light in weight
- Comes with a protective sheath
- Protective varnish coating
- Great Hickory handle
- The head needs grinding & sharpening quite often
Buyers Guide
When you are out camping in the wild, there are loads of things which can be done with the help of a bushcraft axe. Whether it is splitting wood, chopping it or carving it, you require the perfect bushcraft axe. This is one tool which will come in handy in several other camping affairs as well.
You cannot just go out and buy a bushcraft axe without any prior knowledge. The above-reviewed bushcraft axes are one of the few out there which have pretty amazing features. However, before buying a bushcraft axe, there are some factors you ought to consider.
These factors range from the distribution of weight, sharpening of the blade’s edge, the geometry of the blade, overall design & several more. Generally, if you are going to camp deep in the woods, you need to make sure the axe is strong as well as lightweight. The cutting angles and the alignment of the blade with the handle need to be considered as well. Without further ado, let’s take a brief glimpse into the things which are necessary to know before buying the best bushcraft axe!
Weight
Before buying the perfect bushcraft axe, you will need to take its weight into consideration. The weight of both the head & the handle needs to be looked at.
The weight of the head of the axe will determine how efficient the Bushcraft axe is while performing certain actions like chopping off tree limbs. Meanwhile, the weight of the handle will give you an idea about how firm your grip will need to be while swinging down the axe.
If you are planning on hiking or camping deep in the woods and will need to carry the axe, then you need to consider an axe which is light in weight yet doesn’t compromise on the efficiency & power.
Length
The handle length is pretty critical while picking up a bushcraft axe. Think about the impacts of the size of the handle in case of a miss. If the handle is too short, it would almost certainly strike the knee, a medium-length bushcraft axe would hit the instep, and a long one would fly out of the hand and into the ground.
Although a long bushcraft axe might be more secure, in case it is too long, it will represent a danger instead of offering insurance in light of its sheer clumsiness. If you are buying the bushcraft axe from your local store, you can swing the axe around a few times and see what fits you. However, if you are buying it online, you need to know the length beforehand. If the length of the handle of the bushcraft axe is equal to the length of your straightened arm to your armpit, it is the ideal option.
Type of Steel
The blades of the bushcraft axes are typically made up of steel, yet not all kinds of steel are the same. The kind of steel which you require in a Bushcraft axe head should almost certainly have a sharp cutting edge. It needs to retain that sharpness in the edge and not become dull or cracked after some period of time. If the steel is too soft, it will quickly become dull. If the blade is too hard, it will certainly split or crack. Therefore you need the kind of blade which has a moderate level of carbon in it, although that will make the axe expensive.
Handle
The handle of a bushcraft axe is also called a shaft. It can be made from several types of materials such as metal, fiberglass & hickory. The handle is intended to diminish the power when the bushcraft axe is being used to chop wood.
There are three vital things to note when searching for the best bushcraft axe handle:
- Grain
- Composition
- Growth rings
In any case, a bushcraft axe’s handle should be made of wood, and the best sorts of wood are ash & hickory. The ash or hickory handle must be built such that the grain runs vertically as this will make the handle a lot more grounded. Additionally, if there are numerous growth rings and they are near one another, the handle will be able to withstand more pressure & will be more powerful.
Portability
Among several other things which need to be looked into before buying a bushcraft axe, the portability is pretty important. Since bushcraft axes are usually used by campers & hikers, you need to know how far you will have to carry it. The axe should be easy to pack up, and comfortable to hold & carry around.
Safety
We don’t have to mention the fact that safety is the foremost priority while using a bushcraft axe. It’s implied that you need to have the capacity to utilize the hatchet securely without harming yourself. There are various features. As a matter of foremost importance, in case you can get one with a hold at the base, this will enable the axe to remain in your grasp. You must likewise ensure it is a respectable brand, and that they agree to the International assembling and safety guidelines.
Durability
As far as durability is concerned, tempered steel sharp edges will last for a longer period of time and will be more averse to rust after some time. Strong handles are additionally a brilliant alternative, and with present-day innovation, they arrive in an assortment of far more strong materials than the customary wood. In case you do decide on a wooden one, try to get one that is varnished & sanded to help fortify its quality
Final thoughts
Overall, the process of buying the perfect bushcraft axe boils down to personal preferences & requirements. The purpose for which you will need it, the distance you will have to carry it along with you, and several other things need to be considered before choosing the one which suits your needs perfectly.
Lightweight axes are perfect for small tasks, whereas bigger & heavier axes which have long handles are capable of withstanding a lot more pressure and provide more support as well. We have discussed this above in the buying guide as well.
In conclusion, it all comes down to what you want in a bushcraft axe. Go through the reviewed items above and hopefully; you will find one which you think is the one for you.
If you have any more doubts & confusions, go through the buying guide & look into the factors you need to consider before purchasing the Bushcraft axe you think is perfect for you.
