A high-quality axe is a must-have of every family. It does wonders for both household and outdoor stuff. Especially in Western countries where almost every family owns a fireplace, the axe turns out to be extremely useful.
According to Wikipedia, an axe is an implement that has been taken advantage of since the prehistoric period. It has been used to shape, cut and split wood in harvests. It is also used as a type of weapon and as a heraldic symbol. In prehistoric times, an axe was made only of stone and has no handle. Later on, humans gradually used more modern materials to create axes.
Modern axes are created with wooden handles to make it easy for humans to use. Handles are also made of fiberglass and plastic too. The axes’ heads are made of various types of metals including steel, bronze, iron and copper. However, it is steel heads that are the most popular these days because they are strong and long-lasting.
Finding an axe is easy, but to pick out a wonderful felling axe from others is not. Therefore, we collected some useful information into this review to help you find out the best felling axe. Stay tuned to see what we can bring you!
Top 6 Best Felling Axe Reviews
PRODUCTS | MODEL | FEATURES | CHECK PRICE |
---|---|---|---|
Husqvarna 26" Wooden Multi-Purpose Axe |
| Check Price | |
Gransfors Bruks Scandinavian Forest Axe 25 Inch |
| Check Price | |
Council Tool 2# Wood-Craft Pack Axe |
| Check Price | |
1844 Helko Werk Germany Classic Expedition |
| Check Price | |
Hults Bruk Atran Felling Axe |
| Check Price | |
1844 Helko Werk Germany Black Forest Woodworker Axe |
| Check Price |
Below are the detailed reviews
1Husqvarna 26
Specifications:
- Weight: 2.1 lbs
- Length: 26 inches
- Head Weight: 1.8 lbs
- Head material: Swedish steel
- Handle material: American hickory
- Product Dimensions: 25.6 x 7.2 x 1.6 inches
Do you prefer looking for an axe made of a traditional style to a modern one? Today, we would like to offer you an axe that will absolutely meet your needs. The name of this item is Husqvarna 26″ Wooden Multi-Purpose Axe. This felling axe is so great thanks to providing the benefits of wooden axes that are suitable for many various kinds of work. The dimensions of Husqvarna 26″ Wooden Multi-Purpose Axe are 25.6 x 7.2 x 1.6 inches and its weight is just 2.1 pounds. For its perfect size, this axe is truly good for the users at different heights. In addition, this product is designed with a gentle and traditional design and made of consistently high-quality steel and wood, so it will definitely impress you by its self-impression. You should maintain and store your felling axe in a good condition (not too hot) to avoid the shrink for the handle and make it last longer. In fact, you can request the manufacturer for a warranty so that you can easily have it fixed when it is broken.
Pros
- The long handle provides power to the cut
- Work well on different types of wood logs with a single-bit axe
- Multi-purpose axe is a single-bit axe in traditional style
- Come with a versatile axe
- Head is attached to the hickory shaft using both a wooden and Steel Wedge to secure fastening
- Come with a leather edge cover to keep the axe clean and safe
Cons
- None
Specifications:
- Weight: 2.6 lbs
- Length: 25 inches
- Head Weight: 1.5 lbs
- Head material: Swedish steel
- Handle material: American hickory
- Product Dimensions: 26 x 7.2 x 2 inches
Experiencing a new type of axe is such a great thing you should do. To us, Gransfors Scandinavian Forest Axe is a name you should not miss. We are sure its name may tell you something about itself, let’s check it out now. Gransfors Scandinavian Forest Axe quite has similar functions to other axes like Husqvarna 26″ and Fiskars Iso Core 8 in general. However, it is more suitable and professional compared to them. This amazing product is made in Sweden which is a home of high-quality tools and accessories.
Designed with a modern style, Gransfors Scandinavian Forest Axe only weighs 2.6 pounds, comes with 25 inches handle length, and an original Gransfors Axebook. This simple and nice axe will give you a great performance from head to toe. Moreover, it offers the perfect length of the cutting edge which approximates 3-1/2 inch in order to give quick and beautiful cuts on the big resinous wood in the forest like spruce or pine. The lasting time of this axe is a thing you need to note. Normally, the blade can be sharp from 8 to 12 months based on using condition. After this period of time, you have to have it sharped to ensure an ideal work. It is one of the newest cutting tools that have been released on the market for 5 years now. Thus, you can keep it in mind every time you expect to grab the best axe.
Pros
Cons
Council Tool 2# Wood-Craft Pack Axe
Specifications:
- Weight: 2.75 lbs
- Length: 24 inches
- Head Weight: 2 lbs
- Head material: 5160 steel
- Handle material: American hickory
- Product Dimensions: 30 x 9 x 3 inch
The Council Tool is a famous and trusted company for making outdoor industrial tools. Council Tool 2# Wood-Craft Pack Axe is one of the greatest tools of this company that we would love to recommend to you today. It is designed as a multi-functional axe that can do multiple jobs. For this reason, this product can be used perfectly for chopping, cutting, felling, shaving, carving, hamming, splitting, and even aiding in fire starting.
The overall weight of Council Tool 2# Wood-Craft Pack Axe is 2.75 pounds when the head weighs 2 pounds. It is a bit heavier than the others. This type of axe is really typical thanks to using 5160 steel and a 24″ Premium Curved Hickory handle. It helps exceed strength on the handle so that the users can swing, split, and chop the woods comfortably. Besides, a high-quality welted leather mask is comprised to help you avoid hurting you by a very sharp cutting edge. This Council Tool 2# Wood-Craft Pack Axe is completely one of the best options for you to select from. If you are ready to bring home the best axe, we are sure that this good product is definitely for you.
Pros
- Made using 5160 steel, heat treated on both ends for superior strength
- Impress the users by its beauty and simple design
- High-quality handle and cutting edge is included
- Comes with a fully welted leather blade mask to ensure safety for the users
- 24″ Premium Curved Hickory Handle – handle length is before hanging and assembly
- Ideal for chopping, cutting, splitting, carving, shaving, hewing, hammering, aiding in fire starting
Cons
- None
1844 Helko Werk Germany Classic Expedition
Specifications:
- Weight: 6.5 lbs
- Length: 35 inches
- Head Weight: 4.5 lbs
- Head material: C50 high carbon steel – 53-56 HRC
- Handle material: Grade A American hickory
- Product Dimensions: 36 x 7 x 1.5 inch
If you love to have some new experience while working with wood and axes, Helko Werk Germany Classic Expedition Axe is a great option for you to choose from. This axe is a perfect complex the best Swedish steel and American hickory handles. Now, let us take you to some important details of this tool to let you have full knowledge about it. In fact, Helko Werk Germany Classic Expedition Axe is the heaviest axe which is used for the most difficult work. Overall, the axe weighs 6.5 pounds and has 35 inches in length. This axe is much heavier than another one. Therefore, you may struggle to handle it at first, but you will feel much more comfortable after a while holding it. Thus, getting used to it beforehand is needed if you are a newcomer.
Helko Werk Germany Classic Expedition Axe is handmade from Germany. Its blade is made of C50 high carbon steel, and the handle is crafted in Switzerland. The cutting edge is soil and hard to provide hard cuts on big logs of wood. Therefore, it will require much more power in your work if you want to fell or cut the trees perfectly. Besides, the handle comes unfinished, with no varnish or oil so it will have a nicer look after a good sanding and treatment with linseed oil. If you use this felling axe for over 6 months, it will be dull caused by rust and friction, so you should not forget to clean and put some oil on the blade after using it before you store it for the next time. Truly, Helko Werk Germany Classic Expedition Axe is one of our favorite axes so far thanks to its nice style and great performance.
Pros
- It is made of finest materials
- An amazing tool for felling hardwood
- It remains a wonderful performance in a long time
- Come with a very sharp edge and a protective sheath
- Axe guard oil is included to protect the cutting edge
Cons
- It is quite heavy for the newcomers
Hults Bruk Atran Felling Axe
Specifications:
- Weight: 4.8 lbs
- Length: 32 inches
- Head Weight: 3.5 lbs
- Head material: Swedish steel
- Handle material: American hickory
- Product Dimensions: 33 x 8 x 2 inch
Hults Bruk Atran Felling Axe is a good felling axe offered at a reasonable price. It is made by famous manufacturers from Sweden so its quality must be ensured 100%. This felling axe has a special design in order to bring down or cut up small to larger sized trees.
The Hults Bruk Atran Felling Axe has 32 inches in the handle length and 3.5 pounds in the head weight. Its moul is produced as another version of blasted and clear-lacquered ironwork which is like tempered zone design to hold a sharp cutting edge tightly. More than that, the handle of Hults Bruk Atran Felling Axe is treated with linseed oil to bring the axe a nicer look. In addition, a traditional leather protective sheath and a detailed manual book guide are equipped with every axe to keep users away the very sharp blade and give better use also. So, they seem like features you should not miss while you go shopping for it.
Pros
- This axe head is hand-forged and made from Swedish
- Each axe comes with a traditional leather protective sheath
- Come with a detailed users manual.
- The steel is struck multiple times to increase its density
- Great for felling trees
Cons
- The handle is a tad rough
1844 Helko Werk Germany Black Forest Woodworker Axe
Specifications:
- Weight: 3.5 lbs
- Length: 24 inches
- Head Weight: 2.25 lbs
- Head material: C50 high carbon steel – 53-56 HRC
- Handle material: Grade A American hickory
- Product Dimensions: 24 x 7 x 1.5 inch
As you have known, Helko is a big company for handmade tools in Germany. This company has been releasing a collection of several sorts of axes to meet people’s needs all over the world. Besides Helko Werk Germany Classic Expedition, we would love you lead you Helko Werk Germany Black Forest Woodworker Axe, another tool will definitely blow your mind once you got it. The quality of Helko Werk Germany Black Forest Woodworker Axe is awesome. It is mainly used for the men who would love to have more interesting experiences and joys in their wood-works.
This axe has a 24 inches handle and its head weight is 2.25 pounds. The cutting edge of this tool is made of high-quality carbon steel from America to perform great work. It is perfectly used for doing some easier jobs like felling, chopping, cutting, and even carving small branches or small logs of wood. For this reason, Helko Werk Germany Black Forest Woodworker Axe seems a nice option for the ones who love to grab a tool for multiple using purposes. And, it can be not only packed perfectly on your back but also hung on the wall nicely.
Pros
- An amazing tool for multiple job
- Handmade in Germany
- C50 high carbon steel – 53-56 HRC
- Come with a wider cutting edge
- Includes full grain leather sheath
Cons
- It is not ideal for hardwood works
Features to Know for Choosing the Best Felling Axe
There are many factors to consider. You should check out the length, the weight, the handle and so on. Because the axe can sometimes be dangerous, it is important to keep yourself safe from the get-go by choosing the right one.
Length & Weight
The length and weight are very crucial factors. They decide the force you have to use when cutting. The heavier and the longer the handle is, the more force you have to generate. The ideal length of a handle is 30 inches.
The head takes the most weight of an axe. Felling axes have thin heads to cut deep into the wood grain. It is an easy task to deal with small trees but large trees would take a long time. So felling axes are not too heavy, its average weight ranges from 3 to 5 lbs. Be honest with your physical ability to choose the most suitable axe for you in terms of length and weight, so that you can keep yourself on safety grounds and use the axe comfortably.
Single Bit or Double Bit
Single bit axes are more popular with users because people tend to believe that is safer. Felling axes are usually single bit ones. They are better at cutting down trees or you can also use them to trim logs and heavy brush. Single bit axes are often made of steel and have a flat face at one end and a cutting edge at the other end. The double-bit axes have two cutting edges at the two ends of its head. The second difference is that its handle is often curved. The two different types are used for dissimilar purposes. While one bit is used to cut deeply, single bit is used for working with downed trees.
Handle Shape
People are usually confused about choosing curved or straight handles. In the past, the latter is more popular but now the table has turned. People now creatively make single-bit felling axes with a curved handle because it facilitates people’s use. Besides, most double-bit axes are created with straight handles.
Handle Material
Wood handles are much better than plastic handles because they are stronger. In order to maximize strength, the wood grain in the handle must be parallel with the ax head. When purchasing, you should also check the growth rings carefully. They should be close to assure the handle is not loose.
Price
The price is also a crucial characteristic to consider. All the above-mentioned factors decide whether the price is low or high. But if you choose carefully, you can pick out the one you want and still assure your budget at the same time. Choosing the long-lasting axes, you can even keep it for long and pass it to your friends when not using it.
FAQ
Q: How much weight should the axe head be?
A: Considering all the pros and cons, we found out that the weight of an axe should be 3.5 pounds or over.
Q: How different are the felling axe and the splitting axe?
A: It is the shape of the head that is the main difference. The head of a felling axe has a long rounded edge to cut deeply and sharply the wood whereas a splitting axe is designed to go along the grain of the wood fibers.
Conclusion
To wrap up, finding out the best axe for yourself without having any good clues about its features and functions is such a hard thing to do. In fact, axes are divers. They are clarified in several different groups depending on their types, functions, designs, and even price. Searching for related information of these products is no longer a pain in your neck once you got our review. Here, we would love to give you a hand in choosing the best axes by figuring out some helpful and quick information of 6 different types as above. We all hope you will read them carefully before choosing an axe at the store. And, do not forget to let us know which one you like most among these 6 types of best felling axes.