840712 Ekelund Hatchet - 2 lb Head, 20" Handle

I want to preface this with the fact that I bought 4 products for outdoor bushcraft: Hults-Bruk: Aneby Axe, Axe Handle Guard otherwise known as an "Overstrike Guard", Axe Holster, and Wax Canvas Tool Roll. You'll be seeing this same review copy & pasted on each of those items as the quality and craftmanship apply to everyone of them. The Hide and Drink Axe Handle Guard and Holster is made of quality leather that is cut and put together beautifully! All I had to do was use some Lexol leather conditioner on it when they arrived to preserve the leather to last. I also used it on the included Hults-Bruk axe sheath as it was a little dry as well. FYI Lexol is the conditioner they use on horse saddles to make them last forever. I've been using that stuff for many years on all my leather pieces and they have all stood the test of time and have never dried out or cracked so I suggest you not only buy whatever leather items you want from the Hide and Drink company, but also buy some Lexol conditioner so they last forever. On a side note Lexol does darken the leather a bit and takes off a light shade of color from dyed leather (even the browns and blacks), but in all honesty that's a good trade off to have leather that will last you forever. I'm into bushcraft and camping so I wanted a nice axe which you can see in the picture. I bought the Swedish Hults-Bruk 20 inch hand forged- Aneby. A great axe if anyone is reading this who is into bushcraft and in the market for a new axe. This axe is the perfect size and weight for both chopping wood and choking up on the blade to carve wood. At 20 inches long with a 2lbs head it's the most versatile axe I've owned. It came sharp and with a great edge! With that being said I obviously wanted hand guard to not only protect the the handle from chopping debris, but also something that I could hold when I choke up on the blade to carve or chisel wood. This hand guard does just that. It's got the perfect thickness and grip to hold onto and it's a solid piece of quality leather. The same goes for the Axe Holster. It fits perfect on a traditional belt, not a tool belt. It's the perfect thickness and quality with brass rivets holding the two pieces together. The Wax Canvas Tool Roll bag I'm using to put my smaller Japanese chisels, Scotch eyed auger, and other wood-working tools- Swedish Morakniv: wood carving knife and hook knife. The Wax Canvas Tool Roll bag is also phenomenal quality! It feels like it was made back in the 1800's when people cared about quality and craftsmanship. Another cool thing about this Guatemalan based company Hide and Drink is that every thing I bought came with a personally signed craftsman's card with the person's name hand written on it that made your unique piece. When someone takes the time to put their name on each individually hand crafted piece you know you're not only getting quality, but also accountability.

Really great camping axe. Very well made, head hung perfectly, very sharp. Small enough to be used one handed like a hatchet, big enough to use two handed like an axe. Poll is slightly beveled to use for skinning animals, but has a flat center so can be used to hammer wood stakes. The similar Gransfors Bruks axes are either smaller with rounder poll that can’t be used for hammering (hunters axe) or have a sharp edged poll (Small Forest Axe) and can’t be used for skinning and both cost $30-$50 more.

If you’re looking for a well made axe with a strong steel, than you’ve found the best bang for your buck. With this axe being 20 inches long it’s perfect for packing around, and is big enough to get through tough jobs. Being a hand made axe, few are bound to have faults in them, but in my opinion it’s well worth the stellar craftsmanship. Mine shipped with a perfect shaving-sharp grind, and beautiful wood grain in the handle. This axe is no joke, and I highly recommend it to those in need of an axe that will last a lifetime

Wonderful axe. This is my second Hults Bruk. My first was an Almike. Both axes are excellently crafted. The wood on the Aneby is superb with good grains. The head is as usual with Swedish axes, very well made. Hair flingin sharp. The mask is great leather and well designed. This axe is listed as a premium axe and the title fits perfectly. I don't like to throw shade at other axe makers but Swedish made axes are very hard to beat. They are specifically engineered to effectively put them to work in the woods. A good Hults Bruk will not let you down. There is nothing like a Hults Bruk.

I have put this in my cart and removed it about two dozen times over the last year or so. It was so much for a small axe and it pushed that limit of what I thought I should spend on a tool. I'll drop this much on a drill with much thought but an axe? Nah. I finally broke down and bought it after using a friends this past weekend on a camping trip. I wished I'd gotten it sooner because it's such a nice tool. The other part of that is I'll be able to give this to my son eventually and he could pass it to his son and that won't ever happen with a drill. Certain tools have a simplicity in them that will keep them relevant and useful for generations. An axe, this axe, is just that kind of tool.

Had this for about a year now and its a good all purpose axe. Jack of all trades where it doesnt do any particular thing great but does it well enough. I use this mainly as a camp axe and chose it over the GB Small Forrest because it has a slighly thicker taper profile for splitting wood. It can fell a tree if I have too but the GB SF is better. But because I do more splitting than chopping, this one worked out great. It delimbs well, heavy enough to drive wooden tent stakes..etc I like it for what it is. Its the go to axe to bring on a trip and usually i pair it with a GB hand hatchet for finder stuff, plus a small knife and I'm pretty covered. Handle....the first one was terrible so I returned it. Second one came nice and the bit is well made. Can't complain.

All the comments I have read about lack of quality and poor workmanship made me examine the axe even more thoroughly, from every direction and the more I examined it, the more perfect it looked. The handle is gorgeous with perfect grain alignment. The shape, thickness, weight and sharpness are fantastic. This is my fourth axe, but my first mid to lower high-end axe. I can’t wait to take it out for some dirt time! All be it, it is a tool and none of what I have described will get the job done, so yes, it all about functionality but the rest is certainly an added bonus. I will update the description once I put some serious time on it...

I like the hatchet, but........ The grain orientation of the handle is not what it should be. It is way too diagonal. The head itself is very nice. No need to sharpen this baby before use. I can't wait to get into the bush to try it out. But I will carry an extra handle in my truck. I guess in the future I will buy this type product in person not over the internet. Well, it is now May and I had the opportunity to use my Aneby a couple of times. It is a great hatchet for small stuff (2" or less) Anything over that and you will be needing to take a few breaks if you need to process much. Better yet........ get out the large axe. I do love this hatchet. It will be a fixture on my go bag in my truck.