ESTWING Camper's Axe - 26" Wood Splitting Tool with All Steel Construction & Shock Reduction Grip - E45A

Amazing axe used this for 2 years without issues and I really abused it.

Great ax

I got the Estwing E-45A Campers axe a couple days ago and I am very pleased with what I received. The axe was on backorder for a couple weeks but I was informed of the status of my order several times during my wait. I am very glad I purchased this axe. I have used a half axe about this size about 45 years ago and found them very handy when camping and at Boy Scout Camp. Full sized axes were just too big for most scouts. If they used them they worked themselves to death and would stop. Then you couldn't get them to help again. Of course this was when scouts could use axes and sheath knives. I still have a couple full size axes but wanted to see if these were still as easy to use as I remember. This is a great tool and is of the highest quality.First, the sheath is old school and made of beautiful thick tooled leather. The sheath is heavily stitched and has strong rivets and double snaps. The fit is snug and a very safe way to transport the axe. It is well tanned but was a little dry so the first thing I did was to wipe it down with neatsfoot oil. I recently saved a old leather sheath for a 18 " machete that had been in a shed for twenty years with neatsfoot oil it took weeks but it is restored to almost perfect condition. You don't see much neatsfoot oil around today.The axe blade is beautiful and just the right size for my uses now. The edge was rolled a little when I checked it but with a few licks across a steel that was cleared up. I can use this thing without killing myself. I can even use it with one hand if need be. The stainless was very smooth and well brushed to a medium shine. The shaft appear to go all the way through the handle. I can't guarantie that it goes all the way through the handle but if is like several of my other Estwing tools it does. The grip is designed to absorb vibrations and does so very well. If it last as well as my others I will be passing this down to my grandson with the other Estwing tools.I would not carry this if I was backpacking but think it will be the best general camp tool that you can have if you like an evening fire. Now if I was in a Zombie invasion I think this would just about be the perfect tool/weapon. It has enough wight to pierce a skull but not so much weight to cause you to over swing wasting time and energy.I would recommend this axe from this dealer in a skinny minute and if I needed another I would have no second thoughts about its quality. I Highly Recommend This Axe--------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

Great Axe for the money! Is it a "Gransfors" grade of Axe? Well obviously not? But does it chop wood? And can it chop a 10" tree down? Yes it can. It may take a little more effort and almost twice as many swings as a high end Axe. But this thing can chop a tree down if need be. It doesn't come with a very Sharpe edge on it. It's not dull by no means but not as Sharpe as it could be. So I recommend you take it to a professional like I did and have nice edge put on it for 4 bucks! It will chop at least 20 percent better believe me. Also don't expect it to hold an edge as long as the higher end carbon steel axes. While high end axes don't need sharpening sometime's after chopping several trees? This one will require sharpening much sooner. I just carry a two sided stone with me if I take it camping just I case. But to be honest it stays plenty Sharpe for the amount of chopping I do. It's a bit heavy for backpacking with it on a hike but is manageable. I mainly chop smaller trees with it that are usually no bigger than 5 inches. And it works great for chopping up kindling wood..etc. I only went after a 10" tree with it once to see how long it would take with this axe. And I must say it didn't do to bad. However I would normally use my high end "Gransfors Bruks " felling axe normally for big trees. :) So if your on the fence about buying this axe don't hesitiate! It will take care of anything you need chopped up at your camp site and also help drive those tent stakes into the ground with ease! Just remember the sharper you can make the edge the better the axe will be. I had read only a couple blogs about people actually breaking the steel shaft on this axe. One was using it in the artic I believe in Temps well below minus 30 degrees. Steel gets brittle at those Temps so I'm not surprised it shattered. The other one I read sounded like the guy was purposely trying to break the thing? And eventually he did. But it was from purposely beating it severely on the shaft just below the cutting head against a hard surface of some sort. I haven't read of it breaking off on anyone while chopping wood as of yet? So I wouldn't worry to much about it breaking off and flying away on ya. However it's always a good rule of thumb to never swing an axe near someone else or have them sitting someplace in line with the arc of your swing even if it is 30 feet away. Just common sense really.