10 Best Bushcraft Axes of 2023 – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

Fewer people in the world cut their firewood to heat their homes today, but those who do go through a lot of wood. Depending on where they live, they can cut and burn five to 10 cords per year. A cord is a stack of wood that is four feet wide, four feet high, and eight feet long. That’s a lot of cutting.

Several bushcraft axes are on the market for splitting smaller logs. Below, we have reviews of the 10 best bushcraft axes, including the pros and cons of each. Hopefully, our reviews will help you narrow down your search for the ideal axe.

Rundown of Our Favorite Picks for 2023

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Top Pick		Gränsfors Bruk 19 Inch	19-inch hickory handle High-carbon Weighs two pounds	CHECK PRICE
The Best Small Axe for Bushcraft		Gränsfors Bruk Hand Hatchet	Weighs 1½ pounds Leather sheath 9½-inch hickory handle	CHECK PRICE
Best for the Money		Estwing Sportsman's Axe - 14"	14-inch handle Genuine leather grip Black nylon sheath	CHECK PRICE
		1844 Helko Werk Rheinland	19-inch hickory handle C50 carbon Leather sheath	CHECK PRICE
		Husqvarna 13"	13-inch wooden handle C50 carbon Weighs just over two pounds	CHECK PRICE

The 10 Best Bushcraft Axes Reviewed

1. Gränsfors Bruk Small Forest Axe 19 Inch – Best Overall

The Gränsfors Bruk Small Forest Axe has a 19-inch hickory handle securely attached to an Ovako, high-carbon, single-sided steelhead. The high carbon content makes this hatchet’s steelhead so hard. It weighs only 2 pounds, so it is light to carry around in the leather sheath provided.

The 19-inch blade is a little short to get a powerful swing if you’re felling a tree. It’s great for rough carving, but it’s also a little long and weighs just enough to make using it single-handedly tricky. This hatchet can be a tad heavy if you don’t have strong hands, but most people can use it.

We still think that Gränsfors Bruk has the best overall bushcraft axe, however. Though it isn’t perfect for one particular job, it can do multiple things well. You never know what you’ll come upon in the forest. This tool will have you prepared for anything.

2. Gränsfors Bruk Hand Hatchet – Best Small Axe for Bushcraft

The Gränsfors Bruk Hand Hatchet is the best small axe for bushcraft due to it only weighing 1½ pounds and having a protective leather sheath. It is safe and comfortable to wear on your belt. It has a 9½-inch hickory handle with a 1095 carbon, single-sided steel head.

1095 carbon steel has a carbon content of 0.95%. This makes the steel harden and reduces the amount of wear it will show over time. The hatchet has a short handle that makes it easy to carry, and the blade is sharp enough to cut with or against the grain of the wood. It’s harder to get good momentum with the shorter handle, so expect it to take longer and require more work, especially for large branches or small trees.

3. Estwing Sportsman’s Axe – 14″ – Best Value

The Estwing Sportsman’s Axe – 14″ is the best bushcraft axe for the money because it is lightweight and easy to swing. It has a 14-inch handle with a genuine leather grip and a head made of hand-sharpened American steel.

The blade on the hatchet is suitable for small jobs, like splitting logs for a fire while camping, but it isn’t the hardest steel, so expect it to get dull faster than the better-quality models. It can also chip more easily.

When we bought this hatchet, the blade had quite a few imperfections. Ours just had scratches on it, but it was enough that we wondered if it went through quality control before being shipped. We have read that others have had the same problems or worse. Some received their hatchets with bubbles or even chips in the blades.

Another issue to be aware of is the black nylon sheath that comes with it. It doesn’t fit the head well, and getting it on is challenging. You need to use extreme caution because it’s such a tight fit that it wouldn’t take much to slip off the blade and cut your hand. This is a great hatchet for someone on a budget, but don’t expect it to last long.

4. 1844 Helko Werk Rheinland Pack Axe

The 1844 Helko Werk Rheinland Pack Axe has a 19-inch hickory handle and a single-sided steel head made of C50 carbon. The axe’s weight is 2 pounds, so it’s comfortably transportable. It comes with a thick handle that you may need to adjust a little, especially if you have small hands.

This C50 isn’t the most durable grade of steel, and it’s challenging to get it sharp. Once you get it sharp, there is a leather sheath to store it in. The only issue with the sheath is that there is no barrier between the cutting edge and rivets. There needs to be padding between the two metals.

5. Husqvarna 13″ Wooden Hatchet

This Husqvarna Wooden Hatchet has a 13-inch wooden handle with a C50 carbon, single-sided steel head. It weighs 2.2 pounds, so it is easy to take with you into the woods.

This hatchet did the job that we needed it to, but there are a couple of areas of concern. The blade wasn’t straight. It was overground and had an uneven curve. The biggest concern was the alignment. The eye was narrower on the top than it was on the bottom. It should be more of an oval shape. If one side is going to be smaller than the other, the top end should be wider. There were also gaps around the bottom of the eye, making the head slightly wobbly.

6. Council Tool Velvicut Saddle Axe

The Council Tool Velvicut Saddle Axe has a 16-inch hickory handle, but it doesn’t seem to be the best. The cutting edge of this Swedish 5160 steel head axe is double-sided. One side has a 25° flat grind for cutting, shaving, and carving, while the other has a 32° flat grind for cutting notches, splitting logs, and other heavy jobs. It comes with a double-sided sheath to protect your blade, too.

The cutting edges are pretty dull when you get the axe out of the box. Soft steel can be tricky to sharpen yourself, so you’ll probably need to take it somewhere to get it sharpened. Due to the double-sided cutting, the head on this axe is a little heavy for the length of the handle.

7. Hults Bruk Torneo Compact Felling Axe

The Hults Bruk Torneo Compact Felling Axe has a 26-inch hickory handle and weighs 2.86 pounds. The grain of the handle doesn’t run parallel to the head, but it isn’t straight either. If the grain were perpendicular to the head, it would be a stronger handle.

This axe has a hardened Swedish single-sided steel head that comes out of the box pretty dull, so be prepared to sharpen it. The quality of the blade is good for the amount you pay for it, but it isn’t meant for heavy use. Ours began to roll at the tip when we tried to use it on a big job.

We also noticed a burr on the blade’s cutting edge. It sharpened up and worked fine after we knocked the burr down. We read other reviews where people have had quality control issues. You may be better off purchasing this one at a store, where you can see it, rather than online.

8. Council Tool Wood-Craft Pack Axe 24″

This Council Tool Wood-Craft Pack Axe has a 24-inch hickory handle with a 5160 steel, single-sided blade. It comes with a sheath to protect the cutting edge and weighs 2.75 pounds.

When your Council axe arrives, expect it to be pretty dull and need sharpening. The steel is soft and tricky to get a sharp edge on. You may need to take the axe to a professional to sharpen it.

We also found the head on this axe to be heavy, which can be an issue. Some quality control issues that others have had involve the mount becoming loose or wobbly. Ours was okay, but the mounting has had plenty of problems.

9. Cold Steel Trail Boss Forest Axe, 27 Inch

The Cold Steel Trail Boss Forest Axe has a 27-inch hickory handle with a head made of drop-forged 1055 carbon steel. This axe has a single-sided cutting edge that is 4½ inches long and weighs 2.70 pounds.

The Trail Boss Forest Axe is dull when you take it out of the box and will need sharpening. It also has black paint on it. If the paint wears off, the blade will rust quickly if you don’t keep it well-oiled. This steel is somewhat softer, so you will risk damaging the head if you try to use it on big jobs. This axe isn’t meant for heavy use and should not be your choice if you’re looking for an axe to work with daily.

The Cold Steel axe does what it’s supposed to and is good for the money, but it doesn’t have the handle that the higher-end axes include. The grain is not straight, so you don’t get optimum strength from it. The shoulder of the handle doesn’t begin to get thicker until about 2 inches below the head. This leaves the handle weaker and makes it much easier to break.

10. Columbia River Knife & Tool CRKT Birler Compact Axe

The Columbia River Knife & Tool CRKT Birler Compact Axe has an 11.25-inch Tennessee hickory handle and weighs 1.14 pounds. It has a single-sided, hot-forged, 1060 carbon steel head with a hammer finish. The cutting edge is nowhere near sharp when you get it out of the box, but it sharpens nicely.

The biggest issue we had with this axe is the handle. It isn’t seated securely in the head, leaving it to wobble or even slide up when in use. It also has no knob at the end of the handle, which is a big deal because it is too small for an axe of this size. To get a comfortable grip, we recommend wrapping the handle before using it.

Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Bushcraft Axe

Hatchet vs. Axe

A hatchet is an axe with a shorter handle and can be used with one hand. It can also have a head for hammering on the back of the wedge. Hatchets are useful to almost everyone.

Axes:

Hatchets:

Parts of an Axe

Blade:

Most axe blades are made out of steel. All steel is not the same, however. The best steel will have a relatively high carbon content. It is medium-strength steel that can be sharpened to a razor-sharp point without splitting or getting dull too fast. If steel is too hard, it will crack. If it is too soft, it will get dull quickly.

Bit:

The hatchet is shaped like a big wedge made to cut with the grain of the wood.

• Single:

A single-bit hatchet has one side of the bit that is razor-sharp to chop with. The other side of the head has a flat surface that can be used for hammering.

• Double:

A double-sided hatchet has pointed chopping edges on both sides of the head. This allows you to have a second side ready to go when one gets dull, but since they’re made the same, the tool is well-balanced. This balance makes swinging it more comfortable to control, so it is more precise and efficient.

Face:

Your hatchet’s face should have a slight bulging curve, otherwise known as a convex. This helps keep the hatchet from getting stuck in the wood and makes it easier to chop frozen wood. Make sure it isn’t too big a convex, or it won’t be able to penetrate your wood as it should.

Eye:

The eye is where the handle is threaded into the hatchet head. Be sure it’s sturdy enough to handle heavy-duty jobs without cracking. If it’s too thin or too narrow, that point becomes fragile.

Handle:

There are three things to note when looking at the handle of a hatchet.

• Composition:

The handle should always be made out of wood. The best ones are hickory and ash since they are the strongest.

• Grain:

The handle’s grain should run vertically or perpendicular to the head. This will give it more strength.

• Growth rings:

If growth rings are showing on the handle, the closer together they are, the stronger the grip will be.

Alignment:

The alignment is the way that the handle and blade are put together. There are two ways to check the alignment.

• • Place the head of the axe on the ground. The handle should be in line with your arm, and your hand should be around the handle. Looking down at your arm and the handle, you should see that the cutting edge is precisely in the middle of the knob on the hatchet.
  • Stand the cutting edge of your hatchet and the handle on the ground. If the hatchet is aligned correctly, only the center of the cutting edge and the knob at the end of the handle will be touching the ground.

Balance:

Using a hatchet that is out of balance can be dangerous. You can test to see if yours is balanced by moving your hand up to the throw of the handle. That is the part by the blade, just before the head. Open one of your hands and place the throw on the palm. Keeping that hand flat, support the knob with your other hand. If the blade is perfectly or nearly horizontal, it has good balance.

Our other axe articles:

–> Which ax is best-suited for carving?

–> Hults Bruk vs Gränsfors Bruk Axe: Which Brand is Better?

Conclusion

We discussed what to look for in an axe, but let’s quickly review our favorites. The Gränsfors are our favorites because they have incredibly sturdy handles and good-quality heads that will last several years.

We believe that the Estwing Sportsman’s Axe – 14″ is the best axe for the money because it is lightweight, easily transported, and can be used for multiple purposes. As for our fourth through tenth choices, they are all excellent quality axes in their price ranges. You just need to keep in mind that you get what you pay for. Now all you have to do is decide which is best for your needs:

1. Gränsfors Bruk Small Forest Axe 19 Inch – Top Pick
2. Gränsfors Bruk Hand Hatchet – The Best Small Axe for Bushcraft
3. Estwing Sportsman’s Axe – 14″ – Best for the Money
4. 1844 Helko Werk Rheinland Pack Axe
5. Husqvarna 13″ Wooden Hatchet
6. Council Tool Velvicut Saddle Axe
7. Hults Bruk Torneo Compact Felling Axe
8. Council Tool Wood-Craft Pack Axe 24″
9. Cold Steel Trail Boss Forest Axe, 27 Inch
10. Columbia River Knife & Tool CRKT Birler Compact Axe