Estwing Axe 26 Inches

[Credit Guy]

Hi,

Anyone has one ? Do you like it ? It is a full metal axe and it is pretty light. I put that on my Christmas list ? It cost 59$ CAN so around 37$ US here...

Thanks


Fred

 

[Nobody]

Yep, I've got one and have had it for about 12 years. I've heard a few folks say negative things about the Estwing axe but mine has been extremely good. It has served me on many camping trips as my primary wood gatherer and shelter builder. I've used in in my swampy back yard that used to be full of hardwoods. I say used to be because due to about six hurricanes over the last 12 years, I've had to clean up and clear most of those trees. The Estwing did a lot of the hand chopping work. I couldn't be happier with mine. For me, it is a good length and I can use it for full powered two-handed chopping or choke up on it and use it one-handed as a hatchet. You're right, it is light but I've found that if I keep it sharp and have my chopping technique correct, it'll wedge out some nice chips when I'm chopping. I like mine a lot.

 

[DancesWithKnives]

I've also had that axe for ten years or so. For that size, I like the Gransfors Bruks Scandinavian Forest Axe better. However, the Estwing is still an OK axe for the money. I just took a five week trip to Alaska and it spent 4 weeks rafting in whitewater and rainy weather. It rusted a lot less than the GB would have. More importantly, I was able to let my friends use it without concern about whether they would ruin it. It seems to be somewhat softer steel and easier to work out knicks/chips. If someone were to smack a GB on a rock, I think it would be more of a problem. It would certainly make me a lot madder!

One note of caution on the Estwing: If you get it stuck in a log when splitting or chopping, be careful how you extract it. Although the steel shaft may be harder to break than wood, I was able to bend mine. I bent it mostly back into line, but it isn't completely true.