ESTWING Sportsman's Axe - 14" USA Made Camping Hatchet with Forged Steel Construction & Genuine Leather Grip - E24A

This Estwing Sportsman's Axe has become an essential part of my camping gear. The 12-inch size is the perfect balance—compact enough to pack easily but substantial enough to handle real work around the campsite. I've used it for splitting kindling, chopping firewood, and clearing brush, and it handles everything beautifully. The one-piece forged steel construction is bomber. There's no head coming loose or handle breaking like you get with wooden-handled axes. It feels incredibly solid and balanced in hand. The grip is comfortable even during extended use, and the shock reduction actually works—my hands don't get fatigued. The edge came razor sharp out of the box and has held up impressively well. A quick touch-up with a file occasionally and it's back to slicing through wood effortlessly. This is genuine American-made quality that will outlast me. It's not the cheapest option, but you're buying it once. After using cheaper axes that failed, I wish I'd started with the Estwing. If you camp, hike, or just need a reliable hatchet, this is the one. Absolute workhorse. Highly recommend!

I don't write many reviews but this little gem deserves one. Proudly made in the USA since 1923, this is the same fine tool your granddad bought, with the same high quality forging and rugged leather grip. Properly used and cared for it will stand up to several lifetimes of hard use. I recently bought a spare from Amazon and this review is based on that item. A couple of observations/recommendations: I note one reviewer whose hatchet handle rotted. Well yeah. As these come from the factory the handle is given a glossy varnished finish and the stacked leather grip underneath is very dry. It looks nice when it's new but the varnish will crack and chip with use, and then the grip will absorb water like a sponge, ruining the leather. Thus, knowledgable sportsmen have long looked fondly on that glossy factory finish and then taken a couple of sheets of 100-grit sandpaper and sanded it off. Mask off the metal part of the shaft of the handle, no point in scratching that up, but do round off the sharp edge of the metal washer at the base of the handle to make it more comfortable in use. Be sure to get all the varnish off, the leather underneath will look almost white when you're done sanding. 100 grit is fine, there's no need to finish with finer grades. Then get a bottle of Fiebing's Neatsfoot Oil (available at Amazon!) and rub it in. If you didn't get all the varnish off you'll immediately notice light spots where the oil isn't soaking in, stop and sand those off. You'll be amazed at how much oil that leather grip will absorb, my new one has taken at least an ounce of oil and it's still sucking it up. It will take several applications over several days to do a thorough job -- the idea is to completely saturate the leather grip -- just slather it on with a fingertip at first and then rub it in after a couple of days' applications. Put some on the sturdy leather sheath they provide while you're at it. The neatsfoot will give the grip a nice antique brown finish and a slightly sticky, non-slip feel, and once the grip is thoroughly saturated it will be nearly impervious to the elements *forever*. I have hunting knives and another old Estwing hatchet that were given this treatment by my dad and grandfather before I was born -- that was a long time ago -- the grips have turned black over the years but they're still as sound as the day they were made and they've seen a lot of weather over the years. Then get a Lansky "puck" dual grit sharpener (also available at Amazon!) and sharpen the blade. They come dull, probably for product liability reasons it will only be as sharp as you're capable of making it, but it will take a fine edge with a little effort. Then avoid chopping it into the ground, rocks, or what have you -- it will take you several patient hours to put the initial edge on the blade and all that effort will be wasted if you whack it against a rock. The blade should never touch anything but the wood it's made to cut. Learn to split kindling safely by taking a 1-2' piece of wood 2-3" in diameter, holding it by one end pointed away from you and resting the other end parallel to the ground across a larger piece of wood. Split the far end by chopping through it sideways into the chopping block and then giving the hatchet and the wood a deft twist to split it lengthwise (a glove on your off-hand isn't a bad idea). Repeat with each half until you have enough kindling. Whatever you do, don't try to hold a piece of kindling on end and split it lengthwise lumberjack-style, that's a good way to lose a finger or chop yourself in the knee. Guys, this is a tool every manly man should treat himself to and learn to use! There's darn few things in this world that are the same high quality they were 90 years ago but this is one of them.

I’ve been using this as my primary hatchet for all my camping trips this summer, and it hasn’t let me down. You really can’t go wrong with Estwing, the build quality is solid, it splits wood well, and the weight feels just right. That said, I do miss the craftsmanship of the old models. I had one as a kid that came with a snakeskin case, and this one doesn’t quite measure up to that level of detail. Still, it’s a durable, reliable tool that gets the job done accurate, and powerful. While being easy to use.

The perfect kindling hatchet. I always wanted a good hatchet. Estwing is king. Very sharp and comfortabl. The sheath seems like it will last. Very happy, it's worth a few extra dollars.

Looking over this item, the feel was very good. Solid, weight seems to be good. I noticed that at the end of the handle, it has some sharp edges. That's an easy fix. Just lightly round smooth the edge. That way not cuts on the person.

I typically use a more primitive axe but they tend to wear out pretty quickly with heavy usage. This axe is more modern and built really well. Great for small chopping, shaving/trimming with the blade (which is super sharp), and hammering things with back side. It’s nice and heavy but not overly so, short enough that’s it’s easy to handle. Overall it’s super effective axe for small tasks, much better than your typical $10-20 camp axe from Walmart.

I have one of these from over a decade ago and it still performs and the head has stayed secure; even with terrible care and rust. Easily sharpened and cleaned, though. Just bought a new one to actually respect. The weight and blade get the job done. Let the hatchet do the work and you will cut through a lot of material with a lot of ease.

The Estwing 14” axe is fantastic. The leather handle is beautiful. Head is very durable I use it for splitting wood. I have pounded on it with engineer’s hammer and stands up well. 👍👍