When I was a little boy about 62 years ago, we were poor and lived in a little rural community. My mom and dad both worked--my mom as a clerk in the only hardware store in town that had been there 50 years, and my dad as a maintenance man. My mom decorated cakes and my dad did handyman work at night to help make ends meet. We had enough to get by, but no luxuries of any kind. To get through the 95 degree and 95% humidity nights, we had a fan my dad cobbled together with home-made blades and a motor made out of a defunct bench grinder. I think I have a hearing loss today because of that fan. At any rate, my dad came home one day with an unheard of treasure, a real luxury--the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It may as well have been made of gold. It was a shiny, sparkling, perfect Estwing hatchet in a beautifully carved leather sheath. It was stored in the most honored position in my dad's shed, and that was inside a handmade oak box that he'd received from his father as a boy. Amazingly, my dad showed me how to use it, and I worked it into my lawn mowing business using it to clean up downed limbs after summer thunderstorms in our community. I treated it like the most precious instrument it was, and I went to the library to check out books on how to use it so that I would avoid serious injury. I chopped up some major branches with that little gem and hauled the pieces out behind people's houses to the brush-pile that everybody had for burning such debris. Fast forward 62 years to today--a day when I got that same old Estwing out, removed it from its sheath, and used it to chop up fireplace kindling from some dead apple tree branches I'd been accumulating. Old but still sharp and sturdy, it shows what the real value of a quality tool is--getting work done and refreshing memories of treasured moments between a boy, his dad, and their struggles to survive.
Excellent and hilarious commentary. Re: Natural Light, it’s my go to camp beer. I can drink it all day while doing chores and not get hammered. Works for me.
You should have broken out your pocket knife and used the back side of the axe to hammer the knife through the logs, so your viewers could see how well the axe works with batonning.
When I was kid I wanted one of those so bad and eventually my parents got me one. It was pretty amazing at the time and my friends and I never went to build anything in the woods without it. Then one day my buddy and I finished building a cool little lean-to and we stashed our tools inside for the night. We came back the next morning and someone trashed the lean-to and stole our shit. I'm getting irritated right now just thinking about it and that at least 20 years ago. Never figured out if it was someone from school or perhaps a pissed off hunter. -.-
I bought this thing off Amazon while I was drunk the other night and now I'm watching reviews of the thing I bought while I was drunk that I totally have no use for. It's a beautiful little hatchet and I love your sense of humor.
Had one of these for like 20yrs my boy scouts left it on a camping trip ! They had a throwing contest ! Great axe ! I also am the first person ever to break the larger axe while on a surveying crew using as a crowbar ! The boss always wanted one a little shorter so it worked out good ! The boss got me a new one ! They are great working axes !
The varnished / shiny leather handle is the only reason I waited 8 weeks for the slow boat from the USA to get it to my post box. It’s a useful hammer and excellent door stop too. Great review
I use this one when camping, while it is a compromise at its length, it does the job better than a knife. Love that Lansky puck, never really bothered to give it a better edge than that. Glad to see you're still enjoying your stuff.
Had one for like 20 yrs . Lost it on a scout trip . My scout were learning to throw axes . It got left behind . The next camper got a treat !!! Used the larger model on survey crew . Im the only one that has broken one ! It made a large hatchet / hammer!!!
Advanced Knife Bro It may be throwable but is it breakable when you throw it . I know .if it hits as planned it wont break ! The only time i use those so called bathrooms is if there is no privacy anywhere else ( burry you poop)
Oh I know about cabelas prices. It’s been years since I bought it- and it was one of the rare moments where I bought something without checking prices elsewhere.
I honestly can't tell if this a parody review, but I am thoroughly entertained. Also definitely not an axe, but it is everything else: Hatchet, hammer, griddle, climbing tool with the proper rope, and desktop fidget toy. Give the handle a wind of gaffer tape and this is your new best friend.
Dude your hilarious. Estwing for the win. I used the full metal tang as a surface to beat on with a hammer and that little hatched/axe keeps going. I’d like to see a plastic or wood handle take abuse like that
The Buck 119 of the Axe world, pretty stacked leather handles and polished steel ....Its very 1970s I like the look , reminds me of my grandpa and dads hunting stuff when I was a wee little runt.
Advanced knife bro , fellow bro here, don’t listen to the haters , because of this video I plan on buying this hatchet and spray paint it black so I can practice tactical hatchet throwing in my backyard
I have two Westwings if only I could find them, wait a minute...did I just say westwing? That’s it, I remember now distinctly putting them in the West wing of the house. I’ve been looking in the wrong place all this time, oh joy! Thanks for your video 👍
I'd like to have a kukri, but with my Estwing I look more like an ancient Boy Scout and less like a Gurkha. Besides, if you draw a kukri, it's supposed to taste blood. It probably would in my hands.
I've had one for around six years as well. I grew up in the mountains and used to use it 5 days a week cutting firewood. The 1055 steel isn't good but isn't bad, for the price it's alright. I would sharpen mine to hair shaving sharp and it stayed sharp for about two days worth of processing Hickory. But it's still holding strong, it's a pretty well made hatchet for the money. I'm satisfied
I used my firs one of the Estwings in 1958. I was 8 at the time and have had a few over the years. There is a 20yr old one in my camping gear right now and it will probably outlive me. Kept sharp it is the perfect hatchet. Just an axe with a short handle.
Great review AKB! This is one of the best purchases in recent memory. I couldn't be happier. $34.00 bucks at Home Depot as of today. 100% made in the USA except for the sheath, which is made in Taiwan. Thanks!!
“Yeah I remember you saying that like 2 minutes ago” 😂 I know replacing wooden handles is a pain but totally worth it. Wooden handled tools for life (hashtag?). Great review. Oh, all hatchets are axes, not all axes are hatchets.
Ok this sounds reasonable. As you know it’s hard to find agreed upon definitions on bladed instruments. Like you think you know what a clip point is.... then spyderco calls some of their shit that sure don’t look like it.
The 16in camper's axe is one of my favorite tools. It's perfect for me for extended one hand use but when things go tits up you can really get crazy with two hands comfortably. Great for home demo too. Thing is near indestructible!
I’ve just got myself sportsman for little camping trips in the U.K.( rip off U.K. £42 ) also picked up the 26” campers axe for £55 because it just felt awesome, both easy stashed in me camper van which is more like a bugout vehicle.
That looks like a great axe and it must be fairly expensive too. I am looking to get one to add to my camping kit, but have not decided on which brand I will get. Fiskars is on the list, but this one is on that list also.
If you would like a second affordable hand/camp axe to compare to this one (or make another review) I recommend the marbles camp axe. Drop forged steel and an American Hickory handle for about $25.
Currently rehabbing my buddies estwing he left outside and lost the sheath for, heard bad reviews on the steel(haven’t tested it myself) but I do like the stacked leather handle after the big box store clearcoat was removed and beeswax leather treatment was applied
@@AdvancedKnifeBro that dude is crazy...the leather handle is nostalgic and pretty...I got a leather handle hammer and a vynel one...leather handle is my go to...I get sooo many compliments on jobs from other trades
Advanced safety bro here: 3:24 put the log you are chopping furthest away from you on the chopping block, that way when when you swing short you hit the chopping block instead of potentially hitting your legs.
Quite possibly the most honest, true to actual life manly man outdoors dude and channel on da u tube. U are an idiot and I for one salute u sir! I love your videos. Great entertainment and like I said or tried to ramble towards a point of, u actually tell it like most of us see it. I'm a hillbilly from WV been in and around woods my whole life and think like u do about 90% of the time my Dad, Uncle's and other "real men" get to flapping their jaws about this tool or that technique. LMAO. Great work keeping it real and really funny. U film them I'll watch them laughing thru tears and beers.
Am I the only one that doesn't care what he is reviewing? I just watch his reviews just to see what he will say! Funny guy! U could be reviewing a literall piece of shit, and I would still watch it just because of you and your commentary! Keep up the great work old bean! Much love from wisco!
I used to have one. A “friend” stole it out of the back of my truck. Because...friendship, I guess. But I’ll never buy another one because I can just baton the hell out of my dad’s Schrade Old Timer with the same results.
I'm actually looking for a similar axe. I broke my Gerber catastrophically but I'm lazy and hammer drive it through oak and mesquite. I've considered the larger version. Any recommendations under 100$ would be great.
Depending on your application estwing has the "fireside friend" mini splitter that should just about never break. Also, Husqvarna has a line of axes that I believe are made by wetterlings or hultafors(either way, good stuff) and are top notch for a under $100. I have the the Carpenters axe and while I wouldn't recommend that model for a dedicated splitting tool, it is an absolute monster at shaping wood and moderate felling/splitting in a camping/yard clean up role. And the Husqvarnas come with pretty nice leather sheaths.
I have the fireside friend and plan on doing a demo of it. Which is why I limited it to small logs. This was purely for entertainment and showing it “could” split if needed to. I meant to say I don’t have experience with hatchets or axes outside of Estwing. I own 3 estwings... this, the friend, and the roofers hammer.
Advanced Knife Bro - Estwing axes are like Lot Lizards. Cheap, get the job done and come from Illinois. Bonus, You can burn them with cigarettes and it won't affect performance.
I baton my axe with a Cold Steel Natchez Bowie. I baton my Cold Steel Natchez Bowie when I baton my axe with my wooden leg that I now have because of a tragic batonnig accident.
I really think a person only needs one hand axe. I'm pretty happy with the Estwing, and don't see the need for an upgrade. I did however just buy a full sized axe- because bending over to chop shit hurts after a while.
every hammer i've owned has been an estwing the name alone says quality. atleast when it comes to hammers, so i guess it carries over? i had a full sized collins axe from tractor supply and it died in a week so stay clear of those pieces of shit
The measurement takes in to account the curve of the handle to and goes to the top of the beard that’s why your measurement is a little off.. great video man.
My 25+ year old (an old gift) Cold Steel kukri can chop through that limb far faster than that little Estwing. It's an old design with a 17" blade. I understand why you probably use your zombie kukri more. Of course the Estwing won't scare other campers as much. An axe is an axe, but for most stuff you would use a hatchet, I prefer a long kukri or a machete. It's what I grew using.
The $30 Stihl Camp hatchet would be a cool comparison. Similar size, but the stihl seems to have a better taper for cutting. The wood handle gives it nice balance. But the estwing has a more durable design because it has a metal handle.
Hand axe, hatchets, are okay, they do cut but a small saw works better for me. I've got the BudK Khukuri, like yours, and it's okay too. Saws win out when it comes to yard work but I don't feel as 'manly' 🤨
El hacha parecia totalmente inutil en la parrilla, pero entonces se acabó la leña y solo teniamos un árbol seco de fresno, y tenia que ser troceado en pequeños tramos y desrramarlo, entonces el hacha fue tan importante y necesaria, no me arrepiento de haberla llevado, simplemente esos filetes de pescado se hubieran atrasado mucho, ahora le pondré su funda, además fue un tema de conversación muy agradable y una tarde preciosa.
@@AdvancedKnifeBro aww nice... i got the shitty nylon one. I bought mine in 2018 and another one off Amazon 2 weeks ago. Before i saw your video though, or I would have helped ya out by ordering through your link
yea but in that video he's using axe, he has two channels I think. Taras kul his other channel, he has a wood splitting video for hatchets it teaches the safer contact method