As a custom knife maker and outdoorsman, I can tell you first hand how difficult it is to find a quality working hatchet on a budget. While it is not Swedish steel or a hand forged H&Co. Product, this hatchet has proven its serviceability time and again by my side through various outdoor adventures.

With most modern, mass produced cutting tools, the manufacturers use heat treat regiments intended to create a much softer steel. This may limit their returns or liabilities, but the result tends to be an unserviceable tool. Thankfully, this is not the case for the Estwing Sportsman’s Axe.

My own personal Sportsman’s Axe has seen service in the harshest conditions. From freezing temps in mixed hardwoods, to the sandy grit that seems to seep from the swamp cypress themselves, this hatchet has held up, resisted chipping, and remained a few moments away from shaving sharp. Is this little axe the best i’ve used, not by a long shot, but it certainly is functional and beats the pants off anything else under $50.

Using our bench tester, I measured the Rockwell hardness of my Sportsman’s Axe, returning an average hardness of 53.5 Rockwell C about an inch back from the cutting edge. We consider this on the low end of an ideal range of 53-57 for a small hatchet, but nevertheless quite useable.

One of my biggest misgivings at first was the stacked leather handle. While there are certain advantages to the full steel tang design from a durability standpoint, I was concerned about how the stacked leather would hold up in real world conditions. My other concern was that the leather (being coated in lacquer) would not provide as good a grip as a wooden handle in slick conditions. As it turns out, these concerns were unfounded, and this little trooper is shaped perfectly for securing a nice firm grip even when your dexterity is not at its best. I did choose to sand off the lacquer from the grip on my hatchet after a while, and have not seen any durability issues, however I keep the handle treated with waxes and oils.

If you don’t have the budget for a quality, hand made axe from makers like Autine (Formerly John Neeman), Liam Hoffman, or Gransfors Bruks, I think this is a great budget choice! Another added advantage of course is that you can purchase this hatchet right now via my amazon affiliate link, as opposed to waiting several months for a custom axe.