Council Tool 1.25lb Hudson Bay Camp Axe; 14″ Curved Wooden Handle Sport Utility Finish

This has been my primary camp axe and it’s sturdy, sharp and proven, totally worth the money!

Mine cost $49.12 with free shipping and before tax. At $56.95 that I see now, just a few days later I would have to think about it.Already having a Council Tool Boy's Axe, the overall quality of this hatchet is not up to that level.I'll start with the main quibble; the edge bevel grind was quite hollow, like it was done on a 4" wheel, very rough and flat, like the spine of a butter knife but with burrs on both sides. Sharpened it, using a slack belt, followed the original angle, stropped to an edge that shaves. There are still remnants of the hollow grind running down the center of the new shiny bevel, and those retain some debris from use, but I decided not to remove that much metal just to get it aesthetically perfect right away, eventually that will go away with future sharpenings.I understand why these are shipped so blunt, they are all shipped together in a box with not much else to protect them from each other but a plasti-dipped edge cover. A truly sharp edge would easily cut through that and then go to work on the other hatchets.The head is roughly finished, not symmetrical, there are sharp edges in the beard, a gouge in one of the top corners of the bit from several inches back to the edge. Rough corners are easy to fix, but I can't replace metal. I filed and sanded sharp edges on the head that would cause discomfort when choking up. Perma-blued bare metal. Filing around the front of the eye and the back of the poll it seemed like the file didn't want to bite, must be the heat treatment.The handle was decent, not excessive rough anywhere. It was very bulky and round towards the knob (the throat area), less comfortable to my hand and I did a lot of thinning down to the knob to make it good. Above that in the belly of the handle it was already slender and comfortable. The grain is lined up very well, just maybe 5 degrees off. After rasp, file, sandpaper applied several light coats of BLO.The weight was 23.8oz., it lost about 0.3oz after working on the handle. I think the balance is great.Made a simple mask from ABS sheet plastic, rivets, elastic cord.It's got the best bite and shaving capability of any hatchet that I currently own. It does stick occasionally but that's expected. Gets through knots quickly. Made some wooden wedges in 1/3 of the time I was doing it before. Unless I'm just splitting this is my current go-to.

Just what I was looking for to fit with my small bug-out bag. Nice weight for that. Also, the handle size and shape feels good, as does the balance / gravity when swinging. Great-looking workmanship. Nicely fitted head and hickory wood handle with grain aligned correctly. I'll buy more of this brand - maybe next, a longer handled 2ib axe for when I don't have to pack it in on by person. Haven't found a leather sheath that fits this 1.25lb version yet though.

This is a great ax I have enjoyed using it camping. I only gave it 4 stars because it does not come with any kind of a sheath To cover or carry. I have had problems Finding a sheath to fit this particular axe.

Came sharp out of the box. Well hung. And so ... dang ... nice in the hand! I bought it along with six other brands to do a comparison of similarly priced axes. NO CLOSE SECOND. Hands down winner. You can trust ANY Council Tool. Just... which model suits your needs best? (Oh, buy one of each!).

Great hatchet that is perfect for any pack. It works well and is balanced so you can carve with it if needed.

I only gave this 4 stars for one reason - the ax did not come with a blade cover. Why don't ax makers include a blade cover?! Besides the lack of a cover, the ax itself is outstanding. Performs all the necessary camp chores you'd want of a small ax. Kindling, no problem. Haven't tried feather sticking with this (that's what a knife is for) but I am sure it could do a nice job. Handle securely set on head. Well worth the money.

Council tool makes good quality products but the sport utility version needs extra work to improve looks. The cutting edge also needs extra sharpening. I gave mine a face lift by filing off the factory grind and resharpening the cutting edge in stages to obtain a polished edge. The handle was finished by staining with soot and sealinig with danish oil.