Rating of the best axes of 2022

Let’s continue about Scandinavia — and how can we not mention Husqvarna? Those, of course, «made a name» more with gas tools (although they made very good guns, and they still make motorcycles), but they are not going to forget about axes with their 350-year history. And, unlike other (and very good) Swedish manufacturers like Gransfors Bruks or Hultafors, whose products in Russia still have to be looked for, or Hults Bruk, which we don’t sell at all, we don’t have a shortage of Husqvarna axes.

There are 12 models of axes in the current line of the company. Five of them with their own alphanumeric indexes are assembled on a polyamide ax handle with special overlays to improve the grip — from the short «hike» H900 to the 2.8-kg sledgehammer S2800. High-quality steel with an anti-friction coating is used — in general, this line can be a worthy competitor to the reference Fiskars (but, alas, without a quarter-century guarantee — and at the same price level this becomes a serious argument in favor of Fiskars).

But the line of axes on wooden ax handles does not have model markings as such (only in-catalogue indexes), but these axes flaunt deliberately “bare” metal and the stamps “Forged by hand in Sweden”. If the “plastic” Husqvarnas are definitely workhorses, then the “wooden” ones are more of a fashion accessory, if we can talk about axes that way. Here it is worth noting that specially rough hand forging is common for Swedish high-class ax manufacturers, who, in the same way, indicate the fact of this very hand forging on the ax. But, if a good hand-forged Husqvarna ax will cost you around 4-5 thousand, then, for example, for a tourist ax from Gransfors Bruks you will have to pay 10 thousand more — so Husqvarna offers a completely budgetary way to touch the traditional Swedish «handmade» .

The German company, now, however, owned by the same Husqvarna, cannot boast of a rich history — it was founded after the Second World War in Ulm. You yourself understand that now the owner does not need “intra-brand” competition, therefore axes produced under the Gardena brand now cost less than Husqvarna products — in Russia we are talking about amounts from two to two and a half thousand rubles. It is worth considering that the most affordable models of Gardena axes are made in China, the more expensive models are made in the Czech Republic, so we still classify this brand as a European manufacturer with a reservation.

However, even the «Chinese» axes are very interesting for them — like the more eminent brothers, they have a two-component plastic handle, ergonomic and well shock-absorbing. The metal is covered with anti-friction material. We especially note that since 2018 the guarantee for Gardena axes has been extended to 25 years — but only if the axes are used for personal purposes, and not in professional practice.

By the way, the 900B model is interesting — on the one hand, it is a classic “hiker” with a short ax handle, on the other hand, it is a completely functional sledgehammer due to the presence of a wide heel on the back of the head. Of course, this made the ax somewhat larger and heavier than a typical one-handed camping ax, but while maintaining normal “transportability”, it made it even more versatile.

An American company (although locating production from China and India to Japan and Italy) cannot be blamed for the poor quality of products (as, alas, praised for affordable prices at current rates). But their design has always been ahead of the point: yes, Cold Steel axes immediately catch the eye against the background of utilitarian «Scandinavians», but they cannot boast of real advantages.

Of course, if you are buying an ax for throwing, then it makes sense to be interested in a tomahawk from Cold Steel. But in search of a convenient practical solution for hiking or chopping firewood near the house, you can flip through the catalog — and still not find anything. So, alas, we cannot give this company a high rating.

The Izhevsk company, which is a subsidiary of PJSC Izhstal (as you might guess, consumer goods in the name stands for “consumer goods”) also produces axes according to the “cheap and cheerful” principle. Steel 60G on the head with zone hardening of the blade, birch ax — that’s the whole recipe for an inexpensive working tool.

The circulation of the company is also not small — almost a million a year, the production of 13 models of axes has been mastered, from «compacts» for tourists and hunters to cleavers. Of course, modern axes with a fiberglass or polyamide handle are lighter and more ergonomic — but here we also recall the price level, with which the Chinese cannot argue too much.