7 Best Felling Axes in 2022 – Top Picks & Reviews

Felling trees is significant business. It normally takes a good deal of energy and stamina to swing that axe into a solid tree in excess of and over once again. But the axe wants to be just as sturdy to endure that abuse by means of not just one particular tree, but a lot of trees more than many many years.

Common axes might be wonderful for chopping firewood, but felling trees is yet another matter. A normal axe will likely be ruined by the time you have felled just a couple of, which is why you need a correct felling axe if you plan to carry down much more than just a tree or two.

A nicely-made felling axe is much more than just a tool it’s a perform of artwork. These axes are some of the strongest, most durable instruments there are, and the correct a single will probably be close to for longer than you. By way of our tests, we’ve found seven such felling axes that we’re heading to share with you in the subsequent reviews.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Husqvarna A2400 Composite Axe	Fiber-reinforced composite shaft Excellent weight distribution Warrantied for life	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		Snow and Nealley 26 Single Bit Axe	Head is crafted from high carbon steel Made in the USA Overall length of 30”	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		1844 Helko Werk Germany Classic Forester	Dual-wedge head hanging 5-pound head 150-grit sanded handle	CHECK PRICE
		Gransfors Bruks 434-2  American Felling Axe	Weighs 4.8 pounds in total Long 35-inch handle Well-balanced design	CHECK PRICE
		Hults Bruk Kalix Felling Axe	Head is made of solid Swedish steel The handle is American hickory Weighs 3.6 pounds overall	CHECK PRICE

The 7 Best Felling Axes – Reviews 2022

1. Husqvarna A2400 Composite Axe – Best Overall

If you’ve at any time brought down a tree prior to, you’ve likely heard of Husqvarna. However, to be truthful, you may not associate them with axes. Husqvarna is properly-recognized for making substantial-high quality chainsaws. That mentioned, their axes are leading-notch tools that can be relied on to survive years of continued abuse.

The Husqvarna A2400 axe characteristics a drop-forged blade with geometry that’s created to work nicely in numerous applications. Though the manage is not contoured, it’s manufactured from a fiber-bolstered composite, delivering amazing durability. In truth, it’s so sturdy that Husqvarna warranties this axe for lifestyle a great addition at this price tag.

Thanks to the composite shaft, this axe has some of the ideal weight distribution we have seen. It is 27 inches long overall, but many thanks to its excellent equilibrium, it feels like you’re swinging with much more leverage than when using a much lengthier axe. In the finish, this was our favored felling axe general, and the lifetime guarantee assures that it will be close to to support you provide down many trees in excess of numerous a long time.

2. Snow and Nealley 26 Single Bit Axe – Best Value

It is real that most high-good quality felling axes are prohibitively expensive. That doesn’t mean you have to commit a fortune to get a excellent resource even though. There are exceptions to each rule. In this case, we believe this Snow and Neally solitary bit axe is the exception to the rule and surely one of the greatest felling axes for the cash.

The very first thing we have to mention is that this is a lovely resource. As significantly as appearances go, this axe is proper on par with items that cost two times as considerably. The grain in the deal with is all oriented effectively and the end of the head and handle each are clean and search incredible. Like a lot of related axes, this a single features a hickory take care of, but it is finished with lacquer rather than oil. Luckily, the lacquer is properly used.

We discovered that this axe gives loads of energy guiding every swing. It is obtained a three.five-pound head and an all round size of 30 inches. It could be a little bit lengthier, but we nonetheless got great leverage and have been capable to take down sizable trees with no as well significantly effort. Nevertheless, we did have to sharpen the blade very first as it arrived uninteresting.

3. 1844 Helko Werk Germany Classic Forester – Premium Choice

One particular of the most important elements when deciding on a felling axe is build good quality, and the quality of the 1844 Helko Werk Germany Vintage Forester is second to none. As soon as you contact it, you can feel the good quality of the craftsmanship. Granted, you’re going to pay a good deal for that quality.

This axe characteristics a 3.5-pound head that offers sufficient fat and slicing power to provide down large trees without sapping you of vitality. The head is mounted to the handle with a dual-wedge method, using each a hardwood wedge and a steel ring wedge, ensuring maximum power and longevity. After all, this is the place all of the impact will be felt.

The head is crafted from C50 higher-carbon metal and is entirely hand solid by leading-tier skilled blacksmiths.

Transferring on to the manage, this axe features a quality-A American hickory manage. It’s hand-finished sanded down to a hundred and fifty-grit and taken care of with boiled linseed oil. This clean complete minimizes the likelihood of blisters with regular use. It is not as effectively-well balanced as some axes we have examined, but the all round construct quality and longevity are as good as it will get.

4. Gransfors Bruks 434-2  American Felling Axe

If you’re hunting for a beast of a tool which is created for the Paul Bunyon’s of the entire world, then you’ve located it in the Gransfors Bruks 434-two American felling axe. This instrument is a mammoth, weighing in at 4.eight lbs . overall. That might not seem that heavy, but it is a great twenty five% heavier than numerous of the other felling axes we had been testing it against. That equates to a great deal a lot more electrical power powering every swing, even though you are going to very likely tire out much faster as nicely.

One particular excellent gain of this axe above other folks we have experimented with is the additional-extended 35-inch manage. This supplies improved leverage, providing you a lot more electricity driving each swing. Fortunately, this axe is very properly balanced, so even even though it’s going to use much more energy many thanks to the additional weight and size, it helps make fantastic use of the extra leverage.

The head of this axe stays sharp by way of a lot of swings, so you won’t have to sharpen it too frequently. We weren’t thrilled with the truly feel of the take care of when it arrived although. It is rather tough and might even give you splinters. With such an pricey axe, we didn’t assume to sand the manage before use.

5. Hults Bruk Kalix Felling Axe

The Hults Bruk Kalix felling axe is a extremely great resource, even though it could use much better top quality assurance before currently being shipped out. All round, the create top quality is pretty decent, featuring a head manufactured of sound Swedish metal and a manage that is crafted from American hickory. It is effectively-constructed, though it’s greatest for felling small to mid-sized trees. We’d leave the massive trees to one thing with a bit much better construct good quality.

That doesn’t mean this is a poorly built axe by any indicates. It weighs 3.six lbs total and has a 28-inch handle. The head is clear lacquered, and the shaft is handled with linseed oil for a lovely appearance and a great feel in your hands.

But the head is not mounted as securely as we’d like. It is truly a tiny loose. It didn’t seem to be to get any looser during use, but a unfastened head does not instill self confidence. The blade was also uninteresting when it arrived, which intended we had to just take the time to sharpen it. That is not a huge deal, but normally speaking, we anticipate a resource like this to be ready to complete when it comes.

6. Council Tool Velvicut American Felling Axe

Council Tool helps make substantial-top quality instruments in the United states. We’ve used a number of of their axes beforehand and in no way been dissatisfied, but the Velvicut American felling axe is not one particular that amazed us considerably. A number of flaws held it again, like very poor finishing on the axe head and a tough deal with. We had to return the initial one thanks to the very poor complete on the head and several diverse hues of wooden in the manage. The next one was a lot better, but we experienced a poor style from the initial specimen.

Even the next a single experienced a rough handle that essential some sanding. But we really like the extended length this deal with is a entire 36 inches of American hickory. It is also coated with linseed oil to shield it. Equally, the head is oil-coated as properly, improving its visual appeal even though protecting it from corrosion.

The head is resilient and characteristics a tempered edge for greatest strength. Better nevertheless, the head is guaranteed to last a life span. It is a gorgeous instrument all round and certainly offers enough electrical power with the extended manage, but the inconsistent high quality signifies that we can’t advise it in excess of other axes that seem a lot more regularly nicely-built.

7. GEDORE OX 20 H-1257 Universal Forestry Axe

The GEDORE OX common forestry axe didn’t dwell up to our expectations. To be honest, it is a single of the reduce-priced tools on this listing, however there were nonetheless more affordable equipment we analyzed that supplied outstanding efficiency. For the quality it delivers, we actually believe the GEDORE OX is overpriced since other axes provided much better high quality for considerably less.

Right after screening, the very best thing we have to say about this axe is that it is nicely well balanced and feels great to swing. The 28-inch handle is a minor quick for our flavor, even though which is a subject of choice. Even so, the very poor grain alignment on the handle is a quality concern as it tends to make the manage weaker and more vulnerable to breaking.

Even worse, the blade is fairly delicate. It has trouble getting an edge and even tends to roll in excess of on challenging impacts. Normally, a leather blade go over is integrated, but this sheath isn’t real leather-based, so it is not tough adequate to hold up towards the blade. Overall, we really feel that we overpaid for this axe, taking into consideration its very poor quality. We advise that you understand from our error and skip this device in favor of some thing with better construct quality.

Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Felling Axe

If you’ve been chopping down trees by hand for many years, then you probably already know just what you are hunting for in a felling axe. But with out hands-on experience, choosing a felling axe can be more difficult than you may consider at 1st.

If you’re nonetheless unsure of which axe to decide on, do not worry. We’ve narrowed down the most important functions that you need to be contemplating and we’ll go over them all in this buyer’s guide so that you truly feel self-assured about generating the correct selection.

Important Features of a Felling Axe

If you examine several of these axes on physical appearance alone, you are going to very likely have a hard time figuring out any significant differences. But there are a couple of essential elements to take into account that can make a massive difference in how your axe performs or how long it retains up.

Get all of these attributes into consideration before choosing on which axe to buy. If you choose an axe dependent on these traits, you’re likely to get a resource which is excellent for your needs.

Overall Length

Couple of attributes will have such a key effect on how your axe feels to swing as its general duration. A for a longer time axe is likely to give you far more leverage, but it can also be a bit more challenging to manage. With a shorter axe, you are going to have far more manage but less electrical power. This can make it much more difficult to get by way of thick trees.

If you are heading to be felling medium to huge-sized trees, then opt for a lengthier take care of to get much better leverage. But if you’re only chopping small to mid-sized trees, you may well benefit from the added handle you will get from a shorter axe.

On the lengthy facet of the spectrum, you may possibly choose an axe with an total size of 36 inches. If you’re searching for a lot more management, you may possibly pick one thing that’s just 28-thirty inches prolonged overall.

Weight of the Head

Overall size is just one element of the leverage equation. A heavier head signifies far more swinging electrical power, but after again, it is going to be more difficult to manage. We tested felling axes with heads ranging from two kilos to a lot more than 4 kilos. Even though a few pounds fat variation might not audio like a lot, it feels like a good deal much more when you begin swinging.

Balance

Of training course, the weight of the head has to be proportional to the fat and duration of the take care of if you want control and electrical power together. An axe that is not effectively-balanced will be a lot harder to handle. This is not some thing you can just read off a spec sheet, although. Equilibrium has to do with the bodyweight and length of the head and shaft together, so you require to swing the axe to genuinely know how it’s balanced.

Head Durability

These axes attribute heads made from metal. Even so, the variety of steel utilized and the way it’s solid vary among brand names and models. This prospects to noticeable differences in sturdiness. Some axes that are not as durable are liable to split from a weighty affect. More likely, the edge will roll more than. Either way, it’s heading to place a true damper on your operate and cease you in your tracks. We advise hunting for a resilient head that will keep up for years of regular use.

Handle Material

Most felling axes are created with a hardwood deal with like hickory. These can be changed if necessary, although they are developed to very last for a lengthy time. Nevertheless, wood is vulnerable to several concerns, which includes inconsistencies and grain flaws. Composite handles depict an substitute that gives extraordinary toughness and can even support reduce the shock that your arms feel with each and every influence.

Ready on Arrival?

When we obtain a device, we usually assume it to be prepared to function when it arrives. But that wasn’t the circumstance with numerous felling axes we analyzed. Some of these arrived with rough handles and boring blades. This meant sanding the handles down and usually refinishing them with oil. If the blade was uninteresting, we had to consider the time to sharpen it first. These are not going to take hours of your time, but they are even now further measures you have to get before the axe is all set to work.

Does the Blade Remain Sharp?

No matter what, you will need to sharpen your axe blade frequently. It is just element of the process. But some blades continue to be sharp longer than other folks, which implies they demand considerably less-recurrent sharpening. By natural means, we favor any device that needs less upkeep, so if you can uncover a blade that stays sharp through many cuts, it will help save you time in the prolonged operate.

Conclusion

Axes are 1 of the oldest instruments that we even now use right now. When, you experienced to visit the nearby blacksmith to have your axe customized produced, but nowadays, these beneficial instruments are significantly less difficult to purchase. Even if they have not altered too a lot in the seems to be or features office, durability and good quality have undoubtedly enhanced. Any of the axes from our reviews will give you with a sturdy, able tool, but there are a few that we recommend earlier mentioned the rest.

Our prime selection is the Husqvarna A2400 composite axe. It attributes a drop-forged head and a fiber-reinforced composite shaft with excellent weight distribution for improved leverage. Greatest of all, it’s fairly priced and warrantied for life.

Priced even far more affordably, the Snow and Neally one bit axe is our pick for very best benefit. It’s got an overall duration of thirty inches with a three.five-pound head crafted from large carbon steel for extraordinary longevity and enhanced swinging power.

And for a top quality felling axe you can hand down to your children, we recommend the 1844 Helko Werk Germany Basic Forester. This axe functions a hand cast C50 substantial carbon steel head with dual-wedge hanging and a a hundred and fifty-grit sanded hickory manage.