Hults Bruk Akka Forester's Axe
The perfect companion for overnight wilderness trips and clearing trails, the beautifully crafted Hults Bruk Akka forester's axe provides exceptional leverage and power in a lightweight package.
- Straight knife-ground edge and finger notch near the neck make carving tasks a joy
- Hand-forged and made from Swedish axe steel in a foundry that has been in operation since 1697
- As part of the production process, the steel is struck multiple times, increasing its density and resulting in increased durability
- Tempered zone in the head is designed to hold a very sharp edge even after many sharpenings
- Head is the product of blasted and clear-lacquered ironwork
- 24 in. shaft is made of U.S.-sourced hickory and treated with linseed oil
- Each axe comes with a traditional leather protective sheath that is embellished with some unique Swedish decorative elements
- Axe head weight of 1.5 lbs.
- Detailed user manual included
Imported.
View all Hults Bruk Axes and Hatchets| Best Use | Camping |
|---|---|
| Length | 24 inches |
| Handle Material | Hickory |
| Blade Construction | Swedish steel |
| Weight | 2 lbs. 3 oz. |
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Yup! It chopped wood.
First things first I bought the Akka with a gift card. Ain’t no way I would ever spend $170 on a hatchet with my own money. In the store I though “use it on my camping trip and return it if it sucked after.” Needless to say it’s got a permanent spot on the Jeep now! 4 days of chopping wood and I’m a believer in Hults products. It was way easier to cut wood with the Akka then with my old cheapie hatchet that was sharp! The guys on my trip actually started having competitions with who could chop the largest log with only 5 swings. I would highly recommended this product to all campers. It’s powerful, light weight and holds it edge real well. I’ve attached photos from day 4. Beaten not babied.
Blade not Perpendicular to Handle
I ordered two Hults Bruk Forester Axes and they both had the same problem, the blade was not parallel to the handle. The reason was the wall of the eye of the head on the bottom was not even on each side, causing the handle to go through the eye on a slant. The quality of materials was good and the blade was very sharp, but the quality control was lousy. These axes should have never gone out the door. They say the third time is a charm, but no thanks.
Most Versatile Axe
I've owned many axes and this is the most versatile and capable axe I've ever had. It's my go-to on backcountry canoe trips as it has the perfect length to weight ratio. It can fell and split with the best of 'em and the quality is unsurpassed. I've had it for about 2 years now and would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a serious axe. Don't underestimate Hults Bruk, they knwo what they're doing after 300 years of existence. To be fully transparent, I am an ambassador for Hults Bruk but they value my honest opinion and do not tell me what to say. They send me the gear and I put it to the test, and the Akka passed with flying colours.
Incredibly light and powerful
I’ve been looking at Swedish made aces for the past 3 or 4 months and have gone back and for the between GFB and HB. I finally landed on HB because the price point was more within my range and the length of what I was looking for was in stock. I could not be happier (so far) with this axe. I put it to work right out of the box with some logs that needed splitting and it went right through with hardly any effort. On wood that was slightly denser and still a little damp it took more power but split nonetheless and was clean. I was also able to choke up on the shaft to use the blade for removing some bark and it’s razor sharp edge made short work of it. It’s length is perfect for putting in the camper or back of the truck. The leather sheath is crafted superbly and fits nice and snug. I foresee this being an axe that is passed down to one of my sons later in life. I also purchased the hand stone for keeping the edge on point and so far that also seems to be too quality.
Good canoe axe and trail maintenance companion
Gorgeous felling axe. I only carry a hatchet with me camping when I’m either car camping or on a canoe trip. I find that the hatchet isn’t a very useful tool when trying to harvest firewood along rivers. This axe will be the best solution between a hatchet and full on felling axe. It’s not excessively heavy or large, but there is enough weight and handle length to take on small to medium trees and limbs. Disclaimer: I’m not cutting live trees, but rather recently fallen or dead. Another great use for this size axe is for those who help to maintain trails.
Almike Vs Akka - I bought both and kept the Akka
I bought the Almike hatchet and wanted to love it. It is very controllable, but seemed to overlap with my bushcrafting knife so I brought it back and bought the Akka Forester's Axe. Both tools are incredible fit & finish. Both work really well. For me (200lbs 6' tall) I felt like the hatchet wasn't as close to what I like to do in the woods. (fire wood procurement & some felling) The hatchet is definitely better at fine work (feather sticks) - but I use my knife for that. I brought the hatchet back and kept the Akka and am delighted with my decision. Will carry a knife and akka for trips where weight is not critical. I'll probably go without a hatchet on light weight trips where the hike in is prohibitive. Both tools get 5 stars. For my use case the longer handle and heavier head were a better fit. (The head on the Akka is still great to choke up on, but not as good as the hatchet.)
All You Need!
I have owned this for 4 weeks and can give a review. With no way to compare axes and just going off of specs the Akka is tops. With the smaller eye and thinner handle it is very user friendly. It swings like a hammer but you can use 2 hands to get behind it. Comes shaving sharp excellent leather sheath. Felled 1 pine and 1 birch both 12” circumference with ease very impressed.
Excellent, except for...
Glad I picked up one of these when REI got them back in stock. Great weight and handle size for what I will use it for...small wood clearing and splitting for small fires, and field dressing big "game." I prefer using an ax rather than a saw for cutting through joints and sternum. The hickory handle, however, is a bit marred near the head. I doubt it will compromise the handle's strength, and it doesn't seem to be enough of a blemish to send it back, but I'll watch it closely. I could probably easily sand it out, but after using it a few times it'll likely get dinked again. Anyhoo, it's exactly the size and stoutness I wanted, and overall seems to be of very high quality. I'd give it 4 1/2 stars rather than 5 if I could...because of the handle.
Best All-around Axe for Backpacking
Out of all the axes I own (total of 8 of all weights and length), I take the Akka backpacking bc the 1.5 lb head and 24" handle is, IMO, the sweet spot for lighter weight and power. The balancing point is close to where your hand would be when choked all the way up to the head -- which makes it comfortable for making feather sticks. Though it is a chopping blade designed to cut parallel to the grain of wood, it has a little bit wider head than other choppers -- which I have found better for splitting up to 7-8" rounds or boxed firewood you would buy at a hardware store. For safely splitting kindling, the chisel blade of the Akka works well. When wood is positioned with one end touching the bottom 90º angle point of the blade and the other end close to the handle, wood splits with ease. Out of the box, the handle feels like it has some micro wood burs and smells like the hickory does not come treated with any wood sealants (a good thing) -- so you want to consider a light sanding w/320grit and a couple of coats of 50/50 boiled linseed oil and turpentine. The cutting blade and edge angles of this axe are wicked sharp. When not in your hands being used, make sure the sheath is on. The only thing that could be possibly unsafe is that since it is a chisel blade axe, the sheath that comes with it fits very tightly -- so be careful when putting the sheath back on. ** When putting the sheath back on, don't ever move your hands toward the blade (even if you are holding the sheath w/your hands) - use your fingers to pull/stretch the bottom bearded edge of the sheath over the bottom blade edge.
Great buy for REI members!
Great forest axe for the money. The REI member savings special was significant and thus, I made the purchase to add a second Hults Bruk axe to my bushcraft arsenal. I ;ove the balance, craftsmanship and quality of the steel axe head. Came very sharp from the factory. Decent leather sheath comes with.