Hultafors Ekelund Hunting Axe

The classic hand-forged hunting axe by Hultafors is also perfect for camping, bushcraft, and home use. Now that Finnish Billnäs and Kellokoski don’t make axes anymore, the most interesting traditional axes come from Sweden. With proper care, the axe head will last longer than you, and the handle can be switched if needed. The axe comes with a leather axe sheath.

• Head: convex grind edge, sharpened to a razor-sharp edge, polished, oiled, and ready to use
• Handle: hickory, treated with linseed oil
• Handle length c. 500 mm (20”)
• Total weight with the sheath: c. 1,210 g (2.65 lbs); head c. 850 g (1.9 lbs); the weight can vary a bit
• Comes with a leather sheath
• Axe head has a 50-year warranty on material and workmanship defects

Hand-forged head & hickory handle

A bit bigger outdoor axe that is named after Gunnar Ekelund, the squire who initiated axe production at a larger scale in Hults Bruk in 1870. This axe is hand-forged using high-quality Swedish carbon steel, using methods that date back to the 17th century. The blade is so sharp that you can shave with it. (Of course we tried.) The slightly heavier 850 gram head is a solid multipurpose solution for most woody-cutty-hacky-shavy needs.

Hultafors axes are made of relatively soft steel which is easy to sharpen but keeps the edge rather well (when not hit against a rock). We imagine if they have made them like this for centuries, it's a pretty good recipe!

The axe comes with a sturdy good quality hickory handle. Hultafors does offer the handles separately, so if you manage to break yours, you don't have to go on making a new one from scratch.

Many axeptable uses

Here’s a very versatile axe for hiking, hunting, and small-scale forestry. You can still carry it along in/on your backpack, but it is heavy enough and has a long enough handle to fell a bit thicker trees without too much heartache and misery. Of course, if you need to clear out a bigger opening, you should go for a proper felling axe. And if the weight is an issue, take a bit smaller hatchet. You can also use this razor-sharp axe for making tinder, building shelters, and other precision work. It will also work as a carving axe, although there are axes designed for that job on the market.

This axe has purposefully rounded poll corners. Someone might ask why the hell, but it is a useful feature if you want to use the axe e.g. for skinning a deer. Mind you that the whole poll isn’t rounded, only the corners, so you can still use the poll for hammering when needed, although you should avoid excessive hammering if you want to use this for skinning.

In case this method is new to you, the idea is to hammer around the junction of the skin and flesh, making the hide peel off. If necessary, you occasionally help with the blade. The rounded corners don’t damage the meat or the skin, and you avoid the oopsy daisy cuts when you minimize the blade use. In other words, a good method when you want to utilize the hides.

Axe sheath included

This axe comes with a sexy leather sheath. It doesn’t have a snap fastener, instead, there is a leather drawstring, which is better in the long run. Leather usually stretches in use, so in time the snap fastener will be a bit wobbly but the drawstring can always be tightened more. It is also easy to replace if needed.

Also included is a small booklet (in Swedish and English), which gives you some info on the history and manufacturing techniques, as well as tips on proper axe maintenance.

Manufactured by Hultafors

Hultafors axes are manufactured at Hults Bruk in Southeastern Sweden. Hults Bruk was originally founded in 1697. First, they primarily forged nails for shipbuilding but quite soon they also began making various hand tools. By 1870 axes had become a major part of their production. Today Hultafors is a fascinating combination of traditional handicrafts and modern technology. Their fantastic axes are known for their quality across the world.

And of course there's the aesthetic side: this really is a beautiful item.