Quality hatchets/axes.... who makes the good stuff?

The best axe I have ever had I just found stuck in a tree this spring in the Manistee national forest near my home. It is a Genuine Norlund single blade axe. Its not a big axe but that thing has the best steel I have ever seen in an axe. I was using it for limbing pine trees and you dont even have to hit a limb hard and it lops it off clean. Im sure some kid got his butt chewed for leaving it in the woods. It has great balance and looks a lot like a competition axe. I have several other axes and most are bigger but none cut like this one. It became my favorite in no time at all. KF

 

YOU FOUND MY AXE!!! I'll PM you my address so you can send it to me [rofllmao]

 

I have an estwing that I have been abusing for nearly two decades now....abusing is actually to nice a term for the life this hatchet has gone through, it doubles as a pick a hammer a demo tool a car opener and many others well worn and holding up fine as for a beast of a general heavy chopper make friends with a fireman their fire axes are also very tough and with the added pike on the other side they make a dandy car opener themselves

 

Home Depot has these marked down to $23.

Amazon.com: Vaughan RB 28-Ounce Rig Builders Hatchet, Hickory Handle for heavy construction, 17-Inch Long.: Home Improvement

 

Condor...
We like them.
ymmv

 

I like a lot of the new plastic handle axes but I stick with those that can take wooden handles that I could make when it needs to be replaced. Just a consideration.

 

i have a problem with wooden handles...lol
from all the years of smithing, i tend to shatter them
even the fiberglass handles dont hold up too long for me
ive been workin on making steel shanks with stacked
leather pads on all my hammer/axe type tools
those are easy to replace too and a lot stronger

 

i like the estwing brand ..have both the camper and hand held.but a very well made sarang works real well ..i like estwing campers ax the best ..its a hudson bay ax realy ..but its a realy good weapon as well ..thats what a hudson bay ax was used for an ax and a weapon