Is the Robin Wood Bushcraft Axe for you?

I bought the Robin Wood Bushcraft Axe for use on my bushcraft courses, spoon carving courses but also for good old fashioned wood chopping for the log burner.  So if you are a person who needs an axe for general purposes or for specialist uses please read on.

Not only is this a great mid-range axe it is also a reasonably priced tool.  I’ve used many different axes for bushcraft and carving over the years.  This review gives you information about the axe to help you to decide whether this is for you or not.

I found the fit of the Bushcraft Axe head to the 19″ hickory handle to be tight.  It feels very secure.  The head has been pressed on to the handle and it has a wooden and metal wedge driven in to the eye.  The top has been sanded flush which makes a pleasing profile.

How does the Robin Wood Bushcraft Axe feel in hand?

The handle has a textured finish along the length.  This makes for a very good grip.  With my right hand I took hold of the throat/grip area.  I let my grip slacken slightly and the handle slid through and rested two thirds of the way up the belly/back of the handle.  This felt perfect for smaller work such as splitting kindling or tapping in wooden pegs.  I then choked up the head and this felt very comfortable for fine shaving and removal of stock from smaller spoon blanks.

How does the Bushcraft Axe compare to other axes quality wise?

There are some curls of wood around the shoulders from where the head has been pressed on, however this is only an aesthetic quibble on my part.  The head is high carbon and has been drop forged.  It has a lovely black finish which contrasts well with the highly ground and phenomenally sharp edge. The head has some irregularities such as the poll not being absolutely square but this gives the bushcraft axe character.  I purchased the optional sheath to protect me and the edge. It is a simple and effective addition to the axe.

How much does the Bushcraft Axe cost in comparison to other axes?

For its price (currently £49.00 plus £17.50 for the sheath) the Robin Wood Bushcraft Axe  looks to be a real contender to the Gransfors Bruks Small Forrest axe, Swedish Carving axe and Scout Hatchet.  These are all over £100.  It does not have the same quality finish but it does exactly what it says on the tin.  I was very impressed with the sharpness of the blade.

What testing have you done so far?

I tested the bushcraft axe on a simple task of splitting wood for the log burner.  It accomplished this with ease.  I have also blanked some birch and walnut ready for the lathe.  This was really nice as the Robin Wood Bushcraft Axe joined my other greenwood working tools and was immediately part of the team.  Throughout the year I will be putting the axe through its paces, taking it with me to the woods, using it on courses and using it in demos.  I can’t wait to see how it performs and how I adapt to its use.  I’ll let you know how I get on and I’d love to hear from you with your experiences of the Robin Wood Bushcraft Axe.  You can read reviews and choose one for yourself direct from Robin Wood’s site.

Keeeeep axing!

Greg