1844 Helko Werk Germany Traditional Mini Spalter - Made in Germany Compact Splitting Axe, Small Wood Splitting Hatchet - Head 2-1/2 lbs, Handle 20 in. (Mini Spalter) #13511

Finally used in the wilderness. I had to take down about 25 branches 4-6 inches thick and this thing made it so easy. The crazy part is that it's was still as sharp after the job was done! Oiled the head and put her back in the sheath. This is a hand me down hatchet.

I love reading reviews. Thank you for all the people who use products and then post reviews. It really helped me pick a good one from the many options out there. I knew there were lots of mass market options more budget friendly, but having no experience and particular skills and having a decent amount of wood to work through, I wanted something that would last. I also wanted something that wouldn’t be likely to injure me due to being to heavy for me to handle or having too much handle reverb. This axe seemed like the happy solution. Hand forged head, well crafted beautiful wood grain handle with a 25” length from the axe head, to hold up for many years. On the smaller side (I am 5’2” female with much smaller hands than most men). Total weight with blade protection on 4LBS 10oz very wieldable. The handle is a little large for me, with gloves I usually find some soreness in my hands after a 60-90 minute chopping session, but I chalk that up as much to learning a new skill as the handle size which seems fairly comfortable and functional. I always wear goat skin gloves and have hand no blistering issues. I purchased from the same company Helko Werk their kit for upkeep on your axe head (the axe does come with some head oil). The additional kit comes with a two sided grind stone and additional head oil. I end each chop session with a blade care session. Before my first use I also applied 3 coats of raw Linseed oil to seal the wood and will continue to apply additional coats as needed. I saw some reviews mention the blade not being at all sharp on arrival, mine was fairly sharp, I probably could have used it out of the box, but it was a bit sticky probably from old head oil so I gave it a grind session before the first use. All in all, I am very pleased with this axe. The head seems very secure. I look forward to continuing to hone my aim and skill. Of note I have only been using this axe to chop kindling sized pieces from a huge brush pile, horizontally so far, so I am not able or skilled enough to review a vertical chop on larger diameter pieces yet (working up to that). The blade is fully able to chop through pieces 1-2” in diameter and wedge itself in the block beneath, due to my lack of skill more often, I need more chops then more skilled persons would to get through the 3-4” diameter branches. It’s a learning process. I very much enjoy using this blade and hope it will serve me for many years to come. The head seems very solid. I had also purchased the additional leather guard for the handle, but since it would impair the way my glove slides down the handle on swings, I haven’t used it yet. I may apply it one I approach vertical chopping (I purchased it chiefly to protect on over chops).

Update: My husband contacted their customer service and they sent him the missing oil. They were really nice and helpful.Bought this for my husband and he loves it. He’s already been putting it to work and has said it may be his favorite axe. It seems to split wood easily as I watched him split some pretty large logs yesterday with it. Well worth the money! My only complaint is that it’s advertised as coming with the head oil but there was none included.

I was impressed with the craftsmanship and the weight distribution, making splitting wood very effective without alot of effort, just a smooth swing. Love it

I don't think I can add anything that hasn't already been said about this tool. It is absolutely amazing at busting stubborn links. Knots? What knots? It bust through them with an ease never thought possible. North of $200 for a splitting ax is a tough ask. But I can assure you, it's worth it.

At only 24” long, this thing is a unit! Solid German craftsmanship.

What can I say, the quality of this tool is amazing. I unboxed this axe and immediately checked out the grain orientation in the handle- so far, it seems to be the only negative I have is that the grain is about 25-30 degrees angled away from the head. its a bit more than i am used to. with that said, I seriously doubt it is going to be a problem. The wood looks of high quality. The dimensions of the handle are wide, giving me optimal purchase with a variety of grip positions (I have larger hands) the cutting edge was a solid 4.5/5 on sharpness, a little love with a stone and it should be good to go. I have heard that these axes sometimes need work on the cutting edge, but i got fortunate I suppose. The black forest model is the perfect length for a taller guy like myself who finds that 17-18 inch handles are awkward,( causing me to have to get into janky footing positions as to not whack myself in the leg) but still compact enough to be articulate in my cutting motion and retaining a small footprint on my mountain pack. This axe also has a very wide cutting edge in comparison to the rear of the head, a slight even beard above and below, with a notible and almost "medieval" reduction to the rear.I know some folks like myself talk about axe's and hatchets having a soul or spirit, whether or not its true is irrelevant. I cannot wait to bring my Helko Werk axe with me to the sticks and build a bond with this wonderful example of fine craftsmanship. This is definitely worth what they are charging. Germany, giving Sweden a run for their money.UPDATE 3/19/19Had this axe out for a three day winter bushcrafting trip. The edge was lost pretty quickly the first day- so I took the bastard file to it to reallign the bevel edge and rehoned with a stone. The edge kept sharp after that for the rest of the trip. The handle worked itself slightly loose on the last morning, it had dropped down from 40 degrees F that previous afternoon to almost negetive 5-10 F. So, I set the head in boiled linseed oil and added a single beavertail wedge and it tightened right back up- (I might note that once I got home and got the axe back into room temp, the head could no longer be wiggled) This axe exceeded expectation, wonderful for one handed use debarking and gerdalling larger frozen logs- felling smaller 3-4" pine and aspen was easy but anything girthier than that was quite a chore. Splitting with this axe is not really an option unless you have very small pieces. The axe would just sink into stumps without causing much of a split, but its cutting ability is top notch. I will update again as time goes on.3/29/24 update.Still using it! Still my go-to, although I have more to my collection now for specific trips out. This one is still my first choice, and will likely outlive me.