Council Tool Jersey Classic with Forged Bevels 32 Inch Curved Wooden Handle Sport Utility Finish (with Sheath)

I have a gransfors bruh small forest axe. It is great, super sharp, and well finished but it is expensive. When it came time to buy a full size felling axe I researched a lot and settled on this axe. Out of the box it is a great axe and exactly as I expected. You pay a lot less than you would for a Gransfors Bruk. What you get is a less finished axe but that is what I wanted. The axe comes with a very dry unfinished handle and the blade is not even close to sharp. But again, this is what I expected and was willing to compromise on for a more affordable axe. To finish this axe and to make it superb I will apply boiled linseed oil to the handle and sharpen the bit with a file and stone. After that this axe will be top notch. The grain on the handle is straight, the axe head is symmetrical and hung well, and is overall a great axe. If you want a great axe but don't want to spend over a $100 dollars and are willing to do some finishing yourself I highly recommend this axe.

I am very happy with this product. I have seen reviews that have mentioned misaligned grain on Council Tool's wooden handles and various complaints about quality control. My experience with this product has been very positive. The handle was perfectly formed and the grain properly aligned with the bit. The cutting edge took a shaving sharp edge with little effort and cuts like a dream. The hardening seems to be of good quality and the axe retained a perfect edge after chopping a day's worth of firewood. The axe head is wonderfully balanced and swings very well. Overall I would say that this is a proper all purpose working axe. Cosmetically it is not pristine like some boutique axes, but it is functionally flawless. Plus, it's American made and offers modern production of a classic American axe pattern at a price much lower than some imported competitors.

If you want a garage wall hanger, this is not the axe for you. The axe head is not brightly polished and the finish on the handle looks like "good enough" was good enough.* * * * * BUT * * * * *This is a VERY WELL MADE tool. It is meant to be used, abused, repaired, and abused again.Out of the box, the head is sufficiently sharp for chopping or splitting. The balance is good. I had no problems putting the edge right where I wanted it to land.The handle is solid and the grain orientation is correct - I had no issues with the handle cracking or splitting. The finish on the handle is not as smooth as a baby's butt, however I saw no issues with the surface quality of the handle - "good enough" was good enough. It's a tool. You'll put more dings and scrapes in it the first time you use it.If you need an axe, spend the $$ one time and buy a quality tool - one that is MADE IN THE USA!!!!!

Not too bad considering the price. If you have a knowledge of how to tune an axe up, it is a pretty good buy.The grain orientation on the handle was perfect. Needed some sanding and some boiled linseed oil and it feels great. It is not my favorite shape but all in all not bad.The head is pretty rough and will take some time with a file or grinder to clean up. It will also need a good amount of time on the sharpening stones to make it serviceable. High quality steel is used and holds an edge well.If you are willing to put a few hours into it, this can be a great axe.

I debated on the 5# or this 3.5# ax and went with this one. I could tell lifting it out of the box that this was a nicely balanced ax. It came sharp out of the box, took it out after work and split some wood with it. It did a really nice job and sharpened back up quickly. Very impressed with this thing, it splits like a big ax but I wouldn't hesitate to take it with me on a canoe trip if it was needed.

It's important to be clear on what this axe is and what it isn't.Out of the box it is nicer by far than any of the Chinese made hardware store throw-away axes you will find, but it is not (at least at first)comparable to the BMC or Velvicut axes, or any of the nice Scandinavians either.Council makes a 4# felling axe in the velvicut line that is gorgeous, but 4 times the cost of this axe.I thought the 3.5 # head might be less unwieldy for felling or bucking ( this is NOT a splitter) and I gave it a try.What arrives is a lot like an un-finished or less finished velvicut. Haft was high quality, tight grain and good grain alignment, but totally unfinished and the head was hardly sharp enough to spread butter. BUT if you are willing to spend an hour with some different grits of sandpaper, a bastard file and a wet stone you can finish this axe as I did and get it "shaving" sharp. The outcome is well worth the investment.Good luck.

I like that’s it’s made in the USA. The steel seems quality and hasn’t chipped on me yet. Handle has good grain patterns. The wedges they use are outstanding. The reason I am giving this a 3 star review is because I noticed the blade is cantered to the right by a eighth of an inch and not perfectly in line with the handle. Also, within the first 10 logs I split, the neck of the handle is dented pretty significantly. For almost $100, I expected better quality.

VERY fine workmanship. This is an axeman's axe. Very good grind. Straight grained, nicely thinned handle.