Fellmark Damascus Steel Axe Retk Bushcraft Axe With Sheath Carbon Steel Wooden Hatchet For Chopping Wood With Rosewood Handle Camping Hand Axe

The Fellmark RETK Axe:Fellmark, a new up and coming company reached out to me to test out, review,and critique their latest work, the RETK axe.Before we jump into the the review let me tell you a bit about myself and why the good people at fellmark felt it was a good idea to put a RETK in my hands. My name is Paul Smith I'm from the north west coast of Scotland and I'm a bushcraft instructor and woodsman. I spend everyday out in the field making and building things using minimal tools and equipment, which means I rely on good tools to make my life easier in the woods, as such I have handled a fair few knives and axes in my time, and consider myself fairly well versed in what makes a good functional tool.(in this case an axe)This leads me nicely into my thoughts about the Retk axe. I ordered the axe through Amazon and it came the following day fairly well packaged. On taking the axe out of the box the first thing that hits you is the beautiful nature of the materials used a stunning rosewood handle, and a 214 layer Damascus using 1095 and 15n20 alloy steel it really pops and catches the eye, not to mention the great choice of steels! 1095 is particularly well known for its reliability and edge keeping capabilities. The axe comes with a leather sheath that has a belt loop incorporated in the design, a very nice and useful touch and not something I've seen before! Upon further inspection after having handled it and admired it, my thoughts turned to really checking the fit and finish. The axe itself was perfect the handle is very secure and the head came oiled to prevent corrosion, the axe didn't come very sharp although it was by no means dull, this is a good thing as it means there is some material behind the edge, a thin edge will tend to roll and chip much easier compared to a razor sharp one.This brings me to perhaps the biggest flaw, but one that is by no means a deal breaker. the edge of the axe appears to be a very small and steep V grind, unfortunately this doesn't lend itself well to an axe head, you have a very small angle to work with when cutting into wood which can result in deflections of the axe which in turn can be dangerous if you are standing in the incorrect way or using improper technique, It also makes the axe a little bit more tricky to maintain and means maintenance is required slightly more often, BUT! This can be changed and once changed to a convex grind the axe becomes a carving machine and cuts considerably better!Moving on from that and having made that change, the axe becomes much more user friendly allowing you to carve, split, and Limb, pieces of wood with ease. I found the handle was a comfortable shape for use over extended periods, and lent itself well to being held both close to the head for carving work and at the end of the handle for splitting. the axe handle does come varnished which means it can get slippy in sweaty hands but this could be personal preference as it does protect the wood and makes the rosewood really quite beautiful to look at.In summary the axe is very good it lends itself to a variety of tasks and is more than capable of of achieving said tasks. it's astounding appearance combined with its functionality makes it a great choice for the regular outdoorsman/woman who has some experience with axes and hatchets,Let me list some pros and cons for you:PROS:It's quite simply beautiful to look at!Its multi purpose.It will take and hold an edge well!It comes with a sheath/belt loop in 1!It's got great build quality and can take a whack!The back of the axe head is flat which means it's also a hammer!Great customer service with FellmarkCons:The V grind as discussed above(Which can be fixed)The finish on some of the leather work could be neaterThe varnished handle may not appeal to all.When companies reach out to me to review a product I endeavour to be as open and honest as possible, I hope this review helps those interested in this item, and should you have any further questions or concerns please don't hesitate to get in touch with myself or the great people at Fellmark who will be more than happy to help you.All the bestAnd thanks for readingPaul@Paul Smith Primitive Bushcraft

There's normally two types of tools on the bushcraft market either beautiful to look at or practical workhorse. This axe is both. The Damascus steel and the finish is so good. So happy it, comes with a very well fitted sheath/ axe loop to attach to your belt.This would be ideal taking on camping trips as it hardly weighs anything, but the design still makes it practical throwing allot of weight behind that head of the axe for chopping wood.

Product arrived packaged well. The rose wood handle and Damascus pattern head are pleasing to the eye. The bad news is the blade is warped, has a slight twist and isn’t mounted onto the head centrally.

Well made apart from 2 delaminated spots on the back of the axe but does not affect the use at all. Found the handle finish needs to be oil not lacquer to stop blistering from sweat.For the price it’s good.

Excellent quality at a fair price