Doug:

I honestly feel that they are definatly worth the money.. I can tell you that I have beat the snot out of several and they never flinched..

Also in the unlikly event you ever do manage to mangle it,, Fiskars has a great customer support. I know becouse I called and said I lost my sheath for it and asked how much to replace. They just sent me a new sheath no cost.

Every fire truck I ever rode on carried fiberglass handled axes.
I own both, I prefer Fiberglass GREATLY to wood.

In my fire training, they refer to axes as "precision, high force striking tools" and that's exactly why we used them with fiberglass handles. I never had a sharp fire ax - they were all ground to an edge similar to the diameter of a pencil lead.

IME Fiskars is just fine as far as cheap axes go but that's about it. You could do a lot worse and the price is fairly competitive but there is really no comparison at all to a quality traditional axe. (And no, it doesn't have to be a Gransfors Bruks - not that long ago, there were many, many quality brands out there though sadly most of them have been put out of business by the cheap mass-produced crap.)

My experience with Fiskars is mostly limited to the 14" hatchet but since all their axes are basically identical in design, I suspect it applies to more or less the entire line. First off, the geometry is weird. The head is simply a thick steel wedge. The edge is obtuse, much too thick for efficient cutting but still not quite thick enough to excel at splitting. The design is clearly a compromise - an attempt to make an axe that would work both for cutting and splitting wood but it isn't much good at either. Once you sharpen the edge you'll constantly need to reprofile the entire head as well or the edge will get even more obtuse over time.

Second, the edge is a bit on the soft side. Edge rolling is a problem if you happen to hit a knot. Gets worse cutting pretty much any kind of hardwood. It is possible to restore the edge fairly quickly but I don't like having to sharpen my axe that often.

Third, the handle is hollow and wrapped (molded) around the head. It looks and feels more secure than it is. The handle can still crack or get loose. It happened to a friend of mine and he didn't even do much heavy chopping. Once the handle is loose it's impossible fix it. You can't replace it with a wooden handle either because there's no way to fit it. So once you damage the handle you might as well ditch the axe because you sure won't be able to repair it in the field.

You could improve an off-the-shelf Fiskars axe a bit by regrinding the whole profile but it's tedious work and I'm not sure it's worth the trouble. For a "beater" axe intended for rough work it might be acceptable. But for any kind of serious chopping/woodworking you'd better look elsewhere.

I recently purchased one of each of the following:

Japanese Hatchet

Bamboo Knife


I have not had the chance to try out either one yet, but based upon my experience with other Japanese tools,I think both will be winners.


Pete

Sure fibreglass handles are tough, but they'll never look as nice as this:


Plus, you can shape -within limits- a wood handle to suit your hands, this is a great deal harder with fibreglass.

I switched to man made materials for both my rifle stocks and my axe handles. I like the old fashion look and feel of wood to be honest, and nothing looks sharper than a rifle with a nice polished hardwood stock but...

I learned the hard way that in harsh outdoor conditions wood can and will warp. You can prevent it to some degree by constantly wiping off moisture and applying oil to the wood but when you go from rain to snow to sun and then back to rain all in the same day(typical Eastern Canadian weather) then it becomes a big pain in the @#$.

A new wooden axe handle will hold up for a while under adverse conditions but eventually it will warp or crack or come loose. Yes you can replace the wooden handle under field conditions, but it won't be nearly as confortable or safe.

Fibreglass on the other hand, does not warp, or twist under even the most hash enviromental conditions and you would have to go out of your way to abuse it to the point of breaking it during the normal use of what an axe is intended. In a long term survival situation you will die of old age before a fibreglass or composite handle wears out.

I don't know what the loggers use out here to be honest, but I am sure wood has advantages over fibreglass depending on who you ask. I am only speaking for myself. I take care of my gear but I also put it through hell constantly. I think a wood handle is fine for short camping trips and the like but if you want years of worry free rugged use then fiberglass is they way to go.