Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
This axe is perfect for smaller jobs around the garden.
Features
- 360mm fiberglass handle
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450g Carbon Steel head
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overall Weight: 860g
Aldi product code: 092222007471200 although only the figures 92222 appear on the packaging.
Price: £ 4.99
The head of the axe that I tested is of very hard carbon steel and thus rather difficult to sharpen with a file, and resharpening the cutting edge of head certainly is needed. While it comes quite sharp the edge is not consistent and neither is the edge shape.
Having only roughly, so to speak, resharpened the edge, I have tried to use it for roughening out work in spoon carving and I must say that I am impressed (N.B. I do not impress easily) how it performed. Almost, and I do stress almost, as good as my Fiskars X5, which only happens to cost almost eight to ten times as much. Having said that, I do love my Fiskars X5 but this cheap little axe or hatchet comes close to it.
With a little more sharpening work this cheap axe from Aldi could almost rival hatchets and small axes many times in price. Only, out of the box, so to speak, while it is not bad, it would not, as the edge just is not sharp and fine enough.
The small Workzone axe comes with a sheath that, unfortunately, is of rather very low quality, made of some kind of thin imitation leather, but the edge guard/protector that is made of some kind of rubber or silicone material appears to be very useful indeed.
While this hatchet or axe will make a fine cheap outdoors tool, carrying it on the belt with that sheath I would not recommend. Then again the axe is a little long in the handle, in my opinion, and also, with an overall weight of almost a kilogram rather on the heavy side, to have on the belt.
The handle, as mentioned above in the specs, is fiberglass and, unlike many other “modern” hatchets, including the Fiskars X5, this axe head has the usual “eye” which should make it possible, should the handle ever break, to replace it with a new, wooden, one.
The problem is that those products, such as the Workzone Small Axe from Aldi, are so-called “special buys” and are not all that often available at the stores but they do come around again every now and then.
So, now, what is my take on this hand axe or hatchet by way of a rating? From what I have seen so far, after having given it a little sharpening with a file, which almost slid off due to the hardness of the cutting edge, I would give it a 4 out of 5. I have to add that I have not chopped firewood with it though splitting kindling it does well.
A hatchet also is not, really, intended to chop logs for the wood stove or such like. That's what a larger axe is for.
© 2016
N.B. Normal review practice is to review products that were supplied – at no cost – by the manufacturer, vendor, or such, though there are times when a review like that is called for too; one where the product was purchased and was found to be good or the opposite.
