Njord Damascus Small Camp Axe

Njord produces a range of axes and knives that are handmade by skilled artisans, using traditional techniques and methods to produce high-quality tools, finished, and presented to a high standard. Whitby and Co. Ltd. now carries a wide range of Njord products, and they are well worth a look.

This small camp axe weighs just 584-grams. It shows a 25cm redwood handle and an 8cm blade. Damascus steel looks good on a knife blade but on an axe head it is even more striking, and the finish is truly eye-catching. The different coloured metals used in the head really make the pattern stand out, and each one will be slightly different. Supplied sharpened, the axe is ready to go for light camp duties, like cutting firewood and making kindling. It is not razor-sharp, but the profile of the blade is very effective for splitting wood.

Getting a handle on it

The rosewood handle is nicely shaped to give a firm grip and is long enough to make a useful and practical tool. It is finished with a layer of beeswax and linseed oil and is secured to the head using a wooden wedge and a metal barrel wedge. It is important to keep the wooden handle of an axe oiled to prevent it from shrinking, and the head coming loose, and Njord has clearly given its axes the best possible start in life with a good coating.

The axe is supplied in a lined wooden presentation box and comes with a handmade, brown leather sheath with a belt loop. The sheath is good quality and completely covers the cutting edge of the axe head for safety when carrying it.
In use, the axe feels really comfortable in the hand and, whether held by the throat for chopping or the deep belly on the shaft for cutting, it does not slip or rotate on impact.

The elephant in the room?

The Njord brand is named after the Norse God of the sea and its riches, and the axe is designed in the Netherlands, but despite these associations with Viking heritage, it is actually made in Pakistan, a part of the world with a long history of making fine edged weapons. The finish on the handle and the axe head is high quality and the head itself is very hard and tough. The fact that the tool is not made in the Netherlands is no detriment to the finished product.

Conclusion

This is a really nice axe. As well as looking very attractive, with a good presentation box and leather sheath, it is a well-designed, tough, and practical tool. It sits in the hand really well, and despite its small size, it is very effective at splitting and cutting.