Berger hand axe 5431 with forged axe head axe with ash wood handle

This is what you would expect for a medium use axe/hatchet. The steel is good quality and finished reasonably well, except the edge will need a little work. The paint is uniform and feels durable for use. The wood has the proper grain orientation and a good palm feel, though the finish is a bit grippy and rough (just needs some Xfine sanding to smooth it out). Unless you are going to spend a lot more money for a better finish, this is good value for what you pay for. I always expect to put a little front end work in on my wood choppers anyways. Doing so kinda makes it mine I guess. What I will end up with in short order will be a quality tool that I can respect and feel confident in. Maybe not the "best" on the market, but certainly in the sweet spot for me. Once I take it into the woods for a serious cutting session, I will update.

The buttb of the head is heavy where it should be and narrows to a nice, thin cutting edge as a well-designed hatchet should. The head weighs 800 grams. The handle is also designed well; the knob having a nice flare for getting maximal leverage and there is a widening of the handle about 2/3 of the way up which enables one to use this hatchet with one hand with less effort. The attachment of handle to head is extremely tight. I would have expected to pay a good bit more money than these sell for.

Great

Unreal quality! VERRRY Good axe and looks great too!

With 50 yrs of woodworking experience, this is the poorest example of workmanship that I have ever seen.