True to Its Name: The Estwing Fireside Friend Axe
Whether you have a backyard fire pit, a wood-burning stove for heat, or need to split wood here and there, you will need an axe for chopping wood. An axe is a multi-functional tool that does a lot more than chop and split. Plus, should a zombie apocalypse arrive, you’ve got a close-range weapon too. Multiple Amazon reviews mention the Estwing Fireside Friend Axe’s propensity for the slaughter of the undead, but I’ve found a few other uses for it, too.
Estwing Axe: Not Only for Firewood
The Estwing Fireside Friend Axe conveniently arrived on the day of my Cinco de Mayo Party backyard party. More importantly, it was my roommate’s last day working for someone else before she embarked on her self-employed dreams. To celebrate, and because we are all adults around here, we ordered a pinata from a local store. We filled it with tiny liquor bottles, and other “adult” treats. Then, the party commenced; we ate food and had drinks.
When it was time to smash the thing to smithereens, while blindfolded, we allowed Moriah a choice of weapons. She picked weapon number two, which happened to be the Estwing Axe. She proceeded to swing at the pinata until it tumbled in pieces to its untimely death.
Some guests were concerned about her injuring herself with the axe, but what is fun without a bit of risk? Plus, it’s a splitting axe and not as sharp as chopping axes.
Once smashed, the pinata rained tiny liquor bottles down on nearly a dozen already drunk adults. Should we have given a blindfolded and already drunk person an axe? Debatable. It’s all in the name of product testing and fun. The Fireside Friend gets a 10/10 for pinata destruction. But you’re probably more worried about firewood, right?
Practical Uses & Review
As far as this Estwing model goes, it truly is a fireside friend and the best axe for splitting firewood and other small bits of wood. We have a backyard fire pit at our house, and this 14-inch axe has become our go-to for preparing firewood during our weekly fires. Additionally, the smaller size makes this device easy to use for my roommate, who is even smaller than I am, and my somewhat diminutive self. The weight is distributed towards the head, which embedded oomph in each swing without added effort on the user’s end.
The shock-reduction grip reduced vibration and impact on my hands so I could split for longer without becoming exhausted. Additionally, the edge came hand-sharpened and with a ballistic nylon sheath to protect it. When I wasn’t actively using the axe, I replaced the sheath to keep it clean and corrosion-free.
The US-made Estwing axe is forged from a single piece of American steel — which is not a common find at this price point. As a result, this tool is excellent for a backyard firepit or preparing firewood for your wood-burning stove.
Buying the Estwing Fireside Friend Axe
The Estwing Fireside Friend Axe has an MSRP of $40.
While you can find axes cheaper, you rarely see a single-piece American steel axe made in the USA at this price. If you ask me, this buy is absolutely worth it and is so far the only product I’ve reviewed that gets five out of five stars. I haven’t found a flaw yet, and I try my hardest to give well-rounded, thorough reviews at all times.
Don’t forget to check out our guide on axes for chopping wood for a curated selection of axes.
