Gränsfors Bruk Mini Hatchet

Developed by Lennart Pettersson (LP) at Gränsfors Bruks in Sweden. Lennart, axe smith, knife smith, back-packer and fisherman has created a little hatchet which can be used as an axe and a knife. The poll, slightly rounded, functions like a "priest".

Anything you can do with your knife you can do with this hatchet, be that cleaning your catch, making a shore lunch, cutting rope or other utility work. But then you can get on your knees and fell small trees with this axe, which is something you can't do with your fillet knife.

The roots of Gränsfors Mini Belt Hatchet go back many thousand years. In the old days in Europe it was common to carry a belt axe which could be used as a knife and an axe, a valuable tool and a weapon. A nice belt axe was also a symbol of status. In the 16th and 17th century, the French began trading axes with the American Indians. The small Belt Axe, light and narrow, become the "trade axe" and was transformed into the tomahawk.

But the Gränsfors Mini Belt Hatchet is neither a tomahawk nor a scaled down axe. It is a functional new design by Lennart Pettersson. It is hand forged of high carbon Swedish steel and tempered at the bit to a hardness of 57 Rockwell C. To forge a small axe with the hole in the head requires great craftsman skill.

This little hatchet has a 2.5" cutting edge, a 10" hickory handle and weighs only about 12 oz. The hatchet comes with a grain-leather sheath. Like all Gransfors axes, the Mini Belt Hatchet comes with a 20 year guarantee.