Handmade in Germany

Pathfinder

The Pathfinder is comfortable to hold, well balanced, and unfailingly dependable. It performs well at making kindling, limbing branches, general yard work, and is a reliable camp or packing tool. The hammerhead poll may be used to drive tent stakes and perform other light hammering. The head is buffed and polished to a reflective finish that reduces cutting friction and improves rust resistance.

Specifications

​Head Weight: 1 ½ lbs. Total Weight: 2 lbs.

Bit Length: 3 ¼​ in​. Handle Length: 15 in.

Head - Hand forged using a drop hammer on open dies - Premium grade C50 high carbon steel - ​53-56 HRC (Rockwell Hardness) Handle - Sustainably sourced grade A American hickory - Individually selected for grain orientation and density - Boiled linseed oil finish, 150 grit smooth sanded - Hung with hardwood wedge and steel ring wedge​

What's Included

Care For Your Axe

• 1 oz. bottle of Axe-Guard protective oil - Axe Guard is a 100% green metal treatment oil manufactured in the USA.
• Vegetable tanned Leather Sheath - Our sheaths are handmade in the USA from vegetable tanned, top-grain cowhide leather.

Care For Your Axe

Sharpening & Maintenance

Become familiar with proper sharpening techniques. Keep the edge sharp while maintaining the original bevel. Use a flat file and sharpening stone to sharpen your edge. Grinders or sanders can be used with extreme caution, as overheating can alter the steel temper. Our Dual-Sided Axe File has a double-cut pattern for rapid material removal when reprofiling, or for removing dings and nicks from the edge.

Care For Your Axe

Storage

Store your axe in a cool, dry place. Excessive exposure to moisture and the elements may cause damage over time. Do not store in direct sunlight, or near a stove, fireplace, or other heat source. This can cause significant damage to handles by lowering humidity levels in the wood. After using your axe, always clean and oil the head.

Safety

Splitting Techniques

When splitting, use a firm and stable chopping surface to reduce the risk of injury or damage to your tool. Never split wood against the ground. Take care to avoid striking the handle against logs or other objects, which can happen in the event of a miss swing, and is the leading cause of damaged handles. If your axe blade becomes stuck in a log, rock it back and forth in line with the blade. Never twist side to side, as this may break your handle.

About Helko Werk

Manufacturing Process

Our axes are individually forged by hand using a drop hammer on open dies. The blacksmith works on a drop forge, using tongs to hold the hot steel as a hammer falls repeatedly onto it. The drop hammer runs continuously at remarkable speed, requiring a highly skilled and time-tested smith. The hand-eye coordination and judgment required for this process can only come from years of experience, as every split-second decision ultimately affects the shape and integrity of the final product.

About Helko Werk

Rockwell Hardness

An important factor to consider when evaluating the quality of an axe. The steel must be tempered just right, without being too soft to hold an edge or hard enough to become brittle. ​Helko's Master Smiths have cumulatively spent hundreds of years perfecting the hardness and temper of our axes, creating an ideal balance between superior edge holding ability, ease of sharpening, and resistance to chipping.

About Helko Werk

Handles

The quality of the handle is also a significant measure of the tool’s integrity. Helko handles are proudly crafted from sustainably sourced Grade A American hickory. Helko promotes environmentally sound, socially beneficial, and economically prosperous management of the world's forests.

About Helko Werk

Leather Sheaths

Our Leather Sheaths are made from vegetable tanned, full grain, cowhide leather. We install a heavy duty welt in all of our sheaths, which is an added strip of leather that rests against the blade, for maximum blade protection. The buckle fasteners are nickel plated with an adjustable strap that will always ensure a snug fit, even if the leather stretches over time.