Marbles MR5215-BRK Fireman's Survival Axe - Heavy Duty Camping & Emergency Tool for Outdoor Adventures, Fire Rescue, and Survival Situations

I marked this tool down not because of a problem with the tool itself but, because the sheath wasn't included. Today I found a You Tube review I didn't find before ordering this. The person doing the review identified a company "Smokey Mountain Knifeworks" who well sell and ship this machete to you WITH THE SHEATH for about $35. Amazon charged me over $20 for the tool and would charge me over $16 for the sheath - separately. This is a disappointment. The tool is simply too dangerous to carry without it being covered.I'm perfectly happy w/ the machete. I expect to routinely take this tool to the woods with me whenever I go. It is a light multi-purpose tool. While I really like the Kukri style machetes about 18" long and costing a lot more, This may well be the better tool to carry. I have no idea how well it is tempered and whether it will hold an edge over the long term. I need it to be axe sharp and not razor sharp anyway.I rec'd it today and took it out and did some brush cutting. It was sharp enough, even with just have a factory milled grind. It took a good bite out of the green saplings w/ no problem. A little work w/ a file and stone should make it even better.The axe portion worked fine. While it doesn't have the wedge of an ax blade, normally if I'm camping or backpacking, I don't need to chop trees more than three inches in diameter. A saw is a better tool for me, particularly since I'm limited to dead wood anyway.I didn't try to make kindling but, based on its use today it should split small wood w/ little problem. It's not really set up for batoning. To do that you would need to use the long edge against the wood and strike the opposite side between your hand and the axe edge. Your arm would be getting a jolt if your strike was off center. Since most of the strikes would be between the user and the would, the persons arm would get a lot of the blows force. I haven't found the need for much batoning anyway, some seem to feel it is important.The bill hook is great for removing small limbs of an inch or less. It also works great as a back cut opposite a front cut with the axe/machete edges when cutting down a sapling. Its gives a great deal of control and helps limit a wayward strike. (I hope you can understand my description.) The Bill Hook also works good in cutting very small saplings by hooking it at the base and jerking back towards you at an angle. It works even better if you hold and stabilize the sapling w/ your free hand.This is just a great little tool for getting in close where your swing is limited. Certainly you must be very cautious when using this thing. You have the same concerns you would have with other cutting tools and particularly axes and machetes. However, because it is short and you are thereby working closer to it, obstructions like limbs, briers and vines could be an even greater problem. There is a lot of cutting edge on this tool.I really don't know yet, what functional purpose the front edge will serve. I suppose you could use it for batoning by positioning the tool vertically with the front edge on the wood and striking the bill hook with the baton. The size of the stick being split would be limited and the baton would certainly get chewed up.This is a very sharp device. Be careful when using or mounting, it can cut you easily. The only drawback is that it should come with a cover / holder. It comes with a temp paper cover but that isn't practical enough for everyday use. Otherwise it is great for unexpected chopping when in desperate need. Great value for what it can be used for in a jiff.This is a fairly basic tool but well designed and well made for the asking price. Calling it an axe is a stretch but it is similar to the "axes" historically carried in some aluminum skinned aircraft as crash escape tools. If you have room and weight to spare it would be a good addition to a first responder or SAR go bag. You will need to make some sort of cover for it if you intend to carry it in a bag or pack and think of it more as a machete with a gas shutoff function but I'm be happy to have it in my gear.The seller noted that it will be rusted but mine was not. Would be a five star item if the metal were a little more substantial but it would also likely come with a five star price. Overall pleased with it.Marbles Fireman's axe is a cross between a machete & hatchet. It arrived sharp with a near continuous cutting edge that begins at the handle and wraps around the "axe" head. I ordered the sheath separably (also on Amazon) which fit perfectly; I don't understand why the 2 would be sold separately - especially because I believe the sheath is a necessity. This tool is perfect for clearing brush & chopping kindling but not as an axe.The wooden handle, although sturdy, isn't designed well - it's a bit "chunky" and just doesn't seem as finished.I also own an Ontario SP 16 which is a much more substantial military grade version of this tool.I got one of these last year to use on my hunting property. It lasted all year and took a beating! This thing is great for almost any chopping project of smaller trees, branches, brush and so on. It is bright red and easy to find when I drop it. The blade can be sharpened fairly easily and you don't have to worry about the small dings and nicks because there is always a new section to cut with if in part gets dull. For $20 you don't have to worry about losing alot of money if it gets lost. We have bought 2 more of these handy tools for the property. Can't go wrong getting one of these.Received, looked over but have not used. Build quality, good. A little of the metal tang protrudes from the wooden handle leaving a bit of an edge. Might leave a blister if used a lot all at once. Sheath is a must b/c of sharpness and rust likelihood. Should really sell them together. Spray some gun oil or similar light weight oil in the sheath to prevent rust. Boeshield T9 is the best.Tried it out on some 1” and smaller diameter saplings. Tool came sharp, and bit will, but the edge rolled after only 15 minutes or so of light work. Maybe good in a pinch, but this is not at all meant for hard or continuous use.The axe is brand new, unused, the wood part is not well done, and ir already feels shaky. After using it, that is only going to get worse. But for the price I would have still rated it 4 stars, HOWEVER, when I ordered the sheath, it's when things got bad. The sheath does not properly cover the axe. A part of the axe comes out, and if you have it sharp, as it should be, it will cut your stuff, or even worse, YOU!I wanted to like this product, but the fact that you can buy it on other stores for around $18 INCLUDING THE SHEATH, and maybe the bad product that I received. I just cannot recommend it. If I would have bought it for the $18 including the shead, then I would have given it 4-5 stars. But at this price, with a little more you could probably get something better. I was really exited when I ordered it, but when I got it, it was just pure disappointment.