Collins manufactured axes and hatchets for montgomery wardss from the 1920’s until the company went out of business. The faceted 14 inch hickory handle is original and hatchet holstero rides comfortably on any belt up to 1 1/2 wide. The leather is hand sewn and riveted at all the key stress points. With a little attention to sharpening this bushcraft classic is ready to go into the field. Overview of the hatchet inside its custom made belt axe holster. Full length of the face of the axe head showing the montgomery wards logo on the collins axe head. Note the deep “collins” nail pull notch. Detail of the of the hatchet head and store logo. Detail of the back side or the axe head. Detail of the front of the custom made hatchet holster. Detail of the reverse side of the holster note the triple rivets on the top and bottom of the belt loop. Full length face up of the 14 inch hatchet outside the holster. Full length face down of the hatchet outside the holster. Detail of the original handle and axe head rehung with a metal safety wedge. Overview of the original painted :”fawn’s foot” handle. This particular hatchet has a handle that has a “faceted” cut to the wood.

A hundred and fifty years ago scandinavian immigrants began settling here in the upper midwest and as they did their trust in products from their homeland is evident in many of the vintage tools found in this area. This fine trapper’s hatchet head from sweden is a quality example of european craftsmanship and dates to between the 1920’s and late 1930’s. Trapping even today in minnesota, wisconsin, and the dakota’s is still a favorite pastime for many outdoors men. The weight of this classic hatchet makes it a great tool for the bushcrafter looking to minimize the load they carry into the woods. The original handle is long gone but a “repurposed” handle from a different swedish hatchet is a perfect refit. This new narrow, “fawn’s foot” handle is will be easier to handle and less bulk to pack. The handle is hung with a wooden wedge and an additional steel safety wedge. A new jute and acrylic collar has been added to extend the life of the wooden handle. The new leather mask has been custom made to fit this particular hatchet and has a riveted belt loop to accommodate standard belts up to 1 1/2 inches wide. The mask is hand tooled and sewn at the edges in a traditional frontier style then reinforced with steel rivets at all its critical stress points. Full length of the trapper’s hatchet inside its custom leather mask. Overview of the hatchet head facing left. Extreme detail of the “sweden” country of origin stamp in the axe head. Full length of the axe and leather mask facing left. Overview of the hatchet head facing right. Full length of the hatchet and mask facing right. Detail of the riveted belt loop on the reverse side of the mask. Detail of the “repurposed” handle painted black. Detail of the new jute and acrylic collar on the handle to reinforce the handle. Detail of the axe mask showing the strap and buckle closure, the hand tooling, the hand sewing, and the stress point riveting.