OKish axe head. not well finished. Requires a good amount of work with a bastard file to put an edge on it. Pitiful handle. DO NOT COVER THE WOODEN HANDLE OF A TOO WITH SLICK VARNISH!!! Leave it open, maybe with a simple oil finish... Varnish is a cheap shortcut that diminishes the quality of the product. They made it more about looks than functionality. If I have to fix a brand new tool there's something very, very wrong there.

This is a very high quality product for an outstanding price. I am really pleased to see it was entirely made in the USA. I am a very frugal shopper and insist on US made products and this purchase makes me feel proud every time I use it.

I am a Lehman's employee, and this axe literally stopped me mid-stride through the warehouse one day by virtue of its outstanding appearance. My next trip to our store in Kidron, I picked one up. After using it a handful of times, I can tell you that this is the real deal. It's got a high-carbon steel bit, hickory handle, and fantastic balance in a compact, lightweight package that can go the distance. This axe is definitely coming on my next hike-in camping trip. If you need an axe, you need a Snow & Nealley axe. This thing looks great and functions better. It sliced through - not chopped, sliced - a 2-diameter tree limb before I even sharpened it. This one is built short - about halfway between a hatchet and a regular axe - but I'm not missing that extra length and heft thanks to the superior cutting edge on this axe. I couldn't believe I was getting USA-made, high-carbon steel at this low of a price - it's worth every penny and more.

I purchased this axe a couple years ago and was disappointed with it from the start. First of all it needed a lot of work sharpening it. Then I found out the heads are forged in CHINA and the quality of the steel is not there. Then the heads are shipped to Maine and the handles installed.Nowhere on this axe does it say Made in China. Shame on Snow & Nealley for this bait and switch.