Karesuando Knives, or more properly, Karesuando Kniven, isn’t just about knives, despite the name. They also make a variety of pack axes that are not just truly works of art, but which are marvelously functional.

This short post will take a closer look at the Stoera Aksu (4013) that’s outfitted with a natural curly birch haft. Here’s what you should know.

Tough Steel

The Stoera Aksu in question has a Sandvik 12C27 head hung on a curly birch haft. While you see this still more often in knives, it’s actually a surprisingly good steel for an ax head.

This steel carries .6% carbon, which is effectively the same concentration as that used by 1055, which is another steel commonly used to make ax heads along with other knives and tools.

It’s more than enough carbon to take a very sharp edge and hold it reasonably well, but nowhere near enough to make the steel brittle. As a result, this steel can be used to make nearly bombproof tools.

But unlike steels in the 10XX class, 12C27 has more than 13% carbon, which makes it shockingly corrosion resistant, which is a real boon since we’re talking about an ax here.

The interesting thing is that on paper, though the steel does sound good, the exploration of chemistry just does not do it justice. It really is a great steel that takes a very fine edge and which is extremely wear and abuse resistant, and in this case, will require minimal maintenance since it is so corrosion resistant as well.

A Beautiful and Functional Haft

The haft of the Stoera Aksu is made from curly birch, which showcases beautiful figure that simply cannot be imitated.

In larger axes, curly wood is not necessarily desirable because, although it is very strong and has interlocking grain, the grain is irregular. This can make it hard to quantify the strength.

That said, this is more of a small pack ax or hand ax, and in this case, the hard, dense grain of curly birch is not only beautiful, it is well-suited to the ax for its strength.

Great Ergonomics

The Stoera Aksu has a roughly 11 inch haft with generous contours and a comfortable swell at its base. This aids in control and helps secure the ax haft in the hand, even should the haft become wet or greasy.

Where It Excels

Thanks to its size, the Stoera Aksu is designed to be a hunter’s companion, and will serve well when processing medium and large game, as it can handle jobs that might be a bit much even for most hunting knives. In particular, an ax like this will work well for separating joints, cutting through ligaments, and removing large cuts of meat from bone.

Another great thing about this ax is that it is also excellent for preparing small rounds of wood as well as for carving camp tools or feathersticks, or for preparing kindling for a fire. The corrosion resistance of the steel will also help keep the bit free, which will enable it to cut more efficiently, too.

Where to Get One (or Explore Other Karesuando Knives)

Want to learn more about this ax before you make a decision one way or the other? Visit The Knife Connection. They carry this and other Karesuando Knives and tools. Check out their collection and get in touch with them for more information.

For more information about Lionsteel and Traditional Pocket Knives Please visit: The Knife Connection.