Expert Video Review: Wetterlings Swedish Clearing Axes
The clearing axe I’m using today is a Wetterlings clearing axe, made in Sweden, which features a sharpenable, reversable, and removeable blade. This blade is a very high quality, very hard steel that holds an edge extremely well, even after hacking away at dry branches and deadfall. It’s supported by this bracket made from spring steel. The spring steel is made to be flexible, so blades can be installed or removed when you want to sharpen or replace them.
I can’t stress enough how fantastic this tool is - and not just on small stuff. It makes quick work of green wood and undergrowth, but also dead branches and deadfall.
Wetterlings makes three sizes of clearing axe - two of which I’m showing today: a 20” handle “hatchet” size (which can be used one, or two handed), and a full size 26” handle. Both clearing axes use the same blade. The larger 26” and 32” Wetterlings clearing axes are unique in that they feature an offset blade so when you swing at undergrowth, you strike at a 45 degree angle. The longer handles and angled blades make for easy mowing of brambles or bush without the need to bend down - like a scythe for wheat, but much more rugged.
So if you need to work on clearing or maintaining a trail, or to clear an area or campsite this season, pick up a Wetterlings Swedish clearing axe and make extremely quick work of it.
