Estwing EFF4SE Fireside Friend Splitting Tool 2-3/8-Inch

I gifted this axe to my partner and the very first time he used it, the black paint peeled off and revealed the blade to be almost entirely rusty.

I’ve owned the regular Fireside Friend for years and find it wonderful for splitting wood up to about 4”. I use it mostly for burning smaller brush from around our property. I wanted a second one for camping, so decided to splurge and pick this Special Edition up.There is no functional difference between the regular axe and this one, other than the fact that this one is beautiful. In fact, the grip of the regular one works just fine and won’t require any upkeep, so I suppose that it’s marginally better.Both are 5 Star functional splitters for smaller wood. There is no reason to spend extra money on the special edition other than it looks great. Your decision.

The media could not be loaded.  Made in America. I'm surprised it came with a sheath. Unexpected. This is beefy. Handle is very slick though.

Admittedly, I just got this, so my review reflects my first impressions only. From a distance, this tool looks stunning. Upon closer inspection, I was a little disappointed... particularly having spent nearly twice as much for the 'special edition.' The black coating was marred with crackling and drips. There were even spots missed. When attempting to clean the adhesive off from 3 stickers placed over the black coating, that black started coming off. You can see it in the pic with the rag used and the closeup of the handle body. There were also black marks on the handle. I understand this is a tool and wouldn't be pretty for long, but pretty for a little while would be nice. And, I would certainly expect the black coating to be far more durable. I decided to take it outside for a smack down against some wood, both to see how it works and to rough it up a bit to disguise the imperfections. The thing is a beast! It split wood without much effort at all, a far cry from other, far cheaper camp hatchets I have used in the past. Had that not been the case, a 2-3 star review would have been the result. So... a lost star for lack of quality control, quality I would have expected at half the price point.

Have lived up in the North Fork of the Flathead River for about eight years! Would not have had to replace the blue version of this axe with this model but my buddy’s boyfriend stole mine! Best for cutting kindling fireside or helping split logs all winter. Handle will not break loose from head as it is all one piece!Been through many cords of spruce and or Doug Fir with my “friend” and unlike certain exiting boyfriends… never let me down!