Model 13563

MADE IN GERMANY

Traditionally forged Blade, special sharpened with an oiled Hickory-Handle and leather-loop.

Handmade in Wuppertal, Germany, these axes are named after the region’s famous Rhein River Valley. The Rhein, one of Germany's most prominent geographical features, was a historically significant source of trade and growth for settlements in the region throughout the medieval period. Cutting axes like these were a daily necessity for people carving out towns and villages in heavily forested regions along the Rhein River. The Rheinland pattern - a traditional German wide-bit blade - is extraordinarily well suited for cutting work. These hatchets excel at limbing branches, clearing brush, and making kindling, while also handling light splitting work. Lightweight and well balanced, the Rheinland hatchet is an ideal camp and packing companion. 

Each piece is hand crafted by Helko’s Master Smiths, lifelong artisans of metalcraft. The Smith uses tongs on an open face drop forge to shape the head, a skill requiring impressive control and hand eye coordination that can only be achieved through years of practice. Once satisfied with his work, the Smith hammers the Helko Werk crown logo into the cheek. Only minimal supplementary work is performed, allowing each blade to proudly display its forging marks. No two pieces are exactly alike.

Head
Handmade in Wuppertal, Germany
German C50 high grade carbon steel
Open face drop forged, heat treated, and oil-hardened
Helko crown hammered into cheek
​53-56 HRC (Rockwell Hardness)

Handle
Crafted in Switzerland
Sustainably sourced Grade A American hickory
Individually selected for strength, grain orientation, and density
Boiled linseed oil finish, 150 grit smooth sanded
Hung with softwood wedge and notched steel ring wedge​

Specs
​Head Weight: 2.75 lbs.
Total Weight: 4.5 lbs.
Handle Length: 28 in.
Bit Length: 5-1/4 in​.

Leather Sheath is optional