The Hults Bruk Agdor is an axe that has a reputation that precedes it anywhere. It has long been available in other countries and is especially popular with our axe throwing friends to the north. Finally, in the summer of 2020 the Agdor became readily available to the United States market. We have now had the time to properly test this mythical axe to see if it truly lives up to the stories we have heard.
The Specs
Out of the box, the Agdor meets the size and weight requirements for a big axe in both of the major axe throwing affiliations. This beauty has a blue painted head that weighs 2.5 pounds and has a 4-inch cutting edge. The thin profile of the blade makes it ideal for sinking into the wood that a throwing axe needs. The head is then hung on a 28 inch long slightly curved handle of select high grade hickory. As with many premium axes the Agdor comes with a fine leather sheath to protect your edge when it is not being tossed into the bullseye.
Testing
To properly test a big axe, consideration must be given to throwing styles. Unlike a hatchet where throwing with just one hand on the axe is the preferred technique, with a “Big Axe” a two hand is the usually needed. However, some people may happen to have the strength to throw with 1 hand. Not having a lot of experience throwing a big axe or even throwing with a two-handed technique very often there was some learning that needed to be done.
After some practicing and plenty of drops I seem to have gotten a good handle of the two-handed technique. The Agdor felt great in the hands and rotated nearly identical with every throw. It could be because my lack of experience throwing big axe but the accuracy was definitely lacking as I had a difficult time dialing in the release point for a bullseye.
After giving the two-handed technique a fair share of throws it was time to try throwing this beast with just a single-handed method. Surprisingly this throwing the larger Agdor with just one arm led to even more accuracy. This can be partially attributed to having more experience throwing with one hand for hatchet. A big axe that can be reasonably controlled with a one hand method is desirable and makes the transition from hatchet to “big Axe” competition much easier in my opinion. Cutting this down to a shorter length should also allow even more control in the hand and eliminate any fatigue from throwing a bigger axe.
Conclusion
After all the testing and numerous drops, the blade of the Hults Bruk Agdor took no noticeable damage or dulling. The handle also is still as tight as it was when it came out of the box. So for durability and edge retention, the Agdor certainly passes the test. For throwability and accuracy the Agdor did quite well, even for someone with limited “big axe” experience. For the price the Agdor is a great choice for any “big axe” leagues or competitions.