If you can handle the weight, an axe is one of those tools you'd trade many others for in a survival situation. It can perform all the duties of a good saw, large fixed blade, and a small survival knife. If sharpened correctly it can also feather a stick and create some extremely fine kindling. This is one of those axes that can do all this and more. It measures 17" overall with an American hickory wood handle. The 6.75" carbon steel axe head has a 3.75" blade and is superbly attached - that sucker isn't going anywhere. It has an extremely nice feeling whether you're holding an inch away from the head or an inch away from the butt end - it's just very well balanced. Of course it's got a hammer pommel on the other side of the axe for banging in tent pegs and the entire package weighs 2.65 pounds with the leather blade guard.