Sons of the Forest axe locations, where to find Modern Axe and Firefighter Axe

There are different strengths of axes in Sons of the Forest, used for cutting trees, wood structures, plants, and they can also be used as weapons.

As of time of writing there are only three axes in the game, but this could change with future updates.

To help you with your crafting and weapon needs, we've detailed the best axes, and all axe locations in Sons of the Forest so far, including where to find the Modern Axe and Firefighter Axe, and what we know about the Climbing Axe.

On this page:

Sons of the Forest best axe explained

The Tactical, Modern, and Firefighter axes all do the same thing: cut trees, wooden structures, and leaves. You can also use them as weapons if you'd like.

However, the speed and damage stats for each axe is different.

The best axe in Sons of the Forest for its damage is the Firefighter Axe, whereas the best axe for speed is the Tactical Axe. The Modern Axe lands in the middle of these, balancing speed and damage.

You can hover over items in your inventory to see their stats. Green represents speed, red is for damage, and the yellow bar is how effective its defence is.

So, the best axe is dependent on what you need to use it for. With that said, we think the Modern Axe is the best as an all-rounder tool, but the damage on the Firefighter Axe is sometimes worth the loss of speed - especially when cutting down trees! Just make sure you time your swing right if up against an enemy.

Sons of the Forest Tactical Axe location

The Tactical Axe is the easiest to find, as you get it from the Emergency Pack found right at the beginning of any playthrough. You just need to open it up in your inventory (press 'I') to get your Tactical Axe, along with your GPS locator, lighter, and guide book.

Sons of the Forest Modern Axe location

The Modern Axe is located at a campsite on the northwestern side of the island, between the two large rivers that run through here. When you start to hear music, you'll know you're close.

When you get to the camp, you'll find the Modern Axe lodged in an unlucky corpse just outside of a tent. Once you pick it up, you can then go into your inventory to equip it, or hotkey it.

Firefighter Axe location

The Firefighter Axe in Sons of the Forest will take you the longest to get, as you need to get the shovel first to be able to access its location.

Once you have the shovel, head to the green circle on the riverbend marked on your GPS Locator in the northwestern area of the map, south from the river that runs from the beach.

Use the shovel to dig up the circular area of dirt surrounded by surveying equipment. It'll take a little while, but you'll eventually unearth a bunker.

Go down the ladder and walk to the end of the hallway, where you'll find the Firefighter Axe in a glass case on the wall.

Before exiting, you might want to pick up the keycard in the other room in this bunker. There's also a 3D Printer in the same room, where you can make lots of helpful tools, including a flask to hold water.

Is the Climbing Axe in Sons of the Forest?

No, the Climbing Axe is not in Sons of the Forest as of time of writing. We originally thought it would come in a future update, but it's still MIA.

However, the Climbing Axe can still seen in an official image of the inventory screen, which is why we thought might come to the game.

For now you'll have to make due with other climbing equipment currently in Sons of the Forest.

Good luck surviving in Sons of the Forest!