Key Highlights:
- SOTF Modern Axe sits at a northwest abandoned camp near the purple GPS locator and flashlight ping.
- Balanced for combat and logging, with roughly six swings to fell a tree.
- Loot the tents and crates for explosives and meds, then upgrade later with Solafite.
The Modern Axe is the first serious step up from the Tactical axe in Sons of The Forest. It is reliable for early fights and quick building, with better damage and block while keeping usable swing speed. I grab it on day one whenever possible, because it sets the tone for a safer start and faster base work.
From the crash, open your GPS and look to the northwest. You are heading for the purple locator that marks the flashlight body in the forest.
If that marker is already gone, use landmarks instead. Follow the river that runs to the coast and watch the road for a small gap in the path. As you approach, you should hear radio music.
The camp has two or three tents around a small clearing. The Modern Axe is on the body propped against the middle tent. If you prefer a shoreline cue, this camp sits west of the flashlight ping and inland from the north beach.
Loot the site quickly. Check the crates for C4 bricks, grenades, MREs, meds, and spare materials.
Smash the radio to harvest a circuit board for time bombs. Do not linger around for too long. There are cannibal camps north and south of this clearing and patrols drift through. Save at a tent, then drop a tarp and stick so the spot appears on your GPS for return trips.
Equip the axe from your inventory, add it to the backpack, or bind it to a hotkey. In combat, think of it as the middle ground between the light Tactical axe and the heavier Firefighter’s axe.
The Modern Axe has high damage, low-medium swing speed, high block, and medium range. Aim for the neck or head for a clean decap. Use short sidesteps into quick chops, and raise block for counter hits. It excels against standard cannibals and smaller mutants. For Fingers, Brutes, or crowds, open with a stun, fire, or explosives, then finish with the axe once they are staggered.
For building, pick a fall direction and cut a clean notch, then work the cut line around the trunk. In my testing, the Modern Axe drops mid-sized trees in about six swings, which makes it the best early tool for stockpiling logs. Clear brush first so you can see enemies closing in while you work, and rotate between cutting and stacking to manage stamina.
A few useful notes to remember. This camp is close to the bunker that holds the Firefighter’s axe, so you can route both on the same run once your gear improves.
The Modern Axe can be upgraded with 6 Solafite, which boosts damage and changes the head to a gold finish. It cannot be thrown, and it is a single slot tool, but it sits cleanly on weapon racks for tidy storage back at base.
If you cannot see the purple ping, trust the landmarks: the road gap, the river that leads to the beach, the tents, and the music. Once you have the axe, your early fights and logging sessions become faster, safer, and far more forgiving. For more weapon locations and progression tips, check out our Complete Sons of the Forest Guide.