Forged Carving Axe

[Allen Jordan]

I just finished making the handle for this carving axe/hatchet. The head was custom forged for me by John Switzer of Black Bear Forge, who I met at the Lie-Nielsen hand tool event in Denver a while back. It's O1 tool steel, differential tempered, with a punched eye. The handle is apple wood that I laminated to get the grain in the correct orientation for strength. As a result, the colors are a bit two-tone from the heartwood and sapwood. I got to use my fancy rasps and spokeshaves, so it was very fun to make. Finished with BLO. It sure cuts well, and fits my hand perfectly.

http://i.imgur.com/ykVeKkD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/mgkDGQm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2VYQnSl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/honluu2.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uJ5Ph9z.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1Vg4CVc.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/a0U9cJ8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5CKEpvN.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/PdFiBOp.jpg

[Andrew Hughes]

Awesome,nothing like a sharp tools that looks great too.Very nice.

[Christopher Charles]

That's a beaut! I really like the wedges. Will look forward to seeing what you do with it.

[Mike Holbrook]

Wow, major wedge job. How heavy is that bad boy? It looks like it would fall between Hans Karlsson's New Sloyd Axe 24.5 oz. and Svante Djarv's Little Viking Axe 28 oz.

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Little Viking is on the left, New Sloyd on right.

[Allen Jordan]

Thanks for the comments. I'd estimate it's about 1 lb, no scale handy for an accurate measurement. The edge is 4" long.

[David Dalzell]

Terrific! It looks like a fearsome medieval weapon.

[Mike Holbrook]

Alexander Yerks has some inspiring videos demonstrating what can be done with a carving axe. I like the one demonstrating making a Kuksa, wooden cup, from a piece of log:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iGhbxqdgdg