The axe thread - Best Made Co.

[lefty]

As Bonsai is a minor passion of mine, I'll check them out. A Hori Hori (Japanese gardening knife) is probably the most used tool in my garden.

Speaking of soul, a few weeks ago I put a new handle on a hammer head. A hammer that was purchased and used by my grandfather. My best guess is that it's 60-70 years old. There are better hammers out there, but this one just feels right in my hand.

lefty

 

[Wallcloud]

This is quietly a really really good thread.

 

[lefty]

Here's a pretty good clip of some basic axe skills:

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lefty

 

[gdl203]

Who made this axe?

 

[lefty]

^ Wife lock you out again?

It was a prop axe.

910. Jack Nicholson "Jack Torrance" prop axe from The Shining. (Warner Bros., 1980) This axe was used in the 1980 Stanley Kubrick film The Shining, starring Jack Nicholson. It was used by Nicholson in the climactic scene where Jack breaks down the bathroom door to try and kill his wife. This particular axe was a stunt axe with a fiberglass axe head to make it safe for swinging and throwing around and ensure the actor did not hurt himself. The axe came from Peter Hancock, propmaster on the film. $5000 - $7000

lefty

 

[gdl203]

Nice prop. I really wish I had a reason - any reason - to own a nicely made axe in my NYC apartment. But I'm not sure that fits well into the current child-proofing phase...

 

[lefty]

Gotta start 'em young.

lefty

 

[romafan]

lefty - while i appreciate a nice axe and understand the value of a well-made tool, these strike me as a little gimmicky (i think it was the cashmere beanie that got me scratching my head). cmiiw, but aren't all these the same size?

i assumed the price differential related to differing lengths and weights. they're all 30" w/ a 3.5 lb. head/blade/bit. the only difference is the paint job? so the $200 blue tick is the same as the $500 sam thain? that's

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*are you the same lefty as the 'pants' lefty, and the 'dog' lefty?

 

[JammieDodger]

Originally Posted by lefty

Here's a pretty good clip of some basic axe skills:

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lefty

I love Ray Mears.

I know Bear Grylls is probably more popular with the kids these days, but if I were to watch either before being plunged into a deserted forest I'd go with Mears. I just feel that knowing how to use an axe (Mears) will always be more useful than knowing how to swing across a canyon on some vines whilst biting a live snake's head off.

Unfortunately I'm british and not from the country so will likely never get the chance to kill and skin a rabbit and the like

 

[lefty]

Originally Posted by romafan

lefty - while i appreciate a nice axe and understand the value of a well-made tool, these strike me as a little gimmicky (i think it was the cashmere beanie that got me scratching my head). cmiiw, but aren't all these the same size?

i assumed the price differential related to differing lengths and weights. they're all 30" w/ a 3.5 lb. head/blade/bit. the only difference is the paint job? so the $200 blue tick is the same as the $500 sam thain? that's

!

*are you the same lefty as the 'pants' lefty, and the 'dog' lefty?

Everyone finds value in different ways. We're on a forum where various retailers take traditional American shoes (for example), tweak the style or finish and sell them at a premium. Usually there a SF feeding frenzy for them.

In this case, yes, you are paying a premium for a limited edition paint job that, once sold, is gone forever. Is that worth it? You decide. I see these as unique gift items for the "woodsman" in all of us. And as a casual woodsman myself I appreciate that they work and are not pretend axes. As a creative guy I appreciate anyone who can make me look at something common in a new light.

Axes/dogs/pants/general grumpiness = lefty.

 

[romafan]

Originally Posted by lefty

Everyone finds value in different ways. We're on a forum where various retailers take traditional American shoes (for example), tweak the style or finish and sell them at a premium. Usually there a SF feeding frenzy for them.

In this case, yes, you are paying a premium for a limited edition paint job that, once sold, is gone forever. Is that worth it? You decide. I see these as unique gift items for the "woodsman" in all of us. And as a casual woodsman myself I appreciate that they work and are not pretend axes. As a creative guy I appreciate anyone who can make me look at something common in a new light.

Axes/dogs/pants/general grumpiness = lefty.

Agreed in principle, and understand the the standard vs. limited edition argument. I just can't quite grasp the price differences amoung the lmtd. models which seem to run btwn $300 & $500. Maybe some of the limited are more limited than others?

 

[Benzito]

Originally Posted by lefty

#1 survival tool.

You can do everything with an axe that you can with a knife and then some: build a shelter, skin an animal, cut firewood, and defend yourself.

lefty

Bullshit. I can't imagine picking sesame seeds from between my teeth with a seven pound axe head. It's hard enough slipping a shiv in the prison showers, how do you realistically expect a fella to sneak in an axe with handle? Up his ass?

 

[lefty]

There are no 7 lb axe heads. That would be a maul. But you can use a Hudson's Bay axe to both pick your teeth and shove up your ass. Handle's only 24".

I recommend a doe's foot butt though for ease of entry.

lefty

 

[Benzito]

There is something to be said about the scariness of a fella wielding an axe (compared to some other weapon, including a gun). A guy having the balls to walk around with a big axe probably doesn't have any hang ups about using it if you piss him off. If he pulled it out of his asshole first, I think I'd run away without second thought.

Why wouldn't that be useful in NYC or Philly?

 

[Roy]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Nice prop. I really wish I had a reason - any reason - to own a nicely made axe in my NYC apartment. But I'm not sure that fits well into the current child-proofing phase...

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