2.4kg Basque Racing Axe on 25" handle which is hand made with rasp marks and all. Jose Ramos Jaurequi is the blacksmith from Spain and the 3rd generation of axe makers, and sadly the last in the world making Basque styled axes, lets hope he gets an apprentice!
The handle on Jose's racer is easily the best handle I’ve ever held, both vintage or hand crafted. So unique in design and fits the hand like a glove. As thin as my finger! You need to try it to believe it.
Up until a few years ago all of his handles were made by an 80 year old man, Enrique, in a close by village. Jose said he is the only handle maker left who can do this work all by hand, he uses a hatchet and a rasp, when Enrique stops enjoying it he will stop making them and the likelyhood of them then being made by copy lathe is high, sadly. Mine is hand made with rasp marks and all, so I need to find out if Enrique is still making them or it's by someone else.
You will see Enrique making a handle at 3:15. The subtitles are too fast on this version so a bit hard to follow. But at least you can watch him do it.
https://youtu.be/KHgCqtxjYz0
If you are interested in the Basque axe and the work Jose is doing watch this, The subtitles are good on this one. You can also see Enrique have a chop at 11:30 - impressive to say the least for an 80 year old man.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5i0uSjh6Bk
I have not had a chop with it yet I am currently in the process of oiling it the slow method with tar and raw linseed and then will apply another concoction of the two but containing beeswax.
When ready I will post some more photos and also of the amazing sheath it comes with.
The handle on Jose's racer is easily the best handle I’ve ever held, both vintage or hand crafted. So unique in design and fits the hand like a glove. As thin as my finger! You need to try it to believe it.
Up until a few years ago all of his handles were made by an 80 year old man, Enrique, in a close by village. Jose said he is the only handle maker left who can do this work all by hand, he uses a hatchet and a rasp, when Enrique stops enjoying it he will stop making them and the likelyhood of them then being made by copy lathe is high, sadly. Mine is hand made with rasp marks and all, so I need to find out if Enrique is still making them or it's by someone else.
You will see Enrique making a handle at 3:15. The subtitles are too fast on this version so a bit hard to follow. But at least you can watch him do it.
https://youtu.be/KHgCqtxjYz0
If you are interested in the Basque axe and the work Jose is doing watch this, The subtitles are good on this one. You can also see Enrique have a chop at 11:30 - impressive to say the least for an 80 year old man.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5i0uSjh6Bk
I have not had a chop with it yet I am currently in the process of oiling it the slow method with tar and raw linseed and then will apply another concoction of the two but containing beeswax.
When ready I will post some more photos and also of the amazing sheath it comes with.
