Best made Axes

J

John A. Larsen

Joined
Jan 15, 2001
Messages
3,746
The other day I got a new catalog (must be getting close to Christmas!) "Best X Made" and they had two axes. A Hudson Bay and an American Felling axe. The heads are listed as drop forged 5160, and hickory handles. What surprised me was that the Felling Axe Unfinished was $158, but if you wanted it Hand-painted it was now $298. For the Felling axe it was Unfinished at $188, Hand-painted at $348. Must be a heck of a paint job for $140 and $160 respectively. John
 
Or you could peruse the much less glossy catalogue of Council Tools who actually manufactures Best Made's stuff. And then buy some masking tape and a few spray bombs and gussy up the handle yourself. And then buy a case of wine with what's left over, monetarily.
 
Anyone that decides to buy one of those axes gets no pity from me at bill paying time.
 
300Six said:
Or you could peruse the much less glossy catalogue of Council Tools who actually manufactures Best Made's stuff. And then buy some masking tape and a few spray bombs and gussy up the handle yourself. And then buy a case of wine with what's left over, monetarily.
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This is a great idea.
I might even skip all of it and go straight for the wine and just rework, improve upon the shaping I have done on a few of my previous hangs.
I at first thought they were a nautical specific axe, marketed to yachtsman and America's Cup finalists.

zKEQC9q.jpg


This is not for me, but that shouldn't take away from the quality of the axe. I just don't have nor held any Council Tools axe to pass any judgement on the tool.
I do wonder who this Axe is marketed to specifically...I am certainly a miss on that demographic.
 
Miller '72 said:
This is a great idea.
I might even skip all of it and go straight for the wine and just rework, improve upon the shaping I have done on a few of my previous hangs.
I at first thought they were a nautical specific axe, marketed to yachtsman and America's Cup finalists.

zKEQC9q.jpg


This is not for me, but that shouldn't take away from the quality of the axe. I just don't have nor held any Council Tools axe to pass any judgement on the tool.
I do wonder who this Axe is marketed to specifically...I am certainly a miss on that demographic.
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Council tool axes are known to be a great working tool, the problem is with bestmade conning people by making their branded versions if these axes out to be something their not. Just because they painted them and have some group of millennials marketing their axes to hipsters doesn't mean they're worth so much.
 
Everything Best Made carries is quality stuff, but it's at prestige prices, and their market is people with deep pockets, and big dreams. They sell a fantasy to folks who probably haven't spent more than a handful of hours using an axe in their lives, but the product itself is solid. I can't fault the company for what they do--it sells, and they sell good stuff. It's just pragmatic spendthrifts like me are SO not their target market. And I've even seen a few folks who do have real axe experience and the budgets to afford Best Made's glam-factor paint jobs drop the bills on 'em and actually get them dirty. They worked just fine. Not the best price/performance ratio, but that goes for pretty much all prestige products. :)
 
Hickory n steel said:
Council tool axes are known to be a great working tool, the problem is with bestmade conning people by making their branded versions if these axes out to be something their not. Just because they painted them and have some group of millennials marketing their axes to hipsters doesn't mean they're worth so much.
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I figured as much...I live smack in the middle of a true social, economic, clashing of societal classes. Hippster central, New England office.
No doubt there are some beautiful looking and very well made axes and tools out there in that price hemisphere and more.
Hey if you like it and you can afford it and you are not hurting or neglecting someone in the process, you should buy it and get the enjoyment from it you intend and have earned. Hopefully that will leave me more opportunities to find and save the older tools I look for and want.

I still think those axes should be hanging in an Adirondack Great Camp boat house or mounted in a schooners cabin in case you find yourself stranded on Gilligan's Island with Mary Ann...that's right, I grew up thinking Mary Ann was the bomb ;)
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Everything Best Made carries is quality stuff, but it's at prestige prices, and their market is people with deep pockets, and big dreams. They sell a fantasy to folks who probably haven't spent more than a handful of hours using an axe in their lives, but the product itself is solid. I can't fault the company for what they do--it sells, and they sell good stuff. It's just pragmatic spendthrifts like me are SO not their target market. And I've even seen a few folks who do have real axe experience and the budgets to afford Best Made's glam-factor paint jobs drop the bills on 'em and actually get them dirty. They worked just fine. Not the best price/performance ratio, but that goes for pretty much all prestige products. :)
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Wow those BMC marketing people are so good that will soon try to sell Horse Saddle+Cowboy Certification combo for people who had never visited a Dude's Ranch :-)
 
Square_peg said:
Then there are these fine products.....

http://remadeco.org/
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At least they're not just selling new ones, they're also offering workshops on how to restore an old one ;)...

...Restoration Workshop
Tuesday – The Re Made Shop,
7-9pm

For years we’ve heard stories from folks about “my father’s old plunger”, or “my grandfather’s plunger”, and we feel strongly that those tools should be kept in the family! This workshop is the perfect time to take that family heirloom and give it the attention, care, and restoration it deserves.
http://remadeco.org/workshops.shtml
 
Steve Tall said:
At least they're not just selling new ones, they're also offering workshops on how to restore an old one ;)...

...Restoration Workshop
Tuesday – The Re Made Shop,
7-9pm

For years we’ve heard stories from folks about “my father’s old plunger”, or “my grandfather’s plunger”, and we feel strongly that those tools should be kept in the family! This workshop is the perfect time to take that family heirloom and give it the attention, care, and restoration it deserves.
http://remadeco.org/workshops.shtml
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Can someone please tell me if this is serious.
It's way to ridiculous to be real, but the whole website and everything seems so legitimate.
On one hand I'd like it to be real for the ridiculous factor, but also hope it's fake because it well it's ridiculous.
Pretty much a double edged sword.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Can someone please tell me if this is serious.
It's way to ridiculous to be real, but the whole website and everything seems so legitimate.
On one hand I'd like it to be real for the ridiculous factor, but also hope it's fake because it well it's ridiculous.
Pretty much a double edged sword.
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I have the feeling the backorder time for those plungers is longer then Liam Hoffman's backlog :)
 
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...well my plungers both are wood handled... I will treat them with some BLO tomorrow ;)

Someone is a genius or way to rich with a great sense of humor.

Hickory n steel said:
Can someone please tell me if this is serious.
It's way to ridiculous to be real, but the whole website and everything seems so legitimate.
On one hand I'd like it to be real for the ridiculous factor, but also hope it's fake because it well it's ridiculous.
Pretty much a double edged sword.
Click to expand...

I agree
 
Miller '72 said:
...well my plungers both are wood handled... I will treat them with some BLO tomorrow ;)

Someone is a genius or way to rich with a great sense of humor.



I agree
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Well I looked them up and discovered that this is definitely a joke and specially created as a jab at bestmade.
It doesn't do it now, but I guess clicking add to cart used take you to the website of a hardware store who was presumed to have created the whole thing.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Well I looked them up and discovered that this is definitely a joke and specially created as a jab at bestmade.
It doesn't do it now, but I guess clicking add to cart used take you to the website of a hardware store who was presumed to have created the whole thing.
Click to expand...

I love it LOL

Thank you for delving into this and finding out...way to funny!!!
I want to shop at that hardware store
 
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