Best made Axes

[Hickory n steel]

That's a great history into and of your grandfather, very awesome!!

My grandfather was a plant manager and engineer with a local company here named Ensign Bickford. He may have started there in the late '20's early '30's. When I was little he told me he was too young for WWI and to old for WWII.
My theory is that being employed at E.B. during the war, his skills were needed home in the plant for the war effort and build up.

My other grandad was in the infantry, marching into France alongside tanks. He and his brothers experience in WWII were not discussed or shared.

I have always been amazed at holding and using a tool of my grandfathers or dads and how it makes me feel closer in some way to them or a memory I have or share with them.
That's what got me started on older tool collecting years back.
Then my five year old found the Legitimus head of my grandfather's buried in the back yard. My passion, obsession has exploded and expanded to now include axes, hatchets and nearly any wood Handled hand tool I can use here at our home, or has a practical use I can learn to use.

My wife and I purchased my grandparents home back in 2012. My grandfather built the house in 1935. The history continues.

As my kindergartener would say...that's a warm fuzzy dad.

And it doesn't get better than that.

Have a good weekend everybody!

-Miller

That's cool, my grandfather did the same thing.
He was in the US Army 4th armored division. They landed on Normandy a month after D-day and went on to liberate bastogne.
I also know very little about my grandfathers time in the war. I only know what I do because I researched his unit, I also found out that they were the only unit at the time without a formerly adopted nickname which eventually became " Breakthrough " and that the unit was disbanded after the Vietnam war "

 

[Miller '72]

That's cool, my grandfather did the same thing.
He was in the US Army 4th armored division. They landed on Normandy a month after D-day and went on to liberate bastogne.
I also know very little about my grandfathers time in the war. I only know what I do because I researched his unit, I also found out that they were the only unit at the time without a formerly adopted nickname which eventually became " Breakthrough " and that the unit was disbanded after the Vietnam war "

That is some serious business and it must fill you with great pride.
Great researching to find out what you did learn and a little more I am sure.

 

[Hickory n steel]

That is some serious business and it must fill you with great pride.
Great researching to find out what you did learn and a little more I am sure.

It was actually pretty easy info to find on Wikipedia all I had to do was Google his unit which I knew from his patch.
If you can know what unit your grandfather was with it's pretty interesting to read everything they were involved in during the war, and easy to find.

 

[John A. Larsen]

I just got a new catalog from Best Made, prices for the unpainted and painted American Felling Axe and Hudson Bay Axe are the same, but NOW they have 20 painted patterns you can choose from! (Up from only 16 patterns). John

 

[300Six]

I just got a new catalog from Best Made, prices for the unpainted and painted American Felling Axe and Hudson Bay Axe are the same, but NOW they have 20 painted patterns you can choose from! (Up from only 16 patterns). John

What do you have do (aside from buying something) to wind up on Best Made's mailing list?

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

What do you have do (aside from buying something) to wind up on Best Made's mailing list?

Pay for skinny jeans with credit card and BMC will find you on their own

 

[Lieblad]

I just got a new catalog from Best Made, prices for the unpainted and painted American Felling Axe and Hudson Bay Axe are the same, but NOW they have 20 painted patterns you can choose from! (Up from only 16 patterns). John

Awesome ! Twenty colours.
Were I their marketing Wank, I would offer a custom colours program too.
Charge minimum extra 100$ on top of the extra price for 'standard paint' and
Additional 100$ for metallics. 500$ for gold leaf monogram.
Its totally worth the extra cash because the rattlecan & masking tape operator would also sign their work.
Maybe get axe display on exhibit in the Guggenheim.

”Matters not if its a good product, Its all about the paintjob.”

 

[300Six]

Awesome ! Twenty colours.
Were I their marketing Wank, I would offer a custom colours program too.
Charge minimum extra 100$ and
Additional 100$ for metallics.
Its totally worth the extra cash because the spraycan operator would also sign their work.
Maybe get axe display on exhibit in the Guggenheim.

”Matters not if its a good product, Its all about the paintjob.”

I know your reply is in jest but whose conscience would allow tacking $100 on to a sale for 5 minutes worth of masking tape and paint? The workers at BM must have been prepped over and over again about the mentality of their clientele.

 

[John A. Larsen]

300Six, I have no idea how I ended up on their mailing list, but suspect they bought a mailing list from some company I have bought from in the past. You could probably go on line and request a catalog. John

 

[Lieblad]

I know your reply is in jest but whose conscience would allow tacking $100 on to a sale for 5 minutes worth of masking tape and paint? The workers at BM must have been prepped over and over again about the mentality of their clientele.

My conscience will allow it.
If some chump is willing to fork out insanely large cash for cosmetics. Happily I will take it.
Just because I am a tools user & enthusiast does not put me a different moral standard. I expect Mr. Best is much the same.

 

[John A. Larsen]

Lieblad, $100 would be a bargain, they are charging an extra $140 for the painted Hudson Bay, and an extra $160 for the American Felling. John

 

[rjdankert]

Lieblad, $100 would be a bargain, they are charging an extra $140 for the painted Hudson Bay, and an extra $160 for the American Felling. John

I went to BMC's website and

"Our premium painted axes come securely packed in wood wool in a hand-made wooden crate, which is boxed in crush proof corrugated cardboard."​

The boxes are $50.00 making the paint jobs $90.00 for the HB and $110 for the Felling axe.

John, I know this is really a moot point to the customer because it appears that you cannot get a painted handle without a box, so I don't mean to disagree. I just wanted to point out what value BMC puts just on the painted handles.



Bob

I also found this interesting:

"Designed from the ground up in New York City, tested the world over."​

Just what the hell does that mean?

 

[Nrthfce]

I actually have a best made american felling axe. Got it through a buddy who somehow obtained a 40% off your next order coupon and came with free shipping. We ordered a crap load of stuff, not limited to binos, silver flasks, and my unfinished felling axe. Yeah, I am not going to foot the bill for an expensive paint job, but for like $113 I feel like it is a good deal on a solid axe. I don't really use an axe enough to truly test it abilities or limits, but it seemed like a tool everyone should have. Came sharp out of the box, but I sharpened it further anyways to knock the factory edge off. Also, linseed oiled to handle as they recommended and it really turned out some beautiful hickory grain.

It did an amazing job removing a couple of tree that fell across an old logging road when we were headed back into some ground I like to bow hunt on my side-by-side. Also, fell a couple of mostly dead leaning trees around the campsite so we will have some good dry fire wood for years to come. Edge held up good, handle is solid, and is a good tool. I probably could have purchased a cheaper axe for my needs, but I work hard for my money and its a good axe that I don't have to worry about failing on me with proper oiling and sharpening. I have had other tools (a smaller axe, handle flew apart enough that it couldn't be reattached) fail after packing them 12 miles into the mountains and that is worse than overspending.

 

[Square_peg]

It means that some New York marketing puke came up with the idea and has since sold one in more than one nation.

 

[300Six]

"Designed from the ground up in New York City, tested the world over."​

Just what the hell does that mean?

Dreamed-up in NYC, fabrication farmed-out, decorated in-house, available anyplace that accepts credit cards. 'Tested the world over' is an uplifting interpretation to say that warranty returns haven't yet 'buried' them.
I know "we" go out of our way to make fun of these guys because we're not "hipsters" but the beauty of 'free enterprise' is anyone with gumption is entitled to exploit an unfilled niche and try to make a go of it. Best Made does get my compliments for continuing (so far) to source domestically and not exploiting 3rd world economies.

 

[rjdankert]

the beauty of 'free enterprise' is anyone with gumption can exploit an unfilled niche and try to make a go of it. B.M. does have my compliments for sourcing domestically and not from the 3rd world.

+


Bob

 

[phantomknives]

I actually have a best made american felling axe. Got it through a buddy who somehow obtained a 40% off your next order coupon and came with free shipping. We ordered a crap load of stuff, not limited to binos, silver flasks, and my unfinished felling axe. Yeah, I am not going to foot the bill for an expensive paint job, but for like $113 I feel like it is a good deal on a solid axe. I don't really use an axe enough to truly test it abilities or limits, but it seemed like a tool everyone should have. Came sharp out of the box, but I sharpened it further anyways to knock the factory edge off. Also, linseed oiled to handle as they recommended and it really turned out some beautiful hickory grain.

It did an amazing job removing a couple of tree that fell across an old logging road when we were headed back into some ground I like to bow hunt on my side-by-side. Also, fell a couple of mostly dead leaning trees around the campsite so we will have some good dry fire wood for years to come. Edge held up good, handle is solid, and is a good tool. I probably could have purchased a cheaper axe for my needs, but I work hard for my money and its a good axe that I don't have to worry about failing on me with proper oiling and sharpening. I have had other tools (a smaller axe, handle flew apart enough that it couldn't be reattached) fail after packing them 12 miles into the mountains and that is worse than overspending.

that is a really great deal for a CT velvicut. if you do look for another axe, for what you're doing i'd recommend a boys axe, sounds like you dont do too much big work

 

[Nrthfce]

that is a really great deal for a CT velvicut. if you do look for another axe, for what you're doing i'd recommend a boys axe, sounds like you dont do too much big work

I bought it to use. I use it for its intended purpose, fell three trees, and removed three logs from a trail approximately 12-15 inches in diameter. I was cutting across the grain on every stroke so I can’t imagine a better tool. A boys axe is what I had before and I was always wanting more weight in the head and a longer handle. That was before it ruptured beyond repair in the woods and I ended up making due with a Ruana hatchet.
The hatchet I have is for around the campsite, breaking up burnables, and quartering out elk. I pack that with me hunting. Although I pretty much have stopped quartering once I moved on to the gutless method.

 

[300Six]

I bought it to use. I use it for its intended purpose, fell three trees, and removed three logs from a trail approximately 12-15 inches in diameter. I was cutting across the grain on every stroke so I can’t imagine a better tool. A boys axe is what I had before and I was always wanting more weight in the head and a longer handle. That was before it ruptured beyond repair in the woods and I ended up making due with a Ruana hatchet.
The hatchet I have is for around the campsite, breaking up burnables, and quartering out elk. I pack that with me hunting. Although I pretty much have stopped quartering once I moved on to the gutless method.

This is an entirely new one on me! We need more information on this novel technique. Granted, when I'm driving my econobox to work and come across a fresh-dead deer at the side of the road only the 'deftly severed' hind legs and tenderloin (my version of 'gutless' processing) come home with me, but on a dedicated hunt it has always been deemed wholly unethical to leave that much of an animal behind simply to speed things up and to avoid dirty arms and hands.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Best Made does get my compliments for continuing (so far) to source domestically and not exploiting 3rd world economies.

For axes, perhaps, but they source plenty of other products globally, some of which are for products that are available in similar format from USA manufacturers, some not.