Gizmodo Loves Axes

This morning, we decided we think axes are awesome. Beautiful, functionally perfected, and, yes, great for elegantly chopping the crap out of things. Below, a roundup of our favourite old-school cutting contraptions.

Best Made Axemaker’s Kit

Best Made are the original badasses of the mega quality, immaculately designed American axe. But, at the moment, they’re waiting until next month to release the next batch of domestic blades. In the meantime, however, they’ve paired up with Swedish axe legend Wetterlings for a DIY kit. For 140 bucks, you’ll get two pieces of raw American hickory, a gnarly Swedish axehead, and sandpaper to finish it the way you’d like. [Best Made]

Base Camp X Titanis

Base Camp was born from the original founder of Best Made, and the former’s DNA is imbued into the new bladed babies. Base Camp’s Titanis is a hefty $US445, but it’s a monster. A weighty 2.3kg head with a 7-inch blade and 30-inch handle is designed to really wallop wood, leaving behind broad, deep cuts. [Base Camp X]

Hultafors Handmade Hand Axe

If you need some chopping power for a smaller job, this $US120 Hultafors piece is a killer choice. The blade is hammered out with sharpness and edge durability in mind, and sports a curved handle for one-handed leverage. [Orvis]

Gränsfors Bruks Mini Belt Hatchet

Not every axe need be an unstoppable metal force of chopping power. Sometimes you just want something light and handy, whether for gardening, or slashing away a pesky vine on a hike. Gränsfors Bruks’ $US160 blade packs a 20 year warranty, along with a small, 2-inch blade for precision cuts and carving. This one’s a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. [Boundary Waters]

Gränsfors Bruks Scandinavian Forest Axe

Or, you might just really feel like chopping a tree the hell down. This classic Swedish $US130 chopmaster is handcrafted, with a thin, 3.5-inch curved blade aimed at slicing through fresh, sappy branches – not thick trunks. [Boundary Waters]

Marbles Safety Axe

This $US45 piece of gear isn’t quite as refined as the rest – its blade is stamped out in China these days, rather than being hand-forged like the rest. But we really dig the now rarely-seen foldout safety cover. So, you know, you don’t accidentally axe your pal’s arm off while in the field. Or your own. [Boundary Waters]

Best Made photo courtesy of Josh Abe


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