Best Made Co - Black Donald Hudson Bay Axe

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Operator1975

Operator1975

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So I know BMC takes a lot of heat on here for various reasons, and to each their own. I bought the hudson bay axe off them, and have been putting it threw the ringer(just look at the bit).

Mostly used for splitting, limbing, all around chores, and lately chopping roots, this thing has exceeded my expectations in about every way it could. Hell, I am surprised.

The size is just about right for whatever you need to do, basic chore and utility wise. You will not chop down a 2 ft hemlock with this, but its not meant to either.

Light weight, can be used as a hatchet or small boys axe when needed. Really a great all around size.

The handle is not pictured, but it is painted in the BMC Black Donald pattern, and I can say there have been no issues with the paint. Hands sliding, slipping, blisters, etc, - no issues what so ever. I thought maybe the painted handle would be an issue, but it hasn't been at all.

Well that's it, I just wanted to share that with you guys for more FYI sake than anything else.

Thanks!
 
It's a CT axe so there's no reason to think it wouldn't work just fine. I think people dislike the BMC/BCX image/marketing approach more than they dislike their products. People have been decorating their valuable possessions/tools since the dawn of time (just ask some of the guys here - I wasn't there), so I personally don't see the problem with painted handles, particularly if they are done in such a way that it doesn't cause your hands problems. Nice work putting it to the test too.
 
Thanks for sharing. Nothing wrong with supporting two current US businesses!

I got my son the CT long handled HB for Christmas and he loves it. Limbs well and easy to use for carving and camping type tasks. There's no reason to think the design is vastly inferior in any of its intended application. The BMC should just be more of the same functionally with a better wedge, higher spec steel, and nice paint job. We did have to replace the base CT metal wedge with a standard wood one, but the higher end ones, velvicut and best mades already have that. Given that the design probably gives a GFB ScFA a match, the price and marketing is easier to stomach.
 
I know painted handles aren't everyone's cup of tea, but I like them. I just bought the unfinished version and painted it myself. I love mine. Haven't had a chance to use mine as much as you, but I'll catch up. I think they're great axes, with or without paint.
 
I believe Council Tools makes all their axes/hatchet. I think the problem many have with BMC is their pricing on all their goods is way over the top. I've been to the store many times and love the place, but I have yet to buy from them because of price.
 
Yeah, their basic American felling axe is a basic Council Tool Dayton for 3x the price. Some of that is gratitous packaging, most is gratuitous nonsense. Arguably, Best Made offer more gratuitous packaging than Council Tool offers with their Velvicut line, if that's of value.
 
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The unfinished best made Hudson Bay axe is roughly $15 more than a council velvicut Hudson Bay. It comes without paint and packaging has a 9" longer handle(which was the selling point for me). They do ding you $100+ for a paint job and a wooden crate for their finished Hudson bays. I didn't feel too bad about 140 for my axe, and that includes shipping
 
That's what I mean. I like my regular CT Jersey, but Council Tool takes as much advantage of the perceived value imparted by a high price tag as Best Made.

FWIW, I'm none too impressed my 36" Jersey came with the handle grain 90* to the head, though the head and handle are very nicely finished. Considering I'm using my axe for hitting wood outdoors, I see the whole Velvicut line and Best Made packaging and paint silliness is just to get their share of the Swedish "premium axe" outdoor jewelry/wall-hanger market. How many claw hammers have you bought based purely on marketing and the level of polish on the flats? None?!? Don't you care about craftsmanship and pride and workmanship and having a tool that performs better than all those POS hardware store jobs that obviously can't push a nail straight?

I kid because human vanity is funny, not because I think people are dumb or bad :)
 
Just like anything else in life, certain products are not for everyone, whatever the reason(use, make, country of origin, or price, etc) and that's ok. There's a myriad of reasons why some products "work" for people and why they don't. Nothing has really changed in this axe regard, as I'm sure some people couldn't fathom buying a Keen Kutter when a True American was less in price. To each their own.
 
I agree with 40oz that the main issue is that a company is basically making a living off of parasitising other products, not to mention the marketing style/intended audience. It's a sign of a society gone mad, much like the sale of fake bomb detectors.

It's good that some people use them though. And to be fair, with true inflation the top quality old axes would cost 400-500 dollars, much like a Tuatahi or Autine (there is a company selling hipster racing axes as well). It's just that most of our wages haven't seen the same inflation.
 
Best made isn't even close to being the first company to rebrand something that someone else has manufactured. They aren't even the first company to do this with axes. There are thousands of companies who make their living selling wares made by another company. Council tool company themselves,at one time,sold axes manufactured by a different company
 
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To each their own, really. Personally I've got no interest in one of these and if I DID I'd get a Council Tool Velvicut since that's the line of axes they use. They're rebranding their source of axes, people like it, people buy it. Good for them. It just makes me glad to see another USA company making money doing something that people enjoy.
 
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DarthTaco123 said:
To each their own, really. Personally I've got no interest in one of these and if I DFD I'd get a Council Tool Velvicut since that's the line of axes they use. They're rebranding their source of axes, people like it, people buy it. Good for them. It just makes me glad to see another USA company making money doing something that people enjoy.
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Good attitude. As long as no on forces me to buy one, I don't have anything against there being choices!
 
From what I understand BestMade also requests a higher than normal grade with the handles.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
From what I understand BestMade also requests a higher than normal grade with the handles.
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Council already has a quality guarantee and was there a busybody at Best Made that correctly knew how to judge hangs and handles, and promptly returned (at Council's expense) any substandard ones, Council would quickly re-adjust to better QC all their shipments to B M. With wood grain and orientation 'normal grade' and even high grade (this wood is really pretty?) can mean darn near anything today?
 
From Nick at Best Made (emphasis mine):

Handle grades are identical to the Velvicut (the last time I checked Council's standards.) The grade is AWTF which meets the same requirements as the highest grade, but allows up to 50% heartwood (which we have to allow, otherwise we wouldn't be able to meet our supply demands with Extra White grades.) Those requirements include a 48lb per square foot density. NOTE: we also specify 'bastard' cut grain which means grain orientation doesn't deviate from parallel more than 20º in either direction.
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Ooh! Quinton is not going to like hearing that even hipster 'Best Made' insists on grain orientation parallel to the blade (+- 20 degrees) for it's (presumably) curved handles.
 
40oz said:
Yeah, their basic American felling axe is a basic Council Tool Dayton for 3x the price. Some of that is gratitous packaging, most is gratuitous nonsense. Arguably, Best Made offer more gratuitous packaging than Council Tool offers with their Velvicut line, if that's of value.
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you make a very good point. some people love ordinary stuff all fluffed up in neat packaging and will pay for the looks regardless of value.lol really nothing wrong with that if you are the seller.
i thing the painted handles can look pretty cool, besides the fact that you sure tell which axe was yours from the paint job.
for fun i usually paint the handles i make for garden hoes sometimes for hammers too.
buzz
 
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