Condor axes are on the up!

FortyTwoBlades

FortyTwoBlades

Baryonyx walkeri
Dealer / Materials Provider
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
25,979
But the sum is still averaging less than its parts. :p Got in a Woodworker Axe of the revamped late 2011/early 2012 variety and it had a well shaped handle with perfect grain and a gorgeous head with well-formed geometry. Contact with the eye was 100%. But the head has hafted crooked so the edge was way out of line with the handle. :grumpy: Sent it back along with a couple other pieces that failed inspection, and just got the replacements today. The head on this one looks even nicer, and is just as well done every other respect. :cool: But the head is still hafted crooked. :grumpy:

I'll be talking with Rick again tomorrow (I feel bad about it, honestly, as the man has enough to do already!) and we'll try it again. :o But, that problem aside, they're PERFECT. If they keep the quality up and fix the darn hafting issue they're going to be unstoppable. It's worth noting that the surface finish on this most recent one was a nearly smooth dark black. Very attractive. I'll need to snap photos if it goes back anyhow, so I'll see about posting the pictures then.

Honestly, though, I'm tempted to keep it and slap the head on a 28" handle.
 
Operator1975 said:
42 gives it straight up, good, bad, or ugly. I salute you, sir.
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I'm rooting for them HARD but I won't sell an axe with a crooked hafting angle. Like I said, it was pretty much flawless in every other respect, though--including the edge! Nice and thin and evenly ground!
 
Thanks for the report. Yes, please show us some pics of the next one even if it's going back.
 
The smooth finish sounds good.:thumbup: The greenland patterns I looked at had small, round dents all over about the size of buckshot. It looked really "forced" if you know what I mean. It's not like a forging hammer leaves that kind of impression.
 
M3mphis said:
The smooth finish sounds good.:thumbup: The greenland patterns I looked at had small, round dents all over about the size of buckshot. It looked really "forced" if you know what I mean. It's not like a forging hammer leaves that kind of impression.
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Yeah the marks on this one are so small as to almost be invisible. Enough that you can tell that it was a post-grinding treatment (it hides all the grinding marks and I simply can't believe they were able to forge it THAT nicely) but not so much that it disturbs the smooth surface. I'll see if I can take some good pictures tomorrow. I tried tonight and the lighting wasn't good enough--flash kills photos, especially close-ups.

In spite of the repeated hafting flaw, this really excites me because how good everything else is. I expect that the hafting SHOULD be easy for them to correct at the factory, and I simply can't wait until they do.
 
Sounds good. I have a weakness for carpenter's axes...

You should keep that one, re-haft it, and do a pass around!!!!
 
Thanks for the info. I'll be waiting for the finished product. Definitely going to pick one up.
 
M3mphis said:
Sounds good. I have a weakness for carpenter's axes...

You should keep that one, re-haft it, and do a pass around!!!!
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Quiet, you! You'll get me in trouble with my lady. She thinks I spend enough time tinkering as is. :D

As tempting as it is I'll likely pass for now. Gotta' be responsible with the business finances when I've got projects ongoing (leather and kydex sheaths for the Mora #333 and 14" machetes) and setting aside revenue for Condor 2012 stock. :o
 
Well, M3mphis saved me the trouble. The head's on its way to him now. Y'all can bother him for pics when he gets it rehafted. :D

I talked to Rick Jones at Condor today about it and he's going to relay the info so they can correct the issue. I know I'm gonna' own one of those and it's going to be soon, but I've gotta' be good, dammit! :p
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Well, M3mphis saved me the trouble. The head's on its way to him now. Y'all can bother him for pics when he gets it rehafted. :D

I talked to Rick Jones at Condor today about it and he's going to relay the info so they can correct the issue. I know I'm gonna' own one of those and it's going to be soon, but I've gotta' be good, dammit! :p
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Man, you sold me out...last time I buy from you!!! :p;)
 
I seriously can't wait to see what it looks like on a new haft. Something about it just begs for a longer one. There was something oddly satisfying about just holding the decapitated axe head. The dark blue-black finish and the curves of the bit/eye transition were just mesmerizing in the same way as a smooth beach stone. :p It's still clearly a working axe--not a boutique piece--but it's pretty damn sexy. :cool::thumbup:
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
I seriously can't wait to see what it looks like on a new haft. Something about it just begs for a longer one. There was something oddly satisfying about just holding the decapitated axe head. The dark blue-black finish and the curves of the bit/eye transition were just mesmerizing in the same way as a smooth beach stone. :p It's still clearly a working axe--not a boutique piece--but it's pretty damn sexy. :cool::thumbup:
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Can't wait, Dude. Should be here Friday!
 
Some of you have purchased from 42blades (Baryonyx Knife Co.) and already know about the great service. Here's a little time frame for you in Mountain Standard Time:

9:00PM, 3/20: I contact 42 to see if he would sell me the woodworker's axe mentioned in this thread at a "b grade" price.
10:00PM, 3/20: I send payal.
6:20AM, 3/21: I receive shipping and tracking info.
3/23: I receive package, and it was only like $5 to ship it since 42 cut the handle off and sent it flat rate.

Darn fast service!!!! I'll get some pics up of the woodworker axe at some point. Just wanted to say a big Thank You to 42!

Matt
 
Bumpin it up. Curious in the quality issues at present. How's it looking 42? I'm pretty interested in a Woodworker.....
 
The ones I've received as replacements from Condor themselves have been most recent production and of superb quality. Ones filtering through distributors right now are still old stock. I got a few Woodworkers in from a distributor recently that are great except for some very slight gaps between the head and the haft. Debating whether to "Grade B" them or return them. I have a double-bit Michigan that's pre-Joe visit that's got lopsided bits that'll be going back so I might just toss the Woodworkers in with that. I try to save up a few before bothering them with exchanges. The cool thing about the double Michigan, though, is that they've put a much longer handle on it now. It's a much more usable axe now.
 
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