Most of the people I interacted with about axes were/are 'internet personalities' in the sense that I interacted with them through the internet.
For me getting interested in axes in earnest started here on BladeForums around 2004, and later over the years I also read or participated the know defunct KnifeForums, BushcraftUK Forum, various blogs, Bushcraft USA Forum.
It all started with reading the posts of OldJimbo, who used to be active here.
For those who don't know who he is, he was a Canadian teacher, who was living in a logging town and generously shared his own experience and quest for the 'perfect hatchet' in an intriguing and captivating way.
He was kind and was open to listen to people who did not agree with him, a trait which is still quite common on this specific forum, despite the few narcissists who are here for an ego massage only.
He used to have his own site, called Old Jimbo's site, you can find it through the Wayback Machine Internet Archive.
His appeal was not so much the extent or validity of his axe-related knowledge, but the passion and charm of the way he shared his own joy with others.
He was a true teacher even outside the classroom and I suspect he influenced many people with his short writings, you may even call them essays.
So OldJimbo got me intrigued and I started looking at axes and hatchets.
That quickly led me to Ragnar and his internet store.
I learned a lot from him through emails, bought quite few axes and hatchets from him and then started reading more and more.
He had a succinct yet very elegant way to convey his opinion. He gently shared his thoughts, expressed his disagreements in the most polite way.
I miss him very much.
I discovered of course the 'Axe to Grind' and Bernie, what a journey of discovery for most of us!
He is a great and passionate authority of the American Axe and the great tradition of North American axemanship.
Around the same time I got better interested in axes, BladeForums created the Axe, Tomahawk & Hatchet sub-forum, so I had and still have the pleasure to continue to learn in a very convenient way.
Over the years I was lucky to learn from and sometimes to interact with not only with Bernie (Old Axeman), but also Benjamin (FortyTwoBlades), Square_peg, quinton, Jake Pogg, Ernest DuBois and many other fellow forumites, and read the informative posts of British Red on BushcraftUK.
I do not deny it, but I enjoy very much reading what FortyTwoBlades writes. Yes, I was his customer quite a few times, but that just added an additional layer of pleasant experience as a satisfied customer.
I have just as much pleasure reading Square_peg's posts and have learned just as much from him too. It doesn't hurt we share the same passion for the Vaughan 1.25 lb camp hatchet either.
I enjoy how open minded both are, how well researched and how well argued they statements are. It doesn't hurt they have real-world experience as well.
I hope I will have many more years of pleasure being around these great forum members here, enjoying their posts and learning from them!
Thank you, Gentlemen!
