List the worse axes, hatchets or tomahawk on the market today. Ones to avoid

E

Evian

Joined
Jul 19, 2011
Messages
42
What axe, hatchet or tomahawk did you buy that was a big waste of money and why? What happened? How much did that bad boy cost you?
 
Youch, I don't know if you'll get a lot of posts for this thread. The spirit of the community really goes against badmouthing specific companies or products. I think you'll have more luck looking into thorough reviews of individual axes or tomahawks rather than a list of "bad" products.
 
Worst.

Axe.

Ever.

Ancient_Axe.jpg
 
Worst AXE ? got to be the body spray...............the shampoo is nice.............
 
"Best Made Co." is a real blight on the axe community. Some hipster kid living in New York City buys axes, gives them a fancy paint job, and then sells them for double the price. The axes aren't bad quality (Snow and Nealy I believe) but the "Best Made Co." is the ultimate manifestation of douchery and fraud. This is just my opinion of course.
 
trailmaker said:
"Best Made Co." is a real blight on the axe community. Some hipster kid living in New York City buys axes, gives them a fancy paint job, and then sells them for double the price. The axes aren't bad quality (Snow and Nealy I believe) but the "Best Made Co." is the ultimate manifestation of douchery and fraud. This is just my opinion of course.
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not just YOUR opinion, my friend. hipsters!
 
I regret being so negative in my previous comments, apologies to anyone who may have been offended. The best made company probably sells good quality axes that may have an aesthetic appeal for some. I believe axes of equal or better quality can be found for much cheaper.
 
trailmaker said:
I regret being so negative in my previous comments, apologies to anyone who may have been offended. The best made company probably sells good quality axes that may have an aesthetic appeal for some. I believe axes of equal or better quality can be found for much cheaper.
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I liked the pink ones from a few years ago ;-)))))) With a matching carry case no less.

Best regards

Robin
 
superdosser said:
Actually I think Best Made has their axes made by these folks in New Zealand http://www.tuatahiaxes.com/.
Much more expensive. If you do the conversion the price is jacked up - but not double.
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It's a different company that sells painted Tuatahi axes. Actually one of the co-founders of Best Made Co. didn't like the direction the company was going in so he went off on his own and started selling painted Tuatahis. According to Best Made co. their axes come from a "secret source" in Maine. Snow and Nealley is from Maine and they even sell a model called "Our Best", so my guess is Best Made Co. gets their axes from them.
http://www.snowandnealley.com/products/axes/obsb3530.htm
 
Actually the most recent literature from Best Made says their source is a fourth generation axe maker from North Carolina. Council Tool of North Carolina is currently being run by the fourth generation of the Council family. Council makes a pretty nice 4lb Dayton pattern forged from 5160 steel. Best Made also sells a pretty nice 4lb Dayton pattern forged from 5160.
http://www.bestmadeco.com/collections/frontpage/products/american-felling-axe-savage-dan
http://www.counciltool.com/product.asp?pg=product&item=JP40DV36C
I'm guessing that these are the same heads. It looks like the main difference is that the Best made comes unsharpened with a painted handle. If these are indeed the same head then I personally would rather buy the Council Tool version because it's less than half the price and I don't have to spend any time sanding the paint off the handle and sharpening.
 
Best made have been selling Snow and Nealy, then Council tool.
They also sold Wetterlings as DIY kits (head + handle blank)
Now selling some random japanese stuff too.

I don't like using the term hipster but here it is clearly deserved.
Of course you'd be probably better off ordering from source.

There was another sister company -apparently different company, see below- (Camp X or something like that) that was reselling stuff from other manufacturers, notably Tuatahi racing axes from NZ.
 
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My name is Nick Zdon and I work with Best Made Co. Here is some more information:

For various reasons, Snow and Neally are not providing axes for us anymore. All of our axes are made for us by Council Tool. In fact we were part of the prototyping process on the new Velvicut line. I remember getting my hands on some of the first helve prototypes and how good they felt with their thin cross-section (thinner than just about any other helve you'll find on the US market). In fact this is one of the first protoypes. It lives at a cabin in Barryville, New York.

The Best Made Co. unfinished model actually sells for a tiny bit less than what you can get it for from Council. So if you don't want a pink axe, you don't have to buy one. The unpainted model is finished with linseed oil and it does come sharpened, although most members of this forum would probably tweak it a bit when they got it. The profile is the thinnest you'll probably find on the US market. It's most similar to the vintage heads I've got.

We published a lengthy axe restoration series on our blog. We've also held two Axe Restoration workshops, one in New York City and one in Minneapolis, with requests to do more from across the country, although it's not really feasible to do yet. Most of the information wouldn't be new to the members of this forum, but many of our customers and fans appreciate it. In fact I correspond regularly with customers on their own restoration projects, most all of them on axes other than Best Made axes.

We've been guests at both the Gransfors and Wetterlings factories in Sweden. They've been very nice and supportive of the company and what we've been doing.

It's true that we have extensively broadened our product offering beyond axes, but the axe will always be at the heart of what we do. So as far as describing Best Made Co. as a "blight on the axe community," I think we've done plenty to offer a tool of the highest quality, preserve and share the history of the axe, and introduce a whole new group of people to the beauty, lore, and resourcefulness that is the axe and axemanship.

We are in no way affiliated with Basecamp X.

I agree with Pipeman and feel that this type of posting should be closed. I debated for a couple days whether I should even respond, this type of posting gets out of hand quickly. If anyone has any questions feel free to send me a message.

For the record, I own 12 axes, 3 of them Best Made axes, I've got 6 heads in various stages of restoration, and my favorite swinger is a 3.5 lb dayton from Manhattan Axe Co., Glassport, PA, on a 32" curved helve from LaPierre Sawyer (one of my favorite handle manufacturers, if you can find them anywhere. I'll post pictures soon). My only regret is not being more involved in this forum earlier. I enjoy seeing what folks are working on, and I know I've picked up plenty of tips myself. So, to all forum members: Thank you.

Best,
Nick Zdon
 
I think part of the original...strong lack of interest...for Best Made in our community was due to painted handles, high prices, and secrecy with regard to sourcing. This struck some of our experienced axe members as slightly deceptive, though that was likely not your intention. Given that the heads you use are now Velvicut AFA's the price looks quite reasonable, and the offering of an unpainted model is more appealing to the practical crowd. I must say that I like the vintage aesthetic that you've decided to pursue. That summer camp care kit gave me a good chuckle--a lot of cool stuff in that, and a shame that summer camps aren't what they used to be. The slingshot band alone would get you in the hot-seat these days, let alone the pocket knife! :p
 
Nick, I think your post was a good move. Dis spelling some of the mystery of what you do (especially your sourcing) is a positive move, especially when you are using high end products from Council Tool. Thanks for posting, hopefully you'll stick around a bit.

To the rest of us, I would say a couple things.
First, any product is worth exactly what people are willing to pay for it. If some people really want a fancy painted haft on their axe so that they can hang it above their mantle as a conversation piece, and they are willing to pay the price-then someone should jump on the opportunity to sell it to them! Sounds like Best Made can provide exactly that and something for the simpler of us (myself included).

Secondly, I don't think it makes sense to close a thread anytime someone says something negative about a product. This forum is a sounding board that can serve many purposes. If the only feedback that is allowed is to be positive, then we are only getting half the information; and the information would be less genuine, IMO. Besides, this thread provided an opportunity for a representative of Best Made to clear some things up. I think that it probably opened some of us up to reconsider our opinion of Best Made. Many of us probably never would have reconsider if it were not for this thread (myself included, again). All that being said, it is worthwhile to maintain respectful attitudes in the midst of it. I think overall that happens here pretty well.

Lastly, Trailmaker, you apologized very early on-even before Nick cleared some things up-good going, that was stand up.

Matt
 
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Still pretty new here...

But WTF at not being allowed to have a negative opinion about a product and voicing it?

I know it's a website and not the good ole U.S. of A. but freedom of speech is a good thing.

Feedback, especially negative...on products...is a good thing.
It lets others know what to avoid.

Chill.
 
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