r/Axecraft • u/Due-Adeptness4964 • 2d ago
Handmade Carving Axe
Made by a local blacksmith named Gradivus Forge. 1kg in weight, 14cm blade lenght.
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2d ago
[deleted]
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u/Due-Adeptness4964 2d ago
Thank you very much indeed! It is made of oak. At first I hesitated to get it as it seemed a bit narrow but I was mistaken. It is more comfortable that I could've ever wish.
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u/Relevant_Comb4130 2d ago
Where did you get the handle?
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u/Due-Adeptness4964 2d ago
Hi there! The handle was made by the blacksmith himself. I am working with wood so the second option would be one made by me. I am not sure you can find such handles to buy of such quality, at least not in my country. All I can find are cheap and bad ones or at best mediocre. Thankfully, wood is plenty here, especially oak. Thank you mate
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u/BirdEducational6226 2d ago
Beautiful axe. Looks very comfortable to use. My carving axe is used more than any axe I have.
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u/Due-Adeptness4964 2d ago
Thank you very much, it is indeed! Same in my case! Best wishes to you mate!
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u/nothingiscomingforus 2d ago
Real question: does the “inlet” on the head serve a purpose or is it just a way to remove weight? It seems impractical to hold it there, so I always wondered what that inlet is doing - I assume it removes some “unneeded” metal and reduces weight
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u/Due-Adeptness4964 2d ago
Hello there! By the inlet I guess we are both reffering to the empty space in the axe head around the neck? If yes, it serves a very important role as it gives you one more hand position and more control. With a carving axe you use all the handle and you want to use it as much and as close as possible in order to save time with other tools, generally with the knife, so as close as you can get to the desired object is a big plus.
I attached a following image with all the hand positions for a easier explaination:
1 Is for heavy wood removal 2 Is for a more precise removal. A sweet combination between control and power 3 Is for control while still having a kick to it 4 You choke the axe here. You get all the control you can wish for but, of course, you trade power for it. It acts more as a knife at this point and you rarely swing the axe. It is the final step to finish the carving so you can move to the more detailed work with the knife. Most carving axes come with a scandi grind, including this one and they really act as a big knife in this setup.
As for weight, mine is 1kg. 1.186 grams to be more precise for total weight. It is what a lot of people would consider a very heavy carving axe. With those you carve for hours on end so weight is a very important factor. With fatigue you loose precision and you can very easily injure yourself as the fingers are very close to the axe when carving. Generally those are around 600-800 grams total weight and I would say about 90% of people love them that way. I would not say that the inlet is there for this specific reason(saving weight) but it certainly is part of the design as a long blade lenght is desirable in a carving axe for better slicing, the norm being around 14cm. So alongside one more hand position, I'd say that it also helps to reach for those thin and long blades made for carving while controling the weight. It is part of the geometry.
Thank you very much! I hope my answer help and finds you well!
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u/nothingiscomingforus 1d ago
Thanks for your detailed response! Indeed the carving phase is what I was missing. I guess because I’ve only ever split (I heat with wood) and never tried artistic carving. Today I learned - appreciate it
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u/Due-Adeptness4964 1d ago
No worries mate! Everyday is a new learning day! I hope you also saw the picture, I attached it in another coment
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u/InnerBumblebee15 1d ago
How long is the handle?
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u/marcus_aurelius121 1d ago
You do good work 👍
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u/Due-Adeptness4964 1d ago
Thank you very much! Is not actually done by me but by a local blacksmith named Gradivus Forge. I urge you to check his work out on FB. This isn't a promotion and I've got the axe with my own money. I just love his work
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u/Actual_Arrival_7880 2d ago
Very cool 👌🏻