Creating my own tools has always been a staple of my craft. I love the idea of tools being used to create other tools which, in turn, go on to create even more constructive tools in an endless cycle of upgrade and repair. Even every day, household tools such as an axe, can be improved in both form and function.

In my work, an axe represents one of the most essential pieces of kit, and finds its use in better than half of what I create. As such, I do own several of them, ranging from generic hardware store finds, to tomahawks, and woodworkers models, but I've never owned one that was purposely designed for an artisan or craftsman. An artisan axe is unique, in that its function goes well beyond simply chopping wood. It's a sculpting tool, a carving knife, a smoothing file etc etc. The list goes on and on and is only limited by its user. Unfortunately, artisan axes can be pretty expensive, costing as much as $300-$400 but that doesn't, necessarily, mean that they are out of the reach of the average craftsman. With a bit of creative modification you can turn an old axe head, or even a cheap store bought model into an artisan axe without having to dole out great sums of money, and potentially, create something worthy of handing down to your kids.

The design uses, what I call, the trifecta of my craft, wood/metal/leather. The head was created from an old felling axe that was passed down to me through my family. It had seen better days, and, hating the idea of throwing it out, I decided to give it a new life. The handle is made out of cherry, but you can use any hardwood you have on hand (just avoid soft wood such as pine or cedar). For me, the cherry wood was an aesthetic decision, not to mention that it is an absolute pleasure to work with as it fills your workshop with a sweet smell as you shape it. I chose a straight design for the handle, but implemented hand holds at the shoulder of the handle, for close work, and a curved swell knob as a slip guard for simple chopping. Finally, I didn't want to hide the head under a full case, so I made a simple edge protector out of 7-8oz leather that should help keep the blade good and sharp and also protect me from injury while it's not in use.