Lumberjack and fruity aren’t exactly two words that go together. But that’s only because you’re not trying hard enough. Best Made Co.’s brand of hickory helve axes, however, makes the two adjectives fit in naturally, combining the blade’s wood-chopping utility with colorful designs.
I can think of very few jobs nowadays that require grabbing hold of an axe. Lumberjack, fireman and “killer in a horror movie” are the only three occupations, in fact, that come to mind. Sure, it makes sense to keep one at home when you live in a house with an actual fireplace and no central heating. Other than that, though, I can’t imagine anyone else requiring the shapely hand tool.
The special axes from Best Made Co. bring woodman chic into the picture, decking the classic timber-splitter with stylish flair. Like regular axes, each 30-inch creation comes with one end sporting a forged and sharpened 3.5-lb cutting blade, hoisted along a lovely hand crafted wooden body. To prop it up, the wood is given an attractive (somewhat shiny) finish, with colorful patterns painted along the other end, with a hand-engraved edition number (yes, it comes in limited runs) carved into the body.
One blog has poignantly billed it as “Queer Eye meets the Lumberjack Guy.” That’s about as clear as it gets as a description. To someone who has never felled a tree (like, I assume, most of us), it makes a case for outfitting your living room with an axe, all without losing any points in style.
You can check the designs over at the company website, with prices ranging from $250 to $450 (though, I believe, there have been more expensive pieces too). Who needs a gun for home self-defense when you can keep a couple of these things and chop home invaders with no mercy. I’m sure Dexter Morgan will approve.