We are excited to announce the first ever Best Made Axe manual, a simple and practical guide to help you maintain the longevity of your axe. The manual has been about a year in the making, as we have been out gathering opinions and experiences from customers and trusted friends, and refining our techniques for axe upkeep. The manual would not have been possible without the contributions of Nick Zdon. Nick is also the man behind the soon to be released “map art” series: a truly Best Made original product featuring wood blocks and gorgeous vintage maps! (see the sneak preview above, due to release next week). Among other things Nick has also become our “blade wizard in residence”. So to kick off the manual and to set the stage for Nick’s impending maps we present a short interview between PBS and Nick.   1) What was your first “blade”? It was a Boy Scout edition of the Swiss Army “Tinker.” I got it for Christmas when I was 11 or 12. I remember my father pointing out the Victorinox  stamp at the base of the large blade. It was the first time I attached the idea of Quality to a hand tool. I kept that knife for a long, long time, even though I was always jealous of the boys who had the Swiss Army knife that had the saw. Even before that, I can remember the small wood-handled hunting knife my father kept in his tackle box. It had been my grandfathers. I was amazed with how sharp it was and how easily it cut through a snarl of fishing line. We eventually switched to using nail clippers to trim line, but I still keep that knife in my own tackle box.2) Aside from Famous Red, what other axes and blades do you own? A couple years ago I purchased 3 old, well-used, axes from an architectural salvage store in Minneapolis. The heads were completely rusted and loose, and the haft on one of them was severely cracked. They were gorgeous. I call them the Old Boys and have left them exactly as I found them. I figure they’ve worked hard enough to deserve their retirement.I also own Swish, one of the Best Made Hudson Bay axe prototypes. I haven’t had a chance to use it yet. I’m saving it for the Boundary Waters. I still have the Tinker somewhere, although I broke the tip off one of the blades years ago. I also have a few random pocket knives I use up at the cabin and for camping. And of course, my grandfather’s hunting knife in my tackle box.3) in one sentence, what would you say is your secret to attaining a sharp blade? You must picture in your mind the image of the blade you are sharpening at a microscopic, almost sub-atomic, level. For every stoke of the stone the blade should react accordingly in your mental image. When you are finished you should simply ‘know’ that you are finished, even before you test the blade. 4) why is it important to you to have a sharp axe? For me, the number one reason is that a sharp axe is much more enjoyable to use than a dull one. A sharp axe works with you, and your progress is in keeping with the your effort. A dull axe will keep you from making progress, and this will only lead to frustration. If you really want to understand the value of any sharp tool, try using a dull one for a while. There is also a safety concern. A dull axe will bounce all over the place. Add this fact to fatigue and frustration, and it’s a recipe for disaster.4) tell us a bit about the process of making your maps. I found a box of second-hand maps for sale online, and purchased them immediately. Originally I was hoping just to keep them and admire them as beautiful objects, but I soon began thinking of the maps as tools. Beautiful tools, with purpose and history. Some of the maps still bear notes and routes written in pencil and pen, and serve as small pieces of history. The maps also act as signs of possibility. The Best Made markers are meant to signal future destinations. Even if someone doesn’t travel to those specific locations, hopefully the markers will inspire some amount of wanderlust in the viewer.Finding the right printing process was a challenge at first. I eventually decided on a combination of techniques. The Best Made logo was cut directly into a laminated piece of pine, and the type below it was made into a letterpress polymer plate and adhered directly to wood piece, which then inked and printed by hand.5) how does a physical map fit in the age of google maps and global positioning?First of all, maps should inspire. Having a map should put a person at ease enough explore and venture out to find their own way in an unfamiliar place. Google maps and GPS handle this aspect very well. I know from personal experience that having google maps on my iPhone has made my travels around New York City a much more pleasant experience, allowing me to find things I never would have with a traditional map. The flip side of the coin is that this makes the map a feature and less of a tool in its own right. Google maps could not stand on its own without the aid of a computer, mobile device, or even electricity. Physical maps have an inherent self-sufficiency which passes on to the user as a function of its use.The other purpose of a map is to show you where you’ve been. The notes and scribbles that accumulate on them tell a physical story of your travels. This is something that is not easily translated to virtual maps, although new technologies and widespread geo-location services are making it easier to track where  you’ve been, what you’ve found, and share that information with others. But they lack the self-sufficiency that physical maps posses. Sharing a physical map, and with it the history and information of someone’s travels, is usually part of a relationship. It’s a sign of trust and friendship. I think this gets lost with how easy it is to share online information with virtual maps. 6) if you could be lost anywhere, where would it be? I alternate between a love of large cities and a love of the great outdoors. I think Havana, Cuba would be interesting from a social and political angle. I’ve also had a strong desire to visit Asia. Getting lost and wandering around Tokyo, Ho Chi Min City, or Beijing would be amazing.Alternately, getting lost in the Boundary Waters will always have a special place in my heart. It’s even fun to get lost on the same lake you were on the previous year!
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We are excited to announce the first ever Best Made Axe manual, a simple and practical guide to help you maintain the longevity of your axe. The manual has been about a year in the making, as we have been out gathering opinions and experiences from customers and trusted friends, and refining our techniques for axe upkeep. The manual would not have been possible without the contributions of Nick Zdon. Nick is also the man behind the soon to be released “map art” series: a truly Best Made original product featuring wood blocks and gorgeous vintage maps! (see the sneak preview above, due to release next week). Among other things Nick has also become our “blade wizard in residence”. So to kick off the manual and to set the stage for Nick’s impending maps we present a short interview between PBS and Nick.

 

1) What was your first “blade”?


It was a Boy Scout edition of the Swiss Army “Tinker.” I got it for Christmas when I was 11 or 12. I remember my father pointing out the Victorinox  stamp at the base of the large blade. It was the first time I attached the idea of Quality to a hand tool. I kept that knife for a long, long time, even though I was always jealous of the boys who had the Swiss Army knife that had the saw.

Even before that, I can remember the small wood-handled hunting knife my father kept in his tackle box. It had been my grandfathers. I was amazed with how sharp it was and how easily it cut through a snarl of fishing line. We eventually switched to using nail clippers to trim line, but I still keep that knife in my own tackle box.


2) Aside from Famous Red, what other axes and blades do you own?


A couple years ago I purchased 3 old, well-used, axes from an architectural salvage store in Minneapolis. The heads were completely rusted and loose, and the haft on one of them was severely cracked. They were gorgeous. I call them the Old Boys and have left them exactly as I found them. I figure they’ve worked hard enough to deserve their retirement.

I also own Swish, one of the Best Made Hudson Bay axe prototypes. I haven’t had a chance to use it yet. I’m saving it for the Boundary Waters.

I still have the Tinker somewhere, although I broke the tip off one of the blades years ago. I also have a few random pocket knives I use up at the cabin and for camping. And of course, my grandfather’s hunting knife in my tackle box.


3) in one sentence, what would you say is your secret to attaining a sharp blade?


You must picture in your mind the image of the blade you are sharpening at a microscopic, almost sub-atomic, level. For every stoke of the stone the blade should react accordingly in your mental image. When you are finished you should simply ‘know’ that you are finished, even before you test the blade.


4) why is it important to you to have a sharp axe?


For me, the number one reason is that a sharp axe is much more enjoyable to use than a dull one. A sharp axe works with you, and your progress is in keeping with the your effort. A dull axe will keep you from making progress, and this will only lead to frustration. If you really want to understand the value of any sharp tool, try using a dull one for a while.

There is also a safety concern. A dull axe will bounce all over the place. Add this fact to fatigue and frustration, and it’s a recipe for disaster.


4) tell us a bit about the process of making your maps.


I found a box of second-hand maps for sale online, and purchased them immediately. Originally I was hoping just to keep them and admire them as beautiful objects, but I soon began thinking of the maps as tools. Beautiful tools, with purpose and history. Some of the maps still bear notes and routes written in pencil and pen, and serve as small pieces of history. The maps also act as signs of possibility. The Best Made markers are meant to signal future destinations. Even if someone doesn’t travel to those specific locations, hopefully the markers will inspire some amount of wanderlust in the viewer.

Finding the right printing process was a challenge at first. I eventually decided on a combination of techniques. The Best Made logo was cut directly into a laminated piece of pine, and the type below it was made into a letterpress polymer plate and adhered directly to wood piece, which then inked and printed by hand.


5) how does a physical map fit in the age of google maps and global positioning?

First of all, maps should inspire. Having a map should put a person at ease enough explore and venture out to find their own way in an unfamiliar place. Google maps and GPS handle this aspect very well. I know from personal experience that having google maps on my iPhone has made my travels around New York City a much more pleasant experience, allowing me to find things I never would have with a traditional map. The flip side of the coin is that this makes the map a feature and less of a tool in its own right. Google maps could not stand on its own without the aid of a computer, mobile device, or even electricity. Physical maps have an inherent self-sufficiency which passes on to the user as a function of its use.

The other purpose of a map is to show you where you’ve been. The notes and scribbles that accumulate on them tell a physical story of your travels. This is something that is not easily translated to virtual maps, although new technologies and widespread geo-location services are making it easier to track where  you’ve been, what you’ve found, and share that information with others. But they lack the self-sufficiency that physical maps posses.

Sharing a physical map, and with it the history and information of someone’s travels, is usually part of a relationship. It’s a sign of trust and friendship. I think this gets lost with how easy it is to share online information with virtual maps.


6) if you could be lost anywhere, where would it be?


I alternate between a love of large cities and a love of the great outdoors.

I think Havana, Cuba would be interesting from a social and political angle. I’ve also had a strong desire to visit Asia. Getting lost and wandering around Tokyo, Ho Chi Min City, or Beijing would be amazing.

Alternately, getting lost in the Boundary Waters will always have a special place in my heart. It’s even fun to get lost on the same lake you were on the previous year!


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