Soulwood Large Carving Axe (James Wood collaboration)

Soulwood Large Carving Axe (James Wood collaboration)

Soulwood Creations

Regular price £360.00 Sale

This carving axe was born as a collaboration with James Wood. An excellent blacksmith who is practicing his craft in England. This axe head shape is based on an archaeological find and has been modified to suit the need of a woodcarver. With it's generous recurve and pronounced upsweep it can remove material very quickly and efficiently. This axe is on the heavy side with its weight nearing 1kg but the balance of the axe still allows for very precise axe work.

Features my signature faceted hand carved English ash handle with more recurve to encourage the axes slicing motion. I have also added some decorative chip carving to add a bit more flair to the handle. The facets improves the grip on the axe, which means you can use your axe longer without getting blisters or fatiguing your hand.

The symmetrical 30 degree flat grind is an ideal choice for cutting performance but robust enough to maintain a sharp edge for a longer period of time.

The saddle stitched thick vegetable tanned leather sheath is custom made for this axe. I have added some stamping and a faded dye work to further enhance the form of the sheath. Additionally the corners are reinforced with copper rivets to guarantee the longevity of the sheath so it can protect the razor sharp edge.

I have introduced a proud wedge on all of my axes without the use use of glue. This serves a dual functionality. If the axe is going to be used in a really hot and dry climate there is a chance that the handle might shrink a little but with a few taps on the wedge the handle could be re-tightened. The secondary function of this is that with an axe that is meant to be used for generations there will come a time when the edge needs to be re-ground and this is a lot easier to achieve if the head is removed from the handle. With a proud wedge it is easier to get a purchase on the wedge and remove it as opposed to when it's trimmed flush. 

  • Total weight, approx.: 960kg

  • Cutting edge length: 156mm

  • Handle length: 31cm

If you are ordering outside of the UK please be aware that you may be charged custom fees when you receive your order.