At first, I was on the fence about watching this ax-restoration video from @oldshovel. I figured it would be another shop video with band saws and German workbenches and dust collection that cost more than my house and more stuff we’ve all seen lots of on Planet Internet.
However, it was relaxing and kind of cool and I didn’t really know how it would play out, so I watched. He cleans up the old ax head by removing the rust. OK, super satisfying. I learned a few things I’ll never use, but cool.
Then, he sets out to “carving” the new handle from a piece of hickory. But instead of there being big band saws and dust collection, the guy pulls out a razor-sharp rigging ax and goes to town on a blank piece of hickory.
Wait, what?
His workbench is a log.
I love this guy.
850,000 chops, cuts, and rasps later, he has fashioned a beautiful, swooping handle and merged (like Neo in the Matrix, but a little less apocalyptic) more with the wood for having done so.
Watch him make chips and dust and lower your blood pressure all at the same time.
