These are true labors of love.
For months, we scour antique shops and flea markets hunting for the right axes. The handles can’t be too dry or too soft, and the heads must be made of medium-tempered carbon steel—strong enough to last, but just right for etching. Most likely these tools are 125+ years old, crafted in the golden era of Central PA’s edge tool industry, when towns like Bellefonte, Mill Hall, Reedsville, and Lewistown forged some of the finest axes in the country.
Each head is etched. Each handle hand-carved, not with a simple incision, either—these use relief carving, a more intricate method that removes material around each letter to make them pop. It’s a time-consuming, meticulous process—making these more deserving.
These axes are more than awards—they’re a nod to the timber beasts of the Pine Creek Gorge, to the region’s rich lumbering legacy, and to the conservation and recreation that followed in their wake.
Massive thanks to Christopher Esh of Wooden Buddha in Lititz, PA, for turning history into art: https://www.facebook.com/thewoodenbuddha/
