In This Installment of Redbeard Reviews we get his thoughts on the Woodworkers Axe from Condor Tool and Knife
First Impressions:
There is a feeling of uncertainty looming over everyone who gets a new axe; “is this going to be a good fit” or “is the quality of it going to waiver mid-competition?” I am following up my first review if you’re watching my reports on throwing axes for newcomers and experts alike and I want to find the best possible axe that you didn’t know you needed. The sport in the past years is taking the entertainment industry by storm and the marketplace to buy axes meant for it is only just beginning to catch up. What I look for is to remedy these fears by providing the consumer with honest reviews on quality tools.
The Condor Woodworkers axe overall aesthetic looks fantastic out of the box, substantial head weight and a well-balanced 17 ¾” straight handle (I’m an easy target for axes with a bearded profile). At first, I found the handle to be too large when fitting it into my hand and keeping in mind this is only my opinion, but it’s form-fitting, hefty and would benefit those with larger hands. Committed throwers would find this axe ideal for an interchangeable single-handed thrower or two-handed use, due to its strong profile and wouldn’t see this axe as fragile when facing it with a target.
Testing:
After my initial reaction, I wanted first to give it a few throws to get better acquainted with its temperament, before sending it off for others to offer their thoughts. The first challenge was the straight edge blade reflecting a carpenter’s hatchet, made it problematic to get consistent throws, another grievance was the large swell at the end of the handle, making it uncomfortable and painful as it would hit joints in my hand upon release. A few others had the same reaction, “I love the look of it, but it is challenging to handle.” One had said. “It’s a bit equivocal…meaning the axe has difficulties within the sport of axe throwing…” one of my colleagues spoke about it. Lastly one of our league members said, “I really like this axe, fits well within my throwing.” Determined to find reasons why there were so many issues with this axe, I didn’t want to give up on it just yet.
I took out the hard edge from the handle using a hand file and some sandpaper, followed with wrapping it hockey tape to make it more comfortable to throw was taking strides in the right direction, but a bolder course of action is needed. I proceeded to cut an inch from the bottom, just above the perforation as mentioned earlier to see if this would cure the ailments and the axe performed a whole lot better and became a bit more user-friendly. After further inspections, I also found out the head is offset and pitched slightly to the left (an anomaly that may have gotten passed quality assurance), thus being the primary contributing factor for causing the axe to sink into the target at an angle. Although the overall aesthetic is remarkable, some minor adjustments were needed getting this tool to open up and become a solid throwing axe.
The Verdict:
Right out of the box it is clear the Woodworkers axe is certainly not designed for throwing. With some modifications and practice one could get it work well for themselves however. If your looking for a good thrower right out of the box this is not the axe for you. If you want an axe to customize to your style of throwing and want to challenge your skills this axe is a great option.
Condor WoodWorkers Axe At TheAxeShopp.com