It might be a discarded treasure in a garage sale heap labeled “yard tools, 2 for $10,” or an honored relic that no one knows what to do with but knows better than to throw away. Discarded or honored, axes and their stories make their way to Adam Strehlow, owner of Northwoods Axe and Leather.
His first sharp tool was a souvenir fixed-blade pocket knife, black with gold “Yellowstone” lettering, that his parents bought for him at a gift shop in Yellowstone National Park when he was nine years old.
“I took it everywhere. I took it on camping trips, sitting whittling sticks with the pocket knife. I felt it was the gift of responsibility.”
Axe restoration is inspired by Adam’s passion for the outdoors. Now a professional arborist and a horticulturist at the Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Garden of Como Park and Conservatory, Adam understands the beauty and function of a well-preserved tool. “I love old forestry tools,” Adam says. “I believe quality tools are meant to be in working order and used.”
The blade is Adam’s primary focus of restoration. Nicks, rust, and wear patterns are the blade’s living history and roadmap for restoration. Often stamped in the blade is the maker’s mark, which tells Adam about the axe’s quality, age, and historical context as well as whether it was handmade or mass produced. The best marks are the ones that are well preserved, and his favorites are Marshall-Wells and Kelley-How-Thomson marks, partially because they include “Duluth, MN.” Using mostly hand tools—and an angle grinder, used only when necessary—Adam sharpens the blade.
Selecting the handle and fitting it to the blade is both art and science. Each pairing is unique depending on how the axe will be used, matching handle length and heft for a proper swing.
Every head manufacturer has different specifications, and when an atypical configuration (i.e., nonstandard handle length and head weight) is needed, more custom work is required. Adam primarily uses handles made from Tennessee hickory and selects for grain pattern and beauty. Using a mallet, he drives the handle into the eye of the blade, cuts as necessary, and drives in a metal wedge to further secure the head to the handle.
Adam will often finish the handles with enamel paint. His color inspirations are eclectic, from the muted greens, yellows, and reds of the wool Hudson Bay blankets he grew up with, a reminder of the one at the foot of his parent’s bed, to the blue and reddish-orange of the dress that Jon “Henrietta” Fishman of Phish wears during concerts. He further customizes color combinations depending on his personal inspiration and the wishes of the person commissioning the axe; additional finishing work includes creating a custom-designed and handmade sheath of repurposed leather. Custom pyrography on the handle is also an option.
Though many of his axes are commissioned restorations, purchases can be made directly from his shop. All axes, including those intended for display, are field ready—whether for minor back-country work or for more demanding field work. The entire restoration can take up to a month, and Adam works carefully to create an heirloom-quality item.
“These axes are not an impulse buy. The people buying them want to keep them for a very long time. The person who buys the axe is immediately buying their own story, adding to the original story, and it becomes their own story and then their kids’ and grandkids’.”
Adam’s relaxed manner has an infectious energy to it. His articulation of facts alongside his contemplation on the nature of old things is engaging. A natural storyteller, he notes the role of provenance in his work. He chats comfortably while holding his infant daughter and grinning to his wife, and it’s easy to spot a bit of mischievousness.
When asked what he keeps, Adam replies, “My inspiration is my family. . . . I am drawn to the useful items of daily life, things my family used that reflect the person and the time. Odd things, like my great grandfather’s gold ashtray, the incense burner my uncle picked up in Germany during the war, a little ladle meant to hold the cigar my dad used. Not the nicest or most expensive, but those objects that were touched and are now worn.”
Adam hopes that those who purchase his axes appreciate their beauty, their history, and the restoration process. “I hope people keep an appreciation of the process I’ve used and the care that I’ve put into it restoring their axe. I want them to put their own story to it, and I’d like that story to stay with the axe as it goes on to the next person.”
As we begin opening up cabins for the season, making plans to head out into canoe country, or just clearing brush or splitting wood, it’s time to get out the trusty axe. Whether your axe is needed for field work or you’ve got an old family treasure that would make a wonderful keepsake, contact Adam. You’ll be pleased to have an axe that is both functional and beautiful—and ready for even more history.
[Photography by Moon Lake Multimedia. All rights reserved.]
Mary
Sunday morning catching up on my favorite blogs with a good cup of coffee. Thinking about the things, “touched and worn” around me.