American Axe: The Tool That Shaped a Continent - Hardcover

by Brett McLeod (Author)

From hand-forged axes of the Viking conquests to the American homesteader's felling axe, this is a tool that has shaped human history like few others. American Axe pays tribute to this iconic instrument of settlement and industry, with rich history, stunning photography, and profiles of the most collectible vintage axes such as The Woodslasher, Keen Cutter, and True Temper Perfect. Combining his experiences as a forester, axe collector, and former competitive lumberjack, author Brett McLeod conveys the allure of this deceptively simple woodcutting implement and celebrates the resurging interest in its story and use.

Back Jacket

The Hand Tool on the Cutting Edge of History

In the hands of lumberjacks, homesteaders, farmers, and foresters, the axe forged a path to a new way of life in North America. This simple tool - "a wedge with an edge" - cleared forest for farmland, delivered raw materials for housing and heat, and fueled the fires of industry. Explore the axe's fascinating evolution from colonial innovation to today's collectors' obsession, from a hand-forged workhorse to a sleek modern specimen, from a weapon in wartime to a recreational pastime.