Awesome to see ya out there mate! Love the way this was shot. The Basque does look like best suited to the task. The Michigan and the Owen would be good allrounders too. Nice! 👍👍🪓
Kevin, great to see some axe content from you! I had a lot of edge damage on my biber Canada 1000 recently. I filed it to 17.5 with a small microbevel and had a few nasty chips after chopping some black locust. Of course, I did pick one of the worst woods to try it on lol. Steel files really nice though; only took a couple minutes to dress it up. Sitting at 20 degrees now, but I miss the extra slicey-ness it had before! My go to axe has been the Rinaldi Calabria 750, hung on a 75cm (29in) basque haft. I filed it to 17.5 and added a raw-hide collar to protect the handle. Super light, but that bit length and wedge profile makes chopping a dream. Sounds like you are drawn to the basques for that reason. Hope you’re doing well!
Good to heard from ya. Yeah, once you experience that slicyness you’re always pushing it. Send me a pic of that axe if you think about it. That sounds like a sweet custom job. Cheers
Great video! I'd agree with what you said, i prefer the really wide biber axe for limbing softwood where you have hundreds of small branches, for hardwood less width is better because you are dealing with less, larger branches.
I definitely like the Biber for small branches. But honestly, so long as they weren’t low to the ground, I’d rather just keep hold of the Basque. Cheers
Great to see you swinging and reviewing axes again. I’d love to get my hands on a basque to try. I think that ringing would drive me crazy pretty quick. Keep up the good work.
Great to see you back here swinging! I have a handful of different axes that I use for snedding trees, but I don't have a Basque or a Tassie. Good content.
Great video Kevin. Love your axe content I’ve been missing it. I was just watching the Connecticut video of yours earlier saying to myself. He’s got some points but damn it’s a sweet looking axe.
I love my little 1.25kg pruning axe from Juaregi. Despite the lack of a pole, it swings nicely and strikes true. My lighter axes are more frequently used.
I really like my 700g Prandi slip-fit axe. 10 or 15 bucks for the head, and I made about a 28-30" handle. I also bought another and put it on like a 22" handle, but I like the longer one. I just bought a Bison Oberharzer because it's cool and German. 800 gram head and about a 24" handle. It's a very nice head for cutting and splitting, so it's the one I take with me to go get wood out of the pile and split kindling. Has a great feel to it now, although I had to work on the handle quite a bit and I don't like the use of barrel wedges.
I’ve had no trouble with my 1.5kg at all. But my racer folder like a cheap coat, and my lighter one came lose first day. Also, we’ve seen some bad heat treats, but they seem to be spotty. It’s not every one.
Hello, there is not any problem with newer or older Basque axes here were you can buy them directly or in hardware stores. I investigated a bit and I saw the problem was found by people in internet but it was not their fault. If you want I can tell you what did it happen
@@kurts64 glad about your interest. Long history short. Basque axes get a lot of hype --> Internet dealers empty their stock --> third actors try to get profit of the situation buying standard hardware axes reprofiling and polishing them (at least in some cases ruining geometry and/or heat treatment) --> axes start failing --> nobody contacts the maker but some people rants about him in internet --> maker gets blamed about the poor quality of his axes Now if you are interested and have time to read it here comes the long history. First let's talk about context. I'm Jose Ramon Jauregi's friend, I helpt him to make his axes known in internet and contacted Lamnia in order to make business between both of them. Yes, I'm biased, but I have to say I have done it altruistically, never had received a cent from neither of them and even the maker has offered me not to pay several times I have insisted and every axe I have received from him I have paid for it. Let's start. Some years ago I used internet proficiently, but due to personal reasons I have been out for years. Some day an axe enthusiast who knew about my relationship with the maker contacted me informing about breakage problems Basque axes were having. I saw some recent videos in internet and yes, it looked like there was a generalized problem in this concern. Basque axes are sold here in every hardware store, I contacted to some proficient users and hardware owners and they didn't know about any problems. I contacted the maker to solve this mistery and he got as surprised as me. Jauregi axes are quite reliable workhorses. Even if you have any problem one of the best part is you can contact or go to the forge and the maker solves your problem even if you haven't bought the axe from him. Even if the problem is the geometry I know plenty people who has gone directly to the forge and Jose Ramon has reprofiled their axes for free. So his response was "Problems? No anything out of usual. From Internet? No indeed last times I have received very few complains, if any.". So I started trying to contact to the people who shared their problems in internet. Between the people who responded me there was only a person, maybe two who has bought the faulty axe from Lamnia, he or they didn't contact the seller. All the others told me or I saw in their videos (it's quite easy if you know were to look) they bought their axes from third party sellers. Those who responded me were they bought them they mainly bouth them from a new seller I didn't know anything about him. I contacted some local people and they told me this seller bought standard axes from hardware stores, tried to finish them as the axes the maker sells to his international dealer and sold them even more expensive than the original dealer. I have to say I investigated the webpage and they shared publically and clearly they regrinded their axes. At the same time I read a person in a Facebook group blaming his racing axe didn't bite wood properly and even he received it with a 45° secondary bevel it suffered some edge damage. He shown a photo and yes, secondary bevel looked in the range the angle he wrote. Secondary bevel? 45°? This is not maker's procedure. I contacted the poor man who received the modified axe and he confirmed me he bought it from the seller who regrinded axes. I informed the maker about what was happening, he contacted me some time after telling me nothing could be done, they weren't breaking any law. So I tried to make something myself. I contacted the people who was blaming the maker (I had talk to some of them already) and explained them what was happening. Some of them understood, most of them didn't respond. Between the people who didn't respond there were very well regarded people in the axe world. They could share what was happening and both, the maker and future buyers, would profit of it but they didn't choose to do it. It was surprising for me, I helpt with advides some of them when they were starting with axes. Nevertheless after spending some time spreading the voice I saw some videos were eliminated and the seller who sold deteriorated axes removed the information were he told he regrinded axes from his website. At the same time the maker contacted me telling this seller contacted him directly and he had started selling untouched axes, al least in part. I couldn't spend more time solving this problem. So I told the maker what I had see and done and left to work on it. I have to say I sometimes still try to talk about it when I find any time, but that's not easy nowadays. When I talk to the maker I use to ask him about what we are talking here and he allways responds the same, he uses to receive very few complains if any from the internet seller. Or sellers I would have to say now. If you have reached this point I hope it hasn't been a heavy lecture and it has helpt you to understand what has been happening. It would be great if you could spread the voice in order to give everyone their due or undue. Thank you to give me the oportunity to talk about this.
Man, I have heard a lot of talk about the downfall of the Basque axe. I am not experienced enough to contribute to that conversation. Maybe I should get one of my own and decide for myself. $$$$
Not the best but great for my purposes, wood handles always loosen in our dry climates, and no way I’ll ever hang an axe and I stick to smaller stuff for cooking
Tuis are near perfect race axes. They made an attempt to make a lighter work axe in their camp axe, but from what I’ve seen it’s not something I’d use.
Awesome to see ya out there mate! Love the way this was shot. The Basque does look like best suited to the task. The Michigan and the Owen would be good allrounders too. Nice! 👍👍🪓
They’re all great axes. But that little guy is great for stuff like this.
Kevin, great to see some axe content from you! I had a lot of edge damage on my biber Canada 1000 recently. I filed it to 17.5 with a small microbevel and had a few nasty chips after chopping some black locust. Of course, I did pick one of the worst woods to try it on lol. Steel files really nice though; only took a couple minutes to dress it up. Sitting at 20 degrees now, but I miss the extra slicey-ness it had before!
My go to axe has been the Rinaldi Calabria 750, hung on a 75cm (29in) basque haft. I filed it to 17.5 and added a raw-hide collar to protect the handle. Super light, but that bit length and wedge profile makes chopping a dream. Sounds like you are drawn to the basques for that reason.
Hope you’re doing well!
Good to heard from ya. Yeah, once you experience that slicyness you’re always pushing it. Send me a pic of that axe if you think about it. That sounds like a sweet custom job. Cheers
Very high quality video and spot on comments Kevin!
Thank you, sir. And thank you for the support over the years.
Great video! I'd agree with what you said, i prefer the really wide biber axe for limbing softwood where you have hundreds of small branches, for hardwood less width is better because you are dealing with less, larger branches.
I definitely like the Biber for small branches. But honestly, so long as they weren’t low to the ground, I’d rather just keep hold of the Basque. Cheers
Great to see you swinging and reviewing axes again.
I’d love to get my hands on a basque to try.
I think that ringing would drive me crazy pretty quick.
Keep up the good work.
I enjoy it, but I could see how it could drive a guy nuts if he was to use it all day.
Great to see you back here swinging! I have a handful of different axes that I use for snedding trees, but I don't have a Basque or a Tassie. Good content.
Gotta try those two. They’re among the best, I think.
Nice work! Thank you for sharing!
hat last one looks almost like a Viking ax, designed for splitting helmets and heads, not for heavy wood cutting.
That last axe rings like a machete in hard dead wood... I'm not used to that in an axe.
At 3:34, I love that ringing!
Great video Kevin. Love your axe content I’ve been missing it. I was just watching the Connecticut video of yours earlier saying to myself. He’s got some points but damn it’s a sweet looking axe.
Yeah, it’s a beauty. But it isn’t actually a very good chopping axe. Either get a Dayton, much cheaper, or get a Tassie-much better in every way.
Brandy looks like because of the lenght, the handle might be better braught more forward to stop it from tipping over too much.
Good to see you back behind some axes! I should get out my Prandi again, it’s been a while.
For small limbs, it’s king!
I love my little 1.25kg pruning axe from Juaregi. Despite the lack of a pole, it swings nicely and strikes true. My lighter axes are more frequently used.
I’ve got that one too. I fixed the head and added a swell. It’s a really nice axe
I really like my 700g Prandi slip-fit axe. 10 or 15 bucks for the head, and I made about a 28-30" handle. I also bought another and put it on like a 22" handle, but I like the longer one. I just bought a Bison Oberharzer because it's cool and German. 800 gram head and about a 24" handle. It's a very nice head for cutting and splitting, so it's the one I take with me to go get wood out of the pile and split kindling. Has a great feel to it now, although I had to work on the handle quite a bit and I don't like the use of barrel wedges.
Yeah, the Prandi's are a good value!
Nice video
Thanks sir
Could you give an update on your basque axes. Has the steel quality gotten better?
I’ve had no trouble with my 1.5kg at all. But my racer folder like a cheap coat, and my lighter one came lose first day. Also, we’ve seen some bad heat treats, but they seem to be spotty. It’s not every one.
I used to use Snow &Nealy
Yes!!
The the ring of an axe!
Greatest review
Beautiful axes! Im jealous of that Owen Jarvis axe.
Its custom right?
Oh yeah, one of a kind. That was a collab between him and I.
Nice one. I take it that's an older Basque axe? I heard the new ones have very low QC now.
Yeah, it’s older. We have seen some issues with heat treat and temper. I’d still take a chance if you can get one. They’re that good.
@@KevinsDisobedienceThey look awesome. I'm definitely considering it.
Hello, there is not any problem with newer or older Basque axes here were you can buy them directly or in hardware stores. I investigated a bit and I saw the problem was found by people in internet but it was not their fault. If you want I can tell you what did it happen
@jonugalde1275 please mate, would love to hear your thoughts, what were the issues?
@@kurts64 glad about your interest.
Long history short.
Basque axes get a lot of hype --> Internet dealers empty their stock --> third actors try to get profit of the situation buying standard hardware axes reprofiling and polishing them (at least in some cases ruining geometry and/or heat treatment) --> axes start failing --> nobody contacts the maker but some people rants about him in internet --> maker gets blamed about the poor quality of his axes
Now if you are interested and have time to read it here comes the long history.
First let's talk about context. I'm Jose Ramon Jauregi's friend, I helpt him to make his axes known in internet and contacted Lamnia in order to make business between both of them. Yes, I'm biased, but I have to say I have done it altruistically, never had received a cent from neither of them and even the maker has offered me not to pay several times I have insisted and every axe I have received from him I have paid for it.
Let's start. Some years ago I used internet proficiently, but due to personal reasons I have been out for years. Some day an axe enthusiast who knew about my relationship with the maker contacted me informing about breakage problems Basque axes were having. I saw some recent videos in internet and yes, it looked like there was a generalized problem in this concern. Basque axes are sold here in every hardware store, I contacted to some proficient users and hardware owners and they didn't know about any problems. I contacted the maker to solve this mistery and he got as surprised as me.
Jauregi axes are quite reliable workhorses. Even if you have any problem one of the best part is you can contact or go to the forge and the maker solves your problem even if you haven't bought the axe from him. Even if the problem is the geometry I know plenty people who has gone directly to the forge and Jose Ramon has reprofiled their axes for free. So his response was "Problems? No anything out of usual. From Internet? No indeed last times I have received very few complains, if any.".
So I started trying to contact to the people who shared their problems in internet. Between the people who responded me there was only a person, maybe two who has bought the faulty axe from Lamnia, he or they didn't contact the seller. All the others told me or I saw in their videos (it's quite easy if you know were to look) they bought their axes from third party sellers. Those who responded me were they bought them they mainly bouth them from a new seller I didn't know anything about him.
I contacted some local people and they told me this seller bought standard axes from hardware stores, tried to finish them as the axes the maker sells to his international dealer and sold them even more expensive than the original dealer. I have to say I investigated the webpage and they shared publically and clearly they regrinded their axes.
At the same time I read a person in a Facebook group blaming his racing axe didn't bite wood properly and even he received it with a 45° secondary bevel it suffered some edge damage. He shown a photo and yes, secondary bevel looked in the range the angle he wrote. Secondary bevel? 45°? This is not maker's procedure. I contacted the poor man who received the modified axe and he confirmed me he bought it from the seller who regrinded axes.
I informed the maker about what was happening, he contacted me some time after telling me nothing could be done, they weren't breaking any law. So I tried to make something myself. I contacted the people who was blaming the maker (I had talk to some of them already) and explained them what was happening. Some of them understood, most of them didn't respond. Between the people who didn't respond there were very well regarded people in the axe world. They could share what was happening and both, the maker and future buyers, would profit of it but they didn't choose to do it.
It was surprising for me, I helpt with advides some of them when they were starting with axes. Nevertheless after spending some time spreading the voice I saw some videos were eliminated and the seller who sold deteriorated axes removed the information were he told he regrinded axes from his website. At the same time the maker contacted me telling this seller contacted him directly and he had started selling untouched axes, al least in part.
I couldn't spend more time solving this problem. So I told the maker what I had see and done and left to work on it.
I have to say I sometimes still try to talk about it when I find any time, but that's not easy nowadays. When I talk to the maker I use to ask him about what we are talking here and he allways responds the same, he uses to receive very few complains if any from the internet seller. Or sellers I would have to say now.
If you have reached this point I hope it hasn't been a heavy lecture and it has helpt you to understand what has been happening. It would be great if you could spread the voice in order to give everyone their due or undue.
Thank you to give me the oportunity to talk about this.
How long/short is this handle on basque axe??
About 25” on this one
@@KevinsDisobedience I have 24" on mine and i like it a lot. Thanks for your video's. Stay safe. God bless❤
Man, I have heard a lot of talk about the downfall of the Basque axe. I am not experienced enough to contribute to that conversation. Maybe I should get one of my own and decide for myself. $$$$
Yeah, I’ve contributed to that conversation lol. We have had some problems with them, but if you get a good one, they are really good.
Estwing all the way
It’s indestructible, I’ll give it that. Those are my favorite hammers.
Not the best but great for my purposes, wood handles always loosen in our dry climates, and no way I’ll ever hang an axe and I stick to smaller stuff for cooking
Who is Matt? Many of us don’t have any context bro.
Sorry, I never imagine these videos getting any traction. He’s a timber sports guy in the cordwood community. Vintage Axe Hoarder was his name in YT.
If I may, Matthew Amsbaugh, also see My Timbersports Journey.
Tuatahi
Tuis are near perfect race axes. They made an attempt to make a lighter work axe in their camp axe, but from what I’ve seen it’s not something I’d use.
@@KevinsDisobedience I have the camp axe and trapper. No complaints. I also use Gransfor Bruks and older American axes plus a few new Councils.
Second!