Cold Steel Trail Boss!

[NKlamerus]

Santa came this year and brought me "The Cheapest Axe on Amazon"

This axe was reviewed a few months ago by Wranglerstar on YouTube and he really enjoyed it. I need an axe to keep in the toolbox of my truck, and this was the perfect fit.

I finally hit 6'5" and I'm about 270 (plus or minus 10% of holiday weight lol)

The axe is very light, but incredibly comfortable and balanced. I've never liked a hatchet, they feel to small in my hands.

Definitely feel that it'll make an excellent chopper, not so much a splitting axe. All we split down here is oak.

Final photo is the varnish removed, plan to soak it in boiled linseed oil, make a sheath, and get a good edge on it.

[zoidberg]

Nice!

[Higgins617]

I like the look of that!

[styx]

nice one. will be interesting to see how it holds up (some early ones supposedly had very soft steel)

[Poncho65]

I it The handle grain looks great on that one as well Can't wait to see it after you get done tweaking it

[NKlamerus]

Linseed oil application! Of course it cold here in Florida today (~45F)

First rub soaked right in and was dry overnight!

[styx]

result looks amazing

[NKlamerus]

Makeshift sheath good to go.

Made out of vynl thread/strips that won't hold moisture and definitely let's air through.

Held on with a rubber cable tie right now, would eventually like to use bungee material or rope loop.

Any thoughts on handle protection for overstrikes? Thinking about a 4" or paracord wrap beneath the head.

[Higgins617]

Go chop stuff!

[NKlamerus]

Go chop stuff!

Maybe tomorrow if the rain stops!!

[Sparky415]

Any thoughts on handle protection for overstrikes? Thinking about a 4" or paracord wrap beneath the head.

Looks good from here 
Also you could wrap the handle with innertube rubber then cover with paracord 

[TazzieRob]

Nice looking chopper 
I have a real old deer skin (my grandfather shot it) that is probably raw hide, I'd like to give it a go as some axe handle protection as it is thin

[NKlamerus]

Haven't really touched it much, caught flu for the first time ever and it really knocked me down

Still plan to wrap below the head, and I need to touch up the edge, other than that she's ready for service!

[styx]

get well first then worry about the axe. one ill timed cough or sniffle and it could be your leg that it chops

[NKlamerus]

Handle wrap is done as well as the sheath, the only thing left is to touch up the edge. Should get some good use early February

[Higgins617]

I was about to say still no choppingggg

[styx]

wrap came out nice

[NKlamerus]

wrap came out nice

Thanks bud! It's got a base layer of tennis handle wrap,then paracord, half soaked in epoxy.

[Sparky415]

wrap came out nice

And makes it easier to see where you left it 

[styx]

wrap came out nice

Thanks bud! It's got a base layer of tennis handle wrap,then paracord, half soaked in epoxy.

that was quite a process then

[TazzieRob]

I'll be interested to see how it holds up.
My dad painted all his farm tools blue or orange so he could see them if he put them down in the grass

[NKlamerus]

We used it for a little while this weekend! The 8lb maul got way more use for splitting oak but the cold steel was the way to go for limbing.

[styx]

is that bigfoot?

[NKlamerus]

is that bigfoot?

Basically, it's my "little" brother at 6'6

[styx]

is that bigfoot?

Basically, it's my "little" brother at 6'6

so I wasn't far off

[NKlamerus]

First real use in Oregon, emptying a back yard full of wood debri

[Sparky415]

It's sticking in a block of concrete? 

[Gareth]

Very nice.  How did the edge hold up?

[NKlamerus]

It's sticking in a block of concrete? 

It's just an extremely sun dried chunk of 12"x 8"

This yard has been sitting for 4+ years

BTW OREGON HAS SO MANY SPIDERS

[NKlamerus]

Very nice.  How did the edge hold up?

Edge seems great! Finish is really holding on as well.