Details 🔎 The Optimist Axe

a fixture on The Grand Portage, The French River, or The Boundary Waters

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July 12, 2026 12:03pm EDT

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DETAILS

THE OPTIMIST AXE

We've swung many an axe, but few are as versatile, nimble, and iconic as the mighty Hudson Bay pattern. So designing our own version of this tool was a dream project.

Working closely with our forge in Indiana, we immersed ourselves in the details: the geometry of the cutaway head, the profile of the bit, and the delicate balance of the handle (that's just the right length, and just the right heft). And in the end, we landed on a Hudson Bay that's unlike any we've ever swung.

Take a closer look:

FIGURE 1: The Head

Forged in Newcastle Indiana from American 5160 carbon steel. The compact Hudson Bay pattern invites a closer grip. A hand choked up under the cutaway cheek makes this tool ideal for the finer work of carving and splitting kindling.

FIGURE 2: The Wedge

When buying an axe, it's easy to overlook one small but critical component: the one that secures the head to the handle. Our wedge is made from walnut, and every axe is hand-fitted and finished at our forge.

FIGURE 3: The Handle

Each handle is turned from American hickory at our forge in Indiana. A Hudson Bay handle is one of the more tricky to turn: it has to be light and nimble, but strong enough for the wear and tear of adventure. The Optimist strikes the perfect balance.

FIGURE 4: The History

Since its 17th-century origins, the Hudson Bay pattern has thrived in the northwoods of Canada and the United States. Its slim handle and light head are what made this axe the companion of voyageurs and backwoods guides alike. To hold one is to hold an icon: a fixture on The Grand Portage, The French River, or The Boundary Waters.

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ADDENDUM

BUCHANAN-SMITH’S AXE HANDBOOK

In 2019, I started writing a book that would eventually become my homage to the tool that started it all. Buchanan-Smith’s Axe Handbook is the culmination of a lifetime of knowledge and inspiration. It’s the result of many trips to forges around the world, and putting countless specimens, techniques, and methods to the test.—PB-S

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Details 🔎 The Optimist Axe

a fixture on The Grand Portage, The French River, or The Boundary Waters

ADDENDUM

BUCHANAN-SMITH’S AXE HANDBOOK

GET THE LATEST & GREATEST

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