When you pick up a Snow and Nealley axe, you’ll notice one thing: it’s a beautiful tool. The purposeful curves of the handle, the graceful taper of the head, the “Smyrna, Maine” burned into the wood serve to remind us that this axe was assembled by hand in a crafstman’s shop, and is built with an awareness of its heritage. When I first started using my Hudson Bay, I wanted to make sure I didn’t spoil its good looks.

But an axe is a tool, and Snow and Nealley axes are made for work. A friend shared these photos of a day in the woods with his Hudson Bay axe, so we are passing them on.

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Don’t be afraid to get your Snow and Nealley dirty. It will come out of the woods still handsome.