What goes into a Snow and Nealley tool? A tour of the workshop

The person who first told me about Snow and Nealley axes was my father. A lifetime outdoorsman, he had run traplines in Indiana and ridden horseback to work in Montana. We moved to Maine in 1996, into a state famous for its moose, Bean boots, and logging heritage. Snow and Nealley, though, held a special place in his mind as the manufacturer of premium tools for the woods. In the years that followed, my father began to sell Snow and [...]

By |2019-12-14T14:36:36-05:00December 14th, 2019|Heritage, Uncategorized|1 Comment

Name Change! Why “The Working Axes”?

When we started selling Snow and Nealley axes online, we chose a name that connected with the Snow and Nealley heritage. We also tried to make clear that, while we were using Snow and Nealley's tagline as our own store name, we were not officially connected with the company. However, over the years we've noticed that the name was a bit confusing. So to clarify our independent relationship with the company, we've adopted a new name: The Working Axes. The [...]

By |2019-12-14T14:36:58-05:00November 9th, 2019|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Snow and Nealley at 7,000 Feet

Jason, a skilled craftsman from California, buys Snow and Nealley heads and fits them with custom handles. In this post, he describes a recent trip with several of his custom axes--and shares photos of his beautiful work. Took the set up into the San Bernardino range this week. The highest peak goes to 11,500 feet. My 7-year-old took great comfort in carrying the Hudson Bay down to the fireside should he and a bear/cougar/coyote or Yeti cross paths. All he [...]

By |2019-12-14T14:39:38-05:00August 14th, 2019|Axe Experiences|1 Comment

Guest Post: My Snow and Nealley Discovery

Jason is a craftsman from California who recently bought a Snow and Nealley Hudson Bay head. He fitted it to a handmade olivewood handle. Below, he reviews his experience with the American steel axe head. When we talk about heritage there are many directions from which we come. This land I walk was first documented in 1769 by Spanish Conquistadors. Their memories we occasionally cross paths with, like the cougars that roam these hills. Down in this canyon Spanish treasure [...]

By |2018-10-27T14:14:46-04:00October 27th, 2018|Axe Experiences|0 Comments

A Hudson Bay Axe in the Woods; Pictures from Work

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 [...]

By |2019-12-14T14:39:59-05:00September 3rd, 2018|Axe Experiences|0 Comments

4 Tips for Better Wood Splitting

Do you love splitting firewood? The heft of the handle in your hand, the satisfying thwack as the wood gives under your maul, the pile of fresh pieces slowly growing—chopping wood can be a very satisfying experience. I'll admit that I never greatly enjoyed cutting firewood in the woods. Running a crosscut saw is pleasant work, but it is slow. And chainsaws, while interesting, are not really my thing. But I grew to like splitting wood. It's slow work, it's [...]

By |2018-02-10T23:45:06-05:00February 10th, 2018|Axe Experiences, Uncategorized|1 Comment

The First Cut: A New Hudson Bay Camping Axe

This week, our family went camping at the lovely Cook Forest State Park. It's not far from here, and it has some of the oldest trees in the eastern United States. We were staying in a rustic cottage, but cooked all our meals outside. For managing our firewood, we chose this handsome Snow & Nealley Hudson Bay Camping Axe. We were eager to find out: what's it like to unbox one of these Maine icons? We had carried in a [...]

By |2019-12-14T14:40:22-05:00June 10th, 2017|Axe Experiences|0 Comments

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