I’m Michael Culligan, and I started Awesome Axes in 2019 to share what I’ve learned from a lifetime of working with axes — splitting firewood, competing in axe throwing, and hunting down rare vintage pieces across North America. Everything on this site comes from personal experience and hands-on testing, not editorial research from behind a desk.
Contact Us
Phone:
(832) 564-0440
Address:
513 S Allen-Genoa Rd
South Houston
TX 77587
United States
Social Media:
See our social media pages:
Michael Culligan — Founder
My relationship with axes started as a kid at my grandparents’ country house in rural Texas, where splitting firewood wasn’t optional — it was just part of how the weekends worked. I spent more hours than I can count learning which axes held an edge through a cord of oak, which handles raised blisters before noon, and which head geometry made splitting knotty rounds a misery versus a pleasure.
Since then I’ve competed in NATOA-affiliated axe throwing competitions, accumulated an extensive collection of vintage American axes from manufacturers like Collins, Kelly, and Plumb, and built this site into a resource covering everything from Swedish premium makers to the best budget hatchet you can find at a hardware store. I’ve personally reviewed over 120 axes and hatchets since launching Awesome Axes in 2019, purchasing the majority independently to keep the reviews honest.
I also own and manage 3 acres of wooded land outside Houston, which means I do real firewood work every season across species common to the Southeast — oak, hickory, pecan, and cedar. When I write about how a splitting axe handles gnarly pecan rounds or how quickly an axe head dulls on green cedar, it’s because I’ve actually done it, not because I read about it.
My mission is simple: give you the honest evaluation I would have wanted before spending $200 on a Gransfors Bruk or $40 on a Fiskars.
You can reach me at: [email protected]
Read all of Michael’s articles here.
Why Trust Awesome Axes
There are a lot of axe and outdoor tool sites run by writers who’ve never swung an axe at an actual log. Here’s what’s different about this one:
- First-hand ownership. Every axe reviewed on this site has been physically in my hands. I buy the majority at retail, and where a manufacturer has provided a product for review, that’s disclosed in the article.
- Real-world conditions. Testing happens on my property in Southeast Texas across multiple sessions, not a single afternoon. I test splitting axes on seasoned oak and hickory. I test felling axes on standing timber. I test camping axes on kindling over open fires.
- No brand conflicts. I’m not a paid consultant or brand ambassador for any axe manufacturer. The affiliate links on this site (through Amazon and other retailers) are disclosed on every page, and they don’t influence scores — a bad axe gets a bad review regardless.
- Expertise in the category. I can identify most American axe patterns by sight, read a poll and bit geometry for what it was designed to do, and date vintage heads by their markings. That depth shows up in the reviews.
- Consistent scoring. Every axe is evaluated against the same four criteria: edge retention, balance and weight distribution, handle durability, and value for money at its price point. See our full testing methodology here.
Our Testing Process
Every axe review on Awesome Axes follows a consistent testing protocol so you can compare results across products. Here’s exactly what we do:
Wood Species Used
We test each axe on a minimum of three wood species to capture performance across hardwood and softwood conditions:
- Seasoned red oak — the benchmark hardwood. Consistent density, widely available, honest test of edge retention.
- Seasoned hickory — denser and more demanding than oak. Separates axes that can hold an edge under sustained use from those that can’t.
- Green cedar or pine — tests resin resistance and performance on wet, soft wood. Important for camping and bushcraft axes.
Number of Test Pieces Per Axe
Each axe goes through a minimum of 30 splitting sessions before we publish a review — typically 10 pieces per species across at least two separate days. For splitting axes, we work through full rounds 10–14 inches in diameter. For felling and camp axes, we test on standing timber 4–8 inches in diameter.
Scoring Criteria
Each axe is scored on four criteria, each weighted equally in the overall rating:
- Edge retention — how many chops can the axe complete before the edge degrades to a point requiring resharpening? Tested using a consistent paper-cut sharpness test before and after each session.
- Balance and weight distribution — does the axe swing naturally? Is the head-to-handle weight ratio appropriate for the stated use? Assessed during overhead, lateral, and one-handed swings across a multi-hour session.
- Handle durability — does the handle show signs of cracking, checking, or loosening at the eye after extended use? Hickory handles are examined for raised grain and moisture response. Composite handles are checked for hairline stress fractures near the head.
- Value for money — how does the axe perform relative to other options at the same price point? An axe that costs $250 is judged against other $250 axes, not against a $40 budget option.
For more detail on how we score and how you can reproduce our tests at home, see our complete testing methodology page.
Kendall Casey — Outdoor Writer
Kendall Casey is a freelance outdoor adventure writer based in the Mid-Atlantic with years of wilderness exploration across the eastern United States. Her writing focuses on bushcraft, camping, and the practical outdoor skills that most outdoor content glosses over — the kind of knowledge that actually matters when you’re three miles from a trailhead and something goes wrong.
Kendall brings a particular depth to her writing on foraging, shelter, and camp tools, drawing on extensive experience hiking, camping, and sea kayaking across wild landscapes. She’s a familiar face on the Delaware River, where she spends summer weekends navigating rapids in her kayak — and where she’s learned to pack light and make every tool earn its weight.
Her work on Awesome Axes covers bushcraft techniques, outdoor knife and saw reviews, and the practical intersection between primitive skills and modern tools. She writes from the same position I do: personal experience, not editorial synthesis.
You can see more of Kendall’s published work at Outforia and on her personal site.