The Merlin Carving Axe is a hand-forged bearded axe crafted by the skilled blacksmiths at Thorn Wood Forge in Somerset, UK. Every element of this axe is made to an exceptional standard, proudly using UK-based materials. We collaborated closely with Thorn Wood Forge on the prototyping and development of this axe, rigorously testing several iterations over the past six months. The result is a carving axe we're incredibly proud to stock at Woodsmith, and it’s become a staple in our own carving work.

Key Features:

• Edge Retention: The axe is forged from 52100 ball bearing steel, offering phenomenal edge retention. The Merlin features a flat scandi grind with bevels at 28 degrees for a balanced blend of sharpness and durability. During testing, we pushed the edge to the limit with extra-long 25-degree bevels, and the edge held up remarkably well with minimal sharpening required.
• Versatile Weight: Weighing approximately 850g, the Merlin is ideal for detailed spoon carving but has enough heft to handle bowl blanking and heavier work. It strikes the perfect balance between power and manoeuvrability, without the bulk of heavier carving axes in the 1kg range.
• Bearded Axe Design: The well-proportioned beard allows for close, detailed work. Compact and lightweight, the Merlin is easy to attach to a backpack, belt, or tool bag, yet it’s built for hard, demanding tasks.

Premium Materials:

• Leather Sheath: Made from J & FJ Baker’s oak bark-tanned leather, known for its superior toughness. The leather is hand-finished with beeswax and stitched using traditional saddle stitch techniques, ensuring durability.
• Ash Handle: Crafted from European Ash, known for its strength and flexibility. Each handle is made from seasoned ash, which is slowly dried in Thorn Wood Forge’s handle sauna. This process ensures that each axe is handled at an extremely low moisture content, minimising the risk of shrinkage and ensuring a secure, long-lasting fit. The handles are copy-lathed by Huddersfield based Richard Carter Ltd, then hand-finished, sanded to 400 grit, laser-etched with Thorn Wood's logo, and soaked in boiled linseed oil. Handmade wedges secure the heads, and each handle is finish-sanded and oiled.

Specifications:

• Steel: 52100 ball bearing steel
• Weight: Approx. 850g (without sheath)
• Cutting Edge: 110mm
• Handle Length: 340mm from swell to eye
• Grind: Flat scandi grind, 28 degrees

Note: Sizes may vary within a handcrafted tolerance of +/- 3mm.

How is the Merlin made?

The Merlin Carving Axe begins with a 95mm long piece of 41mm diameter round stock of 52100 steel. The first step is to heat the steel to 1000 degrees and forge it under a power hammer into a rectangular billet. A hole is then punched and drifted to form the eye, which is drawn down and shaped to 50-60% of its final dimensions. The blade is then spread and drawn out to its final length and width, with repeated back-and-forth adjustments to ensure both the eye and blade are consistent and properly proportioned.

52100 (ball bearing) steel has an extremely narrow forging range of 900 to 1100 degrees, making it particularly challenging to work with - if the temperature strays outside this range, the steel risks cracking. To further prevent cracking, the steel must be cooled slowly and any forging stresses must be carefully relieved, especially given the extensive shape changes involved in axe making.

After forging, the axe is annealed and profile ground to refine the shape. The edges are skimmed on a belt grinder to ensure consistent geometry. The axe then returns to the forge, where all corners are chamfered for a refined aesthetic (and avoids digging into your hands for close up work). Following annealing, the axe is normalised and tempered. The entire axe is hardened and then tempered, with the poll and eye specifically softened using a gas forge. This ensures the poll is resilient enough to be struck with wood.

Finally, the bevels are flat ground to a total angle of 28 degrees, and the edge is polished to a razor-sharp finish. The 52100 steel’s exceptional edge retention means the blade will remain sharp through extensive use.

Thorn Wood Forge is nestled in the heart of Hinton St George, surrounded by rich English woodland. The forge aspires to produce the highest quality tools for use in the home and for adventures in the great outdoors.

Joe Garnett, the founder and head blacksmith of Thorn Wood Forge, has a lifelong passion for making things. He began leather working at the age of 15, driven by a relentless pursuit of perfection, creating the best possible items from the finest materials he could access. His love for crafting and the outdoors led him to bushcraft, where he developed a deep fascination with our relationship with nature and the skills (and tools!) required for outdoor living.

This journey into bushcraft introduced Joe to blacksmithing. In his parent’s garage, using a simple gas forge, he crafted his first knife, marking the beginning of a new passion for making cutting tools. Over the past decade, Joe has honed his skills working for other smiths as a general blacksmith, applying his expertise to his true calling: tool making.

Joe's mission is straightforward: "Create the best products possible by combining traditional techniques with contemporary materials, crafting companions that can be passed down from one generation to another."

The team at Thorn Wood Forge is passionate and ambitious, driven solely by the goal of making the world's best possible tools using the best possible materials. We’ve worked with them over the past six months to refine their axes, and we are 100% confident these will be axes you love to use for many lifetimes. We are absolutely delighted to be the first UK retailer of their fantastic tools.