Axe Maker Interview/Review: Red Beaver Custom Axes

The last* Choptober was more than the closing of one tradition and the beginning of the next. Yes, dear reader, I maintained my own tradition of buying an axe at the event, despite my stupid, pointless belief that I wouldn’t.

The axe in question was in fact by a maker I didn’t have in my stable yet: Red Beaver Custom Axes—but I couldn’t pass it up. There was just…I dunno…something about it. So, after haggling a little bit on price (because that’s part of the joy), I went home with this cute number:

And friends, it’s been one of the most comfortable, responsive throwers I’ve had in a long time.

Not missing the opportunity, I coordinated with Huckabella to do an axe maker interview with Patrick Marquis, the hands and brains behind Red Beaver Custom Axes.

Below is our interview, and AFTER that is a quick sort of one-month review of the axe I bought from Red Beaver Custom Axes.

Patrick Marquis himself.

What drove you to start crafting axes for the sport?

I started making throwing axes because I wanted something that truly fit my hand, my throw, and my style. My goal was to create custom handles with the best feel and balance. When friends tried them and smiled, saying they finally had something that felt right for them, I knew I wanted to keep doing it. That’s how it became my passion: making axes that feel unique to each thrower.

What makes Red Beaver Custom Axes different from other axe makers?

 I always build with a specific thrower in mind. Most of my axes are made in response to a thrower’s need — they tell me what they’re struggling with or what kind of feel they want, and I build around that. I spend a lot of time watching people throw, studying their form, and noticing what could help them improve. Sometimes I create an axe just to test an idea or experiment with a new design, and those pieces often become examples that inspire future custom builds. Every axe starts with a purpose and a person behind it.

How do you decide on your axe handle shapes?

The beauty of our sport is that every thrower is different: different stance, start position, release, and grip. So each one needs a different shape and balance.

Can people work with you for custom/bespoke axes?

 Yes — this is mainly what I do, and honestly, what I enjoy the most. I love working directly with throwers, listening to what they need, and creating something that truly fits their style and throw. Every thrower is different, and building a custom axe that helps them feel more confident and consistent is the best part of the job.

What price ranges can people expect?

My goal is to keep my axes accessible without compromising on quality. The price is always calculated based on a few factors — the head, the type of wood (whether it’s a single piece or an assembly), the working time, and of course a reasonable profit margin. I’m not doing this to make money; what matters most to me is seeing throwers happy and performing their best with something I built for them.

What are you most proud of in your axes?

I’m proud of every axe I’ve made, but especially Beauty and all of Huckabella’s other axes made in the same style. Beauty was the first one — I designed it specifically for her, spending hours gluing the colors and perfecting the details. That design became her signature look, and now every time I see her throwing on stream with her axes glowing and smashing the board, it brings a big smile to my face. It’s a great feeling to see something I built become part of a thrower’s identity.

What do you think throwers should consider when buying a new axe?

Look for an axe that matches your style, not just what everyone else is throwing. Pay attention to balance, handle shape, and how it feels in your hand. The best axe is one that gives you confidence every time you step on the lane.

Big thanks to Patrick for the interview. Now we're gonna shift from the interview to the review - but not before a gallery of Red Beaver Custom Axes. Take note, if you would, of how many different types of handles there are. It's kinda a rarity, I think, to find a maker who just does, you know, a whole bunch of different styles and builds. Anyway, enjoy the photo-journey while we put on our review hats here at badger HQ.

And now, for a one-month review of my Red Beaver Custom axe.

Was I in the market for a new bull axe? No, certainly not.

Was I open to the idea of a new bull axe? Effin' always, baybeeeeeee.

So when presented with a maker that I hadn't really encountered/considered before, with an axe that felt right in my little badger paws AND featured an axe head that I've wanted to try for a while...well...it all lined up (even if my bank statement did not).

The first thing I noticed about this axe--what made me pick it up in the first place, was how unassuming it was. You know what I mean? Sure, it's got cool spalting, but outside of that, very few bells and whistles. But maybe that's part of the secret sauce for this particular Red Beaver Custom Axe: it's got "it" where "it" "counts" - oh man I got lost in the quotation marks, there. Hold on. Okay. I'm "better" now.

Damn it.

The objective notes:

Let's break out of the quotation terrors by hitting the tale of the tape when it comes to this particular Red Beaver Custom Axes...uh...axe:

AXE STATS:

head: Mini Reaper by Warriors Axe Throwing

handle: I think it's a spalted oak? I have no idea. Spalted something. Spaltwood.

length: 14.5 inches

weight: 1 lb, 14 1/2 oz.

The subjective notes:

How I got here:

Before this axe, I was waffling between a Kevin Bradley Flying Fox and a self-handled Tru Temper Dynamic. The Bradley is truly a terrific axe - but my throw is mighty-morphing over time, and I'm trying some new stuff that wasn't necessarily well suited to a very thin handle and the heavy Flying Fox head. To that same end, the Dynamic I was throwing had nothing wrong with it (maybe needed to be slimmed down a bit), but I'm not quite done with it.

No, this Red Beaver came into my life when I wasn't necessarily looking for it, but boy howdy, I'm glad it did.

The Handle

The handle is by no means a chonky boi, but it's thicker than the Flying Fox by a country mile. Even so, it feels correct in my hand - enough to position, not so much that I'm straining muscles just to get a good hold. The wood itself is as close to natural as one can get (no lacquer or polish or whatever else), and that means I'm not overly concerned about my hands getting clammy/sticky.

Throw Feel

It's also weighted a bit more evenly throughout the axe, meaning I'm not fighting as much against the head deciding where it wants to go. I recognize this is hella subjective, but axe balance has become more important to me as I develop in the sport. It might not make a bit of difference, but I notice when an axe head feels "off balance," and this one is far from it.

Build

Like I mentioned before, there's very little "extra" going on with this axe. But because of that, it really needs to hit all the other marks perfectly for me to feel like I didn't waste my money or time getting it.

I'm only a month in, but so far the lil' guy hasn't let me down at all. The connection between the head and the handle is very secure, the handle itself is just as robust as the day I bought it--and as an added benefit, I have lots of room to do random stuff to it if ever I get bored of the simple look (wood burning, staining, painting--whatever).

Price

This axe was priced at $200 USD. If you void out the going price of a new Warrior's Mini Reaper head, that puts the price at $110 bucks for the handle and the labor of assembly (which, by my count, isn't bad at all).

However, and to be clear, I didn't spend $200 bucks. I negotiated the price down a little bit with my epic haggling skills (read: Huckleberry took pity on me), so as far as I was concerned, the price was more than reasonable. From what I've seen on Red Beaver's tables, the prices for most of his axes are really, really reasonable (some were as low as $180ish, some as high as 300ish - but most closer to the 200 range). The runaway pricing on some axes these days is a tricky thing to stomach, so seeing someone who doesn't plunge into reckless abandon with hatchet prices is, you know, a nice thing.

Before you drop into my comments to tell me how much labor costs and the importance of keeping the struggling axe maker market alive, please understand I recognize artisan axes demand artisan prices. I'm not throwing shade on anyone for what they price their work. don't @ me.

The Ultra-subjective notes:

I am happy to throw this axe. Finding something so quickly to match my new throwing-style efforts, at a fair price, with a look I like, feels great. I won't know for a while, of course, if I'm still so keen on the thing, but so far it's replaced my waffling-axe-usage as if I'd been throwing with it for a year. It's got a real workhorse sort of vibe to it, without the "I spent $300+ on this axe please don't even look at it, you might give him a frighten" sort of mindset.

So if you're in the market for a reasonably-priced, well made axe and you're looking for some variety or never-seen-that-before flair, check out the work of Red Beaver Custom Axes. Tell them Badger sent you, and he'll likely squint his eyes and try to remember who that is.

*Last Choptober at Cherry Hill.