15/6/2015

In this post I would like to highlight what it is like  to deal with Mark Harrell from Bad Axe. The short answer is that it is the best customer service I have ever encountered, but I am sure you want to know a smidgen more.

I first e-mailed Mark on the 13th of April 2015, with some questions regarding the process of getting a custom saw built. He replied the same day and explained the process. We then went into an e-mail discussion where I told him what I want to do with the saw and he advised me what would work best for that purpose.

I ended up ordering two saws. One for my cousin in Cape Town and one for me. I asked Mark to send both saws to Cape Town to save a bit on shipment cost. The picture below show the saws in the Bad Axe workshop before leaving on it’s journey to SA. It is a Roubo Beast Master (Filing: Hybrid-Cut , Pitch: 9 ppi, .0315-Gauge Plate , Back: Copper-Plated Steel , Species: Texas Honey Mesquite , Fasteners: Black-Oxided/Gun-Blued Steel Slotted-Nuts , Size: regular ) and a 12″ Hybrid Dovetail/Small Tenon Saw  (Filing: Hybrid-Cut , Pitch: 14 ppi , Gauge: .02 , Sawback: Copper-Plated Steel , Handle Type: Open Disston Pattern , Species: Wisconsin Black Walnut , Fasteners: Black-Oxided/Gun-Blued Steel Slotted-Nuts , Size: large)

Here they are after the arduous journey at my cousin’s practice in Cape Town on June the 16th. He is a Urologist, but promised that he would not use it in theatre. It might cause damage where it is not needed.

… and finally in my shop in Windhoek. I picked mine up during a recent trip to SA.

My monster is absolutely sublime. It compares very well with my Disston no. 12’s. I need to cut some massive tenons in the next few weeks and will sure post on that experience, but for now I can only say that the whole experience of dealing with Mark Harrell and Bad Axe Tool Works has been a pleasure.

Thank you Mark, you are a legend!