Skip to main content

For the Gentleman Lumberjack: The Explorers Axe from United By Blue

Humanity owes a lot to the axe. For millennia, our ancestors used axes to fell and chop trees, break open stubborn fruit, and cut apart just about everything. The axe compounded our limited physical capabilities and helped us carve civilization out of wilderness. Now, United By Blue is helping men return to the wild with their Explorers Collection of axes.

In recent years, the inexhaustible drive to make things better has led to the development of super-sophisticated axes made of ultra-light carbon fiber titanium alloy or whatever. However, like the toothbrush, it’s not really necessary to improve upon the axe’s classic design. The folks at United By Blue have created simple, durable, American-made axes with wood handles and steel heads. They have allowed themselves one indulgence: exquisite artistic designs on each handle.

Gram Axe
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Explorers Collection is comprised of five beautiful axes. Each axe is 26 inches long, and made with a solid hickory wood handle and a two-pound Hudson Bay-style steel axe head. The axe heads are hand-sharpened and covered with black and clear enamel to ensure longevity.

Recommended Videos

The handsome handle designs were created by United By Blue True Explorers. These photographers, designers, outdoorsmen, and wanderers let the majesty of nature flow over them like a mountain stream as they created these works of art. Each axe is named after the artist who emblazoned the handle, not unlike the smiths of old; there’s the Gram Axe, the Keegan Axe, The Shea Axe, the Stewart Axe, and the Ross Axe.

Related: How to Split Wood Like a Lumberjack

Like all United By Blue products, the Explorer Axes are responsibly made in the USA. United By Blue is one of our favorite brands, partially because they remove one pound of trash from roads, oceans, and waterways for every product they sell. To date, they’ve organized 120 cleanups and removed an astonishing 217,000 pounds of trash in 21 states. The planet needs more companies like United By Blue; could you imagine if McDonald’s removed a piece of trash for every burger they sold?

If you’re looking for a trusty tool for your next foray into the wilderness, strap an Explorers Axe to your pack. You can purchase the Explorer’s Axe on United By Blue’s website for $165.

TJ Carter
Former Digital Trends Contributor
TJ Carter wears many hats, both figuratively and literally. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2011 with a degree…
Top picks for March: The best movies on Hulu
Hulu is the place to watch movies across a wide array of genres
Movie on a person's phone

There's a lot of competition out there in the streaming world, and it can be hard to shuffle through the services to find the best movies to stream right now. Though there are plenty of great movies on Netflix and Amazon still has the platform beat in terms of overall quality, many of the movies on Hulu can't be streamed anywhere else.
Hulu may, especially from today's vantage point, seem like a vestigial arm of Disney that doesn't have its own identity anymore. That's why I was surprised to discover just how many great movies the service has, including the kind of adult fare that Disney doesn't allow anywhere else. If you want something grisly or scary, like I often do, then Hulu is a great place to find it.
The best movies on Hulu can be gritty, family-friendly, and even sci-fi-oriented films. So, if you're looking to expand your binge-watching horizons, we've found the best movies to watch on Hulu right now.

White Men Can't Jump (2023)

Read more
March’s top picks: What to stream on Apple TV+
Apple TV+ has an impressive library that includes great movies and shows
Austin Butler in Masters of the Air.

When computer company Apple announced that it was getting into the streaming TV game, there were plenty of people who were skeptical about the company's ability to pull it off. Why would the tech giant, which is most known for the Macintosh and the iPhone, have any credibility in making television shows? It doesn't seem the two ideas would mesh in any meaningful way, but in the years since Apple TV Plus launched, the company has come up with some pretty impressive original shows, and it picked up a Best Picture Oscar on top of that.
What's even more impressive is that these Apple TV+ shows and movies run the gamut from comedy to drama, and they are all set in wildly different and imaginative places. Any loyal Apple customer, and I am definitely one, will tell you that they buy their stuff because it's simply better than the alternative. As it turns out, the same thing is true for the streaming service.
If you're looking for more great stuff to stream, you should also check out our lists of the best shows on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, and the best shows on Disney+.

Masters of the Air (2024)

Read more
The best movies on Amazon Prime to watch this March
Add these Prime movies to your watchlist this month
Remote close-up watching TV

Amazon Prime has one of the largest libraries of content in the world, filled with good movies to watch. Whether you want to watch a comedy movie or a crime drama television show, Amazon probably has what you're looking for as far as the best movies to stream right now.

When there's so much to watch, it can be hard to sort through everything to find the best viewing options, though. Thankfully, we're here to help. We've already compiled a list of Amazon Prime TV shows for you to enjoy. And if you're looking for the best movies to watch right now, we've also found a selection of the best movies on Amazon Prime for you to browse.

Read more