The Warlord Battle Axe Mk II
This article was re-published with permission from the Kiwi killers at Chainslap Mag. I have a feeling you’ll like their style. Give ’em a look.
What do you get when you cross a big screen weapons maker, a mountain biker, a chopper pilot and an ex-bass playing rock legend ? A party in your pants that’s what. You also get Andrew Durno. And what do you get when you cross Andrew Durno who is too busy/lazy/sensible to dig trails, with Rod Bardsley, trail designer and shaper for Wellington’s Mt. Victoria trails? You get the Warlord Battle Axe MKII from TallBeast Fabrications. Andrew must have been feeling a little guilty seeing all of Rod’s Instagrams of the huge amount of hard work he had been putting into the Mt. Vic trails, and then had to listen to Rod whingeing about all the tools he had to carry in and out each day . So he whipped out his laser cutter and sliced up this pretty big tool for an even bigger tool, the Rodfather.
The Warlord Battle Axe Mk II
Those Italics are rad but I’ve got to stop talking about myself in the third person. Oh my God, I’m so excited. A tool with my name on it. Just like my bike. What Andrew has done here is borrow a few ideas from what is already on the market, whip up a prototype, give it to me to use, listen wisely to my great modification ideas, then bust out this MKII version with added bottle opener. And boy can it open bottles. And cans. And heads. Cars too, and probably a tank.
What is it? Well it’s a pick, an axe, a trowel, a rake, a scraper and a stomper all in one. A blade cut from 6mm steel joined to a shovel handle. A one piece trail maker, motor not included. It’s heavy, 3.67kg and it takes a real man to swing it. I’m assuming that’s why Andrew gave it to me. I’ve cancelled my gym membership and have headed to the hills.
This is my favourite edge. I can swing it at the bank and rake it onto the trail in one hit. I also use it to pick the roasted pig meat stuck in my teeth. Brilliant.
Oh yes. It’s sharp. The MKI had a bluntish blade but it kept bouncing off tree roots, so we thought we’d sharpen up our act.
This is my favourite edge. I can swing it at the bank and rake it onto the trail in one hit. I also use it to pick the roasted pig meat stuck in my teeth. Brilliant.
The handle can be taken off for portage or bike missions into the bush. There’s nothing more dangerous than trying to carry sharp awkward tools on slippery rooty trails; fall and you can look like an 80s hors d’oeurve with a toothpick right through you. We’re looking at a seat-pin quick release version as well. Check out that forearm pump… that was just carrying it over from the van.
Get scared… real scared. TallBeast Fabrications haven’t decided on the future for this weapon yet. Andrew thinks that if he can hand a few out to deserving folk then trail karma will be good to him and he’ll never have to lift a trailbuilding finger again. But if there is enough interest then he may up his game and offer them for sale, with the name of your choice laser cut into the blade and the handle.
If you want blood… you got it. Only the best Hickory. (It is Hickory isn’t it Andrew?)
Will the Warlord Battle Axe start to pop up at trail days in your parts? With enough interest, it’s possible they could go into production. Until then, it looks like this is a very exclusive one-off.
Comments
andrew durno
7 years, 8 months ago
so if anyone is interested in one of the battle axes please email me at [email protected]
cheers for all the positive comments!!!
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Stewart Spooner
7 years, 8 months ago
Very similar to the which works pretty well.
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andrew durno
7 years, 8 months ago
just checking interest…. [email protected] cheers
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Myles Mayhew
7 years, 8 months ago
I want one. Badly. Like a prozzie wants rid of the clap… Just getting it here to South Africa that's the problem. Approximate cost and will you ship internationally!?
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andrew durno
7 years, 8 months ago
hi myles ,email me at [email protected] and i'll sort something out, cheers
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Austin Rees
7 years, 8 months ago
Sick I want one
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Pete Roggeman
7 years, 8 months ago
Working on getting details so you guys can flood the maker's inbox with requests to buy. Watch this space.
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Tom
7 years, 8 months ago
How do I get one? My credit card is sweating on standby.
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RoomRestriction
7 years, 8 months ago
There's definitely a market for this, not just for trail building. I spent some time last summer on a wildfire crew and envisioned an upgraded to similar to this for digging handline.
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mike
7 years, 8 months ago
Very nice tool , I see several hours work in that piece , with materials it,s gonna be a minimum of $200 if I build something like that . I hope he can get them out there definitely a well thought out tool and design that will provide years of service in a builders hands .
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litespeed74
7 years, 8 months ago
Sweet tool…I see they named it after my Ex
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Jamie Hamilton
7 years, 8 months ago
Yeh these would be great for the Volunteer Crew at the Christchurch Adventure Park, hint hint! I'd def buy one for sure!
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andrew durno
7 years, 8 months ago
jamie! would love to get you guys on battle axes…. email me at [email protected] and i'll see what we can do, cheers , andrew
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Hope Cyclery
7 years, 8 months ago
I would take one is there a way to actually get in contact on this?
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