This project began when a friend asked if I could make a case for her grandfather’s ice axe. She sent me photos of the axe and stories of his hikes and of course I said yes. Made from maple, this case was my first attempt at mitered dovetails. Stability was key, as was a solid mount system for the axe. The low front legs have an almost egg-shaped profile, capped in butternut, while the rear legs mount directly to the rear panel to secure the cabinet. The axe is held in place with mounts that I made from butternut. I laminated several layers with opposing grain directions on the mounts to ensure that they wouldn’t shear off in the future, before shaping them to be an exact fit on the axe handle. And the back panel shows the silhouette of Mount Grossglockner, the last mountain he climbed with the axe at his side. Grossglockner is the tallest mountain in Austria and the highest peak in the Alps east of Brenner Pass.

Launch Gallery