Meet David George | Axe Craftsman

We had the good fortune of connecting with David George and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
This idea blossomed almost 6 years ago when I discovered my late-grandfather’s Kelly Axe and Tool hatchet in the garage while cleaning it out. While I didn’t know he had it, this tool had withstood the test of time and I loved it.

As an avid camper, I thought that I would fix this hatchet up and take it camping with me. Following a bunch of research and hours spent watching videos on YouTube, I was ready to put this hatchet to the test. But at that point I thought to myself, “I don’t want to damage or break this hatchet, as it now reminds me of my grandpa.”

This led me to visiting a few garage or estate sales until I found another vintage pieces that needed some love. My thinking being that I’ll keep my grandpa’s as a memory of him and fix up another hatchet that I don’t mind beating up in the woods. It snowballed from there – a few camping buddies wanted vintage axes as well. After some planning, convincing and wondered if anyone else out there wanted something like this, I started on Etsy and sold 19 tools my first year.

Fast forward to the end of 2023 and I sold almost 1,200 this year!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
If you Google greeting cards or t-shirts you’re going to get hundreds of thousands of results. If you are searching for ‘custom axes’ or ‘hand-painted hatchet’ there are significantly less search results. We offer the full ability for customers to pick the colors or design they want on their axe – I think this is was sets Motor City Axe apart. While we offer some beautifully curated flagship designs, the ability to uniquely personalize an axe or hatchet makes us very niche.

I’ve always been motivated to be successful and have a history of entrepreneurship in my family. I learned from my grandfather and father. I really believe anyone can succeed business-wise, but there are factors that play into the level of success – Your network, funding, your passion and timing can all factor in. It wasn’t ‘easy’ per say, but with the right support network (which I thankfully have) I was able to set myself up for success.

In all aspects of life you should seek out the lesson. Did I fail or get frustrated at times or around certain projects? Absolutely. But did I learn from them to implement actionable change? Yes. Look for growth opportunities at every turn.
I also set a high standard for the level of product Motor City Axe would produce. While some businesses focus on repeat customers, I want my tools to last for generations!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Motor City Axe is born and founded in Detroit.

I have many favorite spots around the city

I love the craft beverage scene – breweries, distilleries and wineries are some of my favorite places to visit. In Detroit I would start at Eastern Market Brewing Co. (who I am working of a few projects with) for a crisp hazy IPA. Two James Distillery is solid, but I personally prefer Valentines (Ferndale, MI) or Motor City Gas (Royal Oak, MI). Back to beer – I also like Brewery Faisan, Batch Brewing and Brew Detroit.

Food is another big thing – my fiance and I have a restaurant list we are trying to eat our way through. I’d recommend Marrow, Leila, Bar Pigalle, Supergiel, Freya and Alpino. Our favorite meal of 2023 did come at Basan. We sat at the chefs table and Chef Eric crafted a beautiful meal for us! Highly recommend.
For a quick bite I’d swing by Bucharest or Detroit Shipping Co.

I love a good concert as well – there are always a ton of acts playing around metro-Detroit. I’m always down for a sporting event as well. Luckily Detroit has 4 major sports teams. Willy Show Bar is a great local spot too!

Detroit gets a bad image, but it truly is a great city. There are a ton of new things to do and places to go always popping up. Add it to your 2024 travel list.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Where to start?! There has been a collective of people and experiences that have contributed to the success of Motor City Axe (MCA).

I’d like to start with my family first. At one point my product was featured in the Wall Street Journal Off Duty Holiday Gift Guide which led to a boom in sales – my parents and sister worked with me for like 10 hours that day.
My mother also works for me 2-4 days per work assisting with some painting and handled all the shipping and processing. Without her I would not be able to work my full time job and continue to grow MCA. She is the employee of the year!

I’d also like to call out my beautiful, supportive fiance Kelly. Just as my family has done, she has stepped in to help when I’ve needed it. She allows me time and space to work on the business and growth initiatives. She also wears her MCA hat and shirt often!

Additionally, each interaction with a customer or client is a learn opportunity. Without these folks, the business wouldn’t be what or where it is today. A big thank you to all those who carry one of our tools!

Website: https://www.motorcityaxe.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motorcityaxe/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MotorCityAxe

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MotorCityAxe/

Other: https://linktr.ee/motorcityaxe

Image Credits
All photos taken and owned by Motor City Axe