The Brant & Cochran Acadian Half Wedge is a 2-3/4 lb half wedge pattern axe on a 30 in hickory handle, forged in South Portland, Maine.
Brant & Cochran named it for the Acadians, the French Canadians who tamed the north woods of Maine and Eastern Canada. It's a little beefier than the Allagash Cruiser, with a thicker poll that adds power when splitting or chopping. The head is 1045 carbon tool steel tempered to Rockwell 56-58 and stamped "Brant & Cochran S. Portland, ME." It hangs on a 30 in Amish-turned New England pattern hickory handle of Brant & Cochran's own design and comes with a Maine-made leather sheath.
Brant & Cochran was founded in 2015, after Steve Ferguson could not find a high-quality, American-made axe for his godson, who was going to forestry school. Steve, his brother Mark and their partner Barry Worthing decided to make one. The name comes from their grandfather Leland Ferguson's business, which restored and sold military surplus machine tools after the war and became Brant & Cochran. In 2018 they sold their first Maine wedge pattern axe, the Allagash Cruiser.
