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TOPS Grandpa’s Ax Takes Down the Competition

August 7, 2017

TOPS’ latest release brings Grandpa’s Ax to life. The full-tang belt ax is named after its designer, TOPS President Leo Espinoza’s father.

Tool making is often passed down from father to son, not usually the other way around. But, in this case, TOPS President Leo Espinoza’s father caught the design bug from his son. The 11-inch Grandpa’s Ax was his first ever design.

Lorenzo Espinoza Sr. holding his Ax

Lorenzo Espinoza Sr. originally designed the ax as a personal project. But the crew at TOPS found themselves mesmerized by the lightweight, efficient product. So much so, that Grandpa’s Ax was entered into an internal design competition among TOPS employees and ultimately declared the winner. “When he drew up the design, it wasn’t really for the contest; it was because he wanted a tool that was going to be personal to him,” TOPS Knives’ Craig Powell explains.

TOPS Grandpa's Ax

Grandpa’s Ax looks a little different than a standard hatchet, and according to Powell, that’s the strength of Espinoza Sr.’s concept. “All of the design features made sense. It’s still balanced and doesn’t feel funny to hold or swing,” he says. It’s light enough to be an option for outdoorsmen looking to trim ounces from their loadout, but capable enough for hardcore chopping. The curved neck puts a lot of its 22.7 oz. weight behind the four-inch cutting edge. An inward curve beneath the blade lets users choke up for extra control and offers the flexibility to perform finer cutting tasks.

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Powell tells us that designs sourced from TOPS employees will continue to play a role in the company’s future. With the success of their first design competition the event will become an annual affair. “This is something we plan to do as a yearly tradition with a different style each time,” he says.

Grandpa’s Ax is already available directly from TOPS Knives and should be hitting leading knife dealer websites soon.

Knife featured in image: TOPS Knives Grandpa’s Ax

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