Dance
2025
Hatchet as an exploration of beauty.
DesignerRole
Ideation, Model Making, Iteration, Finishing, Surface ModelingTools
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Beauty Statement
Dance is a hand-designed axe that transforms a utilitarian object into an elegant, sculptural form. Every curve has been shaped through careful study, from early sketches to hand-made templates and finely crafted models.
The silhouette evokes motion—almost like a dancer caught mid-turn. The sweeping handle lines guide the eye upward, while the blade’s geometry balances strength with refined aesthetics. Though modern in its presentation, the axe carries a sense of timeless craftsmanship: no CAD shortcuts, no automated shaping, just human intention refined through many iterations.
This axe is made for those who appreciate objects that marry function with artistry. Whether displayed or used, it stands as a testament to handmade design, thoughtful form, and beauty that emerges from patient, deliberate creation.
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Process
The design of this axe began with a single intention: to create a tool that is beautiful first, and functional through that beauty. Instead of starting with engineering constraints or traditional forms, the process was rooted in visual exploration and iterative craftsmanship.
I began with hand sketches, searching for a silhouette that expressed motion—something that hinted at dance, balance, and rhythm. Dozens of variations emerged, each one refining the flow of the handle, the tension in the lines, and the relationship between the head and the haft.
From these sketches, I created full-scale hand-cut templates, transforming drawn curves into physical contours I could hold, critique, and revise. Several rounds of adjustments followed, each guided by the question: Does this form feel alive? Does it move?
Next came a series of scale models, each carved or shaped by hand to test proportion, weight distribution, and the visual “gesture” of the tool. These models revealed subtle nuances—how a curve catches light, how a bevel suggests motion, how a line can pull the eye into a sense of rotation or dance.
The design matured through this hands-on, iterative process. Nothing was generated algorithmically; no part of the form was left to chance. Each surface was shaped and sanded by hand, then finished with spray paint to unify and clarify the final geometry. Every detail reflects deliberate human decision, grounded in traditional craft thinking and sensitivity to aesthetics, balance, and emotional resonance.
This axe is not just a tool—it is the result of designing with intention, revising with honesty, and letting beauty lead function.
Research
Initial Research focused on two things:
Form experimentation
Philosophical research on beauty
I looked into academic references and tried to get an understanding of what I found beautiful. The project began with making an incredibly simple form:
A cordless wireless hard drive
Incredibly simple to get a rudimentary understanding of beauty.
Then, I delved into theory:
“Beauty + Desire” by Mark Dziersk
“Beautility” by Tucker Viemeister
Beauty by Sagmeister and Walsh
Examples of Beautiful Objects
Experimentation
Understanding
Through preliminary research, I just began to get an understanding of beauty. It seemed to me that
Balance
Craftsmanship
Proportion
Energy
were traits that beautiful objects displayed.
Precedence
Making a beautiful hand axe posed an interesting question:
How do you make such an aggressive tool beautiful?
Sketching
Sketching consisted of
hand drawing, but more dominantly
3D quick iterations. It was important to see the object in space from all angles to get a true sense of the beauty of the form.
Minimal Viable Attributes
Head
Wedge Shaped
Hard/Dense Material
Handle
Long Enough for leverage
Sturdy width, but not too big
Potential hand stop on bottom
Connection
Sturdy enough to not come apart
Could be unified construction or separate
Conclusion
I was drawn to the bearded form. I found the proportions balanced and dynamic.
3D
Iteration 1
I made the first iteration out of scrap wood. This was not ideal, the material was too dense, but I was interested in the bearded shape.
Iteration 2
Began working with insullation foam. Much easier to work with. Also began using texture. Form was too short and stubby. Texture was interesting, but with the focus being on beauty, I felt texture was a cheat.
Iteration 3
Coming back to bearded form. Form was too short still. Elongating the form will give elegance.
Iteration 4
Began lengthening the form. Head was too clunky for the handle. Proportions look off.
Iteration 5
Form is getting a lot closer to final form. However, the connection between the handle and head lacks. Head is getting much closer to final form.
Iteration 6
Head and handle connection more thoughout out. Handle contours are more thoughout and elegant.
Iterations Side by Side
I used paper templates to help finalize the side profile of the axe
Final Form
Head
The head is balanced with a sharp wedge that curves up and around the top of the head. There is a slight concave surface from the bevel to the back. The head contains a blunt back so that the head can be struck with a mallet to force through tough pieces of kindling.
Handle
The handle is long and sculpted to form the hand ergonomically. It consists of long contoured lines that add visual interest and balance. Connected to the head with a wedge that secures the handle and head in place.
Recreation in CAD
After refining the form by hand, I went back and surface modeled the form using Rhino3D. Recreating the form gave me practice in CAD and made it so that the final product could be manufactured.
Manufacturing this object would include 4 or 5 axis CNC for the handle, forging and shaping the steel, heat treatment, grinding and finishing of the head, then finally attatching the handle and head.
Reflection
Dance is a hatchet that exemplifies motion and beauty. I was able to dive into deep research about beauty and learn traditional analog skills in finding form. I was able to take this knowledge and adapt it to a modern context, in recreating the form and using AI tools to create the final rendering. I’m proud of the final form and learned a lot of new skills in the process of this project. To see more detailed pictures of the final form click
HERE