In the late 1930s and early 1940s the home movies industry was still in its infancy and amateur film clips were rare. Color footage was even rarer. So, when one Charles “Buster” Borklund of the Brooks Scanlon Lumber Company filmed a salesman demonstrating his product for a group of loggers in Florida, in color, you know it has to be something else!

The salesman is selling axes, which makes sense considering who he’s pitching to. What is truly astounding is how he demonstrates the sharpness and quality of his wares. Watch as a Kelly brand ax salesman actually shaves a man’s beard with a full-sized ax in front of an audience of men! It’s hard to imagine an ax that sharp or a volunteer that trusting, but we’ve got the Depression era film to prove it! Have a look below at this wacky and incredible footage, which is followed by some very enthusiastic log chopping!

If you enjoy this then click here to check out this clip from the 1950s of a stuntman doing what is essentially early Parkour!

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