Axes and Hatchets by Gränsfors:
Before industrialization, axes were manufactured in many small blacksmith workshops. The demands of the user and the skill of the blacksmith led to the development of a wide variety of forms for all areas of application. With industrialization and the associated mass production, the shape and structure of axes changed. They all had to look the same, surfaces were ground completely smooth and painted – which also helped to conceal poor quality.

The small Swedish forge GRÄNSFORS BRUKS returned to the origins of handcrafted production and has set itself the goal of producing good products with a long lifespan. In collaboration with designer Hans Erik Persson, axes were developed that combine traditional design with the requirements of today’s manual wood felling.

The guiding principle of GRÄNSFORS BRUKS is: An axe is as good as its blacksmith. The unadulterated, forged surface is a guarantee of the blacksmith’s professional skill and the quality of his axe.

In furnaces with a temperature of 1200°C, the steel is heated. When the desired temperature, which the blacksmith recognizes by the reddish-yellow color of the steel, is reached, the glowing end is cut off, and the processing in anvil and die can begin. With great skill, the blacksmith shapes the square piece into the head of an axe. Finally, he stamps the mark of GRÄNSFORS BRUKS and his initials into the axe and hangs it up for cooling after inspection. After forging and grinding the edge, the lower part of the axe head is hardened – by heating to 820°C and then rapidly cooling in cold water. The axes are then tempered for 60 minutes in an oven at 195°C to eliminate tensions created during forging and hardening. This is followed by a hardness test. The shaft is now fitted by the hafting expert. The prepared handle is pressed into the eye of the axe using a hydraulic press. To protect against rust, the axe is oiled.

Each axe (except for some specifically marked – see product description) comes with a leather edge protector and the „Axe Book,” which offers a wealth of practical information.

For sharpening the axes, we recommend our Japanese water stone with grits 250 and 1000. Replacement handles can be found at the bottom of this page!

Axes and Hatchets by Hultafors
Hultafors hatchets and axes are hand-forged at Hults Bruk in southeastern Sweden. They are distinguished by high hardness and good resharpenability. The handle is made of hickory, a hard yet slightly elastic wood traditionally used for tool handles. Hultafors produces two product lines. The standard line offers solid workmanship with a sandblasted axe head and clear lacquered surface, showing the forging marks. The standard line offers a very good price-performance ratio. The PREMIUM line also comes with a hickory handle and a forged black surface with visible work marks, giving these axes a very attractive appearance.

Some of these hatchets and axes come with a leather edge protector, please refer to the product description.