Hand Forged Axes

[Tack]

Hi,
Just about everyone with an interest in bushcraft will have heard of Gransfors Bruks and Wetterlings axes. They are very good products and a pleasure to use.
My question is are there any other makers of hand forged axes out there we should be aware of? I am not talking here about blade smiths making one-off custom pieces but honest tool makers producing good quality axes suitable for bushcrafting
Regards
Tack

 

[OldJimbo]

Lee Reeves in the US and some Scandinavian forgers make hand forged axes. The GB and Wetterlings are die forged with power hammers just as most axes were made years ago - with lots of hand work, but hardly hammered into shape by hand. And so a person can get high quality components for a very decent price.

One way to get top notch axes for a decent price, is to buy used heads, grind them into shape, and fit new handles. That's a lot of work compared to buying a ready made GB - but steel quality and design for specific tasks can be super.

 

[British Red]

Tack,

Other very respectable axe brands worthy of a look if you encounter them are Roselli & Hultafors.

Now a real handforged for you.....

Brace yourself.......................

Unfortunately, I don't own this one (yet). I do have a handmade knife based on one of his handforged blades in Sleipner steel ...its fantastic!

Red

 

[Snufkin]

Tack,

Other very respectable axe brands worthy of a look if you encounter them are Roselli & Hultafors.

Now a real handforged for you.....

Brace yourself.......................

Unfortunately, I don't own this one (yet). I do have a handmade knife based on one of his handforged blades in Sleipner steel ...its fantastic!

Red

That's just cruel! I am completely in lust with that axe now and my Lee Reeve is getting jealous

 

[Tutchi]

Tack,

Other very respectable axe brands worthy of a look if you encounter them are Roselli & Hultafors.

Now a real handforged for you.....

Brace yourself.......................

Unfortunately, I don't own this one (yet). I do have a handmade knife based on one of his handforged blades in Sleipner steel ...its fantastic!

Red

Hi
Just one word WOW!
Shudder to think how long it took to make.
Tutchi

 

[philaw]

That axe looks like it should belong to a saxon king, except that the cut-away part makes it a carpenters axe, right? A king that whittles, perhaps.

Is the whole damascus thing useful on an axe like that? If the rings are different hardnesses of steels then I can't see the irregularity helping.

 

[OldJimbo]

Yep, that one's for shaping big pieces of wood. Actually using such a tool is quite addicting, too, sort of mega-whittling! I have some goloks etc of patterned steel and I don't see any using advantage over plain steel. That being so, I still find using a piece of functional art to be incredible, even for a cheap and practical person like me.

 

[pierre girard]

Joe de la Ronde makes a good axe. I also have a very nice one from Arrowhead Forge in Minot, North Dakota.

 

[British Red]

Yep, that one's for shaping big pieces of wood. Actually using such a tool is quite addicting, too, sort of mega-whittling! I have some goloks etc of patterned steel and I don't see any using advantage over plain steel. That being so, I still find using a piece of functional art to be incredible, even for a cheap and practical person like me.

Jimbo,

That pretty much says it all. Someone once said "if it isn't useful of beautiful....throw it away". Me I find this beautiful as well as useful...but yes, probably no more useful than a tool steel equivalent. I've know people spend the same sort of money on a couple of golf clubs though and actually, having a knife with a blade made by Goran (the smith), I understand what you mean by functional art!

Something fantastic about this picture too...

Thats how blades should be made

Red

 

[ESpy]

Thats how blades should be made

You mean forged rather than stock removal?
Both are good - but I find forging the blade more fun (primal?) than grinding off the bits that don't look like knives. Each to their own - but I'm not about to try forging S30V.

Good picture too!

 

[British Red]

Peter,

I think I really meant with care and by a craftsmen - not turned out blunt and with poor fit by a factory!

Red

 

[Banjobill]

British Red, forgive my ignorance, but who is the maker of that gorgeous axe?

 

[British Red]

British Red, forgive my ignorance, but who is the maker of that gorgeous axe?

Banjobill,

No forgiveness required mate (his work is almost unknown in this country) - the gent concerned (thats his picture forging knife blades later in the thread) is Göran Enocksson. I stumbled across his work when I bought a knife from Magnus Axelson (a Swedish custom knife maker). The knife incorporated a beautiful blade and Magnus pointed me towards Goran's website where I say that picture (along with several more jaw dropping axes).

The only drawback is that Goran speaks no English (fortunately, Magnus's English is superb so he translated for me).

If you would like to see more, try the following sites

Goran's Site

Magnus' Site

I haven't yet handled one of Goran's axes - but if they are as good as the knife blades - wow!

Red

 

[Banjobill]

I recognised the picture as being Goran (from Per's site), but I didnt know he made axes! I will have to do a bit more research (and maybe drop Magnus a line!)

Thanks.

PS. I checked Goran's site yesterday, but didnt see any pictures or references to axes?

 

[aTexasCowboy]

Howdy Y'all,
I'm over in Texas ( once removed descendant , from England), looking for a using broad axe from one of the following makers. #1- Cegga, #2- Neeman, #3- GB #483/1800.
IF anyone has a lead on a good used axe please give me a shout.
Thanks,
aTexasCowboy

 

[HillBill]

Red, Your a bad man.....

Tack,

Other very respectable axe brands worthy of a look if you encounter them are Roselli & Hultafors.

Now a real handforged for you.....

Brace yourself.......................

Unfortunately, I don't own this one (yet). I do have a handmade knife based on one of his handforged blades in Sleipner steel ...its fantastic!

Red

 

[British Red]

Axe porn.......a very specialised perversion

I have one coming you would like better though!

 

[HillBill]

Hmmm, tough one to beat mate.

Feel free to elaborate though....

Axe porn.......a very specialised perversion

I have one coming you would like better though!

 

[British Red]

Heard of the True Temper Kelly Perfect double bit cruiser axe? The one in the " an axe to grind" book?

 

[Everything Mac]

Check out the axes made by John neeman.

cheers