Wetterling

[Hugo]

Got hold of this Wetterlings axe yesterday at my local boot market, along with a couple more axe heads, paid more than I wanted to for this one but it looks like it hasn't been used much, it only needs me to give it a hand sharpen and it will be good to go.
Question to those who know about these axes, it has the Wetterlings label on it but there is no makers mark stamped into the metal, why would that be.
Cheers for looking you nice people.

 

[Kepis]

That's a beauty Hugo, bring it along on the next bimble day so i can have a looksee

 

[Bucephalas]

I have one identical.
I believe it's a general wood axe that was/is mass produced and quite cheap.

 

[dancan]

I have one identical.
I believe it's a general wood axe that was/is mass produced and quite cheap.

We've got them here on this side of the pond as well along with HB's and GB's , some were marked , some not .
Most are a great value compared to the price of a new one .

 

[HillBill]

Nice little chopper that.

 

[Harvestman]

I'll bite. How much was "more than I wanted to pay" ?

Lovely looking axe.

 

[Hugo]

Ah Harvest man that is a question, I am unsure as I bought two from the same seller, the other one is very small, the smallest I have seen with a straight slender handle, SHMBO also picked up an old Gilpin axe head with plenty of wording stamped into it, that needs a little profiling on the pole.
So the Wetterlings cost more than the smaller axe and I was pleased to buy both. Does that help.

 

[Harvestman]

No.





But it's none of my business anyway

 

[Hugo]

Well does this help, I paid £ 2.00 more than I wanted to.
The axe in question is almost shaving sharp now, I need to get some more wet and dry to finish it off, might do away with the varnish and paint on the handle whilst I'm at it.

 

[robin wood]

Nice axe. Axes are surprisingly subject to fashion every bit as much as jeans or hair cuts. This is what a quality axe looked like in the 80's you should perhaps wear stretch denim jeans and cut your hair in a mulet to get the best out of this axe. Stamping names on was a way people recognised quality in the early and mid 20th C, late 20th c the fashion was for a sanded finish on all surfaces removing all forging marks and bright coloured paint. Gransfors changed the aesthetic when they realised that foresters no longer bought axes and hobbyists had a different aesthetic. Now we all think forged finish, name stamps and a plain oiled handle is the mark of quality. I guarantee in 20 years axes will look different again.

 

[Jared]

Not sure Gransfors changed because of aesthetics.

In Gabriel Branby's video talking about his taking over Gransfors it seemed more about shedding steps from the manufacturing process, to become more efficient. Getting the forgers to produce a better forging which then wouldn't need grinding, other than for the edge. And the paint was near pointless to begin with.

 

[Hugo]

Well no need to alter the paintwork now as Kepis gave me an offer that I could not refuse, so I am down to 13 axes now.
Thanks Kepis mate.

 

[Kepis]

Well no need to alter the paintwork now as Kepis gave me an offer that I could not refuse, so I am down to 13 axes now.
Thanks Kepis mate.

No prob mate, 13 axes, unlucky number that, i think RM should take that small axe to even the numbers up a again, we both know he really wanted it.

I used the axe when i got home Hugo and it carves like a wild thing, might attack it tomorrow and give it a really good clean up and take all the paint and varnish off.

 

[Hugo]

Glad you like the way it handles, must admit I only sharpened it, never used it as I was busy working on a couple of others.

 

[Kepis]

Meant to ask you today how you sharpened it?, as it's like a razor

 

[Hrafnmann]

We've got them here on this side of the pond as well along with HB's and GB's , some were marked , some not .
Most are a great value compared to the price of a new one .

Indeed we do. I'm currently refurbishing a pair of old HB beauties but I'm having a bugger of a time finding handles with the proper eye sizes. All my local dealers have handles with tiny eye ends and no meat on them. Useless! I'm rather amazed I can't get a simple axe handle any more without it being a hunt. I miss the days of the old hardware stores that had it all in every variety. I foresee myself buying a plank of ash or hickory....assuming I can even get that.

 

[Hugo]

Sharpened it using a file at first then an oil stone for quite some time, then wet and dry, finished off with one of the pigskin strops that you make with a bit of blue bar compound.

 

[Kepis]

Sharpened it using a file at first then an oil stone for quite some time, then wet and dry, finished off with one of the pigskin strops that you make with a bit of blue bar compound.

Magic, cheers ears

 

[Rockmonkey]

No prob mate, 13 axes, unlucky number that, i think RM should take that small axe to even the numbers up a again, we both know he really wanted it.

I used the axe when i got home Hugo and it carves like a wild thing, might attack it tomorrow and give it a really good clean up and take all the paint and varnish off.

Yep! Should have had the mini axe!
Mind you, it looks like a felling axe in my hand!
Hugo, if you still have it, consider it sold to the Smurf in green!

 

[Hugo]

Yep! Should have had the mini axe!
Mind you, it looks like a felling axe in my hand!
Hugo, if you still have it, consider it sold to the Smurf in green!

It's yours mate, will look good alongside the Isaac Nash axe I sold you, might have an axe mask for it in the workshop.