By: Bart Beck
When it comes to outdoor gear and clothing, it seems like the consumer is always infatuated with the “newest” and “best” tool out there. It’s an industry that is constantly innovating and changing. Many of the names in the industry sprung up in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and many names have come to pass over the years. When you’re a company like Gransfors Bruks, you find the secret, and the rest becomes history.
Gransfors Bruks was founded over 100 years ago in Sweden, as a producer of high quality axes. The town was Gransfors, and its founder was Anders Pettersson. Pettersson used the name of the town for the title of the company, and added the word “Bruks” for what the company thinks “may have been a way to make the company seem bigger and more historic than it actually was.” This hardly seems necessary now that they have a century of experience under their belts.
Over that century, the company changed hands, dabbled in producing other goods, and even went bankrupt. However, a quality company with a good product won’t stay down for too long. As ax forges around the world slowly died and dwindled, Gransfors Bruks was able to sneak through. Thanks to a partnership with the Swedish forge Svedbro Smide, they were able to revisit quality crafting, innovate, and strengthen the business. Currently, the forge employs 30 people and exports their products to 30 countries around the world.
So, what do you get when you purchase a Gransfors Bruks ax? You get a handcrafted tool that is as much a work of art as it is a functional tool. Each ax head is crafted by a single smith, from beginning to end, and is stamped with their initials. After it’s stamped, the head is ground, sharpened, and annealed; it’s then followed by tumbling and sharpening. This means it is ready to work from the first day it arrives.
To ensure they give you the complete package, they coat the ax with protection, attach it to a quality hickory shaft, and inspect it. These little details are what ensure the end user will be overly satisfied for years to come.
Nowadays, Gransfors Bruks does more than simply produce axes. To accompany the axes, they sell files and stones, so you can ensure your ax is work ready at all times. On top of that, they offer classes in forging and carpentry. Not only are they making quality goods meant to last, but they’re also preserving a piece of history and sharing it with the entire world.
Here at Appalachian Outdoors, we’re proud to carry Gransfors Bruks Axes. We offer a wide assortment that includes everything from hand axes to splitting mauls, as well as their files and stones. However, when a company takes so much pride in quality, they often sacrifice quantity. Like many highly prized goods, these products go quickly, so make sure you keep your eyes open and visit the store to checkout one of the finest made axes history has to offer!
For more information, please visit: https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/
To check out our selection, please visit: http://www.appoutdoors.com/gransfors_bruks_c20093.htm