Help Identifying Swedish Axe Head

[mhutch]

Picked it up off ebay last week. After looking carefully at it I still can't find any remnants of a stamp anywhere besides the one that just says "Sweden." I've seen both old Hults and old Gransfors that were painted blue like this one but they all had stamps on them. I can't tell if it's hand forged either. There are a some marks towards the front of the poll that look like an old drop forged axe or a new Gransfors but the eye looks a little too clean, and there's no crease (that I can see) at the front of the eye where it would have been folded. Any ideas?


Thanks

 

[aikonen]

Gränsfors usually put their stamp on the side of the poll, so my best guess is that that is a Hults Bruk. It has been a long time since either Gränsfors or Hults Bruk folded their axes, so look no further, it's punched for sure.

 

[mhutch]

Gränsfors usually put their stamp on the side of the poll, so my best guess is that that is a Hults Bruk. It has been a long time since either Gränsfors or Hults Bruk folded their axes, so look no further, it's punched for sure.

All the old Hults's I've seen have their stamp in the same place as the old Gransfors so that's why I thought it wasn't a Hults.

What do you mean by "punched"? Closed-die drop forging as opposed to open-die drop forging? My understanding of forging methods is pretty rudimentary.

Thanks

 

[aikonen]

All the old Hults's I've seen have their stamp in the same place as the old Gransfors so that's why I thought it wasn't a Hults.

What do you mean by "punched"? Closed-die drop forging as opposed to open-die drop forging? My understanding of forging methods is pretty rudimentary.

Thanks

Yes of course, I might be wrong about the location of the stamp.

When I said they punched the eye, I was refering to this method. Both Gränsfors and Hults use much larger machines but the process is pretty much the same. My understanding is very limited, I'm not even sure that "punched" is the correct analogy.
[video=youtube;rxtvyk6pMbM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxtvyk6pMbM[/video]

 

[300Six]

Nice thing about the Swedes is that they don't make 'second rate' tools! The quality of their steel is top notch. That there is no maker's stamp nor a weight marked on it suggests it was ordered and paper labeled by a large retail hardware chain. Or (just a guess) maybe the busybody that 'cleaned up' the mushroomed poll obliterated the stamp while he was at it.
40-50 years ago Swede-made implements sold in north America did not have the cachet they do today and were less expensive to buy than domestic fare.

 

[Swedish_Steel]

Nice thing about the Swedes is that they don't make 'second rate' tools!

Oh yes we do...
Hults bruk nearly went bust in the 80's by trying to counter low sales with cheaper and cheaper axes. Epoxied handles and thick paint means you can get a way with a lot less fitting and surface grinding. Many axes from this period can have "questionable" HT. Another example are the pocket knives from Eskilstuna. While generally of high quality, many knives were made by companies who tried to get in on the action in the late 40's - early 50's. While mimicking the patterns of the old, "classic" makers these can be downright shoddy and were often exported.

 

[300Six]

Oh yes we do...
Hults bruk nearly went bust in the 80's by trying to counter low sales with cheaper and cheaper axes. Epoxied handles and thick paint means you can get a way with a lot less fitting and surface grinding. Many axes from this period can have "questionable" HT. Another example are the pocket knives from Eskilstuna. While generally of high quality, many knives were made by companies who tried to get in on the action in the late 40's - early 50's. While mimicking the patterns of the old, "classic" makers these can be downright shoddy and were often exported.

And right from the horse's mouth, I stand to be (sort of) corrected! But I haven't heard anywhere that the quality of the Swedish axe head steel might have been compromised. Was difficult for anybody to compete in the axe business during the 60's and 70's; most large makers folded up their tents and moved on. Lesser grade wood, epoxy-filled eyes and rough-finished heads are merely symptoms of having had to resort to more automation, more unskilled labour and less time devoted to fit and finish all in name of reducing the cost of manufacture.

When my grandfather died, 30 years ago, in his pants pocket was a pair of 'Bahco Sweden' mini pliers (model 221) that he had fondly used for many years. Ultimately I found (ordered) another pair of these recently only to find they were similar looking but crudely made, bulky and much softer steel. And that one says 'Bahco 221D China'.

 

[garry3]

Oh yes we do...
Hults bruk nearly went bust in the 80's by trying to counter low sales with cheaper and cheaper axes. Epoxied handles and thick paint means you can get a way with a lot less fitting and surface grinding. Many axes from this period can have "questionable" HT. Another example are the pocket knives from Eskilstuna. While generally of high quality, many knives were made by companies who tried to get in on the action in the late 40's - early 50's. While mimicking the patterns of the old, "classic" makers these can be downright shoddy and were often exported.

I sold a couple hatchets a while back on that auction sight. Both where in about equally good condition. A vintage Plumb and a vintage Sweden hatchet just marked "drop forged Sweden". The made in Sweden went for almost twice what the Plumb went for and the Plumb was twice the hatchet. So what you are saying is not common knowledge with the American consumer.
The Sweden hatchet was ok. Just not the same quality as the Plumb, steel, handle material, fit an finish.

Do you know who the maker was on them made in Sweden axes that just say "drop forged" Sweden?

 

[mhutch]

I sold a couple hatchets a while back on that auction sight. Both where in about equally good condition. A vintage Plumb and a vintage Sweden hatchet just marked "drop forged Sweden". The made in Sweden went for almost twice what the Plumb went for and the Plumb was twice the hatchet. So what you are saying is not common knowledge with the American consumer.
The Sweden hatchet was ok. Just not the same quality as the Plumb, steel, handle material, fit an finish.

I'll second that. For most folks Swedish or German is synonymous with better quality steel than anything else. I was the same way before I really started reading a lot on these forums and playing with a lot of different axes. That said most Swedish axes I've had have been very well made and I'm willing to gamble on one more often than not. We'll see on this one. It looks good to me but I don't want to jump the gun and say its good before I spend time sharpening and using it.

 

[Swedish_Steel]

Do you know who the maker was on them made in Sweden axes that just say "drop forged" Sweden?

Sorry, no idea. could be almost any one.
I used to live in Enköping, the home town of Bacho. I was genuinely pissed off, dissapointed and sad to hear that most (all?) production went to china.

 

[RICKOFF]

Made in Sweden and the number 4 are the only markings. But there are traces of blue paint in the eye and in the letters. It was cleaned, sharpened and rehung obviously not to my liking, so when I find out what it is I'll put on the correct haft and give proper edge. Most appreciative for any light anyone can shed. Thanks Rick.

 

[Lieblad]

🐸''''''

 

[Lieblad]

....s.

 

[MBreeze59]

Made in Sweden and the number 4 are the only markings. But there are traces of blue paint in the eye and in the letters. It was cleaned, sharpened and rehung obviously not to my liking, so when I find out what it is I'll put on the correct haft and give proper edge. Most appreciative for any light anyone can shed. Thanks Rick.

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Did you ever find any info on the axe maker. I have the exact same axe but stamped with the #3. Thanks...

 

[garry3]

The location of the stamp and high center line remind me of a Sator Banko. Not at all positive.

 

[Kevin Houtzager]

x

 

[paulhiebert]

Picked it up off ebay last week. After looking carefully at it I still can't find any remnants of a stamp anywhere besides the one that just says "Sweden." I've seen both old Hults and old Gransfors that were painted blue like this one but they all had stamps on them. I can't tell if it's hand forged either. There are a some marks towards the front of the poll that look like an old drop forged axe or a new Gransfors but the eye looks a little too clean, and there's no crease (that I can see) at the front of the eye where it would have been folded. Any ideas?


Thanks

Hey, I know I am WAAAAYYY late for this conversation and so you probably no longer care, but if I could figure out how to put a pick on here I would show you mine. I have what appears to be the exact same axe head. Mine fortunately bares the Wetterling Stamp with the marks EX below it which was marketed as "the Best of the Best". It was their absolute premium axe that they made from about the 1920s to 60s. It was considered the very hardest steel available in any Swedish axe. Mine looks EXACTLY like yours and weighs 2-1/4 lbs (the head alone)
This is a great find ! Now to fill in some blanks for you, while Wetterling made the EX line for some 40 years, most of their axes as it was commonplace through about the 1930s - 60s was to use paper face (stickers) labels on their heads with few or no actual stamps. My understanding from my research is that for whatever reason, in the 1950s they went back to stamping their logo on the EX line heads, although they were all still stamped EX. So I assume mine is likely from the 1950s. I would suggest yours is likely an earlier. The EX may have long worn off, I know it doesn't take long for some faint stamps to disappear which is a shame. But I would bet my bottom dollar that you have a Wetterling axe head there, and likely an EX like mine, just maybe earlier. - Cheers - Paul

 

[Curt Hal]

Hawco?