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FORGED AXESby James Austin
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Axes & Straight Blades

Axe Tour of Norway and Sweden: Part 4

On June 29, 2015 by jaustin

From Oystein’s smithy I made my way by train and bus back north in Norway to the small town of Trysil on the border with Sweden.  The next blacksmith of my Scandinavian axe journey, Mattias Helje, picked me up there and took me to his home and smithy in western Sweden in the town of Lima.  Lima is in Dalarna county, which is steeped in tradition and has a long history of iron smelting and blacksmithing.  With plentiful, clean charcoal fuel and pure iron ore, Sweden has long been famous for the quality of its steel.  This steel was highly sought after in Europe for tool making for centuries – I recall it being specifically mentioned as the most prized material for anvil faces at the Refflinghaus anvil smithy in Germany in the 1980’s when I researched anvil forging tradition there.  As I had hoped, Mattias forged a socketed axe for me of a type that is widespread in Sweden.  He referred to it as a “carpenters axe” and told me that it hailed from central and northern Sweden.  It was developed in the late 19th or early 20th century and was used through the 20th century. The particular axe that he reproduced for me was originally forged by Nygårds Martin Olsson (1859-1925).  The unique, socketed eye is beautiful in form and, in Norway, is called a “Swedish Eye”.

Mattias Axe 0010
Mattias’ hand hewn farmhouse.
Mattias Axe 0020
The cabin I stayed in – also hand hewn!
Mattias Axe 0030
Mattias’ main smithy (one of three!).
Mattias Axe 0040
Lima landscape in April. We took a little walk before Mattias began forging.
Mattias Axe 0050
On the way we passed an old barn – the lower section was built in the 16th century.
Mattias Axe 0060
Tight joinery in the old part of the barn.
Mattias Axe 0070
Corner joinery as seen from inside.
Mattias Axe 0080
An old lock on the door.
Mattias Axe 0090
Getting started on the axe.
Mattias Axe 0100
The axe Mattias will reproduce, and the starting piece of wrought iron.
Mattias Axe 0110
Offsetting one side of the blade with a butcher.
Mattias Axe 0120
The offset.
Mattias Axe 0130
Second offset.
Mattias Axe 0140
Adjusting the angle of the offset blade halves.
Mattias Axe 0150
A quick change to a top fullering die on Mattias’ mechanical hammer.
Mattias Axe 0160
Thinning out the socket material.
Mattias Axe 0170
Checking dimensions to make sure he stays true to the old design.
Mattias Axe 0180
Drawing out the corners of the socket material.
Mattias Axe 0190
The shape so far.
Mattias Axe 0200
A view of the cross-section of the axe blank. The thick material in the middle will become the back of the axe-eye. The thick material to each side will be laminated together to form the blade.
Mattias Axe 0210
Another view of the fully drawn-out axe blank.
Mattias Axe 0220
Another view of the Carpenter’s Axe that Mattias is reproducing. It is beautifully done.
Mattias Axe 0230
A comparison of the old axe to the new axe blank.
Mattias Axe 0240
Second Breakfast is For Real in Sweden (and Norway)!
Mattias Axe 0250
Back to work. The heavy material which will become the back of the axe will be pushed to the other side of the blank where it needs to be. This will be done over the rounded edge of the anvil as shown.
Mattias Axe 0260
The heavy section is set down.
Mattias Axe 0270
Another view of this operation.
Mattias Axe 0290
The back of the axe (poll) is now correctly placed.
Mattias Axe 0300
The edges of the socket material which be lap-welded together are curved over the horn to put them in the right place.
Mattias Axe 0310
View of the axe blank which is now ready to be folded.
Mattias Axe 0320
Starting the fold.
Mattias Axe 0330
Another step in folding the axe blank.
Mattias Axe 0360
A view of the folding progress.
Mattias Axe 0370
Tightening the socket weld-zone.
Mattias Axe 0380
Adjusting the overlap.
Mattias Axe 0390
Aligning the edges.
Mattias Axe 0400
Closing the gaps.
Mattias Axe 0410
The closed axe blank ready for welding.
Mattias Axe 0420
The fit-up of the socket.
Mattias Axe 0430
Another view of the folded axe blank.
Mattias Axe 0440
Heating the blade of the axe for welding. This is the heavy part of the axe and will be welded first, followed by welding the socket.
Mattias Axe 0450
Applying flux to the blade weld.
Mattias Axe 0460
Welding the blade.
Mattias Axe 0470
Results of the first welding pass on the blade.
Mattias Axe 0480
Underside of the welded blade.
Mattias Axe 0490
Welding the socket over the horn.
Mattias Axe 0500
Appearance of the axe body after the first socket welding pass.
Mattias Axe 0510
Edge of the welded socket. It needs a little more welding work.
Mattias Axe 0520
Borax flux is applied to get a complete weld on the edge of the socket.
Mattias Axe 0530
The socket weld is made complete.
Mattias Axe 0540
Now that the forge-welding of the axe body is done the shape of the axe will be refined. This will take many steps but result in a very clean form.
Mattias Axe 0550
Correcting the eye.
Mattias Axe 0560
Top view of the welded axe body.
Mattias Axe 0570
The socket weld and socket-blade transition.
Mattias Axe 0580
Butcher tools to refine the socket-to-blade transition zone. They will produce a sharp inside corner.
Mattias Axe 0590
A mandrel is used to clean up the eye. This will proceed over numerous heats.
Mattias Axe 0600
Shaping the top of the eye.
Mattias Axe 0610
Using the anvil to refine the lower edge of the blade as the top edge is forged.
Mattias Axe 0620
Using a mandrel on the top opening of the eye.
Mattias Axe 0630
The refined eye of the axe.
Mattias Axe 0640
Another view of the axe eye and socket.
Mattias Axe 0660
A comparison of the axe-in-progress with the old axe.
Mattias Axe 0670
Top view of same. The top opening of the eye is clearly a bit different.
Mattias Axe 0680
A high-carbon steel strike plate is shaped for welding to the back of the axe-eye. It is a hammer-like feature which strengthens the poll of the axe.
Mattias Axe 0690
Shaping the strike plate. The material is about the same as 1070.
Mattias Axe 0700
Form fitting the strike plate.
Mattias Axe 0710
The position and fit of the strike plate.
Mattias Axe 0720
Fluxing the strike plate. The flux is borax with red iron oxide.
Mattias Axe 0730
To weld the strike plate onto the poll of the axe it is simply gripped in place and put into the fire. Everything is heated together (including the ends of the tong-jaws).
Mattias Axe 0740
Axe eye in the forge. The tong jaws are just visible in silhouette on the left side of the eye opening.
Mattias Axe 0750
The upper edge of the plate is tack-welded to the poll of the axe.
Mattias Axe 0760
Another welding heat is taken to bond the strike plate to the poll.
Mattias Axe 0770
The weld seams are closed and leveled.
Mattias Axe 0780
The mandrel is used to maintain the shape of the eye as the welding and shaping continue.
Mattias Axe 0790
Refining the shape of the strike plate – top and bottom edges.
Mattias Axe 0810
Detailing the top and bottom edges.
Mattias Axe 0820
Attention to detail.
Mattias Axe 0830
A well-finished strike plate.
Mattias Axe 0840
The nearly-blended seams of the strike plate.
Mattias Axe 0850
Refining the eye and socket.
Mattias Axe 0855
Straightening the overall form.
Mattias Axe 0860
Another technique for adjusting the form.
Mattias Axe 0880
A clean, even edge on the socket with no trace of a weld seam.
Mattias Axe 0890
The finished back of the axe. On to the blade!
Mattias Axe 0900
After opening the edge of the blade with a chisel the lips of the cleft are scarfed for welding in a bit of Fagersta 110 or UHB20 steel (similar to O1).
Mattias Axe 0910
The finished cleft.
Mattias Axe 0920
A bit is prepared for the axe with a wedge-shaped cross section.
Mattias Axe 0930
Scarfing the edge of the bit.
Mattias Axe 0940
Parting off the bit.
Mattias Axe 0950
The bit has been inserted into the axe body.
Mattias Axe 0960
The first step of welding the bit is to “pack” the joint tightly together at a welding heat and even up the edges.
Mattias Axe 0970
The packed joint ready to weld.
Mattias Axe 0980
Welding the bit.
Mattias Axe 0990
Welding continues.
Mattias Axe 1000
Drawing the welded bit on the mechanical hammer.
Mattias Axe 1020
Finishing the profile of the axe.
Mattias Axe 1030
The finish-forged axe – ready for grinding and heat treating.
Mattias Axe 1040
Mattias will heat treat the axe in his “old smithy”. When you step through the tiny door into the dark interior and see yourself surrounded by ancient tools you feel you have gone back in time.
Mattias Axe 1060
View from inside the old smithy.
Mattias Axe 1065
Mattias’ bellows collection with a very old anvil on the stump in front of them.
Mattias Axe 1070
Mattias uses a mix of coal and charcoal to heat treat his tools. The darkness inside the old smithy is good for judging the temperature of the work. The only sounds inside the smithy right now come from the fire and from the old bellows.
Mattias Axe 1090
The back of the axe is normalized.
Mattias Axe 1100
After normalization the axe was quenched in oil, then tempered over the fire. The edge was then finish-ground.
Mattias Axe 1110
Mattias and Maelle – my hosts.
Mattias Axe 1120
Mattias and I.
Mattias Axe 1130
My last view of Mattias’ amazing home and smithies.
Mattias Axe 1140
At the bus stop – ready for my next axe adventure!

7 comments

  • Anton Standteiner July 10, 2015 at 7:32 pm - Reply

    I’m going with you next time

  • Mort July 10, 2015 at 11:23 pm - Reply

    many thanks for posting and taking such time and effort over this to the both of you. Excellent work, much appreciated.

  • Tom Wulf July 15, 2015 at 12:40 am - Reply

    Really awesome picture sequence. I’ve done some wrap hawks and want to do this! Thanks!

  • shevin delton September 14, 2015 at 4:01 pm - Reply

    that one looked like it lt took a little awhile but i like how you do this by hand

  • Lance Byard August 20, 2016 at 4:04 am - Reply

    James,

    What a wonderful picture tour. It included the art of an experienced smithy at a traditional forge. It resulted in a beautiful, historic, wood working tool. I expect it is in your treasured collection.

    I must come visit your foundry and introduce myself. I grew up with your uncle Larry.

  • Anders Soberra - Blacksmith February 16, 2018 at 11:26 am - Reply

    Thanks for sharing! This was exactly what I was looking for..
    Best regards from Denmark.

  • Arek April 16, 2025 at 12:31 am - Reply

    A worderful photo journey through the “Swedish Axe experience”, Thank You for the effort of showing us the intricacies of this rather complex forging project.
    Greetings from a Carpathian axe carpenter – small mountain village, 7 km from Ukrainian border, south eastern Poland.

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