For thousands of years the axe has been an extension of the arm for humankind. With the help of the axe, man has been able to find his way through unspoiled nature, construct dwellings and butcher wild game.
The axe has been a survival tool while at the same time it has o ered freedom and independence. He who had a sharp axe could defend himself at all times and also prosper. Today we no longer need the axe for survival but it still helps us solve a number of practical tasks in everyday life whilst assisting lovers of the outdoors to enrich their leisure time.
With the axe being a part of our cultural heritage, the blacksmith has an essential role both in preserving the axe tradition for coming generations and more importantly, in giving the axe user ultimate satisfaction and utility in the use of his axe.
Hultafors axes are produced at Hults Bruk where axes have been forged for over 300 years.
From the Hult Valley to Countries Around the World.
Hults Bruk was originally founded in 1697 in the Hult Valley in southeastern Sweden. Forging by hand began with nails for shipbuilding and making iron bars. Later came the forging of metal sheets, anchor chains and castings followed by hand tools such as axes and spades used by farmers in the region for work in the forests and in the elds. By 1870 axes had become a major part of Hults Bruk’s production. The then owner, an ironmaster named Ekelund, bought two new axe forging machines in 1877 to meet the demand.
The end of the Nineteenth century was a turbulent period in Sweden. The Industrial Revolution brought changes across Europe. As a result of major developments in all facets of society, more energy was needed. The increased importance of forestry and the cutting down of trees created the need for many more axes.
Today Hults Bruk is a combination of the new and the old but our basic culture has not changed over the years. The striving of each individual blacksmith to always do his very best while relying on a time honoured tradition has resulted in Hultafors axes being famous throughout the world.