Wednesday 16 May 2012

Stefan Ronnqvist Axe


I've been looking into getting a lighter carving axe for a while now. I love my Gransfors carving axe, but i do find it to be a bit too heavy after a while. I've got some smaller axes, but i miss the upswept blade that extends above the eye. I'd noticed a smaller axe popping up in several places such as Jogge Sundqvist's wondeful DVD, the equally wonderful book 'Celebrating Birch' and on the Country Workshops website. I eventually discovered that it was made by Swedish blacksmith Stefan Ronnqvist adter reading a post by Peter Follansbee (amazing craftsman, check out his blog) , but could not get hold of one anywhere. Three years later i received an email from Woodland Craft Supplies telling me that they are once more in stock. They're only available as unhelved heads and as you can see the edge needs final sharpening and honing. I think that some might baulk at the price, and if you compare it to the price of one of the main production models from Gransfors, then it's understandable, but i'm pretty sure that these are made entirely by hand, similar to the ancient axes in the gransfors line, which are much more similar in price.



 I've roughed out a couple of handles and i'm just waiting for them to dry out before i fit and finish them (I'll probably go for the top one). Can't wait to give it a go.

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