The end of Wetterlings. Oh, and I won a new axe!
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2024
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I won a brand-new (well, NOS, I guess) Wetterlings model 121 Swedish Forest Axe recently, and I just had to show you guys. I contacted Wetterlings about it when I saw that the model was no longer on its website, and through talking with my contact point at the company, I discovered that the company will cease producing axes under its own brand in the near future - if it hasn't already happened. sad news indeed.
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Bushcraft | Raindance Bushcraft | Jesse Corbeil | Wetterlings | Swedish Forest Axe | Gransfors Bruk | GAW | Instagram | Red Lake Outfitters | Woodland Caribou Provincial Park | Canadian Bushcraft | Ray Mears | Small Forest Axe
It looks so cold there 🥶 great video this is so awesome thank you for sharing have a blessed weekend friend
Thanks for watching! Some things have changed since that video went out. Wetterlings is making axes under its own name again, but I believe only for sale at their facility. They mostly make Gränsfors axes still.
Awww.. I have the same axe which rides in the back of my Jeep.. Great axe..
That’s a nice Jeep axe!
unbelievable score! Once in a lifetime. well done. And the value of the brand name has just skyrocketed! All you collectors, go crazy now!
Congrats to the win brother! Enjoy it! Cheers, Marc
It’s a crying shame that Wetterlings is gone, I feel a bit saddened.
I know how you feel. The one bright spot is that all those workers will still be employed, even if it's on GB axes instead of their company's own designs.
They still make axes:
www.wetterlings.com/factory-store/
@@petter5721 Yeah, but you must actually travel to Sweden and go to their store to get one!
Interesting info..thanx Jes
I learned a lot from this video. Thank you.
Thanks for watching! Turns out that the Wetterlings factory still puts out a small number of their own axes for sale from their premises. I’d like to check out the factory at some point.
Sweet scores, Jesse. I didn't know that they had been bought out.
thanks Jes, keep the videos coming.
Enjoyed the video. I split a lot of firewood and chose a vintage Wetterlings axe a couple of years ago and have been very pleased. When I heard they were closing, I bought a new Scout hatchet with the old mark. I definitely agree with you. I like the thicker bit and heavier head and will miss the Wetterlings brand. Congrats on your score.
Rediscovered your vid. Good stuff. I have a Gransfors Swedish Carving Ax & love it. But the pride of my little collection is my Wetterings Forester’s Fine Ax. Most axes are like a club with sharp steel at the end, but those two are finely designed and crafted works of art.
I'm sad to see the Forester's Fine Axe and the Bushman axe disappear. The biggest negative for me of the disappearance of Wetterlings as a brand is that they were actually bringing out some interesting next-gen designs, which Gransfors is definitely not doing.
Makes sense with changing the marking. On the really old gränfors axes the marking is often barely visible. Great video!
I agree. But I still really liked the older Wetterlings stamp. The newer one really sank in well and was much clearer. Thanks for watching and commenting. I love hearing from my viewers.
I bought the Foresters Fine axe, Hudson Bay, and Les Stroud Bushman in the last couple years. I really like these designs from Wetterlings. Sorry to see them go.
I agree. And I think that the Bushman and the Foresters Fine are both unique designs. In a better universe, those alone would have guaranteed the company endless success.
The way you made the measurements appear was pretty cool :)
Ronan Smyth Thanks. It's a plugin for FCPX that I bought. It's got a real b*tch of a learning curve, but when it works, it really works.
Wow I know it's been awhile but I'm just getting ready for the season.I enjoy the outdoors year around but just recently found a new spot.I myself have been a avid outdoors man and collecting tools of a time gone bye.I was fortunate enough to land a wetterlings les stroud bushman axe and also a boy scout hatchet which I very stupidly modded to look like a standard Swedish hatchet.Ive been kicking myself ever since and I must say though I'd love to own a wetterlings Swedish forest axe so I sure hope you're treasureing and hey if you want to part
Good video! Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
Awesome!!
You lucky dog you... Nice score!!!
I know. I was so lucky. I almost never win anything, so I was pretty jazzed about it.
Thand for info. I am Swedish and get a bit sad. I got a Gränsfors wildlife hatchet and a much larger Wetterlings outdoor/backcountry. Both are great. Both easy to carry. Hatchet especially if to carry light. But the Wetterlings is amazing! Also noticed Wetterlings is thicker. Edge stability is really good.
thanks! trying to collect a few of the wetterlings while a few are still out there. nothing against gransfors--probably finest made, but sometimes a bit pricey and in jan 2019 largely backordered. subscribed!
Terrific score there Mate! Also I share your dismay with the loss of wetterlings It is sad that they didn't at least continue or absorb the line with all of the heritage that was attached to them. Treasure those pristine examples & congratulations on your windfall 👍👍
Emjay W I think there's a case to be made for continuing with the unique Wetterlings models like the Fine Forester's and the Bushman for sure. Maybe even that Hudson Bay. That's my hope, anyway.
Raindance Bushcraft I totally agree, I have the axe you just won, as well as a pair or the Husqvarna "general purpose Axe" over there or a "Limbing axe" here in Australia, and have not seen the need for a Gransfors Bruk in my quiver. So not owning one I really am not in a position to comment too much about them, although pricing and availability are huge issues, as well as the fact that I use mine daily, to limb blaze and pound plastic/wood/magnesium wedges, so the Husqvarna and wetterlings work well for my needs. We have lost so many of the original greats in axe production, so I am deeply saddened to lose more 😞
Raindance Bushcraft The fine foresters had been discontinued for about a year already before the closure so glad I got mine when I did!
Randal Flagg Really! You know, the more I see about their… Dynamic approach to product models, the less surprised I am about what's going on right now. It's clear that they were looking for a killer model to differentiate themselves and possibly save the company.
@faultroy That's a philosophy, I guess. For the record, here in Canada the Ox Head axes aren't that much less than Gränsfors are. Maybe more in the Hultafors range, price-wise.
great video,
very nice tools Jesse... they should serve you well and for a long time... Dennis #CanoehoundAdventures
I like my Gransfor Bruk axe. However, I believe that the wedge shape geometry of the head on the Wetterlings is more versatile for not just chopping but splitting and limbing
shadowdance4666 You find the geometry makes it a better limber as well? Now that is interesting. I always found the thinner bit on the GB to cut better for chopping, but I'd love to hear more about your experience. Is it the weight that helps?
You are right. I have a Bushman axe and it is good for both chopping and splitting.
The wedge shape is better for soft woods but terrible for harder or frozen woods.
@@zombiefighterof1987 , I would not call it a wedge shaped head. The only wedge shaped heads are splitting mauls.
Traditionally American axes have a thicker cheek profiles because it aids in throwing chips from the notch while felling and bucking.
The thinner cheeks work well for conifer forests and are found in the Cedar Pattern from early American forestry. Gransfors is an axe company that builds axes primarily for conifer forests, and they tell you this on their website and axe book. While Wetterlings I feel have always made axes primarily for hardwoods that also are suitable for softwoods.
A hardwood axe with high centerline cheeks will work well in any type of wood so long as the bit is ground correctly, and it will throw chips very well. A softwood axe with thin cheeks will not work as well in hardwoods, but will perform better than the hardwood axe in resinous softwood found in conifer forests.
Hope this helps clarify in some way. I own quite a few axes of different shapes and sizes and what I have said is very evident between the Gransfors, Wetterlings, Kelly, Collins, Mann Edge Tool, and Vintage Wetterlings, Vintage Gransfors axes. After spending a few years felling and bucking with all of these axes their differences are quite noticeable.
@@mauser8515 A thin axe edge like those on Ochsenkopf or other German Rheinland pattern axes is better suited for hardwoods like beech or oak because of the hardness of the wood means less friction when going through the wood, a wedge shaped bit like a wetterlings is basically only useful for soft woods like fir, spruce or soft deciduous woods like poplar and splitting wood. An axe with thick cheeks will just bounce off hardwoods.
That lake is a lovely spot
Great video.
Tom Olofsson Thanks muchly!
Gransfors did a better job of marketing their axes. By making their axes prettier and thinner they made good cutting axes. Majority of modern axe users use them for chopping and carving and not so much for splitting or felling. That's why their thinner axes became popular. It's a shame because Wetterlings axes were more efficient in everything and I think looked much better. Wetterlings axes looked a bit more traditional and medieval to me. I am however a proud owner of five of their axes. Their 11 inch hatchet is with me everywhere I go. Their convex bits so easy to sharpen and they remain sharp for a long time.
I got a Gransfors Bruk small forest ax, love it!!
The SFA is a lovely design. mine comes on every outing, whether another axe comes along or not. When did you get yours?
That is so lucky!!!!
Rhys Tucker I agree. I couldn’t believe it.
For what i Know in axes, this is an awesome win
+Lt Survival Most epic. I almost never win anything, so I guess I was making up for lost time.
nice nice nice great video..... Thanks
Shame. I just found out about their Large Hunter which was very similar to the Small Forest, but a bit thicker for better splitting. It would have made a great alternative for when I was doing more camping than rucking and during winter expeditions.
He’s a collector Larping as a Bushman, lol
Thomas Shue's World I gave the second axe to my daughter. No idea what Larping is, but thanks for taking the time to comment and making the algorithm happy.
Indeed, it's a bit of a sad story ... but the incentive for the Brånby family (who owns both) to maintain both brands just isn't there anymore, for some of the reasons you describe.
It's true, the patterns/heads are not quite the same. But the market has spoken I suppose. And whether it is marketing or whatever other reason, the Wetterlings axes are not selling well enough at the price point where they are being offered.
I dunno if the replacement handles are more available here (in Sweden), but maybe ... I'll see what I can find.
Wetterlings employs 9 people (according to their 'History' page on their website), who I suppose will get absorbed into the Gransfors operation (still at their Storvik forge presumably). I guess that's the best news ... that those people, with their very specialized skills, will still be making high quality axes, and that forge will continue to be used.
xn bomb Yes, from my discussions with Wetterlings, that's what's happening. They'll still be there in Storvik, and it sounds like they're being transitioned into making the Gransfors-style heads. Which is the best outcome that can be expected, I guess.
I prefer wettering. They are more thicker than gransfors!!! Thanks for vid
All that's being done is the dies and tooling for the Gransfors Bruk pattern are being installed into the machinery in the Wetterlings factory the smiths won't need retraining as such!
Sweet deal on the 2nd axe!
Right? The universe doesn't treat me that well very often, but when it does...
11:17 a shame Branby didn't keep Wetterlings alive... luckily I have two of them - large splitting axe and the maul from 2008 and 2012, both with the old stamp ;-)
Well this explains why I couldn't find any axe models listed on their website.
Never heard of Ray Mears until now.
I've been using cheap $30 $40 axes & just now decided to invest in a nice traditional, handcrafted, high quality axe... because I'm sick of repairing rolled edges so often.
My Himalayan Imports khukuri out performs every axe I've used so far, in edge retention.
A first batch of a Gransfors / Wetterling hybrid
Yeah...and I miss Julia!
David Mathews You’re not alone. She’s still around, though. She put up a vid a couple of years ago of herself boxing up her own axes at around Xmas time, so I think she’s got her own company going.
Wetterlings in Storvik are making Axes for Gränsfors bruk, so the Forge is still running happily..
I seen one test where the user had both Wetterlings and Gransfors both same head weight and handle length. .. He showed the difference in thickness of the blades and splitting ability of both along with chopping .. I agree with him, a lot of that depends on the wood where you live and forest wood is not the same all over the world , as there are soft woods and hard woods.. An excellent reference book, "Axe makers of North America" if a person wants an eye opener of information..
I’ve been meaning to pick that book up. Do you remember the CZcams channel
Where the guy did the test?
I do not know the channel i watched that on but found it under Bushcraft heading ..
I have the Wetterlings American Felling Axe and the Wildlife Hatchet both brand new, never used purchased 2014. Maybe they will be collectors items soon?
Perhaps. It's hard to say, but there's definitely a chance. Both are really nice axes, no matter how you slice it.
Woah I have the Wetterlings large forest axe. Been using and abusing it for like 5 years. I didnt know they closed.
Yeah. Made me sad when I found out as well. I really like my Wetts.
Could you Review The hudson bay axe? There's not really any quality videos on them so far. Would just like to hear people's thoughts on them. I personally have one and so far i'm not that keen on it, but i might find a purpose for it
I'd love to, but I don't have a Hudson's Bay pattern axe yet. I figure one will end up at my house some day, and I'll do up a vid on it then.
What don't you like about yours?
It's extremely thick. I don't mind the thickness but the taper is inconsistent and suddenly drops in a wide edge. I've been considering altering it but i'm reluctant to till i've really swung it this winter. The edge itself was not sharp and despite being a competent axe sharpener i cannot seem to get a satisfactory edge on it. The axe looks lovely but just not what i expected. It will most likely split pretty well but i would like it to do more than just split. Yes it will limb, but it'll be smashing it's way through instead of gliding through the wood like my other axes (Gb/hults/council/sandvik/Husqvarna/English axes) What do you think of Wetterlings designs in general? I think they look amazing and definitely seem more multi purpose than the Gransfors designs which are supreme cutters but not great for splitting. In general it seems very hard to find good info on wetterlings and honest reviews.
March 1. 2019. Today I visited Wetterling in Storvik Sweden and I bought an Axe, the #115 hunters axe. There is still a storage of Axes but it is running out soon. I will , with my new knowlage go back soon to buy a few more axes, just in case..
yggsten Ig I were nearby, I’d do the same thing.
I ordered a wetterlings back country axe. Never had a fancy axe like that. I guess I wanted something that not alot of people have. Every body and there brother had a gransfors but I have heard good things about Wetterlings. Got any feedback on the Wetterlings Back country ax?
You'll enjoy the wider wedge shape of the head if you do a lot of splitting at the campsite, that's for sure. Everythign I've heard tells me it's a good, capable axe.
@@RaindanceBushcraft that k you for the feedback. Much appreciated. I'm 23 and have been chopping wood since I could pick up an axe. But never really had an axe ofy own to chop with so I bought a wetterlings. Feedback from you was helpful. I'm confident in the chose I made.
I’m going to be outright honest, I didn’t hear about GB from anyone else. I was online, looking up “wooden handle axes” or something close enough to that, and found the website. No reviews, no recommends, just Gränsfors Bruks website, and loved the photos I was seeing - THEN came the reviews and opinions and such. I’ve held a few axes when I took a trip to Lee Valley Tools a few months ago during a trip to Niagara and found it as a retailer (fun truth, I confused the person who picked up the phone by properly pronouncing Gränsfors Bruks, make sure to try that out it can be hilarious), and loved them in person even more than the photos. I didn’t buy them though, as it’s a weird who-cares-I-care desire of mine to take a trip to the forge and buy one from the in-house shop someday. But frankly, I’m 19.5 years old, none of my friends even do such an activity, and the people I do know who do get involved with wood don’t know what to do without a trip to the gas pumps first. And beyond that, those I do know who get involved go to Fiskars or Husqvarna’s fiberglass line. No blame there, I get how it can be deemed nicer to have half the shock, none of the blisters and a head that’s riveted on instead of wedged on (I can really understand the rivers instead of wedge especially), but with just about no use of traditional style axes compared to all the other tools, it’s beautifully surprising axes in general still exist. I never had much intent to use Wetterlings or HB not because they weren’t good enough or anything, but I simply fell in love with the GB profile and opinions. But, considering with how few axe makers there are that still use wood in their handle instead of a modern precision engineered material like fiberglass, the sucky part to Wetterlings being bought to me is now there’s one less place to go for it. If husqvarna ever decides to cut out the wooden handle ones they sell now, or if GB simply loses its momentum in a few years or decades and has to close, there’ll be nowhere left for a traditional axe but the hobbyist blacksmith, who, though is on the incline, is also much harder to find with a higher population drowning them out, and a lacking demand for them so deep they probably just keep to themselves about it anyway. I really hope I don’t see that happen..
Story over, I suppose. Great video though, honestly.
+Cameron Frye There Are still some makers putting out high-quality wood-helped axes. In the US, there’s Council Tool for one, and I hear that Snow And Healley has it’s groove back. There are also some great one-or two-person foundries for when you’ve got the $ for a higher-dollar axe.
I have a Fiskars with a polymer handle as well, but I prefer a good hickory or ash handle.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Gransfor will not be offering the Les Stroud bushman axe. I emailed Les and he said they are not unfortunately.
RowdyRoddy huh. Even though it's not on my bucket list, I still think that's too bad. I wonder why?
Glad I bought one...before they shut down..
Joe Goulin Good work! Did you get the same one, or a different model? There are a couple I’d have liked to get before they disappeared.
Raindance Bushcraft I was looking for a smaller bush axe. When I came across a wetterlings hatchet..# 106...wish it was a little longer in the handle. But still a great litte took.. ....odd part is I found it in a little mom & pop hardware store...in a small northern town
Joe Goulin You talking about the one they call their Buddy Hatchet? The tiny one? I have one of those; it features strongly in my vids. Especially the spoon carving stuff and my back porch supper vid.
Raindance Bushcraft yea that's the one... still looking for a bigger one about 24" handle woodsman I think they called it
Would love to buy the old Wetterlings axe if you decide to get rid of it...
+George G Not this one. Buuut, if you’re on Facebook, hit me up there and I’ll invite you to the Axe Junkies group. It’s great for buying, selling and talking about axes. There’s a good chance that someone will have one to sell.
I would disagree that Ray Mears has had that big of an effect on Gränsfors fame over Wetterlings, atleast not everywhere. I can see him mabye having that effect in the states because nearly every single bushcrafter I've seen buys the same pieces of kit not knowing why.
Though, the overwhelming majority of Swedes have never heard of Ray Mears and Gränsfors is and has still been way popular for a some time. It's not that people don't know about Hultafors/Hults bruk or Wetterlings or that alot of people don't buy from those brands, because they do. But the general consensus has still been that Gränsfors is a tad bit better.
Both of my grandfathers have only ever bought Gränsfors axes and they and many others did not come to that conclution through youtube fashion or tv marketing. That's good, solid country wide reputation. Though my great grandfathers who worked most of their early lives in the forest industry used Hultafors/HB Axes but at that time both Gränsfors and Wetterlings were comparativly young companies and probably had not spread to the far North to the same extent.
Wetterlings has been up there with Gränsfors for a while but in my opinion they've been sidelined atleast since the 1990s. Own a number of vintage Wetterlings heads and im a big fan of their older stuff.
Smiley thumb.
Will granfors still have axe maker on head
The individual makers' initials? For sure. THere'll just be more of them, I guess.
What a shame ... I've been after a Wetterlings for a while and it's just never come up at the right price... probably never will now.
lucky..
Are you planning on selling one? Id be really interested
I’ve already given one to my daughter. If you’re in the market, i have had good luck with the classifieds over at BushcraftUSA [dot] com
Raindance Bushcraft thank you very much!🙌
7:36 Geek ;-)
😁.
😁
i am a sworn loyal hultafors owner over gransfors ray mears has no effect on me i do respect any body who owns any axe maker of thir likeing but hultafors facts is all i need the oldest axe maker in the world of 300 years ...
richard till I'm dying to get my hands on a Hults so I can get a feel for them. They look fabulous, but I don't have a bottomless axe fund. Oh jeez, could you imagine if I did?
richard till Yeah, I saw that. My wallet is already cringing...
Raindance Bushcraft I got the small forest axe from there it was 140
Nice! How do you like it so far?
Raindance Bushcraft great only thing I did not like was the sheath and I replied it for 45 with a custom on
😭
I Deram long time Wetterligs and Granfors Bruk axe but when GB eat Wetterlings and stop manufactering wetterligs i say to me, i dont ewer bye GB axe's.
such a shame. every utilitarian brand gets bought up. Turned into a global brand with extra $'s for all the marketing
You are WAY wrong!! It is feb 2019 I just bought a S.A. Wetterlings SAW 118 large hunters axe two days ago. Still has the Wetterlings touchmark on the cheek and their website is still operating. You might want to pull this video. It is WRONG!
+John Norris I dearly wish I was wrong. If you found a large hunter, then you have my envy. That’s a nice axe. The Wetterlings site sometimes has a few models listed, but it seems to change over time, and in the Axes page, it reads that Wetterlings axes are pretty much only available in-site now. Then there’s this:
www.gransforsbruk.com/en/information-cooperation-wetterlings-gransfors-bruk/
+John Norris By the way, where did you buy it? Did they have many in stock? I might want to take a look.
@@RaindanceBushcraft Wiseman Trading and Supply
@@RaindanceBushcraft Gransfors Bruks did not buy them. They were bought individually by the owner of GB. They still operate as S.A. Wetterlings and make axes the SAW way. It was mainly for an influx of cash needed to keep operating. See below.
bushcraftusa.com/forum/threads/wetterlings-axes-bought-by-gransfors-bruks-not-exactly.27574/
giday fellow Canadian. . just found your channel. . subbed.
I too have a love for restoring old axes... and making most of my own bushcraft gear. .I just purchased the Hudson bay axe from wetterlings while I could still could..very happy with it..check me out if you like..I'm not asking for a sub.. but I will be asking you about a Walters hatchet I just came across. . I'll look for you email..and send a pic
I looked her up. Check out the following site: www.kalthoffaxes.se/
Ah, so she's finally got an online presence again. Last time I looked for her, there was nothing but one CZcams vid. Nice. I signed up to her mailing list. And shared the link at facebook.com/RaindanceBushcraft/ of course...
Canadians aren’t allowed to be outside or travel u criminal 😂.