Monday, December 1, 2014

The Cadillac of the Ax World

           "What is your Favorite Brand of Ax?" A question I get all the time. To me the answer is easy NORLUND. However with so many ax manufacturers today and with the popularity of the Scandinavian brands like Granfors, Wetterlings, and Hultafors. Not to mention the newly popular Huskvarna, incidentally made by Hultafors, it can be difficult to decide where to spend your money?
            Since scandi axes are so poular, why not use an American ax designed with a Scandinavian, grind? Enter NORLUND-



            The O.A. Norlund company came into being when the owner of Canadian Tire Company approached the owner of Mann Edge tool company to produce a line of Sportsman's style axes for market in the US and Canada, a request that John Waddell took very seriously. So seriously in fact that he traveled to Scandinavia to observe the process of making a good quality Ax.
            In 1968 Mann Edge Tool company began to produce the O.A. Norlund brand Ax using a more Canadian and US design pattern with a Scandinavian type edge profile. These axes are very well suited to the recreational outdoors man and do well for all tasks from actual felling to processing fire wood, and even carving if the need arises. The beauty of these wonderful heirlooms is that you will be saving an old tool from some shed or barn somewhere to be left rusting away. Now that is not to say that they are inexpensive or common! They seem to be much more prevalent in the east than out west. And some people actually know what they have LOL.


            I recently received a Brand New NORLUND saddle cruiser, which is a double bit pocket type ax of sorts. it was in pristine condition but had been cut from the handle. I sent this beautiful head to the guy that I knew could do it justice for a re-hang Cody Crone (Wranglerstar)https://www.youtube.com/user/wranglerstar. Needless to say I was ecstatic when I received it back from him and it is now a perfect addition to my growing collection of these classic axes.


           Have a look around and you may find one of these beauties in great condition at a price that wont kill you to buy it, but beware that they can be addictive. So addictive in fact that there is a FB Page dedicated to being an AX JUNKIE-Axe Junkies

Below is a video I shot discussing these things a bit today



9 comments:

  1. And thanks to your sage advice, I managed to get me one. I'll be doing a review on it after some tweaking that will have woodcrafters smiling from ear to ear and rushing to get themselves one. ;)

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  2. I own 2 Council Tool axes and an Estwing Camping hatchet. These are great pieces of equipment. Now, Gransfors and Wetterlings are great axes too but this article brings to mind a saying I heard a while back: "the best equipment you can have is what you can comfortably afford." To me, this is the Woodcraft/survival mindset. Just thought I'd share!

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  3. Dave,

    I have two Norlund Hudson's Bay axe heads, both used. One is ground/filed in a scallop pattern, so that the tips of the edge are thicker than the center of the edge. The other is uniformly thin. Which grind do you think the Norlund Hudson's Bay axe originally came with and which grind do you think is best for the Hudson's Bay style axe?

    Finally, would you go with a convex or Scandi edge?

    Thanks for the nice video.

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  4. Is this an active website nowadays??

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  5. with the progress of liberal ideals which are complete stupidity and the ability of these same progressives who are so prone to violence to make sure these liberal socialist fascist beliefs are carried on in today's society being prepared is common sense. having the tools and being prepared for a return to 18th century life styles are a no brainer and must be re-visited now and practiced as a lifestyle for our future.

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  8. Picked up a Voyager head that Mann made for Craftsman. Identical to the Norlund but for less than half the price. Hung it on a 12" handle I had laying around and sharpened before testing it on some hard dead cherry trees that needed to be limbed behind the house. Fantastic steel and punches well above its weight class.

    ReplyDelete