Gransfors Bruks Photo Tour


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craigr

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I was very lucky this summer to have been able to travel to Sweden. While there, I visited many beautiful places and got a chance to see where some of my favorite outdoor gear is made. Bergsjo, Sweden is home to Gransfors Bruks forge where the popular axes are made. I have posted a photo album of it here:

http://crawlingroad.com/blog/wp-con...fors Bruks Tour/&byfile=yes&file=IMG_5221.jpg

Here are some images that I posted in another thread:

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Here is an anvil at one of the power hammer stations.

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Close up of the power hammer dies:

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A huge pile of rejects that do not pass.

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Here's a photo of their hammers and other tools in their classroom. They are using raw pieces of wood for handles on some of them:

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Here is their classroom where you can learn hand forging and even cabin making. Lot's of anvils and plenty of hammers to go around:

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It was very cool seeing their operation. The people there were friendly and let me walk and see anything I wanted. They have an axe museum with just about every kind of axe head you can imagine. They are also home to an annual axe throwing competition. Hope you enjoy the photos...
 
Great pics. That must have been a lot of fun.

You have to hand it to GB for their understanding their customers. Opening their forge to the public is like drawing moths to the flame ;)
 
brionic said:
Great pics. That must have been a lot of fun.

You have to hand it to GB for their understanding their customers. Opening their forge to the public is like drawing moths to the flame ;)
Click to expand...

They offer classes there in a lot of things. I'd love to go and take one on cabin building. Here is a nice video showing it complete with some axe throwing:

Log House Building Course Gransfors 2008 - YouTube
 
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Thanks for the pics--I saw your vid a few months ago which was great to watch as well. Definitely on the list, and I'd absolutely love to do their log building course.

Cheers,
T
 
I would love to take those classes. The classroom itself looks intriguing.

Gransfors Bruk is truely one of my favorite businesses.

Craigr, did you get the impression that the employees seem fairly happy there?
 
Crco said:
I would love to take those classes. The classroom itself looks intriguing.

Gransfors Bruk is truely one of my favorite businesses.

Craigr, did you get the impression that the employees seem fairly happy there?
Click to expand...

Seemed to be. They were friendly to me and pretty much let anyone have the run of the place in terms of seeing what was going on. Honestly it was a bit surprising because I can't imagine most American businesses letting people just walk around all that equipment, hot steel, etc..
 
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My grandad was a blacksmith, after retiring he built himself a nice forge, and, used it a lot. At one time he had a double row of smith tools that he'd built for himself, both rows were probably 12 ft long, had about any and every kind of tongs, plier,hammers you could imagine. I've got one of his old, hand made rectangular small hammers. Wish i had some of the tongs and other things he made. I've been locking for ''good'' anvil, but, they are hard to find, i am going to check on one this weekend.
 
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