Custom Gransfors Bruks Hand Hatchet

Gransfors Bruks seems to be a victim of their own success.  People routinely don’t wan’t to shell out the big bucks to buy one or they can’t find one in stock anywhere.  Sometimes  waiting six month to a year just to buy one.  Often choosing to go to a different manufacturer out of frustration.

So I figured why not make my own.  I had a GB head almost the exact weight and some elm.  The rest is history.  After a couple hours work one evening I finally had my own Granfors Bruks Hand Hatchet.  Of course you can easily make a hand hatchet from any other suitable head.  Similar to the below options.  

Left to right.  Gransfors Bruks, No Name Swedish, Wetterlings

It really wasn’t that difficult. First I found a suitable head. Then cleaned it up and put on a new bevel. After that, I had to decide between a traditional birch handle, elm or curly plum. Eventually, the elm won out as it was the only suitable wood in the pile. The birch was too spalted and the plum too hard. Typical Goldilocks situation.