An old axe belonging to the maker’s grandfather provides a fitting starting point for a project that quickly becomes more ambitious than restoration. Rather than simply cleaning up the rediscovered tool, he decides to forge a similar axe from scratch, basing its distinctive profile on the Swedish Hjärtum pattern. That personal connection gives the build more purpose than a straightforward blacksmithing demonstration while still leaving plenty of room for the technical process to take center stage.
Preparation is unusually important here because the axe cannot be produced with the tools already on hand. A punch, two progressively larger drifts, appropriately sized tongs and a set hammer all have to be made or prepared before serious work on the axe can begin. The explanation of 4340 steel, reference lines, forge-scale removal and the steel’s tendency to air harden adds useful practical detail without turning the opening stages into a lengthy lecture. Even small observations, such as removing scale with a cheaper grinding disc before using more expensive abrasives, make the workshop process feel grounded in actual problem solving.
The project becomes more interesting when the first attempt goes wrong. Too much material remains around the eye, while the relatively sharp corners created by the original punch prove difficult to forge into the desired shape. Instead of hiding the mistake, the maker redesigns the punch with a narrower, more gradually rounded profile, makes the smaller drift more slender and changes his approach. Excess material is ultimately drawn outward and ground away, an imperfect but pragmatic solution that demonstrates how forging often requires adapting the plan rather than executing a flawless sequence.
Some historical context gives the unusual axe shape additional significance. The maker describes Hjärtum axes as having been produced for more than a century by a small group of smiths, with production ending after the death of the final smith in 2013, and says surviving examples have become sought after in Sweden. These details are presented as background rather than deeply documented history, so viewers should treat them accordingly. More importantly, he clearly labels his theory about the design’s origins as speculation rather than established fact.
That distinction is especially welcome when discussing the axe’s prominent extended poll. He suggests that Johan Johansson, whom he identifies as beginning this style in 1885, may have taken inspiration from Norwegian axes with long polls and devised another way of achieving a strong handle connection without using a folded construction. It is an interesting interpretation because it connects the physical design to historical forging techniques, but the maker does not pretend to have proved the connection. His willingness to say that the idea simply makes sense to him keeps an appealing piece of craftsmanship speculation from becoming an unsupported historical claim.
Laminating the edge steel brings the build closer to the traditional construction the maker is trying to evoke, while the finishing process shifts naturally into practical axe geometry. He settles on a general-purpose convex edge of roughly 26–27 degrees and explains how he works alternately from both sides while monitoring edge thickness until a continuous burr develops. The sponsored Tormek segment is directly connected to this stage of the build and demonstrates the convex-grinding jig in actual use, although the promotional emphasis inevitably makes the ending feel somewhat more commercial than the earlier workshop sections.
Pros
- The rediscovered family axe gives the project a meaningful personal foundation without overwhelming the craftsmanship.
- Toolmaking, forging and grinding decisions are explained clearly enough to show why each stage is necessary.
- The failed first attempt and subsequent redesign provide an unusually useful look at practical blacksmithing problem solving.
- Historical speculation about the extended poll is explicitly identified as speculation rather than presented as established fact.
- Laminated edge construction and final convex grinding connect traditional axe-making ideas with a functional finished design.
Cons
- Historical claims about Hjärtum production, individual smiths and the axes’ modern collectability receive limited supporting context.
- Some potentially interesting stages, including making the tongs, are handled off camera rather than incorporated into the build.
- The sponsorship becomes particularly prominent during the final sharpening discussion, slightly shifting attention away from the handmade axe itself.
The combination of personal history, specialized toolmaking and visible problem solving makes this a satisfying craftsmanship project rather than merely a showcase of a finished axe. Its historical discussion would benefit from firmer sourcing, but the careful separation of documented background from personal speculation and the willingness to show a failed approach make the presentation both engaging and instructive.
