KA Heritage Urafors Axe / Hatchet

 

Urafors forge or Yxfabrik (axe fabrication) produced some of Sweden's finest axes from 1840 to 1960, having been sold several times previously, once in 1870 and then again in 1900. The quality of workmanship and particularly the uniformity of heat treat still makes these axes highly sought after tools, even after 170 years!

This particular example was located in Sweden, and shipped to the KA shop where it was stripped and cleaned by Dave. The poll was refaced and cheeks reground prior to being tumbled and refinished. The head shows clean lamination signs of a nice pattern welded and hardened cutting edge, that has an easy 100 more years left in it's life! 

 

A traditional shape in Scandinavian axe design, the collared axe was orginally a function driven design element. Having forests of birch nearby to utilize as handle material, the countries of the North Men found a way to work around the relative weakness of that birch wood. The collar helps spread shock and impact forces during use, and greatly decreased the stress on the handles and subsequent breakage. Had they lived amongst forests of Hickory or Ash trees, you'd probably have never seen a collared axe design.

This particular axe much like the beloved Billnäs 61/1 out of Finland, is a perfect bush-craft size hatchet. A fair amount of heft, in addition to the added strength of the collared design means this thing packs a whallop and is capable of doing work you'd think only a larger axe could get done. The smaller patterns were not produced in the numbers their larger siblings were, and as such are pretty hard to come by! 

Hung on a wonderfully ergonomic white ash haft of 15" in length, hand crafted In Quebec by Emile at Trintiy Boletus... this hatchet is built to be tossed in a pack or pushed through a belt. Like any EDC piece, it only helps you if it's on you when you need it! This is a hatchet you'd be inclined to have on you. A wonderful piece of kit, well thought out and executed over 70 years ago to fill the same use as today.

After restoration, the final edge was put on using a slack belt for added strength in the cutting edge geometry, and is currently hair popping sharp. Original useage marks and strikes were left to speak of the life this thing has already lived, striking a balance to the re-profiled edge and refaced and squared poll. A hand fabricated leather snap sheath protects that edge.

OAL 15.5"

Weight 2 lbs 4oz

Cutting edge 3"