Gransfors Bruk Large Carving Axe

Name: Gransfors Bruk Large Carving Axe
Brand: Gransfors Bruk
SKU: GB/475
Price: 179 GBP
Availability: InStock

SKU: GB/475

£179.00

Quantity:

Choose Grind

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Optional Sheath upgrade

upgrade to a hand-stitched Woodsmith Premium Leather Sheath made from 3.2mm vegetable-tanned leather - £31.00

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Gransfors Bruk Large Carving Axe – Now Available with Updated Asymmetric Grind

The Gransfors Bruk Large Carving Axe is an exceptional all-round axe designed for green woodworking. Its long curved cutting edge extends above the head's eye, making slicing cuts easier to achieve. With its relatively thin bit and medium to heavy weight, this axe serves as a versatile tool for a range of tasks, but excels in efficient stock removal.

Originally developed in collaboration with Swedish slojd master Wille Sundqvist and inspired by traditional axe designs, the Large Carving Axe features a heavily bearded blade, allowing close-up fine work by positioning your hand directly behind the bit.

At a slightly heavier weight of 1kg (2.2lbs) and with a cutting edge length of 110mm (4 1/3"), this axe excels in efficient stock removal. Its 355mm (14") American hickory handle is gently curved with a distinct swell knob for comfort. The faceted texture enhances grip, which may feel rough to some new users, but it's intentionally designed this way to ensure a secure hold while carving.

Available in five grinds:

Double-sided Ground: Features equal bevels, suitable for both right- and left-handed users. This is the most versatile option, especially for removing wood from concave features like spoon blanks. It offers a balanced cutting experience, making it a safe and reliable choice.
Right Ground: Ideal for right-handed users, with an asymmetric bevel - long and flat on the left and gently convex on the right. This grind cuts at a lower angle, making it perfect for working on straight or convex surfaces. It's especially useful for preparing billets or shaping bowl blanks but doesn't perform as well in concave shapes.
Left Ground: Designed for left-handed users with the opposite asymmetric bevel - long on the right and concave on the left. It excels at cutting on straight or convex surfaces but is less effective in concave shapes.

Important Update on Asymmetric Grinds!

We’re excited to announce an important update to the Gransfors Bruk Large Carving Axe, bringing it closer to Wille Sundqvist’s original vision. The new design offers improved control and efficiency, especially for right- and left-handed users.

What’s Changed?
The updated asymmetric grind now features a long hollow bevel on one side for better support, while the shorter, steeper bevel provides efficient wood removal. Gransfors has changed the way the grinds are described which is inverse to previous asymmetric grinds - now referring to the longer hollow grind rather than the user’s dominant hand. If you want the new Sundqvist grind, choose as follows:

Right-handed carvers: Choose the left-ground axe.
Left-handed carvers: Choose the right-ground axe.

Need help selecting the right grind? Contact us—we’re happy to assist!

The Gransfors Bruk Large Carving Axe comes with a grain leather sheath, the Gransfors Bruk Axe Book, and a 20-year forging warranty. You can also upgrade to a Premium Leather Sheath, made from 3.5mm saddle leather and hand-stitched, by selecting the optional sheath upgrade above.

About Gränsfors Bruk:
For more than 100 years, Gränsfors Bruk AB has built a business upon handcrafted axes and axe expertise, with a focus on quality and environmental responsibility. When it comes to the quality and feel of the axes, this is reflected in the experience and skill of the individual craftsman. Each axe is signed with the smith’s initials as a guarantee of quality.

The company is located in the Swedish village of Gränsfors in northern Hälsingland. The forge sits at the heart of the village and you can hear the rhythmic pounding as you approach, a sound we always take pleasure from when we visit!

We are lucky to be one of the few retailers of Gränsfors Bruk axes in the UK, which has been based on a long standing relationship between our small family business and their forge. We like to think that our close ties to the forge and the alignment in ethos between our two companies make us a knowledgeable, premium purveyor of their world class tools. If you have any questions at all in any product in the Gränsfors range - please reach out to our friendly team and we'll be more than happy to help.

Product Reviews

“

I’ve had my eye one one of these for a long time, wish I’d bought it originally, they’ve increased in price a lot since I first ogled it! The head itself is excellent, the grinds are even, the edge only needed a light stropping with compound to bring it to shaving sharp standard. I was less impressed with the handle. It was nowhere near as nicely finished as the one on my small forest axe, neither as well finished as the one on my £50 Robin Cook’s carving axe, both of which have that dimpled effect. I actually got a deep splinter off the Gransfors one- the way they’ve done it has left the grain open and exposed in little splinters. I’ve lightly sanded it to keep the dimples but to make the handle a bit safer although there are still feathery splinters that are going to catch the dirt and make it rather grubby after some time. Not impressed at all, it’s nothing like the finish you can see on the web image. Really, on reflection, maybe I should have sent it back, but I suspect they will be much of a muchness? Anyway, that’s cosmetic, something I can, but shouldn’t have to fix. I’ve also trimmed the top of the handle to take off the sharp corners, sanded the end grain smooth and given the whole thing a wipe down with some boiled linseed. Performance wise, it feels great and does a great job, I went for the double sided grind after a lot of consideration of what I’ll be using it for. It is heavy but it complements the Robin Cook’s carver perfectly, at some stage I may replace the Robin Cook with the Kalthoff, which, I think, is a similar weight.

”

Matt

”