New brands:
Gransfors Bruks
Wetterlings. Wetterlings is owned by Gransfors, they are quality products but don't have as nice of a finish on them. They are perfectly functional, however, at a much lower cost.
These are perhaps the two most well known among folks in this country today, however I would recommend 2 Continental European brands as well
Müller und Söhne (Himmelberger Zeughammerwerk, LEONHARD MÜLLER & SÖHNE GmbH)is an Austrian company that has been around since 1675. They make excellent products with a huge selection, but are expensive. An excellent source for hard to find tools, especially if you are interested in old style German or French tools.
Ochsenkopf/Ox Head tools. A German company that makes fine tools, good quality and lower in price than Mueller and Gransfors. FOunded in 1781, it is older than the Republic (The United States was a Confederation until 1787)
All of these companies make forged, rather than cast, tools. I believe that all of them produce both drop forged and hand forged products, although in the case of gransfors the drop forged tools are rarely sold in the US.
some good websites to look up axes:
http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/ -suppliers of Ochsenkopf and Mueller tools, can special order Mueller tools that are not on the website
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.aspx -has gransfors and Ox-head tools. Suppliers of the whole line of Gransfors axes, including their specialty 'ancient collection' that are largely reproductions of historic axes.
http://www.japanwoodworker.com/dept.asp?dept_id=12653&s=JapanWoodworker -has Japanese tools, as well as gransfors axes.
hope that helps!
If you want, antique tools can be very good, but you need to know what you are looking for!
In my experience, American tools from the middle of the 19th century are the best. US made tools tend to be better than contemporary European made tools, and in that era US steel enjoyed a reputation (well deserved) similar to that of modern German tool steel (the best tool steel in the world).
Today the best tool steels are made by the Germans, but the best German steels are hard to come by in America. Usually what you will get are the second rate steels, but these are still better than anything made over here. The Swedes are a very close second, and the Japanese are not very far behind (I have some Japanese carving knives that are of excellent quality). We Americans seem to have lost our way, most US made tools are made with inferior steel and tend to be poorly tempered. The majority are cast, with a few being drop forged. The Swedes seem to be the better smiths these days, but Müller from Austria is right up there with the best Swedish companies, and perhaps a little better. Some of this is my general impression, maybe others have different opinions?
My axe collection right now consists mostly of old axes from 19th century America (and one perhaps a little bit earlier, it would seems) and a few from Europe from about the same time period. I have a very good recently made Austrian axe that I don't know the maker. All I know is that it is Austrian due to the pattern and the fact that I bought it from Hungary, and that it is made with modern cast and forged German steel. It cuts through hard wood like butter, and will hold an edge all day.
I also have a Gransfors axe, and I would say the quality of the steel on my Austrian axe is a little higher. The hardness is about the same, but the Austrian axe hold an edge a little longer and does not get nicks as easily.
I have an American made adze from the 1830's. I don't use it that much, but it performs admirably whenever I do.
Also here is one thing that is often overlooked, get a cheap hatchet or small axe, something you don't mind using for 'dirty' tasks and things like that. I have an old Stanley carpenter's hatchet that is certainly lower quality than any of my other tools, but I would say it is one of my most used axes just because I can use it for menial tasks like cutting away bark and knots that I would not want to use my good axes on. It's something that can get beat up, and if it is ruined who cares? I can go replace it for $15
hope this helps
DLB
