Axe and leather care

It is important that you take care of your axe. If you take good care of your axe and maintain it, it can last your entire life.

Why do i need to care for my axe?

Longer lifespan: Proper axe care prevents rust, cracks, and dull edges, ensuring your Gränsfors Bruk axe lasts for decades and often generations.
Better performance & safety: A sharp, well-maintained axe cuts more efficiently and safely, giving you better control and reduced risk of injury.
Respect for craftsmanship: Caring for your axe preserves traditional hand-forged quality and honors the sustainable values behind every Gränsfors Bruk tool.

Proper axe care is essential for keeping your axe in excellent condition over time. On this page, you will learn how to store, clean, and maintain your Gränsfors Bruk axe correctly to ensure it lasts for many years of use. From protecting the axe head against rust to caring for the wooden handle, the right maintenance routines make a real difference. Gränsfors Bruk axes are made to be used and preserved, not replaced. By following these guidelines, you ensure your axe remains functional, reliable, and ready whenever you need it: whether in the forest, workshop, or outdoors.

Oiling and storage

Axes should be kept in a dry place, but not so dry or warm that the handle risks shrinking in the axe head. Make sure that the bit and the bit sheath are not wet when you put on the sheath. Oil the axe head before the axe is put away for some time. An un-oiled axe may rust.

Axe heads are forged for cutting or carving. Only the poll of a Splitting Maul is strong enough for hammering in a wedge, for example. Do not use other axes as a sledgehammer or wedge. If you hammer too hard on or with an axe, the eye of the axe may deform or break.

An axe handle, whether fixed with a wedge or glue, may come loose if the axe has been fitted with a handle that has not been dried properly*. Check regularly that the axe handle is secure in the axe head.

* All axes from Gränsfors Bruk come with properly dried handles.

Leather sheath care

All Gränsfors Bruk Leather sheaths are made of vegetable-tanned leather that is biodegradable and free from heavy metals.

Gränsfors Bruk has actively chosen to use vegetable-tanned leather as we believe that the alternative, chrome tanning, is not good enough for the environment. You can read more about why we made this choice and what it means under Materials.

The sheath is designed to protect both you and your axe. By regularly lubricating the blade guard of your axe, you make the leather more flexible and water-repellent. The leather grease therefore extends the service life of the axe’s sheath.

Gränsfors Leather Wax is manufactured in Sweden using 100 percent natural raw materials. It consists of Lanolin, cold-pressed, unrefined organic sunflower oil, beeswax and pitch oil (pine tar oil).