Gränsfors Bruk Small Gutter Adzes Are Back!
If you work with greenwood or carve wooden vessels, you already know the name Gränsfors Bruk. For generations, their forge in Sweden has built edge tools with legendary balance, sharp edges, and hand-forged quality.
While their Carving Axe gets plenty of love, their specialised hollowing tools are the real heroes of curved timber work.
If you tried finding one over the last few years, you know they were impossible to buy. Gränsfors stopped making these gutter adzes for quite some time. We are bloody excited to announce they are finally back in production, and we are one of the only stockists in the country where you can actually get your hands on one!
Here is a close look at these returned classics, how the two sweep options compare, and how to pick the right one for your workshop.
What Is a Gutter Adze?
In traditional Scandinavian woodworking, an adze (tväryxa) works like a swinging gouge.
While a Straight Adze acts like a chisel on a handle for flattening beams, a Gutter Adze has a curved blade across its edge.
This rounded shape is built to hollow out timber. Instead of tearing across wood grain or getting stuck, the curved edge scoops out waste wood quickly and smoothly.
Close-In Precision: The Small Gutter Adze Design
Gränsfors makes large adzes for heavy log building. However, the Small Gutter Adze line is designed for controlled, close-up carving at the bench:
- Short Handle (24 cm): Made from tough American hickory. It gives you tight control whether you choke up near the head for detail work or swing from the end.
- Hand-Forged Steel: Forged from recycled carbon steel to hold a sharp edge that responds instantly to a leather strop.
- Balanced Weight (0.9 kg): Heavy enough that tool weight does the hard chopping, but light enough to use all afternoon.
- Leather Sheath: Includes a vegetable-tanned leather sheath to protect the razor edge and your hands.
Which Sweep Do You Need? 25 mm vs. 40 mm Radius
The Small Gutter Adze comes in two blade curvatures. Pick your radius based on the size and depth of your carving projects:
1. Small Gutter Adze – 25 mm Radius
The Gränsfors Bruk Small Gutter Adze 25mm features a tighter sweep ideal for rapid waste removal in deeper hollows.
- The Curve: A tighter, deeper arc.
- Best For: Small-to-medium bowls, compact troughs, tight log notches, and spoon hollows.
- Why Pick It: If you carve smaller items and need to sink deep into a tight cavity fast, choose the 25 mm sweep.
2. Small Gutter Adze – 40 mm Radius
The Gränsfors Bruk Small Gutter Adze 40mm has a broader sweep that leaves a cleaner, flatter finish across wide surfaces.
- The Curve: A wider, gentler arc.
- Best For: Large troughs, dough trenchers, chair seats, and wide-capacity bowls.
- Why Pick It: The shallower curve leaves a smoother finish on wide hollows, saving you heaps of time before you switch to hand gouges or scorps.
Why Add an Adze to Your Greenwood Workflow?
If you hollow vessels using only a mallet and gouge, bringing an adze to your chopping block speeds up your work:
- Fast Waste Removal: Clear bulk wood in a fraction of the time using gravity and rhythm instead of muscle power.
- Clean Cross-Grain Cuts: Swinging across the grain shears wood fibres cleanly without tearing deep into your blank.
- The Essential Kit: Pair a Small Gutter Adze with a good carving axe for exterior shaping, and your vessel carving kit is complete.
Back in Stock – Available In-Store & Online
We are one of the only places stocking these adzes in Australia, so these won’t stick around for long. Each adze is stamped with the initials of the smith who forged it—a mark of true individual craftsmanship.
Pop into the shop ( from 22 August) to feel the balance in hand, or order online for delivery straight to your studio door. Each tool includes its custom leather sheath and the classic Gränsfors Axe Book.
Have questions about which sweep fits your timber? Drop by or contact us today—we’re always keen to talk tools and timber!
53 Conness Street Chiltern, VIC 3683 – 1 min off the Hume Hwy!
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