Big news out of the Axeman camp this week. Our friend Buckin' Billy Ray Smith is packing his bags for Sweden, to spend time with the team at Hults Bruk, the forge behind our exclusive axe collaboration, and one of the oldest working ironworks on earth.
If you have followed Buckin' Billy Ray for any length of time, you know he does not do anything halfway. This is a guy who rebuilt his body after an accident that nearly ended his logging career, and came back doing the same old-school, hands-on timber work that made him a legend on Vancouver Island in the first place. Watching him sit down with the smiths who have been hand-forging axes in the same Swedish valley since before Canada was a country feels like a natural fit. Two different crafts, same stubborn commitment to doing things properly.
We will admit to a small soft spot for this one. Not long ago, we reintroduced Buckin' Billy Ray to the folks at Hults Bruk, and that connection is what grew into the exclusive collaboration we have been working on together. Seeing it turn into an actual trip to the forge is the kind of thing that makes this job worth doing.
Why a trip to Hults Bruk is a big deal
Hults Bruk has been forging tools in the Hult valley in Östergötland, Sweden since 1697, which makes it one of the oldest ironworks in the world still producing hand-forged axes today. The site started out powered by the six waterfalls near Ågelsjön lake, and for its first two centuries it made everything from nails to anchor chains before shifting focus to axe manufacturing in 1886. That is nearly 340 years of continuous craftsmanship in the same valley.
That is the kind of story that is hard to capture in a product description. You can talk about balance, steel, and edge geometry all day, but there is something different about actually standing in a forge with that much history behind it. We are genuinely excited to see what Buckin' Billy Ray brings back.
330 years, and counting
Here is what makes the timing even better. Hults Bruk is closing in on its 330th anniversary in 2027. We do not have official word yet on how they plan to mark it, and we will not pretend we do, but a trip like this, right as that milestone comes into view, feels like more than a coincidence. We will share real details the moment there is something real to share. If you want the backstory on how Hults Bruk fits into Sweden's axe-making history, we covered that a while back in Hultafors and Hults Bruk: Sweden's Legacy of Axe and Tool Craftsmanship.
What we're hoping to see
We do not know exactly what is going to come out of this trip yet. But knowing Buckin' Billy Ray, and knowing the caliber of people at Hults Bruk, we would not be surprised if this turns into some of the best content he has put out. Behind-the-scenes forge footage, a look at how a Hults Bruk axe actually comes together from raw steel to finished tool, maybe a few stories that only come out when two serious craftsmen get talking. We will be watching his channel closely the moment he is back.
If you want to see it as it lands, Buckin' Billy Ray posts his videos on his YouTube channel, and you can find more of his work at buckinbillyray.com.
While you wait
If this is your first time hearing about the trip, it is worth reading Buckin' Billy Ray's full story first, his early days on Vancouver Island, the accident that nearly took his career, and how he came back to it. You can find that here: Buckin' Billy Ray Smith.
And if the forge talk has you curious about the axes themselves, our full Hults Bruk and Hultafors lineup is up on the site now, including the Hult Splitting Axe, one of our most popular Hults Bruk models.
Final thoughts
We will share more the moment we hear from Buckin' Billy Ray. For now, safe travels to Sweden, and we cannot wait to see what comes out of this one. We would be lying if we said we were not hoping Axeman gets to play some small part in whatever this turns into.
Leave a comment (all fields required)