About me
I forge by hand, out of passion
Hrútr Forge is my one-man forge. I forge every axe, spearhead, pendant and bracelet myself, by hand — with a passion for fire and steel, respect for the traditions of the Viking Age and a love of things made properly, once and for all.
Smithing out of passion
It started with a fascination for history and the craft of old smiths — with the question of how the axe was made that someone, a thousand years ago, used to chop wood and defend his home. The first attempts at the hearth turned into a passion, and the passion into a forge where I now spend every free moment.
I have no production line and no castings. I light the fire, forge, harden, grind, carve hafts and engrave runes myself. That is why every piece is one of a kind, and the hammer marks on the surface are my signature — proof that it was made in a smith's hands, not in a factory.
Hrútr means ram in Old Norse — a stubborn, enduring animal with horns that take every blow. The spiral ram's horn is the mark of my forge, and I strike it into every larger piece.
How I forge an axe
- 01
The hearth
I heat a bar of carbon steel in the fire to a bright cherry red — about 900°C.
- 02
Forging
With hammer and anvil I punch the eye and draw out the blade and beard. The shape comes from the hand, not a milling machine.
- 03
Hardening
I quench the edge in oil and temper it so it is hard but not brittle. The poll stays softer.
- 04
Finishing
Grinding, sharpening, fitting on an ash haft with a wedge and linseed oil on the wood.
Have your own idea?
I will forge an axe, spearhead or pendant to your design — with a chosen rune, a name written in the futhark or your own blade shape. Write to me and let's talk.