A hundred and fifty years ago scandinavian immigrants began settling here in the upper midwest and as they did their trust in products from their homeland is evident in many of the vintage tools found in this area. This fine trapper’s hatchet head from sweden is a quality example of european craftsmanship and dates to between the 1920’s and late 1930’s. Trapping even today in minnesota, wisconsin, and the dakota’s is still a favorite pastime for many outdoors men. The weight of this classic hatchet makes it a great tool for the bushcrafter looking to minimize the load they carry into the woods. The original handle is long gone but a “repurposed” handle from a different swedish hatchet is a perfect refit. This new narrow, “fawn’s foot” handle is will be easier to handle and less bulk to pack. The handle is hung with a wooden wedge and an additional steel safety wedge. A new jute and acrylic collar has been added to extend the life of the wooden handle. The new leather mask has been custom made to fit this particular hatchet and has a riveted belt loop to accommodate standard belts up to 1 1/2 inches wide. The mask is hand tooled and sewn at the edges in a traditional frontier style then reinforced with steel rivets at all its critical stress points. Full length of the trapper’s hatchet inside its custom leather mask. Overview of the hatchet head facing left. Extreme detail of the “sweden” country of origin stamp in the axe head. Full length of the axe and leather mask facing left. Overview of the hatchet head facing right. Full length of the hatchet and mask facing right. Detail of the riveted belt loop on the reverse side of the mask. Detail of the “repurposed” handle painted black. Detail of the new jute and acrylic collar on the handle to reinforce the handle. Detail of the axe mask showing the strap and buckle closure, the hand tooling, the hand sewing, and the stress point riveting.