Wetterlings quality degradation

Turbo4x4

Turbo4x4

Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Messages
742
Hello ppl!
Yesterday I received a parcel with Wetterlings Carpenter Hjartum.
Product quality is deteriorating by the day!
I compared the carpenters of the GB, Condor, and a carpenter from John Neeman with my new Wetterlings, and was shocked!
Wetterlings Carpenter:
The head is curved and non-parallel, the cracks at the bottom on both sides of eye, bad butt grinding, rough handle, a bad stamp on the handle.

I also have a two hand hatchets from Wetterlings in two versions (old and new), the new is also a crack in the eye (smallest than carpenter).

Here is some pictures- all of my carpenters, Wetterlings defects and couple of my hand hatchets

GB, Neeman and Condor:
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GB and Wetterlings:
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Wetterlings:
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Curved non-parallel head:
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Crack from work side:
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Crack from handle-side:
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Non-accurate grinding:
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"Makers Mark" :)) - I like this Bourbon:
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And couple of Hand Hatchets- sorry, now I have'nt pictures with cracks, but ask only- I'm ready!
ba89bb17c62a.jpg


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Think twice before to buy new Wettelings...
I'm sad.
 
Just my opinion, but that latest wetterling looks like ass... It would definitely be headed back to the factory @ their expense...
 
Those cracks are just from the forging process. It's normal, almost all of them have those. The messy grinding would only take a bit to fix up and the bad stamp would be a non issue for me because I ended up having to thin down both of my wetterlings handles because they were so fat. The problem I have with them is the price increase without really doing anything differently.
 
Just try using it first? None of your axes look used. Are you wanting all wall hangers? It's your money so by all means do what you want. But like G-pig said the cracks are from the forging and I bet no matter how much you use it you won't break it or make it worse. The grinding is not perfect but I doubt it has any performance issues, it's still high quality steel you have.
 
I understand that this does not affect performance, but for my money, I would like better quality.
Sorry, I do not know how it sounds in English, the work of "slack" - sloppy and messy.
I'm not a carpenter by profession, to work on wood, I use the Swedish axes S.Djarv, the other axes, this is a hobby and collection
 
I hadn't heard of S Djarv- looks like good stuff.

Are those cracks forward of the eye present in "almost all" Wetterlings, or Swedes, or hand-forged axes?
 
Turbo4x4 said:
I use the Swedish axes S.Djarv, the other axes, this is a hobby and collection
Click to expand...

His Viking axes are sweet; well thought-out design on the knurled handles and lightweight version for finer work.

How do you like GB's carving axe?
Have you seen Cegga's work?
 
I seen Cegga's axes, but I have'nt its in my collection...
GB my lovely axes from serial factory production, carving axe from GB is very similar to Viking's from Djarv, and soon I will be able to compare them
 
It's good that you have shared this info it will be helpful to some.

Interest in axes has been rising. Wett is probably making them faster then ever so some details that don't have any effect on the performance are allowed to pass. It's a good product but not the same focus as GB on small details.
 
Fine by me. As long as it doesn't hurt function I'm ok with it for my personal uses. If they start having crooked hafting alignment, loose heads, or bad grain that's when I'd worry. Given what you get for the money they're still a bargain--especially when compared to what we typically spend on knives. If that one were in my shop the rough grinding would make it a "Grade B" item, but it doesn't impede function and is easily consumer corrected.

Based on the OP's photos the Neeman's grain alignment is perfectly horizontal. THAT would bother me.
 
A friend of mine has just gotten a Wetterlings dealership up here in Canada and brought his entire shipment to a show we were both doing a few weeks ago. He had about 20 that I checked out and None were rough. They all had the "cracks" but the grinding was really good, the hafting was close to perfect on all of them, grain alignment was perfect on all and they were all sharp with perfect edge grinding and shape. None of them looked like yours. Maybe they sent you a second.

Regards

Robin
 
I have more than 10 GB's, no one have cracks...
I understand that these cracks do not show themselves, worried about inaccuracy and general deterioration of the quality.
 
Unfortunately things like this happen, even with the best manufacturers as someone lets a B rated one slip out the door. I would contact them and get a new one if you are that dissapointed in it. However, if you are going to be using it, the handle imprint, the grinding, will all be covered and gone anyway, while the "cracks" wont matter at all. So it really depends on the purpose of the axe and how hard core you are about this overall.
 
Once more question- in the last axes of Wetterlings no hole for the rope-does this mean that the series has gone the other axes?
Serie with hole was much better...
 
If recent Wetterlings quality has gone down, might it be the Gransfors Bruks bought them out a few years back and when they took over, the prices went up and the QC got lowered. and the little cracks are not really cracks, just mark left from drifting the eye and forging.
 
I just sold one at a reduced price to a customer because it had slightly smaller opening on the bottom only. I explained it would not degrade the function, but made an allowance since he was looking for perfection in appearance. I still find them to be exceptional axes.

Howard
 
I have several Wetterlings, some of them made before they were acquired by GB and some of them after that. My newer Wetterlings are much nicer, they approach, but do not reach the typical GB axes in fit and finish. You should look up photos of Wetterlings axes before the owner of GB acquired and rescued Wetterlings. The older Wetterlings axes were much less consistent and typically even uglier than the new ones. They were still a very good value for the money. The newer ones (including Turbo4x4’s axes) have definitely improved aesthetically.

All of my Wetterlings, old and new alike, have the “cracks” mentioned above, most both on top and the bottom of the head. Functionally, it is not an issue at all.
It seems that the overall finish of the head of OP’s carpenter axe is relatively poor, but I have seen and have poorer ones. They just did not grind and polish the head too much, but overall the head is well shaped by the forging, and there was no need to grind away a lot of metal to make it appear symmetrical.

The hickory handle looks near perfect: great grain orientation + grade A hickory wood is used. As FortyTwoBlades already commented above, the Neeman axe has the worst possible grain orientation, which in heavy use might be a safety issue. The Condor’s handle is also inferior to that of the Wetterlings.

As for the “maker’s mark” on the handle, it is indeed bad for an exhibition piece, but is practically negligible for a user tool.

I am also surprised that the lanyard holes are absent on two from the OP’s 3 Wetterlings. It is very handy for the small hatchet, but personally I have found no use for it on the heavy carpenter axe. The Wetterlings carpenter is much heavier than the GB carpenter, a lanyard would not do too much good in way to control the hold. It would come handy though to secure the axe with some cordage when transporting it.

Overall, I think this axe is just fine. Unlike your typical GB it is not as nice looking, but for a user axe it is great. If the OP is willing to polish it himself or by somebody else, it will become a very nice looking axe too.

Personally, I think all these aesthetic defects might even help him to decide not to baby it too much. IMHO Wetterlings are great users, and this axe does not seem to have any obvious functional defects.
 
Littleknife, thanks for the input from someone with the experience you have with the Wetterlings. That is one of the things that makes this forum so great.

Howard
 
Thanks for Your comment, Littleknife!
Could it be that the axes without a hole in the handle are the second grade? I have problem only with such axes of Wetterlings ...
 
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