That brings up a good question ...

When I look at (or buy) some brands of what I THINK are a good axes - such as a Snow & Nealley or an Estwing - those axes don't come sharpened to nearly the degree of the Granfors Bruks or Wetterlings axes.

I mean those Swedish axes really do come knife-sharp. So sharp that while looking at one of the Granfors Bruks axes in a local store the blade accidentally sliced through the leather sheath (ooops ... shhhh!!! ... I wasn't buying at that time).

Is that because they can't be made as sharp? I have both S&N and Estwing, am I've sharpened mine, but neither are knife sharp. Maybe because I'm not that good at sharpening axes.

Is that because of some industry standard outside of Sweden?

Is that because they don't want to ship them quite so sharp? For safety reasons?

Is that because the axe industry in the U.S. really feels they shouldn't be so sharp?

I just don't get it.