Earlier this month, Ryan, the manager of a small hardware store wrote in, asking about “Swede” bars.
What brands of nail bars, wrecking bars are referred to as sweede bars? I am trying to find some for my store.
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I couldn’t find anything that looked to fit the bill, so I asked if there were any additional clues, or if the spelling was right.
Thanks for looking. The spelling is probably incorrect. People in our area call them that after the country. I am fairly certain they are european made.
After that, I started searching for Swedish nail pullers (Google search), and a Bahco model caught my eye. I have a Bahco hack saw that was made in Sweden, and so it’s not surprising for Bahco to offer a Swedish-made nail puller.
Looking specifically for Bacho nail pullers (search), an interesting compound leverage model pops up:
Ryan looked into things a little more, and has found what he thinks his customers have been asking for – the Tove wrecking bar.
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I had been looking for a nail puller when I should have been looking for a wrecking bar. Oops!
I think that Ryan’s right, and that if there’s one tool that’s ever called a Swede bar, it’s probably going to be a Tove wrecking bar. Tove wrecking bars are hand-forged in Sweden.
If you have a better idea about what a Swede bar could be, please let us know!
fred
I know nothing about Swedish Wrecking bars – but have used some tools made in Sweden including some Gardena garden tools, Lindstrom pliers, Isaberg staplers, Nobex layout tools, and Sandvik wrenches. Over the last few years I’ve been attempting to make a decent Windsor style chair (a few have turned out decent enough to give as gifts) and use 2 Granfors Bruks adzes which can be sharpened to a keen edge – and hold it well. I think Granfors Bruks makes the Tove wrecking bars
Scott
Yes they make the tove bar or also refered to as a ” swed bar”. I build bridges all across Illinois and I will say that every skilled concrete carpenter I have met swears by this bar. I do to! I will go out an say best wreaking bar in the world. They have lifetime guarantees. And they Easley do the work that other bar is the same size cannot do. It will pull a mail from concrete twice as easy as any other bar I used. Downfall they are hard to find and are expensive!! 2′ bar can be found sometimes for 75 but usually run 100 to 125 dollars. I I only know one store in hundred mile radius that sells them
Jacque
Way back when … we would have to move rail cars by hand . . . We would us a “swede” .. it was the 6 or 7 foot long wood bar, with a metal lip and rollers. I see them on Amazon and ace hardware for about 200 bucks now. Still call it a swede because neve knew it by any other name.
mikeh
okay that bahco nail puller is crazy cool – and i want to find that table the guy is working on in the video!
mikeh
found the “gravity clamp” on amazon – very cool…crazy expensive!
http://smile.amazon.com/Bahco-GC600-BAHCO-Gravity-Clamp/dp/B006MHF3J8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406650081&sr=8-1&keywords=bahco+gc600
fred
It seems cheaper at this source:
http://www.protoolwarehouse.com/prod-21-1-568/Bahco-Gravity-Clamp.htm?gclid=CObNucv16r8CFSpp7Aod4WoAoQ
mikeh
it seems pretty handy and a cool concept but for that price (even the “lower” price)… way out of any reasonable ball park
Bar
Hultafors is a Swedish brand that makes all kinds of wrecking bars, which will be found on most building sites in Scandinavia. They came out with a rather special adjustable bar a few years ago, which may be referred to as “Swede bar” I dunno. You can check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrQ8cp2BESE
Check out their youtube channel and website for more cool tools. They have been making the nailpuller called ATLE for a long time, which now Bahco has “improved on”: http://youtu.be/Q-_AVUrbSwQ?list=PLB40AD302FC92989B
fred
For nail pulling, Lee Valley sells something similar (their part # 69K02.01) – but the Bahco seems to have the added side-puller stud. The Old Style Crescent-Bridgeport (now Apex) #56 impact Puller uses a similar concept – but is longer and comes with its sliding impactor.
fred
I seem to have misspoken twice:
The Lee Valley Nail Puller also offers a spot on the side to grab with the claw of a hammer – and I said “Bahco” instead of Hultafors
Dan
Hultafors do make some really nice tools, their knives are good, the bars excellent, and their hammers are nice to, the dead blow ball peins they do are cool, I would buy one of those adjustable wrecking bars but they are crazy expensive here in the UK.
Ola
Hultafors knives are made in China, go for the Swedish made Mora knives instead! That being said Hultafors do make some nice tools
Dan
Mora knives are great too but they are about double the price here and I can’t buy one locally as nowhere near me stocks them that I know of.
Robert Wdowiak
My TOVE bar sticker is mostly worn off. I can read Tove Kofot 28″. Bergsjo Gnarp Sweden. Lowes has something similar in shape. Barcode 7391765130006. That took me to:http://www.lasmontage.se/shop/product/view/l/brackjarn-kofot-710mm.
Ola
Apparantly Tove is the original “kofot” (What we call them here in Sweden, “cows foot”), they are hand made and come in 5 different sizes:
11” – ca 28 cm 0,4 kg
20” – ca 51 cm 0,9 kg
25” – ca 64 cm 1,4 kg
28” – ca 71 cm 1,8 kg
36” – ca 91 cm 2,5 kg
ANDREW
There are an excellent bar,made from spring steel,it got stolen last week.I have another
one on the way,better mind this one
Tug
Best bar, bar none. Ive been 30’ up in the air on a ladder taking off fascis boards that were damaged by carpentar bees. I used the 28” size which is light enough to manipulate with one hand. The sharp tips are nicely tapered which makes getting under things easy. The wide ends distribute the stress when prying against drywall. These tools work as the were designed to do. I just purchased the short one and have five bars in four sizes. The 36” one is a some day purchase.
These tools are pricey, at least to me but I wouldn’t have a couple in my van.