Finn-Anders Andersson (1848 – 1930) was the first to establish a large-scale knife production business in Mora. He was an exceptional example of the entrepreneurial spirit prevalent at the time in the region.
Before establishing FA Anderssons Täljknivsfabrik in 1870, Finn Anders worked at Mora Mekaniska Fabriks AB, where he gained experience in industrial engineering and product manufacturing.
The workshop and forge, aka Smidesverkstad, were in Bogghedsvägen in Östnor. He sourced all timber for the construction of the building in the mountains of Hemulberg, west of Österdalalven, and was driven home by his daughter Maria, using a horse and sled. This was around the 1890s.
When a piece of steel is turned into a knife, grinding is one of the key steps. There were several methods of moving the massive stone wheel prior to the introduction of motors (at first combustion, then electric).
The grindstone is on the left of the boy in the picture. He is Carl Ström from Ströms Knivslidsfabrik.
Spetjen, a water-powered grinding station just outside Mora, was near Finn-Anders’ shieling farm in Säs. Initially, he would walk 8 kilometers from Östnor to Säs to grind the blade blanks with a water wheel.
Asked on one occasion whether it might be time to get a bicycle, he cleverly responded, “I can’t be bothered to carry that too.”
The FA Anderssons Täljknivsfabrik was closed by Finn Anders in the 1920s.
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