Langenthal, Switzerland · 1902–present (carving tools from about 1942)
Pfeil began in 1902 as a knife and cutting-tool shop in the centre of Langenthal, Switzerland, making professional blades and surgical instruments. It made its first carving tools around 1942, moved to a new factory in the town in 1975, and is still run by the founding family as F. Zulauf Messerschmiede und Werkzeugfabrikations AG. The range now runs past 600 tools, from full-size gouges to linocut tools, and Pfeil works with the woodcarving school in Brienz. Every tool is forged from steel made to Pfeil's own specification and leaves the factory sharpened. Handles are octagonal ash, oiled with vegetable oil.
1 model we cover.
The pfeil logo and Swiss Made on the shank; a profile and width code such as 7/14 (sweep 7, 14 mm); letters for variants, a for spoon, L for long bent, F for fishtail, S for skew; octagonal ash handles.