Adler Werkzeug

Four generations, one workshop, one forge. At Adler, steel and wood are born under the same roof since 1919. Total vertical integration, lifetime warranty on heads, heating from wood waste. The owner sends an email after every order.

Josef Schmitt returned from World War I in 1919. He was 23 years old, a blacksmith. With his father Philipp, himself a blacksmith, he set up a village forge in Wiesental, Baden-Württemberg. Locals called him "Hammer-Schmitt." At first, no finished tools, just blanks sold to local blacksmiths.

In 1921, Josef earned his master craftsman's certificate from the Karlsruhe Chamber of Commerce. The following year, he opened the "Hammerwerk Gebrüder Schmitt" with his brother Otto. Production expanded: axes, hatchets, hoes. In the 1930s, the ADLER brand appeared on the tools. The eagle, symbol of precision and power.

The key decision, the one that still distinguishes Adler today, came early: manufacturing handles in-house. While all competitors bought their handles from subcontractors, the Schmitts integrated the entire chain. Forging heads from C40 and C60 carbon steel, crafting handles from FSC-certified European ash or American hickory, assembly with double safety wedge (wood wedge + metal ring wedge), biodegradable water-based paint, all under one roof. The factory moved to Waghäusel, still in Baden-Württemberg.

Philipp Schmitt, Josef's son, took over. Then the third generation. Today Tobias Schmitt, the founder's great-grandson, is at the helm. Four generations, same craft, same place. The range is structured around two brands: ADLER for premium consumer (garden, wood, outdoor), WAGNUM for the professional forestry segment. On Trusted Shops, reviews consistently mention the same points: wood quality, forge sharpness, and an unexpected detail, the owner who sends a personal email after every order.

The company heats its workshops with its own wood waste, 700 kW capacity. Shavings, sawdust, offcuts feed the boiler. Surplus is compressed into briquettes sold to households. Lifetime warranty on tool heads. In 2004, well before it was mandatory, Adler switched to water-based paints. The small village workshop has become an international specialist, but the forge still turns in the same place.