Hi Flivver,
as stated by others, Bahco is now a part of SNA Europe. The only current production in Sweden is Saw blades (Former Sandvik Saw)(but tell your friend to check the coo, since some saws are made in Minsk (Russia) or China), Forest tools (now named Edsbyn Industrial, a branch offered for sale, since SNA doesn´t see forest equipment as their core business), and some Lindström pliers. Some 10 years ago, Bahco employed 6.000 people in Sweden. The number is now appr. 600.
If you search the "tools from the old world" thread, you´ll find loads of information on Bahco tools.
As Duarte says, real value for the buck? Buy some Mora knives. So-so finish, but fantastic steel. A good mora knife will be, say 10-15$ in a toolshop, but can be found for half the price in a farmshop! And yes, old Bahco tools can be found at most fleamarkets,
"loppis" in swedish. If you drive around in the swedish countryside in the summer, these pops up in every small town, and in many private houses and farms.
And for the question "what kind of tools our Viking brothers use"? Most professionals use german made tools like Hazet, Gedore, Stahlwille, Knipex etc, but also lots of asian tools such as Teng Tools or Kamasa (both designed in Sweden, made in Taiwan or Japan). And - if they are old enough in the trade - old nordic made tools like Bahco, DSI, Thors hammare, Hultafors.
