FM Mattsson 1917 - 1962

FM Mattsson (Frost-Mats Mattsson) was founded by Frost Matts Mattsson in 1865, Östnor,  specialized in making water taps, faucets, and other products out of brass.

Frost-Mats Mattsson, late 1880s

Frost Mats Mattsson passed away in 1914.

Frost Matts Mattsson

1917 marked the year of the start of knife production in the workshop. 

One of the reasons for the start-up of this production was the lack of metals during the First World War, which was not the case with iron and steel.

In 1918, they move to a new workshop in Morkarlby. 

In 1943, 15-16 April, a huge fire burned down the forge. With the help of  KJ Eriksson, that landed their facility in the evenings and the weekend, they were able to do some production although limited.

 Source In 1943, the foundry burned down in FMM's premises in Östnor. Photo: Sam Lawson / Mora Village Archive.

"The manufacture of Mora knives has a long history. The handy Mora men, known for their mechanical aptitudes, originally produced this article for household needs and as handicrafts. From an early age, some craftsmen realized that the knife blade gained greater durability and sharpness if the knife wall itself was made with a thin steel blade inserted in between and joined with softer iron. It is said that the circumstance that gave a craftsman the idea of ​​making knife blades with inlaid steel was as follows.

One of his neighbors had bought a paring knife made in another factory with the method of manufacture at the time, but accidentally dropped the knife on the floor and the knife blade broke off. 

The skilled craftsman began to make knives with a fine steel blade inserted between a softer, tough material, and thereby gained the advantages of making the knife more durable and also the knife as an edge tool received a superior sharpness. This handicraftsman, who made his first knife at the age of 20 in 1868, later engaged in this manufacture as a craft, and was thus a forerunner of the current knife manufacturer. 

When production and sales increased, the immediate progress was to get the material for the knife's most important part - the knife blade - produced at steel mills of inlaid special steel with suitable properties. Since it has been possible to obtain a good and inlaid special steel for the knife blade, the special production has continued the development. 

The outstanding properties which characterize a Mora knife from F. M. Mattsson, Mora, are mainly: 

1. The toughness and strength of the knife blade, both against bends and blows and against the materials generally processed with a knife; 

2. The knife blade, through its peculiar, expedient composition of the material and its design, makes ex. woodworking easier and more 'willing- than with knives made in another way; 

3. Good condition of the knife wall, due to the best and most suitable material in combination with good and suitable treatment of the material; 

4. The practical and tasteful design of the entire knife. By riveting the evenly hardened and tempered, finely ground blade into the handle reinforced with closed metal tubes, each knife becomes a solid, solid standard work of its kind; 

5. Knives from F. M. Mattsson, Mora, are made of the best specially made quality steel with a hard edge core and a softer outer layer on the blade, whereby the greatest possible sharpness and durability is gained. Curing and tempering take place with an electric hardening bath under pyrometer control, whereby the even degree of heat determined for hardening of edge tools is always obtained. 

Knives made by F. M. Mattsson, Mora, Sweden, and fitted with the forthcoming brand are unsurpassed in quality."

Page 5 of the 1930 catalog. I suppose the "... handicraftsman, who made his first knife at the age of 20 in 1868"  is in fact, Sol-Nils Olsson. 

In 50's the financial problems accentuated, struggles to make a profit due to poor management and lack of supervision, old fashioned and antiquated product list, puts the company in a downward irreversible spiral.

Old newspaper ads. data unknown. The advertisement is mentioned both the water taps/faucets and knives (täljknivar).  

Täljknivarrefers to knives without sheath, it was common for many years, to sell the knives without sheaths but FMM sold their knives in both forms, without sheaths. Maybe this ad is from a very early period when the company only sold knives with a sheath? 

At the beginning of 60', the company had no choice but to shut down the knife production, and everything related to the knife production, was put up for sale.

There were many companies involved in the process. Frost reached the conclusion that all the machinery was old and didn't show interest. KJ Erikssons had interests in the business but was not allowed to participate. Both companies, FMM and KJE (AB MoraIndustri was one of the family) were competitors, in the water faucets business and this was the main reason why FMM refused to sell the knife production to KJE.

ABMoraknivar ends up making the deal. In November 1961, FMM sent out an information letter to its knife customers that it hands over its knife production to AB Morakniv in Färnäs and thus cannot receive more customer orders. However before they finalized the business, ABMoraknivar declares bankruptcy. So, Ingmar Norlin from FM went completely sonic by truck with a team of workers to Färnäs and brought back what had been delivered already. Ingmar then bought the knife production privately(as a front) and then sold it directly to his shooting colleague Einar and thus KJ Eriksson in 1962. 

A curiosity, when compared to the FMM 1959 catalog and the never released AB Moraknivar 1962 catalog, the models are identical, differing only on the logos.

FMM's letter to customers upon transfer to AB Moraknivar

KJ Eriksson ends up buying the complete knife production, complete with machinery, tools, and parts, through a shadow company. The original buyer was one of the FMM shareholders, that immediately to another company controlled by KJE and finally was fully integrated into the knife business group.

One of the most recognizable knives made by FMM is the Permissionsbajonetten, a parade bayonet with a lion head

Because of the age of the machinery, just one machine small press ends up on the KJ Eriksson production floor. Just a few models that were integrated into the KJE catalog, was the N.650, later re-named N. 1700( Check the full article on this model here ), and the 1510. 

Image from the 1959 catalog model 650

No 1510 model 

From that point on, the company refocused its objectives in making water faucets and still today is a very successful company.

Although out of the knife business, in the '80s, together with KJ Eriksson (FMM and KJE owned together, the local hardware store), stepped in and purchase 72% of the capital of Frost, in order to save Frost from being sold to Fiskars, the well known Finnish competitor.


Mattsons Jarnhandel store was owned by KJE and FMM. Before the store, the build housed Mattsson Mekaniska. It is still possible to read on the second floor of the building "And. Mattsons Mek. Verkstads A-B"

In 2002 FM Mattsson sold is 36% shares of Frosts Knivfabrik to KJ Eriksson.

The first one from 1917-XX

https://goo.gl/maps/o89d9FZARtaFNGdYA

And then 19XX-1961
https://goo.gl/maps/ih9Ef1kLZarFuH2U9

https://www.fmmattsson.com/ 

Stamps

Old Catalogs




Many thank Thomas Morakniv for all the patience  with me and the precious info he is always willing to share

Morakniv - Sedan 1891. Från begrepp till varumärke
ISBN 978-91-633-9108-8

Östnor Moraindustrins vagga av Monica Langwe
https://morakniv.se/en/about-us/our-history/
http://www.cultur.nu/knivar/mora/moramapp_2010/moramapp2010.htm
http://thebladeblog-ulf.blogspot.com/2016/01/fm-mattsson-mora-knife.html
https://digitaltmuseum.no/011022738471/kniv
https://www.minnenasjournal.nu/i-varje-by-runt-mora-vaxte-hantverket-fram/ 

https://www.fmmattsson.com/about-fm-mattsson/history/

https://www.moraarmatur.com/uber-Mora/history/