Schröckenfux - Our blade forgers

The scythe works were founded on the river Pießling in 1540 by Franz de Paul Schröckenfux. This work has been operating throughout the world for more than 450 years and is now one of the oldest industrial enterprises in Upper Austria. At the time the scythe smithy was founded, the master blacksmiths and their apprentices fashioned the red-hot iron with hammers in order to shape it into scythes. In the 16th century, it was the courageous and foresighted works owners who set about erecting water-driven hammers in Roßleithen. The heavy blows from the water-powered hammers enabled the manufacture of an improved, more even scythe blade than through the exhausting physical blows made to the iron before that. The new scythes, which were soon called 'blue’ scythes due to their improved quality, were soon on their way to conquering  the whole of Europe. There had, however, always been restrictions to the extent of industrialization possible in scythe manufacturing.

Tradition has always remained inextricably linked to progress in  the Schröckenfux scythe works. The scythe blacksmiths are still producing  top-quality scythes with great technical skill in the modern forge. The blacksmiths  were once commonly known as “black earls." Many families of the “black earls”  became extremely affluent in the 18th and 19th century. In 1953 the mowing  blade work was established at Schröckenfux for the manufacture of cutting  blades and complete mowing blades. From modest beginnings with an annual  production of 50,000, the work has grown to producing over 8 million units  today. The production of cutting blades is mainly carried out using special  machines, which are developed and also in part built by the company. A  significant milestone in the upward trend was the introduction of tempering  with high-frequency technology as well as numerous automations to the technical  processes.