Tre Kronor - Three Crowns -
Sweden’s coat of arms for 700 years
The
story of Sweden's national coat of arms, Tre Kronor, is to say the
least an exciting one. We know from a well-documented find in Avignon,
France, that the three crowns were used as a Swedish national symbol
as early as 1336, but even 75 years earlier they were used on coins
from Sweden. From the time of the reign of Magnus Ladulås in the 13th
century, there are depictions of the three crowns as a national
symbol, and the kings Magnus Eriksson and Albrecht of Mecklenburg
subsequently used them as symbols for Sweden and the Swedish Crown.
The
enormous cathedral in the German town of Cologne contains relics of
the Three Wise Men, or the three holy kings, as they are also known.
It is known that the three golden chests originally bore regal crowns
of pure gold. Historians believe that King Magnus Ladulås, who became
an increasingly devout Christian, in commemoration of his pilgrimage
to Cologne included the three crowns in his coat of arms. However, the
three crowns were already in use in the 12th century, then as symbols
for the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Modern historians say that
the first Swedish kings and the spread of Christianity gave impetus to
each other in acquiring power over the territory which would come to
be called Sweden. The Swedish national coat of arms, Tre Kronor, has
continuously been used as a symbol until the present day, and is now
the world's oldest universally used state
symbol.
Our
company has received special permission (VAD 411-3830/2003) to use
Sweden's national coat of arms, Tre Kronor, on these knives: something
which makes us very proud and pleased.
Care
instructions - folding knife
Since a folding knife is manufactured with several moving parts,
naturally it cannot be as strong as a sheath knife. If a folding knife
is subjected to heavy-handed treatment, it will invariably result in a
loose blade, with unreliable blade locking, and no guarantee covers
this. For everyday use, folding knives are reliable workmates – N.B.
– if they are properly cared for. A suitable way to clean a modern
folding knife is with water and a little washing-up liquid.
Oil
and grease should be avoided as far as possible, since today's folding
knives have self-lubricating bearings. Grease and similar agents
attract dust and dirt, and increase wear rather than decreasing it.
How
to sharpen your knife
The best way to sharpen your knife is to
use a flat, fine diamond stone, for example DC3 or DC4. The technique
is simple: try to cut
a thin slice off the stone! Impossible of course, but you will
suddenly be holding the knife at the "right" handle, and
making the "right" movement. Finish
by carefully polishing with a ceramic stone. Oil or water are not
necessary.
In
time, the edge will become so thick that the blade will need to be
reground. If you do not have access to the machines and knowledge for
this job, you can send the knife to us for regrinding. Call us for
information about the cost, or visit our web site.
Guarantee
We
offered a two-year guarantee covering material defects and
manufacturing defects, i.e. defects that arise during manufacture but
are not noticed until the knife is used. A defect is generally
discovered within half a year, not after several years. We will repair
the knife or replace it with a new one. The guarantee is not valid if
the knife has been used incorrectly — the knife is a precision
cutting implement and is not to be used for levering or prising.
Discolouring caused by blood, salt-water or other corrosive substances
is not covered by the guarantee, neither are broken blade points. The
sheath will be replaced if faults in the original manufacturing are
found.
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