Frequently Asked Questions

Many of the questions such as... "How did you get started making Trolls ?"

and "Who came up with the idea ?" are answered on the Introduction to our Trolls page.

Hopefully your questions will be answered below, if not please ask:

What is a Troll made out of ?

Trolls are made from two basic materials, a wooden base (usually Tulip Poplar) and rope fibers.

There are two kinds of rope fiber; sisal for the body hair and jute for mustache, eyebrows,

hands, and tails. The natural sisal will vary from white to yellow in color and jute is

naturally a light brown. The fibers are attached to the wooden base using staples and glues.

The Troll is then dyed appropriate color (except Albinos!), allowed to dry, and then combed

and given a haircut. The Troll then comes to life when you create its face and decorate its

top/crown and body with assorted nuts, cones, seeds, and many other natural materials that we are

able to find in the mountain forests that surround our studio.

The original Trolls were made by unbraiding a jute rope, then gluing the curly strands over an

old Christmas Tree stump.

How long does it take to make a Troll ?

Because of wood curing, and the gluing and dyeing processes, it is pretty much

a 5 day cycle, start to finish, once all the various "Troll parts" are ready.

All work is done by hand with more time devoted to making larger Trolls, as

you would expect.

What is the largest Troll you have made ?

The largest is 10' tall x 4' wide...had to make him outside because he wouldn't

fit through the door!

How can I tell the difference between male and female Trolls ?

The easiest way is to look at it's face...females have only eyebrows (2 wisps

of jute fiber around the eyes). Males have eyebrows too, as well as a mustache

(2 larger wisps of jute fiber protruding, of course, from his prominent nose).

How do you pronounce the family name Arensbak?

In English it is usually pronounced....'arns bock with the emphasis on first syllable.

Aren't Trolls supposed to be dimwitted and evil ?

There are many stories told about Trolls. For over a thousand years, different countries

have each had their own versions of the ancient Troll legends. Most stories were not

written down on paper, but had been passed down through the generations by telling

these tales at small gatherings of family and friends. So the folk tales would change

over the years and also differ from region to region. Some of these tales were eventually

recorded and the translations can be found in a variety of books on this subject.

There you will find many different types of Trolls described, as well as a good variety of

personal traits and appearances. In some stories, mostly from Norway, Trolls were

sometimes described as ugly, dim-witted and mean. But there are a lot of stories from

other countries such as Sweden and Denmark, which tell about Trolls that were wise,

kind and helpful...especially to animals and deserving humans.

I have an older Troll, what is the best way to clean it and or repair broken parts ?

You can remove the accumulated dust by blowing compressed air, vacuuming or

by light brushing. Hair can be combed with hair brush and then clipped/trimmed

with scissors. Items like nuts, cones, seeds, etc., can easily and quickly be re-glued

using a hot melt glue gun, or you can use a variety of other slower curing glues like

Elmer's white glue, model cement or epoxy. Finished decorations can then be protected

by spraying a Pledge type furniture spray wax, or a spray clear acrylic sealer.

The sun over time will cause some fading, especially in the Albino Trolls.

30"and 60" Trolls have noses made from dried gourds. If these break you can sometimes

glue the pieces back together, or if no luck then a replacement can be found at places such

as craft supply stores.

I have a Troll that I can't find in the Field Guide, what kind is it?

Most likely you have a regular or original style Troll. This follows the original

design that Ken used to accompany his storytelling. Some have called them the

workers.....the ones who accomplish great tasks while you're not paying close

attention. They come in 7 sizes: 5", 8",12",16",20",30", and 60" tall

Where do you make all of your Trolls...do you allow visitors ?

We make all of our Trolls in our Troll "factory" studio, which sits on a mountain top bordering and

overlooking the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We are about 15 miles east of Gatlinburg,

Tennessee, a little ways off of Hwy. 321. There are no road signs to direct you to our studio,

but you are most welcome to stop by.... just click here for tour information and directions.

Who does all of your drawings ?

Almost all of our artwork, from the annual Christmas card to the label on

each box, was drawn by Ken with intricate detail. After his passing (1997),

we have handed over this important task to various talented family members.

(daughter Vivi drew the newer Trolls) We plan to carry on with our illustrative

traditions, but fully realize it will be a hard act to follow.

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